seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Oh the commentary is very helpful this morning.Do we have no right to eat and drink: Paul, like all the apostles, had the right to eat and drink. It wasn’t that the Corinthian Christians questioned Paul’s right to eat, but Paul means that he has the right to eat and drink at the expense of the churches he served.
Do we have no right to take along a believing wife: Paul, like all the apostles, had the right to take along a believing wife. Again, the Corinthian Christians would not mind him taking along a wife, as long as they did not have to support the apostle and his wife. But Paul makes it clear that he had the right to expect support for not only himself, but for his family, also.
As do the other apostles: Apparently, most of the other apostles were married, and their wives traveled with them as they did ministry. This is especially interesting concerning Peter (Cephas), who was obviously married, yet still considered by the Roman Catholic church to be the first pope, in contradiction to the principle of mandatory celibacy.
Or is it only Barnabas and I: Most of the other apostles received support from the churches they ministered to. Paul and Barnabas were unique in this regard, choosing to work and support themselves, so no one could accuse them of preaching for a money motive.
We might think this would make Paul and Barnabas more respected in the sight of the Corinthian Christians, but curiously, it made them less respected. It was almost as if the Corinthian Christians said, “If Paul and Barnabas were real apostles, we would support them; but since they are not supported, we suppose they aren’t real apostles.”
Who ever goes to war at his own expense: In an army, the soldiers are supported. The farmer is fed by the field he works in (Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?). The shepherd is supported by the sheep he cares for (who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?). Therefore, it should not seem strange to the Corinthian Christians that Paul has the right to be supported by the people he ministers to.
If others are partakers of this right: It wasn’t that the Corinthian Christians refused to support anyone in ministry. No, others are partakers of this right. The problem with the Corinthian Christians was they refused to support Paul, and thought less of him because he did not receive it.
Nevertheless we have not used the right… lest we hinder the gospel of Christ: Just as strongly as Paul affirms his right to be supported by the people he ministers unto, he will also affirm his right to not use that right, if using it might hinder the gospel of Christ.
Oh Paul.... Paul reminds me of so many of the evangelicals I have seen, heard, and known over the years. He also reminds me of a snake oil salesman.
Paul's problem is that no one saw Jesus when Paul claimed Jesus knocked him down and blinded him. There were people around but no one saw or heard a thing.
However, a lot of people saw Paul holding coats while Stephen was being beat to death.
However, a lot of people saw Paul arresting Christians.
Maybe he should consider the "lack of interest in putting Paul on the church payroll" was part of the consequences for those deeds.
I haven't seen any writings [dictations] of Paul's about love, faith or hope. He's always writing [dictating] about cutting a thingy and eating the right foods. He's like the vitamin salespeople on the "religion" channels. He's always ready to preach about himself and how "apostolic" he is.
Paul seems really happy to tell everyone how to live like a Christian. But I haven't seen him do anything resembling a great Christian attitude.
I don't see Paul doing the work Jesus did. Paul seems to be perfectly happy running the finances of the church, and overseeing the cutting tools, and, of course, overseeing the menu.
This is all about "poor Paul".
He wants the apostolic rights.... does he deserve them?
Poor Paul... couldn't get on the payroll.
