1 Corinthians 9

Notes

Ver. 1, 2. It was for this very purpose of avoiding offence that I forbore taking my necessary and due subsistence from you. How absurd then is it to infer from this circumstance that I am not an apostle, when no one can be produced that has a more evident claim to that high office! for did not I receive my commission and instruction immediately from Christ himself when he appeared to me? And are not ye Corinthians, who were converted many of you by my ministrations, an evident proof that Christ hath sealed mine office in your conversion, and your enrichment with many excellent gifts and graces? 3-6. I therefore boldly interrogate your new proud preachers, who dare to question my authority. Have I not a divine right to necessary subsistence, not only for myself, but also for a family, if I chose to have one, as well as James, Jude, Peter, or any other apostle? Am I and Barnabas, who were so expressly appointed to the apostolic work by the Holy Ghost, and no other preacher, obliged to maintain ourselves by the labour of our hands? 7. What can be more unreasonable? Have common soldiers, labourers, or shepherds a universally allowed claim at least to a reward of necessary food and raiment? And must we, who, under Christ as our Captain, fight his battles, pull down the strongholds of sin, Satan, and captivate multitudes of sinners to him; we who, under his direction, labour in his vineyard, plant and water the souls of his people, we who watch over, direct, and feed his spiritual flock —have no claim to necessary subsistence? 8-10. Nay, let the law of Moses, of which my judaizing opponents are so fond, decide the point. It expressly forbids to muzzle the mouth of an ox while treading out the corn, in order to prevent his eating mouthfuls of it. Now God never appointed this law merely for the sake of these brutes, but chiefly to direct and bind men to exercise humanity and equity towards those of their own species who labour for their advantage, and especially who labour for the benefit of their souls, and to encourage such to expect a proper reward from those who reap benefit by them, 11, 12. When we have spent our time and strength in dispensing unto you the oracles and ordinances of God, for the conviction, conversion, comfort, and eternal salvation of your souls, could you reasonably grudge us the small return of a temporal necessary subsistence for our bodies? If other preachers, and even your false teachers, claim a right to a proper maintenance, are not we, who first planted and watered your church, much more entitled to it? Nevertheless, to manifest that we have no mercenary aim, but only seek your spiritual and eternal welfare, and that the gospel, which sets forth the offices and grace of Christ, and which he has authorized and committed to our trust, might be the more readily received by you, we neither asked nor received from you our due maintenance. 13, 14. But though we had done both, we should have but exerted our right. Ye, and especially your judaizing pretenders to wisdom, cannot but know that under the Mosaic dispensation the priests and Levites, who officiated for others in the worship of God, had a very large subsistence divinely allotted them out of their tithes, sacrifices, meat-offerings, and gifts.—In like manner, when Christ sent forth his disciples to preach the gospel, he expressly appointed that all faithful preachers should be suitably maintained by those who share the benefit of their labours, 15. But notwithstanding these express laws of both Moses and Christ, I neither have, nor ever intend to ask or receive, any maintenance from you; for I had rather earn my bread with the labour of my hands, or even be starved to death, than give any occasion to think that I preach the gospel for the sake of carnal gain. 16. For let me be as earnest and diligent in publishing the glad tidings of salvation as I will, it is no more than what my commission and command from Christ render my indispensable duty; and should I neglect it, the reproaches of my guilty conscience, and the everlasting damnation of hell, must be my just reward. 17, 18. But if, under all the difficulties of poverty and of providing for myself, I preach from a pure regard to the glory of God and the salvation of men, I have a present inward satisfaction of mind, and humbly expect a future gracious reward of my faithfulness and zeal. On the other hand, if I should with reluctance receive and manage that trust which Christ has committed to me, what reward could I expect but uneasy remorse of conscience now and eternal misery hereafter? And in these views I preach the gospel freely, when circumstances require it, that none may be prejudiced thereat, or pretend that I rigorously or unseasonably require my dues, 19, 20. For in ths, and many other instances of Christian liberty, I have studied, in the most condescending and engaging manner, to accommodate my behaviour to men's different tempers and inclinations, that I may the more effectually sweeten their spirits, and recommend Christ and his ways to them. In order to reconcile the Jews, who reckon themselves still under the law of Moses, I reason with them out of the Old Testament, and indulge the observance of such ceremonies '|-as are not yet absolutely unlawful, always instructing them that none of their works, but the righteousness of Christ alone, must be the ground of their hope towards God. 21. And though I reckon myself indispensably bound by the moral laws of the most high God, as the rule of my duty, issued forth to me through Jesus Christ, yet, in order to gain the Gentiles to Christ, I rest the proof of my doctrine upon the extrinsic evidence thereof, in the undoubted miracles attending it, and its being set home upon their hearts by the Spirit of God; and I neither observe Jewish ceremonies myself, nor encourage them to it. 22. In dealing with weak Christians, who are apt to be easily grieved or stumbled, I condescend to their weakness, and forbear even things which are in themselves lawful and innocent, that I may prevent their taking offence, and may establish them in the more important points of faith and holiness. In fine, by all lawful expedients, I suit myself to men's diversified tempers and circumstances, in order that, in the hand and by the blessing of Christ, I may be instrumental in delivering them from under the slavery of sin, Satan, and the broken law, and bringing them to share the blessings of spiritual and eternal salvation. 23. All this I do from a sincere and zealous concern to prevent unseasonable exceptions against the gospel of Christ, and that I may recommend and propagate it among persons of every character, that in fellowship with you and others may share the special benefits of it. 24, To take therefore a hint from your own Grecian races, in which many run while they know that one only shall obtain the prize, let us, by diligent receiving of the Lord Jesus, and walking in him, run our Christian course, in which not one, but all who run, shall receive the gracious reward of eternal life and honour. 25. And as by great moderation in diet the wrestlers and boxers prepare themselves for their public combats, so ought we to mortify every worldly and sinful affection that would hinder us in our Christian warfare; and the rather as our crown of glory is infinitely more excellent and durable than their garlands of flowers, pines, myrtles, olives, bays, laurels, or the like. 26, 27. Under this apprehension I labour to run my Christian race, and fight the good fight of faith, in a most careful and judicious manner, directed by the law of God, and in good earnest against my spiritual enemies.—As combatants strive to beat down and conquer their antagonists, so do I, by faith, repentance, watchfulness, fastings and prayer, mortification and self-denial, labour to subdue my inward corruptions, lest after preaching the gospel to others, instead of sharing with them in the blessed fruits of it, I should, in the last judgment, be esteemed as one whose works are unfit to be rewarded.

Reflections.—It is a great comfort to ministers ties or claims if it tend to the success of the gospel. But if they do this, it is base to revile their persons or deny their rights on that account. Nothing can be more evident than that ministers have a divine right to * a sufficient maintenance from their hearers. Yet never ought the procuring of that to be their great aim, but the glory of God in the conversion and edification of souls; and every form of lawful condescension is to be practised so far as best answers that end.— With great faithfulness, care, and pains ought ministers and others to run their Christian course, and fight their spiritual warfare, according to God's Word, and duly to govern their passions, appetites, tempers, and conduct. And with humble and holy jealousy ought ministers to take heed to themselves, their doctrines and practices, that neither they nor their labours may be disapproved and rejected by Christ at his second coming.