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Ambrosiaster

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 1,043 passages across 16 books

Commentary

121–140 of 1,043
1 Corinthians 8:4

As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

Paul now develops his argument in detail in order to show that knowledge without love is both useless and harmful.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 8:6

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Everything which exists has been created by the Father through the Son. It is impossible for God not to be Lord as well, and since the Lord is God, it is clear that Father and Son are one.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 8:10

For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

Paul is afraid that the weaker brother may be tempted to eat meat sacrificed to idols, not because he also possesses the knowledge that there is no such thing as an idol but because he might think that there is some spiritual power in such food, which he will acquire if he eats it.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 8:13

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

It is all right to have a wife, but if she commits adultery she is to be rejected. Likewise, it is all right to eat meat, but if it has been sacrificed to idols it is to be refused.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:2

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.

Those Jewish believers who nevertheless continued to observe the law of Moses denied that Paul was an apostle because he taught that it was no longer necessary to be circumcised or to observe the sabbath. Even the other apostles thought that he was teaching something different because of this, and they denied that he was an apostle. But to the Corinthians Paul was an apostle, because they had seen the signs of God’s power in him.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:3

Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

Here Paul begins to develop the argument which he set out above, namely: “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything” (6:12).

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:4

Have we not power to eat and to drink?

This is what Paul meant when he said that all things were lawful to him.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:6

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Paul means by this that he and Barnabas do have this right, but they do not want to exercise it.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:8

Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

Paul indicates here that his position corresponds to the teaching of Scripture and that his refusal to accept any payment from the Corinthians was with good reason.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:10

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.

The whole of Scripture applies to us by way of analogy.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:12

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.

Paul does not exercise his rights because they might be an obstacle to the gospel. That left him free to argue that he was not one of the false apostles.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:14

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

It was not by the law of Moses that God followed the practice of the Gentiles, but natural reason itself decrees that a person should live from his labor.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:15

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.

Paul says he would rather die because he knew it would be better from the standpoint of his future salvation.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:16

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!

The servant sent by the Lord does what he has to do even if he is not willing, because if he does not do it he will suffer for it. Moses preached to Pharaoh even though he did not want to, and Jonah was forced to preach to the Ninevites.8.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:19

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

Paul is free from all human claims because he preached the gospel without getting any praise for it and never wanted anything from anyone, except their salvation.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:20

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;

Did Paul merely pretend to be all things to all men, in the way that flatterers do? No. He was a man of God and a doctor of the spirit who could diagnose every pain, and with great diligence he tended them and sympathized with them all. We all have something or other in common with everyone. This empathy is what Paul embodied in dealing with each particular person.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:21

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.

To be under the law of Christ is to be under the law of God, because everything which is of Christ is of God.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:22

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.

Paul became weak by abstaining from things which would scandalize the weak.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:26

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

Paul means that he fights not merely with his words but with his deeds.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

1 Corinthians 9:27

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.

To pommel the body is to fast and to avoid any kind of luxury. Paul shows that he disciplines his own body so that he will not miss out on the reward about which he preaches to others.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

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