AM I NOT FREE? (Ουκ ειμ ελευθεροσ;). Free as a Christian from Mosaic ceremonialism (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:19) as much as any Christian and yet he adapts his moral independence to the principle of considerate love in 1 Corinthians 8:13.AM I NOT AN APOSTLE? (ουκ ειμ αποστολοσ;). He has the exceptio... [ Continue Reading ]
YET AT LEAST I AM TO YOU (αλλα γε υμιν ειμ). An _argumentum ad hominem_ and a pointed appeal for their support. Note use of αλλα γε in the apodosis (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
MY DEFENCE (η εμη απολογια). Original sense, not idea of apologizing as we say. See on Acts 22:1; Acts 25:16. Refers to what precedes and to what follows as illustration of 1 Corinthians 8:13.TO THEM THAT EXAMINE ME (τοις εμε ανακρινουσιν). See on 1 Corinthians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 4:3. The crit... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE WE NO RIGHT? (Μη ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν;). Literary plural here though singular in 1 Corinthians 9:1-3. The μη in this double negative expects the answer "No" while ουκ goes with the verb εχομεν. "Do we fail to have the right?" Cf. Romans 10:18 (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 1173).... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE WE NO RIGHT? (Μη ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν;). Same idiom.TO LEAD ABOUT A WIFE THAT IS A BELIEVER? (αδελφην γυναικα περιαγειν;). Old verb περιαγω, intransitive in Acts 13:11. Two substantives in apposition, a sister a wife, a common Greek idiom. This is a plea for the support of the preacher's wi... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE WE NOT A RIGHT TO FORBEAR WORKING? (ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν μη εργαζεσθαι;). By η (or) Paul puts the other side about Barnabas (the only allusion since the dispute in Acts 15:39, but in good spirit) and himself. Perhaps (Hofmann) Paul has in mind the fact that in the first great mission tour (1 C... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SOLDIER EVER SERVETH? (τις στρατευετα ποτε;). "Who ever serves as a soldier?" serves in an army (στρατος). Present middle of old verb στρατευω.AT HIS OWN CHARGES (ιδιοις οψωνιοις). This late word οψωνιον (from οψον, cooked meat or relish with bread, and ωνεομα, to buy) found in Menander, Po... [ Continue Reading ]
DO I SPEAK THESE THINGS AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN? (Μη κατα ανθρωπον ταυτα λαλω;). Negative answer expected. Paul uses κατα ανθρωπον six times (1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 9:8; 1 Corinthians 15:32; Galatians 1:11; Galatians 3:15; Romans 3:5). The illustrations from human life are pertinent, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHEN HE TREADETH OUT THE CORN (ου φιμωσεις βουν αλοωντα). Quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4. Prohibition by ου and the volitive future indicative. Φιμοω, to muzzle (from φιμος, a muzzle for dogs and oxen), appears first in Aristophanes (_Clouds_, 592) and not again till... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT PLOUGHETH (ο αροτριων). Late verb αροτριαω, to plough, for the old αροω from αροτρον (plough), in LXX and rare in papyri.IN HOPE OF PARTAKING (επ' ελπιδ του μετεχειν). The infinitive αλοαιν is not repeated nor is οφειλε though it is understood, "He that thresheth ought to thresh in hope... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT A GREAT MATTER? (μεγα;). The copula εστιν has to be supplied. Note two conditions of first class with ε, both assumed to be true. On πνευματικα and σαρκικα see on 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Corinthians 3:3. This point comes out sharply also in Galatians 6:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
OVER YOU (υμων). Objective genitive after εξουσιαν.DO NOT WE YET MORE? (ου μαλλον ημεισ;). Because of Paul's peculiar relation to that church as founder and apostle.BUT WE BEAR ALL THINGS (αλλα παντα στεγομεν). Old verb to cover (στεγη, roof) and so to cover up, to conceal, to endure (1 Corin... [ Continue Reading ]
SACRED THINGS (τα ιερα).OF THE TEMPLE (του ιερου). Play on the same word ιερου (sacred). See Numbers 18:8-20 for the details. This is a very pertinent illustration.THEY WHICH WAIT UPON THE ALTAR (ο τω θυσιαστηριω παρεδρευοντες). Old word παρεδρευω, to sit beside, from παρ--εδρος, like Latin _... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO DID THE LORD ORDAIN (ουτως κα ο Κυριος διεταξεν). Just as God gave orders about the priests in the temple, so did the Lord Jesus give orders for those who preach the gospel to live out of the gospel (εκ του ευαγγελιου ζηιν). Evidently Paul was familiar with the words of Jesus in Matthew 1... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT WERE GOOD FOR ME TO DIE, THAN THAT ANY MAN SHOULD MAKE MY GLORYING VOID (καλον γαρ μο μαλλον αποθανειν η το καυχημα μου ουδεις κενωσε). The tangled syntax of this sentence reflects the intensity of Paul's feeling on the subject. He repeats his refusal to use his privileges and rights to a s... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I PREACH (εαν γαρ ευαγγελιζωμα). Third class condition, supposable case. Same construction in verse 1 Corinthians 9:16 (εαν μη).FOR NECESSITY IS LAID UPON ME (αναγκη γαρ μο επικειτα). Old verb, lies upon me (dative case μο). Jesus had called him (Acts 9:6; Acts 9:15; Galatians 1:15; Roma... [ Continue Reading ]
OF MINE OWN WILL (εκων)--NOT OF MINE OWN WILL (ακων). Both common adjectives, but only here in N.T. save εκων, also in Romans 8:20. The argument is not wholly clear. Paul's call was so clear that he certainly did his workWILLINGLY and so had a reward (see on Matthew 6:1 for μισθος); but the o... [ Continue Reading ]
SO AS NOT TO USE TO THE FULL (εις το μη καταχρησασθα). Εις το for purpose with articular infinitive and perfective use of κατα (as in 1 Corinthians 7:31) with χρησασθα (first aorist middle infinitive).... [ Continue Reading ]
I BROUGHT MYSELF UNDER BONDAGE (εμαυτον εδουλωσα). Voluntary bondage, I enslaved myself to all, though free. Causative verb in -οω (δουλοω, from δουλος). The more (τους πλειονας). Than he could have done otherwise. Every preacher faces this problem of his personal attitude and conduct. Note κερδησ... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A JEW (ως Ιουδαιος). He was a Jew and was not ashamed of it (Acts 18:18; Acts 21:26).NOT BEING MYSELF UNDER THE LAW (μη ων αυτος υπο νομον). He was emancipated from the law as a means of salvation, yet he knew how to speak to them because of his former beliefs and life with them (Galatians 4... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW (τοις ανομοις). The heathen, those outside the Mosaic law (Romans 2:14), not lawless (Luke 22:37; Acts 2:23; 1 Timothy 1:9). See how Paul bore himself with the pagans (Acts 14:15; Acts 17:23; Acts 24:25), and how he quoted heathen poets. "Not being an outlaw of God, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
I BECAME WEAK (εγενομην ασθενης). This is the chief point, the climax in his plea for the principle of love on the part of the enlightened for the benefit of the unenlightened (chapter 1 Corinthians 9:1). He thus brings home his conduct about renouncing pay for preaching as an illustration of lov... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT I MAY BE A JOINT PARTAKER THEREOF (ινα συνκοινωνος αυτου γενωμα). Literally, That I may become co-partner with others in the gospel. The point is that he may be able to share the gospel with others, his evangelistic passion. Συνκοινωνος is a compound word (συν, together with, κοινωνος, partn... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A RACE (εν σταδιω). Old word from ιστημ, to place. A stated or fixed distance, 606 3/4 feet, both masculine σταδιο (Matthew 14:24; Luke 24:13) and neuter as here. Most of the Greek cities had race-courses for runners like that at Olympia.THE PRIZE (το βραβειον). Late word, in inscriptions an... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT STRIVETH IN THE GAMES (ο αγωνιζομενος). Common verb for contest in the athletic games (αγων), sometimes with the cognate accusative, αγωνα αγωνιζομα as in 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7. Probably Paul often saw these athletic games.IS TEMPERATE IN ALL THINGS (παντα εγκρατευετα). Rare verb, o... [ Continue Reading ]
SO (ουτως). Both with τρεχω (run) and πυκτευω (fight).AS NOT UNCERTAINLY (ως ουκ αδηλως). Instead of exhorting them further Paul describes his own conduct as a runner in the race. He explains ουτως. Αδηλως old adverb, only here in N.T. His objective is clear, with Christ as the goal (Philippian... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I BUFFET MY BODY (αλλα υπωπιαζω μου το σωμα). In Aristophanes, Aristotle, Plutarch, from υπωπιον, and that from υπο and οπς (in papyri), the part of the face under the eyes, a blow in the face, to beat black and blue. In N.T. only here and Luke 18:5 which see. Paul does not, like the Gnostics,... [ Continue Reading ]