Paul Gives Up His Rights
PAUL GIVES UP HIS RIGHTS
1 CORINTHIANS 9:1-18
Paul would rather put up with anything than put an obstacle in the way of the good news about Christ.
The connection of this section with the previous chapter is not easy to see, and a suggestion has been made that chapter 9 is part of a separate letter. But this proposal is unnecessary once we recall the two themes now taken up. First, in chapter 8 Paul has been showing the need of consideration of other people’s needs; now he states that this has been the policy of his ministry, even to the point of refusing a right which properly belonged to him (9:12). Secondly, he is sensitive to the criticism which has been passed on him (9:1), because his behavior has evidently been questioned or misunderstood by his detractors. The argument against him would run: Paul doesn’t claim his right of maintenance as an apostle because he is unsure of his true apostleship. He replies by asserting the qualifications that he has (9:1-2). What are they?
9:3-7. As an apostle whose labors have been fruitful in establishing the Corinthian community under God, he goes on to say that the privilege of financial support from the churches is his too (9:4); and for a married man, like Peter, an apostle may rightfully expect the help of the churches to enable his wife to accompany him on his journeys (9:5). There is Old Testament precedent for the rule that the Lord’s servants do not look in vain to the Lord’s people for their upkeep and support.
9:8-14. That Old Testament teaching extends to cover maintenance in the actual work of the ministry (9:9-11,14), and if the other apostolic leaders at Corinth had been given their rights, why should Paul’s rights be called in question (9:12)?
Now comes the important turning point in his treatment. He has chosen voluntarily to renounce these rights (9:12). Why? At all costs he wishes to avoid the charge of unscrupulous dealing—a theme treated at length in 2 Corinthians chapters 10–12.
9:15-18. Preaching the gospel is for Paul like the effect of fire in Jeremiah’s bones (Jeremiah 20:9); he preaches because he cannot help himself; a divine compulsion rests upon him (9:16), even if he wanted to quit (9:17). The conclusion is plain therefore. The work of God is its own reward, found in the joy of service to Christ and the privilege of being usable in his hands (9:18).
Thought Paul’s reasoning in this section does not release us from our responsibility for the worthy upkeep of the ministry (Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:18).