Naravist

The Letters · New Testament

1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9: an apostle's rights set out at length, then given up

General context

Four questions open the chapter, starting "Am I not an apostle? am I not free?" If he is not an apostle to others he is to them, "for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord". He states that this is his answer "to them that do examine me", and asks further whether he has power to eat and drink, power "to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas", and whether only he and Barnabas lack power "to forbear working". Three trades make the case: nobody goes to war at his own charges, plants a vineyard without eating its fruit, or feeds a flock without the milk. The law is cited, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn", with the question "Doth God take care for oxen?" and the answer that it is written for our sakes. If they sowed spiritual things, reaping carnal things is no great matter, and others already use this power. "Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ." Temple servants live of the temple, and so "the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel". Yet he has used none of it, and does not write so that it will be done. Preaching gives him nothing to boast of, "for necessity is laid upon me", and his reward is to preach "without charge". Free from all, he made himself "servant unto all", becoming as a Jew, as under law, as without law, as weak, "all things to all men". Two images close the chapter, a race and a fight.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 9:1, 1 Corinthians 9:2, 1 Corinthians 9:3, 1 Corinthians 9:4, 1 Corinthians 9:5, 1 Corinthians 9:6, 1 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Corinthians 9:10, 1 Corinthians 9:11, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:13, 1 Corinthians 9:14, 1 Corinthians 9:15, 1 Corinthians 9:16, 1 Corinthians 9:17, 1 Corinthians 9:18, 1 Corinthians 9:19, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 1 Corinthians 9:25, 1 Corinthians 9:26, 1 Corinthians 9:27

1 Corinthians 9 (KJV)

1Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

2If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,

4Have we not power to eat and to drink?

5Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

6Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

7Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

8Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?

9For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

10Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

11If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

12If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

13Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

15But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

16For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!

17For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

18What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

19For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

21To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

22To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

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Historical context

Two people are named, Barnabas and Cephas, and two groups are referred to without names, "other apostles" and "the brethren of the Lord". The chapter says the writer is under examination, "them that do examine me", but never says who they are or what they charge. It says others already take support from the Corinthians, "If others be partakers of this power over you", and names none of them. The quotation at verse 9 is identified as written "in the law of Moses"; Deuteronomy 25:4 reads "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn", so the letter adds the mouth. No sum of money, no trade of the writer's own and no date appear anywhere in the chapter, and it does not say what the Corinthians had actually given or withheld.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 9:3, 1 Corinthians 9:5, 1 Corinthians 9:6, 1 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:15, Deuteronomy 25:4

Literary context

The chapter is mostly questions. Four open it and a dozen more follow through verses 4 to 13, so the right is established by asking rather than asserting. Its shape is unusual: the longer the case runs, the more it is about to be surrendered, and the surrender is stated twice, at verse 12 and again at verse 15. The section on becoming all things repeats one pattern four times, as a Jew, as under law, as without law, as weak, each with a purpose clause about gaining someone, before summing up in "all things to all men". The two closing images, a race and a boxing match, are both about restraining the runner rather than beating the opponent, and the final word is the sharpest in the chapter, castaway.

Cited passages: 1 Corinthians 9:1, 1 Corinthians 9:4, 1 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 9:8, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 9:15, 1 Corinthians 9:20, 1 Corinthians 9:21, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 1 Corinthians 9:26, 1 Corinthians 9:27

Key moments

  1. Am I not an apostle (1 Corinthians 9:1). The chapter opens with four questions about the writer's standing.
  2. Power to lead about a sister (1 Corinthians 9:5). The rights of other apostles are named as a comparison.
  3. Muzzling the ox (1 Corinthians 9:9). A line from the law is quoted and then applied beyond oxen.
  4. The power not used (1 Corinthians 9:12). The right is granted and immediately set aside.
  5. Necessity is laid upon me (1 Corinthians 9:16). Preaching is described as obligation rather than achievement.
  6. All things to all men (1 Corinthians 9:22). A run of adaptations is summed up in one phrase.
  7. Lest I be a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27). The chapter ends with the writer's own risk.

For reflection

Most of this chapter argues for a right the writer then says he never used. Why spend that many words establishing something you do not intend to claim?

People in this chapter

Also indexed here:

  • A wife of Peter