1 Corinthians 9:1-12a
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
2 If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this:
4 Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
5 Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working?
7 Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not consume some of the milk of the flock?
8 I am not just asserting these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does the Law not say these things as well?
9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He?
10 Or is He speaking entirely for our sake? Yes, it was written for our sake, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing in the crops.
11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.
The Rights of an Apostle
Apostle Paul
Next, Paul expands the discussion concerning “meat sacrificed to idols” and explains how, although he was an apostle, he voluntarily gave up his rights. There were some in the Corinthian church who questioned whether Paul was truly an apostle. Therefore, he earnestly defends his apostleship. Ordinarily, the following three qualifications are given for an apostle. (1) The person must have seen the risen Lord Jesus. Paul met this qualification, having seen the risen Christ (Acts 9:3-9). (2) Signs and miracles must have been performed through that person. Paul also met this qualification. (3) The person’s ministry must be accompanied by spiritual fruit. The Christians in Corinth were, in fact, Paul’s spiritual fruit. No matter who else might have questioned Paul’s apostleship, the Corinthian believers should have been the last to doubt it.
The freedom of an apostle
Although Paul was an apostle, he voluntarily limited his own rights and freedom. (1) He gave up his “right to eat and drink.” This refers to the right to receive meals at the church’s expense. (2) Peter (Cephas) and the other apostles took their wives with them on their missionary journeys at the church’s expense. Paul, however, did not. (3) Paul and Barnabas supported themselves through their own work so that they would not be a financial burden to the churches. In Paul’s case, his trade was tentmaking. Furthermore, Paul uses the examples of a soldier, a farmer, and a shepherd to show that each earns his livelihood from his work. His strongest argument is his quotation of Deuteronomy 25:4: “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” The reason this command appears in the Law of Moses is not because God is primarily concerned about oxen, but because He desires that those who labor receive their rightful compensation. Paul, however, chose to forgo that right. This principle remains unchanged, both then and now: “Those who labor in spiritual ministry have the right to receive material support from it.” It is the responsibility of the church to provide material support for pastors, evangelists, and missionaries who labor for the sake of the gospel. Take time to discuss whether there is any way in which your church may be grieving God in this area.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about the needs of those who labor in Your service. Please help me to love and support Your servants faithfully. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.