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? AM I NOT AN APOSTLE? AM I NOT FREE? So Delta G f g. But 'Aleph (') A B, Vulgate, read the order, 'Am I not free? am I not an apostle?' He alludes to , "this liberty of yours:" if you claim... [ Continue Reading ]
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. YET DOUBTLESS - yet at least I am such to you. SEAL OF MINE APOSTLESHIP - your conversion by my preaching (), and your gifts conferred by me (), vouch for my apostleship, as a se... [ Continue Reading ]
Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, TO THEM THAT DO EXAMINE ME - who call in question mine apostleship. IS THIS - namely, that you are the seal of mine apostleship.... [ Continue Reading ]
Have we not power to eat and to drink? HAVE WE NOT POWER [ exousian (G1849)] - 'right,' lawful power; the same Greek as "liberty" (1 Corinthians 8:9). If you claim it, so may I. The "we" includes his colleagues. The Greek interrogative [ mee (G3361) ouk (G3756)] expresses, 'You surely wont say ... [ Continue Reading ]
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? LEAD ABOUT A SISTER, A WIFE - `a sister as a wife;' "a sister" by faith, which makes all believers brethren and sisters in God: "a wife" by marriage. Paul implies he did not e... [ Continue Reading ]
Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? BARNABAS - long the associate of Paul. He, too, forbore to claim the minister's right of maintenance. Paul supported himself by tent-making (; ; ).... [ Continue Reading ]
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? The minister is spiritually a soldier (), a vine-dresser (1 Corinthians 3:6; ), and a shepherd (; ). OF THE FRUIT. So C... [ Continue Reading ]
Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? AS A MAN - I speak thus with the sanction of not merely human judgment, but the divine law also.... [ Continue Reading ]
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? OX THAT TREADETH OUT THE CORN (Deuteronomy 25:4). In the East they do not, after reaping, carry the sheaves home to barns as we do, but take them to an area i... [ Continue Reading ]
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. ALTOGETHER - join with "saith." It would be untrue that God saith it altogether (in the sense of solely)... [ Continue Reading ]
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? WE ... WE - emphatic in the Greek. YOUR CARNAL THINGS. We, who have sown the infinitely more precious treasures of the spirit, may at least claim in return the only thing you have to give-namely... [ Continue Reading ]
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. OTHERS - whether true (1 Corinthians 9:5) or false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13) OTHERS - whether true (1 Corinthians 9:... [ Continue Reading ]
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? MINISTER ABOUT HOLY THINGS - the Jewish priests [ hoi (G3588) ta (G3588) hiera (G2413) ergazomenoi (G2038)] who offer sacrifices. PARTAKERS... [ Continue Reading ]
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. EVEN SO. The only inference from this passage is, not that the Christian ministry is sacrificial, as the Jewish priesthood, but simply, that as the latter was supported by the people's contributions, so sh... [ Continue Reading ]
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's celibacy, and his ability to maintain himself without interrupting his ministry, made that expedie... [ Continue Reading ]
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! THOUGH I (IF I SIMPLY) PREACH ... I HAVE NOTHING TO GLORY OF - for the "necessity" laid on me by Christ's commission (Acts 26:16) to preach (cf. , and Jonah... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Translate, 'If [as is the case: ei (G1487) prassoo (G4238), indicative] I be doing this spontaneously (without remuneration), I have a reward (1 Corinthians 9:18); but if no... [ Continue Reading ]
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. WHAT IS MY REWARD? (Greek, the reward I speak of) - for preaching, as I do, spontaneously? It is that, by preaching without charge, I do not mak... [ Continue Reading ]
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. FREE FROM ALL MEN - i:e., independent of all men. GAIN THE MORE - i:e., the greater number of them ("all men"). "Gain is appropriate in relation to a "reward;" he therefore repeats it (1 Cor... [ Continue Reading ]
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; I BECAME AS A JEW - in things not defined by the law, but by Jewish usage. Not Judaizing in essentials, but in matters where there was... [ Continue Reading ]
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 THEM ... WITHOUT LAW - i:e., without revealed law: the pagan (cf. ; ). AS WITHOUT LAW - not urging on them the ceremonies and "works of the... [ Continue Reading ]
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. GAIN THE WEAK - i:e., establish, instead of being a stumblingblock to them (; ). Alford thinks the "weak" are not Christians at all, for these have been already 'won.'... [ Continue Reading ]
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. THIS. 'Aleph (') A B C Delta G f g read "all things." PARTAKER THEREOF (Greek, 'fellow-partaker') - of the Gospel blessings promised. WITH (YOU) - rather 'with them;' namely, with those 'gained' by me to the Gosp... [ Continue Reading ]
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. KNOW YE NOT. The Isthmian games, in which the foot- race was a leading one, were a subject of patriotic pride to the Corinthians in the neighbourhood. These periodical games were to the Gr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. STRIVETH - in wrestling: a more severe contest than the foot-race. IS TEMPERATE. So Paul denied himself, in not claiming sustenance, in view of the "re... [ Continue Reading ]
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: I - return to his main subject, his own self-denial, and his motive. RUN NOT AS UNCERTAINLY - not without definite object as a runner uncertain of the goal. Ye gain no end in entering idol temples or eating id... [ Continue Reading ]
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. KEEP UNDER, [ hupoopiazoo (G5299)] - bruise under the eyes, so as to render the antagonist powerless: to chastise in the most sensitive part (cf. "mortify t... [ Continue Reading ]