The Christian who walks in love will abstain from any
liberty that hinders another believer. In chapter 9, Paul
first sets out to prove, he did not take advantage of the
rightful privileges he has as an apostle. He has chosen to
refuse this right, at great personal cost.
Paul makes two claims that are the basis for surrendering
his rights in his service to the Corinthians as a servant of
Christ. There is no need for Paul to defend the first claim;
he is a free man and not a slave. As a free citizen of the
Roman Empire, he has great liberties. In verse 19, Paul
tells his readers that in spite of his freedom, he has made
himself a slave to all men. The second claim, he is an
apostle a number of the Corinthians challenged or doubted.
Because of the simplicity of Paul’s message and of his
method of delivery, some are ashamed of Paul and seek
leadership from others, who have a more popular method and
message.
In verses 7-12, Paul offers evidence for his right as an
apostle to receive food and drink from those to whom he
ministers. In verse 7, Paul cites three examples from the
secular world of work to show that the worker in each case
expects to eat of the fruit of his labor. In each of these
three cases, the occupation is a biblical image applied to
the Christian minister. The soldier does not have time to
produce his own rations, and so they are provided for him.
The keeper of the vineyard expects to eat some of the grapes
and to drink some of the wine he has labored to produce. The
shepherd tends the flock with the expectation that he can
drink of the milk of the flock. In every case, the laborer
expects to eat or drink some of the fruits of his labor.
Since these are secular examples and someone might question
Paul’s intent, he refers to the Law of Moses and quotes
Deuteronomy 25:4, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is
threshing.” Paul uses this Old Testament commandment to
inform us that God did not give this command because of His
great compassion for animals, though He is compassionate
toward His creatures, but rather as an instruction primarily
for us. Since the ox labors by treading the grain, producing
food for man, it should not be muzzled, so that it may
partake of the food that is the fruit of its labors. In
other words, this commandment was given to the Israelites to
teach them the principle that the “laborer is worthy of his
wages” and should benefit from his labors by being allowed
to eat some of the grain.
The principle which God set down for the Israelites, and
which Paul sets down for the Corinthians, is practiced by
progressive and successful businesses of our time. It is
known as “profit sharing.” If an employee is only paid a
certain amount of money per hour, he may lack the motivation
to work hard and be more productive. However, when this same
worker is given a share of the profits, he is motivated to
be more productive, because the better he does his job, the
more he will benefit from his labors.
In all of the examples Paul has named so far, the laborer
has benefited directly from the food that his labor has
helped to produce. The ox labors to thresh the grain, and
given the freedom to eat some of the same grain. In Paul’s
case, it is different. He labors among the Corinthians in
spiritual things. He has the right to benefit from them in a
material way. Paul reminds them that they are already
practicing this principle. At the time of Paul’s writing,
the members of the church were also supporting some who
labored among the Corinthians materially. If these late
comers can expect to benefit materially from the
Corinthians, how much more so the earliest comers, like Paul
and Barnabas?
The right, clearly established by God in the Old Testament
Law of Moses, evident in the world of Paul’s day, and
practiced by his fellow apostles, Paul, along with Barnabas,
chooses to set aside rather than use it to his advantage. He
does this at great personal expense, and thus Paul states in
verse 12 that it is necessary for him and Barnabas to
“endure all things.” Paul’s refusal to exercise his rights
results in the adversities and difficulties he has already
described in chapter 4. Paul’s decision to set aside his
right to support is costly. It is a cost he purposes to
endure and this for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
How does declining financial support remove a hindrance to
the advance of the gospel of Christ? For one thing, Paul’s
work as a tent-maker puts him in touch with the lost.
Preachers often live in a kind of seclusion, finding it
difficult to get close enough to the lost to be a testimony.
Working in the secular work place puts one in contact with
people, who need to hear the gospel. Working in the secular
work place gives one the opportunity to be a witness by the
quality of our work and of our relationships. Not seeking or
taking funds from people is something that takes the world
by surprise. Paul is a man who not only refuses to exercise
his right to be supported by the Corinthians, but often
labors so that he can support the needy. In doing this, Paul
sets himself apart from many of the religious charlatans of
his day and causes people to look upon him and his message
with a measure of respect.
If Paul has not already made his point about having the
right as an apostle to eat and drink at the expense of the
Corinthians, Paul now gives two final proofs of this right
in verses 13 and 14. The first is his reference to the
temple workers, who by virtue of their labor obtain a share
of the temple offerings.
The final argument Paul offers in support of his apostolic
right of food and drink is the teaching of our Lord Himself:
“So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to
get their living from the gospel” (verse 14).
The question the scholars ask is this: “Where does our Lord
teach this?” I think His teaching of this principle is very
clear in His sending out of the disciples,
“And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and
authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases. And He
sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform
healing. And He said to them, ‘Take nothing for your
journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money;
and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you
enter, stay there, and take your leave of that city. And as
for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that
city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against
them.’ Departing, they began going about among the villages,
preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere’” (Luke 9:1-6).
Paul refrains from receiving this support from the
Corinthians for two primary reasons; First, Paul is called
as an apostle. As such, it is his duty to proclaim the
gospel. For him to carry out his duty by preaching the
gospel is not a service worthy of a special reward. We are
expected to fulfill our duty. Our duty is what we are
required and expected to do, for which there is no hope of
reward. The rewards come when we act “above and beyond the
call of duty.” Paul’s duty is to preach the gospel, and his
right is to be supported in so doing. However, when Paul
chooses to set aside this right to food and drink, he enters
into the realm of voluntary service, into the realm where he
can anticipate a divine reward. Surrendering our rights is a
basis for rewards, and so Paul gladly surrenders his right
to be supported.
Paul’s second reason for setting aside his rights is to
promote the gospel. In verse 19 and in verse 23, Paul tells
us that this is his reason for abstaining from the free
exercise of his right to be supported, “For though I am free
from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I
might win the more.” “I do all things for the sake of the
gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it” (1
Corinthians 9:19, 23).
The first statement, in verse 19, is a reference to Paul’s
freedom. He is not a slave. He is a man born free as a Roman
citizen, as opposed to those who have purchased their
citizenship, or to those who are slaves and have no rights
as Roman citizens. This liberty and these rights, Paul
gladly surrenders, thus becoming the slave of all men
whenever this advances the cause of Christ.
In verse 23, Paul again draws attention to the fact that he
sets aside his liberties or rights when doing so is for the
sake of the gospel. Whatever liberties Paul can sacrifice,
he will sacrifice, in order to advance the gospel. As much
as possible, Paul will accommodate the Jews, so that they
might come to Christ. Likewise, when Paul is among the
Gentiles, he refrains from any liberties that they find
offensive, so that they might more easily hear and heed the
gospel. To those under the Law, he seeks to conduct himself
in a way that does not offend so that they might come to
Christ. To those Gentiles not under the Old Testament Law,
Paul likewise adjusts his conduct, so that they might not be
offended, and turn away from the gospel as they turned away
from him.
If the goal of the Christian is the salvation of souls, then
the Christian should willingly set aside anything that
hinders this goal. Some of our rights or liberties as
Christians may actually be hindrances to the goal of winning
souls. For Paul, marriage and supported by the church were
hindrances to his mission as a called apostle. Consequently,
he happily set them aside, knowing that this not only
enhances his ministry, but also increases his rewards.
It is important we understand that in verses 19-23 Paul is
not teaching: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Paul is
not speaking about the sins of others with which he is
willing to participate. Paul is talking about the weaknesses
of the lost, by surrendering any liberties that might prove
offensive to them and thus hinder his preaching of the
gospel. Why insist on our rights, when practicing them might
alienate someone who is lost, keeping them from hearing the
gospel? Paul is willing to sacrifice the free exercise of
any liberty if doing so will further the gospel. Never will
Paul think of committing a sin in order to identify with the
lost. One does not need to win an alcoholic to Christ by
getting drunk with him, or to convert a drug addict by
getting high with him. It is one thing to commit a sin in
the name of furthering the gospel; it is quite another to
sacrifice a liberty for the sake of the gospel.
For many, the requirements of the Law or of any New
Testament commands are the high water mark of spirituality.
To keep the rules is to be spiritual. To exercise every
right not forbidden by the rules or made possible by finding
a way around the rules is also the epitome of spirituality.
Avoiding the prohibited and begrudgingly doing the commanded
is as far as the legalist will go. The Law is the stopping
place for the legalists, who will then indulge themselves in
their liberties. For Paul, it is just the opposite. The
requirements of the Law are the starting point. The bare
minimum is what the Law requires or forbids. To abide within
the Law is not proof of spirituality. Those who think
themselves spiritual for keeping the rules are wrong. The
Law set the starting point, not the stopping point.
Pleasing God does not result from merely keeping the rules.
Pleasing God comes from personal sacrifice, for the glory of
God, the good of others, and the advance of the gospel. Many
Christians talk about “knowing the will of God.” What they
really want is a rulebook, much like that of the scribes and
Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They want to know what is right and
what is wrong. They want to avoid only what is sin and to
enjoy everything else. They want the Christian life all
spelled out in terms of do’s and don’ts. They want to know
all the don’ts, so that they can indulge themselves in the
dos. Paul informs us that God is pleased when we “just say
no” to the things which could be a “yes.” God is pleased
when we choose to refrain from a right because of our love
for God and for our brother, and because we do not want to
hinder the advance of the gospel. This is why I believe God
does not lay down more dos and don’ts. He wants to give us
as many liberties as possible, and then to see what we are
willing to sacrifice for the gospel and for His glory.
There were those in Corinth who looked upon themselves as
“strong” in the faith, and who looked down upon others as
“weak.” Those who think themselves “strong” are those whom
Paul is showing to be weak, and whom he will shortly warn
that their over-confidence may lead to their own downfall.
These Corinthians, like their Jewish counterparts seemed to
think their privileges guarantee that they would not fall,
and that they would surely “win” the race before them.
We need to heed Paul’s words to the Corinthians. The one who
wins the race is the one who exercises self-control.
