_(b) Food offered to Idols (ii) St. Paul's own Example_ St. Paul has appealed to the 'enlightened' converts at Corinth to give up for the sake of others a practice which they might otherwise have had no hesitation in indulging. He now strengthens this appeal by pointing to his own example of self-de... [ Continue Reading ]
AM I NOT FREE] (RV puts this question first) i.e. being an Apostle, I am free from man's authority, and could do many things I abstain from doing for your sakes: cp. 1 Corinthians 9:19. HAVE I NOT SEEN JESUS] An Apostle's work was to be a witness of the Resurrection (Acts 1:22; Acts 2:32); therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO OTHERS] in their opinion. THE SEAL] That which authenticates, or proves true. The existence of the Corinthian Church was a proof of St. Paul's apostolic power. 1 Corinthians 9:3 probably refers to this, not to what follows, 'If you want a proof of my apostleship, look around you!'... [ Continue Reading ]
POWER] RV 'right.' TO EAT AND TO DRINK] as guests of the Church.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LEAD ABOUT A SISTER, A WIFE] RV 'a wife that is a believer'; i.e. to claim support on his journeys for his wife as well as himself. It is implied that the Apostles were mostly married; Peter's wife's mother is mentioned Matthew 8:14. No doubt their wives were of great service in getting access to... [ Continue Reading ]
BARNABAS] was like St. Paul, an Apostle (Acts 14:14), and like him, but unlike the rest, he maintained himself by his own labour. They may have jointly adopted this course on their missionary journeys (Acts 13:14). We see that Barnabas was known to the Corinthians, and still working as a missionary.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO GOETH A WARFARE] The Apostles were spiritual soldiers, husbandmen, shepherds.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A MAN] RV 'after the manner of men'; i.e. reasoning only from analogies of common life.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW] RV 'Is it not also written in the law?' THOU SHALT NOT MUZZLE THE.. OX] Deuteronomy 25:4. The ox threshed out the corn either by simply walking upon it, or by dragging a heavy sledge over it. DOTH GOD TAKE CARE FOR OXEN?] RV 'Is it for the oxen that God careth?' i.e. H... [ Continue Reading ]
ALTOGETHER] or, 'really,' 'certainly.' HE THAT THRESHETH IN HOPE, etc.] RV 'He that thresheth to thresh in hope of partaking.' The same principle which applies to oxen holds good of human labourers, and so of spiritual labourers.... [ Continue Reading ]
CARNAL THINGS] i.e. earthly material support: cp. Romans 15:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF OTHERS BE PARTAKERS] This shows that there were some persons receiving support from the Corinthian Church: cp. 2 Corinthians 11:20. POWER] RV 'right.' RATHER] RV' yet more'; i.e. as the instruments of your conversion. SUFFER] RV 'bear.' HINDER THE GOSPEL] by being suspected of self-interest.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIVE (RV 'eat') _of the things_ OF THE TEMPLE] i.e. its tithes and offerings. PARTAKERS WITH THE ALTAR] Part of the offering was burnt on the altar; part fell to the priest: cp. Numbers 18; Deuteronomy 18:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH THE LORD ORDAINED] Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7. 15-23. His own reason for not exercising this right. PARAPHRASE. '(15) But I am resolved to maintain my independence. (16-18) It is the one thing I can boast of. I cannot boast of my preaching the gospel, for I am compelled to preach the gospel; I... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE USED NONE OF THESE THINGS] The Apostle was the more free to advocate the principle 'that they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel,' because his own refusal of support kept him free from personal bias. THESE THINGS] i.e. these rights. MAKE MY GLORYING VOID] deprive me (by supportin... [ Continue Reading ]
WILLINGLY.. AGAINST MY WILL] RV 'of mine own will.. not of mine own will.' He preached under the constraining influence of the love of Christ. REWARD] answers to 'glorying': cp. Romans 4:2. A voluntary action admits of 'glorying,' and calls for 'reward.' So it was with St. Paul's self-support; not w... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I ABUSE NOT MY POWER] RV 'so as not to use to the full my rights'; viz. of claiming maintenance from his people.... [ Continue Reading ]
FREE FROM ALL _men_] Under authority or obligation to no man. SERVANT UNTO ALL] Accommodating myself to their desires and prejudices as far as possible.... [ Continue Reading ]
I BECAME AS A JEW] preaching first in their synagogues; appealing to their Scriptures, e.g. Acts 13:14, etc. AS UNDER THE LAW] e.g. circumcising Timothy, who was half a Jew (Acts 16:1); helping the men who had taken the Nazirite vow (Acts 21:23); keeping the feasts (Acts 20:16). RV inserts, 'not bei... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW] i.e. Gentiles: cp. Romans 2:12. To them he became as WITHOUT LAW e.g. refusing to have Titus, a Gentile, circumcised (Galatians 2:3); mixing freely with Gentiles; using arguments from natural religion and from Greek literature and philosophy, as at Lystra (Acts 14:15) a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WEAK] cp. 1 Corinthians 8:13; Romans 14:15. BY ALL MEANS] some in one way, some in another.... [ Continue Reading ]
PARTAKER THEREOF WITH _you_] RV 'joint partaker thereof,' i.e. share with my converts in its blessings and salvation. This v. forms the transition to the next paragraph. St. Paul practised self-denial for his own sake also.... [ Continue Reading ]
Not all who start in a race, win; only the best. In the Christian race there is a crown for all who run their best, but only for such.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. St. Paul illustrates the need of this self-denial which he has been inculcating from the Greek games or athletic sports, some of the most noted of which (the Isthmian) were held near Corinth every two years. The prize was a mere wreath (at Corinth, formed of parsle... [ Continue Reading ]
STRIVETH FOR THE MASTERY] RV 'striveth in the games.' TEMPERATE IN ALL THINGS] i.e. under strict 'training' as to food, drink, and exercise. AN INCORRUPTIBLE] 'a crown of glory that f adeth not away' (1 Peter 5:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT AS UNCERTAINLY] not hesitating, looking back. NOT AS ONE THAT BEATETH THE AIR] but aiming my blows well. The metaphor changes from running to boxing.... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP UNDER, etc.] RV' I buffet my body and bring it into bondage.' The body is the seat of temptation to self-indulgence. One great object of fasting and abstinence is to secure this control over our bodies, so that 'the flesh may be subdued to the spirit.' The illness to which St. Paul was subject,... [ Continue Reading ]