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1 CORINTHIANS 9 – COMMENTARY

Introduction:

“At first sight this chapter seems quite disconnected from what goes before but in fact it is not. The whole point lies in this—the Corinthians who considered themselves mature Christians have been claiming that they are in such a privileged position that they are free to eat meat offered to idols if they like. Their Christian freedom gives them—as they think—a special position in which they could do things which might not be permissible to lesser men. Paul’s way of answering that argument is to set forth the many privileges which he himself had a perfect right to claim, but which he did not claim in case they should turn out to be stumbling-blocks to others and hindrances to the effectiveness of the gospel.”[1]

v.1 “Some at Corinth (2Cor 12:11-12) and elsewhere (Gal 1:1; 1:15-2:10) questioned Paul’s genuine apostleship.  To certify his apostleship Paul gives this proof: that he has seen the Lord Jesus (Ac 9:1-9; 22:6-16; 26:12-18).”[2]

v.6 “It was Paul’s practice to support himself materially by tent-making (Acts 18:2,3; 1Cor 4:12) in order not to be a burden to the church. Some apparently misunderstood this to mean that he was not on par with other apostles and Christian workers who depended on the church to support them. In not denying that principle, Paul asserts, by way of a question, that he has a right to be supported.”[3]

v.12 “What Paul affirms in 9:12b is that he has chosen to look the other way, to disregard his rights, to overlook them across the board, because love calls for—and here he can express it in either two ways—making sure that no obstacle is placed in the way of the gospel of Christ or in the way of one who has been the recipient of that gospel—namely, a brother or sister in Christ.  He of the unexcelled rights has chosen not to employ them because of love.”[4]

v.18 “In spite of the fact that he would take no payment, Paul knew that he received daily a great reward. He had the satisfaction of bringing the gospel freely to all men who would receive it.”[5]

v.19 “Going beyond his right to financial support, the apostle now discusses other areas of life in which he had forfeited his right to freedom in order to win more to Christ.”[6]

vv.20-22 “Paul’s model far more closely approximates ‘friendship evangelism’—coming along side and getting to know unbelievers, valuing them as God’s creation in his image in and of themselves, and not just as potential objects of conversion.”[7]

v.22 “Those with a weak conscience (1Cor 8:9-12) he also wants to be sure to win (v.22). He becomes ‘weak’—that is, he refrains from exercising his Christian freedom, and acts as they do respecting these indifferent things.”[8]

v.26 “Paul says of himself that he does not contend like an undisciplined runner or boxer. He states that he aims his blows against his own body, beating it black and blue (hypopiazo; see the same word in Luke 18:5). The picture is graphic: the ancient boxers devastatingly punishing one another with knuckles bound with leather thongs. And so by pummeling his body, Paul enslaves it in order to gain the Christian prize.”[9]

v.27 “Paul had not only to preach the gospel but also to live the gospel. The Christian, confident of God’s sovereign grace, is nevertheless conscious of his battle against sin.”[10]

[1] William Barclay, 1 Corinthians, Daily Study Bible Commentary (Philadelphia, PN: Westminster Press, 1975), notes on 1 Corinthians 9.

[2] The NIV Study Bible, study notes for 1 Corinthians 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1985), 1746.

[3] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for 1 Corinthians

[4] Paul J. Sampley, “The First Letter to the Corinthians,” The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. X (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002) 905.

[5] William Barclay, 1 Corinthians, Daily Study Bible Commentary (Philadelphia, PN: Westminster Press, 1975), notes on 1 Corinthians 9.

[6] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for 1 Corinthians

[7] Craig Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, The NIV Application Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994) 188.

[8] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for 1 Corinthians

[9] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for 1 Corinthians

[10] Frank E. Gaebelein, Gen. Ed. Expositor’s Bible Commentary CD, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992) notes for 1 Corinthians

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 9:1-12 (ESV) 

¹ Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? ² If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who would examine me. ⁴ Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ⁵ Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? ⁷ Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

⁸ Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰ Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 

God [What truths about God’s person, activity or character does the text reveal?]

Lessons/insights 

Apply and obey [How does today’s text apply to me? How will I obey or respond to the truths from today’s text?]

Prayer