IX. The assertion in the last verse of 1 Corinthians 8 of his willingness to sacrifice for ever his own right to eat meat, about which he had himself no conscientious scruple, out of a tender regard to the spiritual welfare of others, seems to have reminded the Apostle that another act of self-sacri... [ Continue Reading ]
AM I NOT AN APOSTLE? — Better, _Am I not free? am I not an Apostle?_ such being the order of the words in the better MSS. Thus the thought grows more naturally out of the previous chapter than it seems to do in the English version. He had mentioned his solemn resolve to give up a freedom to which he... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I BE NOT AN APOSTLE UNTO OTHERS. — The allusion here is probably to some who may have arrived at Corinth subsequent to St. Paul’s departure, and who, not recognising his Apostleship in relation to themselves, stirred up some of the Corinthians to repudiate it also. So the Apostle says, “Even if I... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE ANSWER.... — The verse refers to what has gone before, and not to what follows. _That_ (emphatic) _is my answer to those who examine me as to the truth of my Apostleship._ Both the words “answer” and “examine” are in the Greek the technical terms for a legal defence and examination before a tri... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE WE NOT POWER ...? — This follows 1 Corinthians 6 after the parenthetical argument contained in 1 Corinthians 9:2. Having established his right to be called an Apostle by the fact that he had seen the Lord, and had been instrumental in their conversion, he now in the same interrogative style ass... [ Continue Reading ]
TO LEAD ABOUT A SISTER, A WIFE — _i.e.,_ to take with us on our journeys a Christian woman as a wife. Roman divines have interpreted this as referring to “the custom of Christian matrons attending as sisters upon the Apostles.” But as the Apostle illustrates his meaning by a reference to Peter, who... [ Continue Reading ]
OR I ONLY AND BARNABAS. — “Or” here does not introduce a question which implies a new right in addition to the rights already claimed, but it completes the argument. Granting the existence of the rights established by the previous questions, the Apostle now says — still preserving the interrogative... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO GOETH A WARFARE ANY TIME AT HIS OWN CHARGES? — Three illustrations from human life and business show that the principle which has been adopted in the Christian Church is not exceptional. A soldier receives his pay; the planter of a vineyard eats the fruit of it; and the owner of a flock is suppo... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY I THESE THING AS A MAN? — He proceeds to show that his appeal is not to a human principle, but to the recognition by men of a principle which is itself divine. The divinely given Law also says these things.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OX THAT TREADETH OUT THE CORN. — Better, _the ox while treading out the corn._ In this verse the question of the previous one is answered. The Law does say the same: “For it is written in the Law of Moses,” etc. The pointed and emphatic mention of the Law of Moses would give the words great weig... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE THAT PLOWETH SHOULD PLOW IN HOPE. — There is considerable variation in the MSS. here. The best rendering of the text is, _that the plougher is bound to plough in hope, and the thresher_ (_to thresh_)_ in the hope of having his share._ It has been much discussed whether this passage is to be... [ Continue Reading ]
IF WE HAVE SOWN UNTO YOU SPIRITUAL THINGS. — The two sentences in this verse contain a striking double antithesis, the “we” and “you” being emphatic, and “spiritual” being opposed to “carnal.” The spiritual things are, of course, the things of the Spirit of God, by which their spiritual natures are... [ Continue Reading ]
IF OTHERS BE PARTAKERS.... — You do recognise this principle in regard to other teachers, and they actually partake of this right to be supported by you; we, your first teachers, have a stronger right. St. Paul had been literally their “planter” (1 Corinthians 3:6). BUT SUFFER ALL THINGS — _i.e.,_... [ Continue Reading ]
DO YE NOT KNOW. — The Apostle now turns to appeal to an argument which would have weight with them as Christians. The rights of the ministry to be supported by the Church have already been established by an appeal to ordinary life and to the Jewish law; and the statement has been made that the Apost... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO. — These words explain why the Apostle again referred to Jewish law, after having in 1 Corinthians 9:9 already made use of an appeal to the Law as an argument. It is now again referred to only to introduce the crowning argument that Christ Himself perpetuated this law in its application to t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I. — Again, after the assertion of the right, we have the statement that though he had vindicated the right by the highest and unquestionable authority of Christ Himself, the Apostle had not seen fit to avail himself of it. NEITHER HAVE I WRITTEN THESE THINGS. — Better, _neither am I writing._... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOUGH I PREACH THE GOSPEL, I HAVE NOTHING TO GLORY OF. — Better, _For though I preach the gospel, I have no ground of boasting._ St. Paul proceeds now to show how his maintenance by the Church would deprive him of his right to boast or glory in his work. The mere preaching of the gospel supplie... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I DO THIS THING WILLINGLY, I HAVE A REWARD. — The previous words, “Yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel,” are a parenthesis; and now the writer proves the truth of his assertion — that the necessity of preaching the gospel deprives the mere act itself of any grounds of boasting — by... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS MY REWARD THEN? — It seems better to omit the note of interrogation, and read the whole verse thus: — _What reward then is to be mine, so that_ (_i.e.,_ which induces me) _in preaching the gospel I make the gospel without charge_ (_to my hearers_)_, so that I use not my power in the gospel?_... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR. — The question is here answered. His reward was to gain the greater number of converts — Jews (1 Corinthians 9:20), Gentiles (1 Corinthians 9:21), weak ones (1 Corinthians 9:22). The only reward he sought for or looked for in adopting that course of conduct, for pursuing which they taunted him... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNTO THE JEWS I BECAME AS A JEW. — This and the following verses are a categorical explanation of the previous statements. They show in detail both how he became the slave of all and the reward he had in view in doing so. For example, of St. Paul’s conformity to Jewish law, see Acts 16:3; Acts... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT LAW — _i.e.,_ the heathen. St. Paul adapted himself to their habits and mode of thought when necessary. He quoted from their literature (Acts 17:28); he based an argument on the inscriptions on their altars (Acts 17:23); and he did not require them to adopt Jewish ceremonies... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE WEAK. — We can scarcely take this (as some do) to refer to weak Christians, of whom he has spoken in 1 Corinthians 8. The whole passage treats of the attitude which the Apostle assumed towards various classes outside the Christian Church, that he might gain them as converts. The words “I beca... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS I DO... — Better, _And all things I do for the gospel’s sake:_ such being the reading of the best MSS. Here a new thought is introduced. From them for whom he labours, the Apostle turns for a moment to himself. After all, the highest reward even an Apostle can have is to be a sharer in that... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW YE NOT... — The illustration which follows refers to these Isthmian games (so called from their taking place in the isthmus where Corinth stood) with which his readers would be familiar. These, like the other games of Greece — the Olympian, Pythian, and Nemean — included every form of athletic... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY MAN THAT STRIVETH FOR THE MASTERY. — Better, _Every one that enters into the contest._ The Greek word (_agonizomenos_) is identical with the English “agonise.” Hence the use in devotional works of the phrase “to agonise in prayer,” etc. IS TEMPERATE IN ALL THINGS. — He fulfils not only some,... [ Continue Reading ]
I THEREFORE SO RUN. — The Apostle appeals to his own conduct as an illustration of the lesson which he is teaching, and by means of it reminds the reader that the whole of this chapter has been a vindication of his own self-denial, and that he has a clear and definite object in view. SO FIGHT I. —... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I KEEP UNDER MY BODY. — Better, _but I bruise my body._ The word is very strong, and implies to beat the flesh until it becomes black and blue. The only other place the word occurs is in Luke 18:5. The body is spoken of as his adversary, or the seat of those lusts and appetites which “war agains... [ Continue Reading ]