1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren't you my work in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense to those who examine me is this. 4 Have we no right to eat and to drink? 5 Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? 7 What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn't eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn't drink from the flock's milk? 8 Do I speak these things according to the ways of men? Or doesn't the law also say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it for the oxen that God cares, 10 or does he say it assuredly for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should partake of his hope. 11 If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things? 12 If others partake of this right over you, don't we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. 13 Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? 14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News. 15 But I have used none of these things, and I don't write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. 16 For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me, if I don't preach the Good News. 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. 18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News. 19 For though I was free from all, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23 Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it. 24 Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. 25 Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air, 27 but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
The apostle had in 1-Corinthians 8:13, mentioned his willingness to deny himself if he might be the means of benefitting others. On this principle he had acted; and on this he purposed to act. The mention of this principle of action seems to have led him to a further illustration of it in his own case, and in the illustration to meet an objection that had been urged against him at Corinth; and the scope of this chapter seems to have been not only to give an "illustration" of this principle (see 1-Corinthians 9:27), but to show that this principle on which he acted would account for his conduct when with them, and would meet all the objections which had been made against his apostleship. These objections seem to have been:
(1) That he had not seen Jesus Christ; and therefore could not be an apostle; 1-Corinthians 9:1.
(2) that he did not live like the other apostles, that he was unmarried, was a solitary man, and a wanderer, and was unlike the other apostles in his mode of life, not indulging as apostles might do in the ordinary comforts of life; 1-Corinthians 9:4-5.
(3) that he and Barnabas were compelled to labor for their support, and were conscious, therefore, that they had no pretensions to the apostolic office; 1-Corinthians 9:6. And,
(4) That the fact that he was unsupplied; that he did not apply to Christians for his maintenance; that he did not urge this as a right, showed that he was conscious that he had no claims to the apostolic character and rank.
To all this he replies in this chapter, and the main drift and design of his reply is, to show that he acted on the principle suggested in 1-Corinthians 8:13, that of denying himself; and consequently, that though he had a right to maintenance, yet that the fact that he did not urge that right was no proof that he was not sent from God, but was rather a proof of his being actuated by the high and truly principles which ought to influence those who were called to this office. In urging this reply, he shows:
(1) That he had seen Jesus Christ, and had this qualification for the office of an apostle; 1-Corinthians 9:1.
(2) that he had the power like others to partake of the common enjoyments of life, and that his "not" doing it was no proof that he was not an apostle; 1-Corinthians 9:4.
(3) that he was not prohibited from entering the domestic relations as others had done, but had the right to enjoy the same privileges if he chose; and that his not doing it was no proof that he was not an apostle, but was an instance of his denying himself for the good of others; 1-Corinthians 9:5.
(4) that he was not under a necessity of laboring with his own hands, but that he might have required support as others did; that his laboring was only another instance of his readiness to deny himself to promote the welfare of others; 1-Corinthians 9:6.
This sentiment he illustrates through the remainder of the chapter by showing that he had a right to support in the work of the apostleship, and that his not insisting on it was an instance of his being willing to deny himself that he might do good to others; that he did not urge this right because to do that might injure the cause 1-Corinthians 9:19, 1-Corinthians 9:15; and that whether he received support or not, he was bound to preach the gospel. In this he shows:
(a) 1-Corinthians 9:7-10, 1-Corinthians 9:13 That God gave him the right to support if he chose to exercise it;
(b) That it was equitable that he should be supported 1-Corinthians 9:11;
(c) That the Lord had ordained this as a general law, that they which preached the gospel should live by it 1-Corinthians 9:14;
(d) That he had not chosen to avail himself of it because it might do injury 1-Corinthians 9:12, 1-Corinthians 9:15;
(e) That necessity was laid upon him at all events to preach the gospel 1-Corinthians 9:16;
(f) That if he did this without an earthly reward, he would be rewarded in heaven in a distinguished manner 1-Corinthians 9:17-18;
(g) That he had made it the grand principle of his life, not to make money, but to save souls, and that he had sought this by a course of continued self-denial 1-Corinthians 9:19-22;
(h) That all this was done for the sake of the gospel 1-Corinthians 9:23; and,
(i) That he had a grand and glorious object in view, which required him, after the manner of the athlete, to keep his body under, to practice self-denial, to be temperate, to forego many comforts of which he might otherwise have partaken, and that the grandeur and glory of this object was enough to justify all his self-denial, and to make all his sacrifices pleasant; 1-Corinthians 9:24-27.
Thus, the whole chapter is an incidental discussion of the subject of his apostleship, in illustration of the sentiment advanced in 1-Corinthians 8:13, that he was willing to practice self-denial for the good of others; and is one of the most elevated, heavenly, and beautiful discussions in the New Testament, and contains one of the most ennobling descriptions of the virtue of self-denial, and of the principles which should actuate the Christian ministry, anywhere to be found. All classic writings would be searched in vain, and all records of profane history, for an instance of such pure and elevated principle as is presented in this chapter.
St. Paul vindicates his apostleship, and shows that he has equal rights and privileges with Peter and the brethren of our Lord; and that he is not bound, while doing the work of an apostle, to labor with his hands for his own support, 1-Corinthians 9:1-6. He who labors should live by the fruit of his own industry, 1-Corinthians 9:7. For the law will not allow even the ox to be muzzled which treads out the corn, 1-Corinthians 9:8-10. Those who minister in spiritual things have a right to a secular support for their work, 1-Corinthians 9:11-14. He shows the disinterested manner in which he has preached the Gospel, 1-Corinthians 9:15-18. Now he accommodated himself to the prejudices of men, in order to bring about their salvation, 1-Corinthians 9:19-23. The way to heaven compared to a race, 1-Corinthians 9:24. The qualifications of those who may expect success in the games celebrated at Corinth, and what that success implies, 1-Corinthians 9:25. The apostle applies these things spiritually to himself; and states the necessity of keeping his body in subjection, lest, after having proclaimed salvation to others, he should become a castaway, 1-Corinthians 9:26, 1-Corinthians 9:27.
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 9
The principal things in this chapter are the proof of the apostle's office and authority; arguments for his own maintenance, and the maintenance of Gospel ministers; reasons why he did not make use of his right and privilege in this respect: and the whole is concluded with an exhortation to diligence and perseverance in the Christian course of life, of which he himself was an example. He begins with his office, as an apostle, and proves it; partly by his independency on men, not having his call and mission from them; and partly by his corporeal sight of Christ, and the authority which he in person received from him; and also by the success of his ministry among the Corinthians, 1-Corinthians 9:1, wherefore, whatever might be objected to him by other persons, they had no reason to object to his apostleship, seeing they, being converted under his ministry, were so many seals of it, 1-Corinthians 9:2, and since his call to the ministry was firm and valid, he had a right, as other ministers, to a maintenance of himself and family, should he have any, from the churches, without labouring with his own hands, 1-Corinthians 9:3, which he proves from the law of nature and nations, exemplified in the cases of soldiers, planters of vineyards, and keepers of flocks, who by virtue of their calling and service have a right to a livelihood, between whom, and ministers of the Gospel, there is some resemblance, 1-Corinthians 9:7, and also from the law of Moses, particularly the law respecting the ox, which was not to be muzzled when it tread out the corn; and which he observes is to be understood, not only and barely in the letter of oxen, but of ministers of the word, who are as husbandmen that plough and thresh in hope, and therefore should be partakers of their hope, 1-Corinthians 9:8. Moreover, the apostle argues the right of the maintenance of the ministers of the Gospel, from the justice and equity of the thing, that seeing they minister spiritual things, it is but reasonable that they should receive temporal ones, 1-Corinthians 9:11, and which the apostle argues for himself, and Barnabas, as from the instances of other apostles, 1-Corinthians 9:5, so from the examples of those that succeeded him in Corinth, who were maintained by that church; though he did not think fit, when among them, to claim his right, and make use of his power, lest any check should be put to the progress of the Gospel, 1-Corinthians 9:12. And he goes on to make this point clear and manifest from the case of, the priests and Levites under the former dispensation, who ministering in holy things, had a provision made for them, 1-Corinthians 9:13. And lastly, from the constitution and appointment of Christ himself, who has ordained it as a law of his, that the preachers of the Gospel should live of it, 1-Corinthians 9:14, though the apostle himself did not make use of this his privilege; nor would he ever make use of it, especially at Corinth, for which he gives his reasons; and his principal one was, that his glorying might not be made void, 1-Corinthians 9:15 which did not lie in preaching the Gospel, for that he was obliged to do, 1-Corinthians 9:16, for if he had engaged in it of his own accord, he would have had his reward; but since it was through necessity, he could not claim any, 1-Corinthians 9:17, or if any, it could be no other than to preach the Gospel "gratis", and without charge, which was the thing he gloried in, 1-Corinthians 9:18, and thus, though he lived independent of men, both with respect to his office and his maintenance, yet in order to gain souls to Christ, and be the instrument of their salvation, he became a servant to all, 1-Corinthians 9:19, who are distributed into three sorts, the Jews that were under the law, 1-Corinthians 9:20, the Gentiles that were without the law, 1-Corinthians 9:21, and weak Christians, 1-Corinthians 9:22, all which he did, not with any lucrative view to himself, but for the sake of the Gospel, that he might partake of that, and of the glory he was called unto by it, 1-Corinthians 9:23 which, and not temporal things, he was looking unto, and pressing after; and which he illustrates by a metaphor taken from the Grecian games, well known to the Corinthians, particularly that of running races, in which all ran, but one only had the prize: wherefore he exhorts the Corinthians to run in like manner, that they may obtain the prize which he mentions, and describes as an incorruptible crown, in opposition to a corruptible one, which others strove for, 1-Corinthians 9:24, and to this he animates by his own example and conduct, which he expresses in terms borrowed from racers and wrestlers, expressive of his humility, sobriety, and temperance; which things he exercised, that whilst he was a preacher to others, he might not be worthy of reproof and disapprobation himself, 1-Corinthians 9:26.
(1-Corinthians 9:1-14) The apostle shows his authority, and asserts his right to be maintained.
(1-Corinthians 9:15-23) He waved this part of his Christian liberty, for the good of others.
(1-Corinthians 9:24-27) He did all this, with care and diligence, in view of an unfading crown.
SUMMARY.--Answer to Various Insinuations of Judaizers. The Corinthians Had Proof of His Apostleship. He Had the Right to Have a Wife As Well as Peter. It Was His Right to Be Sustained by the Church. He Sustained Himself to Have One Ground for Self-Congratulation. Adapted Himself to All Classes to Save Them. The Christian Race.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.