1. paul is showing himself to be an example of restrained liberty;
he will show that he has a right (to collect support) and that he doesn't.
the argument will be that :
a. he is in an apostle and their father
b. as such, he has right to receive payment
c. he doesn't collect his rightful payment
2. context before and after is restrained liberty.
both 8 and 10 deal with restraining personal liberty for the gospel; this is a
specific (and relevant) area where paul can show them his example.
3. paul, having told the corinthians to imitate him, now shows them a specific area (again in 11)
previously, they were told to imitate him in the areas of (4:12,13) :
when we are reviled, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure;
when we are slandered, we try to conciliate;
now they are being given an specific example of self-denial...
a. paul is an apostle (v1)
1:1 - paul, called an apostle by the will of god
b. paul is the corinthian's father (v2)
- (v2) they have no reason to question his role or rank, they were saved by him
- back to 4 when he declares himself to be their spiritual father
- oddly enough, they, who have no reason to argue, are some of the only ones mentioned
in scripture as having problems with the guy (the galations seem to be the others)
note : mentally note that this is another place paul defends his apostleship to
the corinthians; frequently done in his letters to them....
a. current established church patterns (v.5,6)
Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of
the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
'take along' most take to be referring to the monetary cost of travelling
with one's wife...
note : some early catholic exegetes thiselton quoted turned funny
here, working to make this just 'sister' rather than 'wife' or saying that
they may have been married but it was purely a working relationship (not
living with her maritally; clement of alexandria provided this one)...
b. current secular examples (v.7)
who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it?
Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
note : some point out (jeff?) that these are all parallels made in scripture
to the work of the gospel; no meaning necessary there, just an observation...
c. ot examples (v.8-10)
deut. 25:4 - "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing"
again quoted in 1 tim 5:18
how allegorical are paul's hermeneutics?
context on both sides of the verse is on human rights; this one verse is
tossed in on animals. so context gives some indication...
paul could have just talked about the pay of the priests, etc if he
wanted to just hit a principle; it's possible that he is just illustrating
a known principle.
perhaps the best way to view this that paul has chosen one of the more
incidental implementations of the principle to show just how basic the
principal is; if the rule (established elsewhere) stands for oxen, it is ridiculous
to not apply it here.
d. spiritual principles (v.11,12)
if we sowed spiritual things, is it too much if we should reap material things?
if other share the right over you, do we not more?
e. another example (common to pagans and jews) (v.13)
do not those who pwerform sacred services eat the food of the temple?
do not those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar?
f. christ said so (v.14; that settles it)
"so also the lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from
the gospel"
matthew 10:10 - sending the disciples out, jesus tells them "do not acquite gold, or
silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two
tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support"
note : paul is familiar with the gospels perhaps? written/distributed early...
NOTE : v.5 is usually taken to establish that peter was married (if matt. 8 didn't...)
note : v15 translation; asyndeton or not?
nasb :
1Cr 9:15 But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these
things so that it will be done so in my case; for it would be better for
me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
net :
9:15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing these
things so that something will be done for me. In fact, it would be better
for me to die than—no one will deprive me of my reason for boasting!
a. paul's responsibility; to preach the gospel (v.16)
(v.16 - 'woe to me if i do not preach the gospel')
- rom 1 "obligation both to jews and greeks"
- dichotomy between "if voluntarily, then reward; if against my will, then requirement"
b. paul's reward
- v.18 declares the reward
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel
without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
the reward for his not accepting pay from corinth is that he can offer
the gospel free of charge (fewer obstacles).
is there a further reward as well? yes
3:14 "if any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward"
phil 3:14 "i press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of god in
christ jesus"
- illustrated in matthew 25; parable of the talents
master goes away and leaves servants with money
- one gets 5 and makes 5 more; "Well done, good and faithful slave!...enter into the joy
of your master"
- one gets 2 and makes 2 more; "Well done, good and faithful slave!...enter into the joy
of your master"
- one doesn't make anything (just buried it; didn't even try); "throw that worthless
slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth."
3. our pursuit
- in light of the responsibility and the reward, the the logical selfish motive is to obey god.
- current self denial; the most selfish thing is to be completely unselfish.
this can't be overemphasized; christianity is a completely selfish thing that
demands complete selflessness.
specific areas of self-denial
anything for the sake of the gospel
TODO