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1 Corinthians 9

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Paul's Defense of Apostolic Authority and Rights 1–6

1
Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? ​
2
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. ​
3
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
4
Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ​
6
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? ​

The Principle of Ministerial Support 7–14

7
Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? ​
8
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? ​
10
Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. ​
11
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? ​
12
If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. ​
13
Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. ​

Paul Waives His Right to Boast of Selflessness 15–18

15
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. ​
16
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! ​
17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. ​

Becoming All Things to All People 19–23

19
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. ​
20
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; ​
21
To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. ​
22
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ​
23
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

Discipline and the Race for the Prize 24–27

24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. ​
25
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. ​
26
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 1 Corinthians 9

Verse 1

am I not free? — 'Free' (eleutheros) is the word that opens v.19, 'though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all', tying the opening claim to the argument of vv.19–22. His sight of the Lord is stated again in 1 Cor 15:8, 'last of all he was seen of me also'; the Corinthian church is 'my work in the Lord'.

Verse 2

the seal of mine apostleship — Sphragis is the signet impression that marks a thing as genuine and protected. Paul's proof is the church itself: 'Ye are our epistle written in our hearts' (2 Cor 3:2), and 'the signs of an apostle were wrought among you' (2 Cor 12:12). To others he may not be an apostle; to the Corinthians he certainly is.

Verse 5

a sister, a wife — 'Power' (exousia) is a right, the word repeated in vv.4, 5, 6, 12 and 18. Three precedents are named: 'other apostles', 'the brethren of the Lord' (James is 'the Lord's brother', Gal 1:19), and Cephas, whose wife's mother appears in Matt 8:14. The wife is a 'sister', a believer, travelling with her husband.

Verse 6

forbear working — The right to stop working belongs to Paul and Barnabas, whom the Holy Ghost set apart together (Acts 13:2). Paul's trade appears in Acts 18:3, 'tentmakers', and he gives his reason in 2 Thess 3:9: 'Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.'

Verse 7

at his own charges — 'Charges' is opsonion, a soldier's ration or pay, rendered 'wages' in Luke 3:14 and Rom 6:23. Three occupations live from their own work: soldier, vineyard keeper and shepherd. The Law assumes it of the planter (Deut 20:6: 'hath not yet eaten of it'), and 2 Tim 2:3–6 pairs soldier and husbandman in the same way.

Verse 9

Thou shalt not muzzle — From Deut 25:4: 'Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.' Paul's question, 'Doth God take care for oxen?', is answered in v.10: the command was written 'altogether for our sakes'. He cites the same verse again beside 'The labourer is worthy of his reward' in 1 Tim 5:18, of elders.

Verse 10

for our sakes — Paul reads the command as written for the sake of those who labour as he does, as in Rom 15:4: 'whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.' The picture is hope: plower and thresher both work expecting a share, and 'The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits' (2 Tim 2:6).

Verse 11

spiritual things… carnal things — 'Carnal' (sarkikos) here means the things of the flesh in the sense of material support, not sin. Rom 15:27 uses the same pair: the Gentiles 'have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.' Gal 6:6 teaches the same of the taught and the teacher.

Verse 12

suffer all things — Stego, to bear up under, the verb of 1 Cor 13:7, 'Beareth all things'. Enkope, 'hinder', occurs only here in the New Testament. Paul had the right (vv.4–6) and 'we have not used this power' (chraomai, repeated in v.15); the aim is that nothing placed in the way of 'the gospel of Christ' should be his doing.

Verse 14

the Lord ordained — Diatasso, to appoint by order. The charge goes back to his instructions to those he sent: 'the workman is worthy of his meat' (Matt 10:10), 'the labourer is worthy of his hire' (Luke 10:7). Paul joins it to Deut 25:4 in 1 Tim 5:18, so Law and Lord's word stand together on one point.

Verse 15

make my glorying void — Kenoo, to empty, the verb of 1 Cor 1:17, 'lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect'. 'Glorying' (kauchema) is the word of v.16, 'nothing to glory of'. What he will not have emptied is the gospel offered free (v.18); compare 2 Cor 11:10, 'no man shall stop me of this boasting'.

Verse 16

necessity is laid upon me — Anagke, constraint, laid upon him (epikeimai) as a charge, so that preaching itself gives no ground for boasting. Others describe the same pressure: 'his word was in mine heart as a burning fire… I could not stay' (Jer 20:9); 'we cannot but speak' (Acts 4:20); 'I am debtor' (Rom 1:14).

Verse 18

without charge — Adapanos, free of expense, is found only here in the New Testament. 'Abuse' is katachraomai, 'use' with a prefix, meaning to use up or misuse, and found elsewhere only in 1 Cor 7:31 ('not abusing it'). His 'reward' (misthos) is therefore the gospel made free, with his right left unused.

Verse 19

made myself servant — Douloo, to make a slave, the verb of Rom 6:18, 'ye became the servants of righteousness'. He is eleutheros, as in v.1, yet takes the slave's place. 'Gain' (kerdaino) sets the aim in each of vv.19–22, five times in all; Matt 18:15 uses it of winning a brother.

Verse 20

under the law — Paul kept Jewish practice among Jews. Acts shows two instances: he circumcised Timothy 'because of the Jews which were in those quarters' (Acts 16:3), and he entered the temple 'purifying himself' with the men (Acts 21:26). The aim is stated each time: 'that I might gain'.

Verse 21

under the law to Christ — Anomos, 'without law', describes Gentiles, 'which have not the law' (Rom 2:14). Paul reaches them without being lawless to God: he is ennomos Christou, in-law to Christ, a word found elsewhere only in Acts 19:39 ('lawful'). He is 'not without law to God'.

Verse 22

To the weak became I as weak — 'Weak' (asthenes) is the word of ch.8 for the believer whose 'conscience… is weak' (8:10); to 'them that are weak' (8:9) 'this liberty of yours' can become 'a stumblingblock'. 'All things to all men' is explained in 10:33: 'not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.' Rom 11:14 has the same 'save some'.

Verse 24

one receiveth the prize — 'Race' is stadion, the track, also the 'furlongs' of Luke 24:13. 'Prize' (brabeion) occurs only here and in Phil 3:14, 'I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' The race of Heb 12:1 is to be run 'with patience'.

Verse 25

striveth for the mastery — The verb is from agon, a contest. 'Temperate' (enkrateuomai) is self-control, of the family of the 'temperance' (enkrateia) Paul reasoned of before Felix (Acts 24:25). Paul speaks elsewhere of 'a crown of righteousness' laid up for him (2 Tim 4:8), and 'if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully' (2 Tim 2:5).

Verse 27

a castaway — Adokimos, one who fails the test, rendered 'reprobates' in 2 Cor 13:5–6. 'Keep under' (hypopiazo) is to strike under the eye; elsewhere only Luke 18:5 ('weary me'). 'Bring it into subjection' (doulagogeo, to lead as a slave) is found only here. The risk named is for the one who has 'preached to others'.