110 1 Corinthians 9 - Paul Defends his Apostleship - a podcast by Dr David Petts - Pentecostal preacher, former AoG Bible College Principal

Talk 12.  Paul defends his Apostleship (9:1-27)

 

In this chapter Paul continues his theme of love not insisting on its own rights.  In vv 1-14, he talks about his rights as an apostle and in vv. 15-27 explains why he does not choose to exercise those rights. 

 

In this chapter, as in the last, love is the over-riding consideration.  He illustrates by personal example the principles he has been teaching in chapter 8.

 

It is also possible, as we saw in the last talk, and as Fee suggests, that Paul is defending his apostleship in this chapter because it had been challenged at this point in the letter from the Corinthians.

It is even possible that his refusal to accept material support called into question his authority as an apostle.

 

We will consider the chapter in broad outline and see what practical lessons may be learnt from it with regard to the ministry today.

 

The fact of Paul’s apostleship (1-2)

The rights of an apostle (3-6)

The reasons for those rights (7-14)

The extent to which Paul abandoned his rights (19-22)

His reasons for not exercising his rights (15-18, 23-27)

 

The fact of Paul’s apostleship (1-2)

 

        He had seen the risen Christ (Cf. Acts 1:21-22)

 

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?

       

The Corinthians were a proof of it

 

2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

 

 

The rights of an apostle (3-6)

 

        to eat at the church’s expense (4)

 

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.

4 Don't we have the right to food and drink?

 

        to take a wife with him on his travels (5)

 

5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?

 

        to give up secular employment (6)

 

6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

 

The reasons for those rights (7-14)

 

        according to the world (7)

 

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?

 

        according to the Word (8-13)

 

8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing?

9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the ploughman ploughs and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?

12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?

 

        according to the Lord (14)

 

14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

 

See Matthew 10:10

 

The extent to which Paul abandoned his rights (19-22)

 

        as a free man he has become as a slave (19)

 

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

 

        as free from the Law he has subjected himself to it (20)

 

20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.

 

        as a Jew he has become as a Gentile (21)

 

21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law.

 

        as strong he has become weak (22)

 

22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

 

 

His reasons for not exercising his rights (15-18, 23-27)

 

        He wanted the reward of knowing that he had made the Gospel of Christ

        without charge (18).  Note that this was the apostle’s decision, not the

        church’s.

 

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.

18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

       

Finally, he was determined to gain the crown that will last for ever (23-27).isHisHhhh     

 

23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

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