1 Corinthians 9:17

For if I do this thing willingly Whether St Paul did his work willingly or unwillingly, he could not escape his responsibility. He had been chosen (Acts 9:15; Acts 13:2; Romans 1:5; Romans 15:16; Galatians 1:15-16; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:2) to bear the good tidings to the Gentiles, and ho man can disobey God and be guiltless. If he willingly obeyed God, he had a reward in the consciousness of having done his duty (1 Corinthians 9:18); if not, he still had been entrusted with the task. Cf. St Luke 17:10.

reward Rather, wages. Cf. St John 4:36; St Matthew 20:8, and St Luke 10:7, where the same word is used.

dispensation Literally, stewardship, the work of one who has to dispense provisions or stores. The original meaning of the word dispensation, which is akin to spend, is the giving forth, as out of a store. So Dr Woodward, in his Natural Philosophy, writes, "This perpetual circulation is constantly promoted by a dispensationof water promiscuously to all parts of the earth." And Latimer writes, "I pray you, what is to be looked for in a dispensour?This, surely; that he be found faithful, and that he truly dispenseand lay out the goods of the Lord." Sermon on the Unjust Steward, preached before Convocation, June 6th, 1536. Hence it came to have the meaning of a course, or order, of God's providence, distributed or appointed by Him to man. But this is not the meaning here. Wiclif renders dispending is bitaken to me. Tyndale, office.