1 Corinthians 9

Sunday, 14 September 2014

For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 9:17

In his previous comment, Paul said, “I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” Therefore, this verse now follows logically from that thought. If necessity is laid upon him (meaning if he was compelled by a force he could not contain), then no reward should be expected. As he says, “For if I do this willingly, I have a reward.”

Suppose he wasn’t compelled to preach, but rather did it of his own free will. In such a case, he could expect a reward. When he showed up in a town such as Corinth, whatever pay they offered would be this reward and it would be his just due. However, this isn’t the case with him and so he enters the word “but.” This portion will explain the position he is actually in which is, “if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.”

Using a hypothetical (which is what applies to him) he shows that if one is under constraint to do something, they have been given a directive which is their obligation to fulfill. In this sense, he is likening himself to a bondservant (a term he specifically refers to himself as elsewhere). A bondservant is told what to do and he does it. No pay is expected for such services. Rather, the reward merely rests in pleasing the master of the house.

Like the bondservant, Paul’s efforts in the gospel ministry were not for expected pay, but to fulfill an obligation that he was bound under. The reward is not from the work, but from the approval of the one who assigns the work. His approval and His reward is found in Christ, not in what he can gain from proclaiming Christ.

Life application: The more freedom one has realized in Christ, the more indebted to Christ the person must naturally feel. Paul’s freedom from persecuting the church led him to an attitude of complete servitude to Christ. Some are freed from alcohol, some from drugs or murder or prostitution. Everyone will feel a different level of gratitude and willingness to return to the Lord a measure of appreciation. The question for each is, “How much do I feel I have gained in being saved by Christ?” The level of appreciation should be reflected in the level of willing return to the Lord without thought of receiving something for the effort put forth.

Heavenly Father, the day You opened my eyes to Jesus, I realized the magnitude of the guilt I bore in Your presence. And with it, I realized the immense forgiveness I received through His death in my place. May the work I do for the cause of Christ be acceptable to You, but I know that no matter how much I put forth, it will never be even minutely close to the debt I have been forgiven. Please, never let me forget the significance of the cross, but to set my eyes, heart, and feet on the road of sharing this wondrous message, even if it means I give all in the process. He died for me, I will live for Him until I die! Amen.

Saturday, 13 September 2014

For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16

In his previous words, Paul tied the very continuance of his life in with the preaching of the gospel. He does this elsewhere as well. In Philippians 1, he wrote that there were two paths ahead of him. One was to depart and be with Christ (meaning he would die) and the second was that he would remain and continue preaching the gospel and teaching those he was a minister to. Here are his words –

“I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.” Philippians 1:23-26

If his life was literally tied to the performance of his gospel preaching, then how could he boast in preaching? One cannot boast in taking breaths, one cannot boast in the beating of the heart, and one cannot boast in the need to eat food. These are necessary things for the continuance of the person. Likewise, Paul could not boast in the preaching of the gospel. It was to him simply a necessity. Jeremiah felt the same burden –

“Then I said, ‘I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.’ But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.” Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah could not hold back what he was impelled to do without dying. If he were to hold back from food, he would die. Likewise, if he held back from speaking out the word of the Lord, his end would come. This is what Paul felt as well. As he says, “for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” As this was so, then how could he boast in his efforts in the gospel, the very thing that sustained his life? Rather, he had a boast in the gospel itself, not in his conveyance of it. In Galatians, he explicitly states this –

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14

Life application: If you have been called by Christ, then you have a calling in Christ. The question is, have you allowed that calling to take root? A plant can only survive if it receives the nourishment it derives through its roots. And even if it survives, the amount it flourishes is derived externally as well – soil, water, sun, pruning, etc, all determine the health of the plant. Are you using your external sources properly – the Bible, prayer, fellowship, etc? Determine today to let nothing hinder you in developing your calling in Christ.

Heavenly Father, I know that a plant cannot be sustained unless it is fed through its roots. I also know that it can only flourish and thrive in good soil, the right amount of sun and water, and with proper pruning. As I know this by simply observing how the plant responds, then isn’t this a truth that applies to me as well? How can I thrive in my walk with You unless I drink from Your word, commune with You in prayer, and fellowship with others who can build me up? I know it cannot happen without these things, so please keep me in the good field which provides these things. Amen.

Friday, 12 September 2014

But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. 1 Corinthians 9:15

For the past 14 verses, Paul has clearly and methodically defended his apostleship and then his right to compensation for the conducting of the duties of that office. This right was one granted even by the Lord Himself. However, he now introduces a new direction concerning this by stating “but.” In contradistinction to what he has clearly laid out, he says “I have used none of these things.” This is not in defiance of the Lord, but in support of the cause of the Lord’s church.

All of the rights and privileges that should be associated with the exercise of his office have been turned down by him. He will explain this directly in this verse and for the next three verses, and then he will divide that explanation into two separate reasons –

1) His serving of men to impress upon them the gospel of Christ (verses 19-23).
2) His desire to run the race and receive the prize set before him (verses 24-27).

In order to lay the foundation for those things, he continues with his thoughts by saying, “nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me.” In other words, it is as if he were saying, “Though I am entitled to these benefits and as of yet have not received them, this letter is not to get you to recognize this and correct it.” Instead, his words are twofold. First, that they recognize his apostleship as valid (which he has done). Secondly, to understand why he has not accepted the rights that go along with the position and why he will continue to not accept those privileges.

And to show the absolute determination concerning his resolve in this matter, he finishes the verse with, “for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.” To him, the impartation of the gospel was the most important aspect of his life. He had been called out of darkness and into light directly by the Lord. He had received the highest measure of God’s grace and he felt that to accept payment for such a wondrous gift would be worse than death. And if his life was sharing the gospel, then death would mean he could no longer share the gospel, something he earnestly desired to do. It is the strongest assertion possible that his motives were focused only on the sharing of what he had been bestowed.

Life application: People do certain things because they love to do them. We will pay large amounts of money to go mountain skiing, adventuring in the African safari, or go on an ocean cruise. Who would expect to be paid for doing such things? Paul’s passion was sharing the gospel and so he was willing to share it without payment. And each person who truly loves Christ should likewise feel the desire and hunger to help in some way in this endeavor. Local missionary work, helping keep up the church, or even just carrying around tracts to hand out after dinner at a restaurant are ways to spread the message. What value is Christ to you? Are you showing it to others in self-sacrificing ways?

Lord God, I know that I could never do enough to merit the great grace which has been bestowed upon me through the work of Jesus. And yet, I have to admit that I fail daily to even try. I pass by people who don’t know about Him and don’t take the time to share the good news. I rush out of church without thinking that maybe I could help with some small task. I spend a lot of time watching TV or silly videos, but I don’t pursue You by reading Your word. Help me to change this attitude in my life and to draw closer to You while imparting my love for You to others. Amen.

Thursday, 11 September 2014

In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:14

Paul has made a logical and orderly defense concerning the rights of those who minister to others in spiritual matters. He even reached back to the law both from a spiritual application and concerning those who “serve in the temple” and “those who serve at the altar.” In a final and unambiguous defense, he notes that the Lord Himself “has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.”

Although the gospel which was preached during the Lord’s earthly ministry lacked a knowledge of the “church age” for both those He commissioned to teach it as well as those who heard it, it was still a preaching of the gospel. Though the disciples at that time expected the gospel to be immediately realized as one of an earthly kingdom, something He corrected them on in Acts 1:6-8, it was nonetheless the gospel proclamation. At that time, he gave these instructions to the twelve apostles –

“Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. ⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— ¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. ¹¹ Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting. ¹³ If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.” Matthew 10:5-13

His words “the worker is worth his keep” indicates that these men were to be cared for during their travels as they carried this good news to the people of Israel. Based on this, along with all of his other supporting thoughts, it was clearly evident that Paul (and all who preach the gospel) are to be given the same support as they minister to others.

Paul’s reference to “the Lord has commanded” implies that the words were already being circulated among believers. In other words, there were probably copies of these words from Matthew already out among the people. If not, then he would have most likely said something like “as Peter informed me, the Lord has commanded.” The fact that he left the source out of his letter implies that the gospel narrative was already known to those in Corinth. It is an attestation of a very early date for the writing of the gospel record.

Finally for this verse, Paul notes that preachers “should receive their living from the gospel.” In essence, he is equating the “gospel” with the “altar” of his previous thoughts. The work of the temple only prefigured the greater work of Christ. Thus we see in Hebrews these words –

“We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. ¹³ Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. ¹⁴ For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:10-11

Life application: Remember as you go to your respective place of worship, that your pastor is entitled to certain benefits and honors. If faithful in his proclamation of the gospel, which includes the whole counsel of God, then don’t be timid to do something special for him from time to time. In many ways, serving as a pastor can be a brutal job. People get angry and leave for petty reasons and this will cut the metal of the toughest man eventually. So let him know you support him as long as he continues to present the Bible in a careful and God-honoring way.

Thank You Lord for another morning in Your presence. Today I will do my best to fix my eyes on You; to fix my thoughts on You; and to meditate on Your word as I go about my business. Please guide my every step, be with me in the decisions I make, and help me to remember to be good, kind, and courteous to others as the day unfolds. Help me Lord, to be the example of grace and goodness that You would desire of me. This is my prayer and this is my petition for the day ahead. Amen.

Wednesday, 10 September 2014

Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 1 Corinthians 9:13

From verse 4 until verse 12, Paul meticulously demonstrated that those who labor should receive compensation for their labors. Then in verse 12, he switched his comments to note that “we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.” He has moved from general labor to the specific labor, meaning work for Christ. Now in verse 13, he shows that those who labored for the Lord in the Old Testament received compensation for their efforts.

This move is to further bolster his previous comments about the rights of an apostle and how they should be entitled to support from the ministry. And so he again reaches back to the mandates of the Old Testament law. One of the twelve tribes, Levi, was set apart for ministering to the people. Within this tribe one group, the sons of Aaron, were called to the priesthood. In return for these mandated services, they were supported through the sacrifices and offerings of the people of Israel.

The first portion of his question deals with the Levites – “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple?” Whether they knew this or not before Paul asked them, they knew it to be true now. The question is a rhetorical one and indicates that they do in fact eat those things. Likewise he asks if they also knew that “those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar.” This portion concerns the priests of Israel who, in fact, partook of those things.

There are numerous verses in the Old Testament law which so provided for the Levites and priests. Every third year, the Levites received the tithes of the people as a portion of their wages. From this a tithe went to the priests. When animal or grain sacrifices and offerings were brought to the temple, depending on the type presented, a portion may have been taken and given to them for their sustenance. When an animal was so sacrificed, the law even provided that the skins of the animal were to be given to the priests as payment. These could be sold for clothing, tents, parchments, etc. (This is found in Leviticus 7:8).

In all, the answer to Paul’s question is that those who so minister and those who so serve do in fact benefit directly from their work. Using this line of reasoning from the Mosaic Law, he will next show that the Lord Himself directed something similar for those who share in the gospel.

Life application: Paul’s words, though seeming to flip back and forth, actually form a well though out progression. In following how he presents an argument and then defends it, we can learn also how to defend the tenets of the faith. There is nothing wrong with using Old Testament concepts for such a defense if those concepts carry through logically to the New Testament. However, we must be careful to not arbitrarily apply or claim verses from the Old Testament which actually have no relevance to a New Testament concept. Care then needs to be taken in how one approaches concepts and prescriptions found in the Old Testament.

As the years pass by we grow in knowledge
We change from children into young adults
We move through school years and may head off to college
And we learn in life from mistakes and from faults

Eventually though we to a certain point age
Where we start to lose some of the things we once knew
Our memories fade, whether a professor or a sage
And sooner or later our time here on earth is through

But You, O God, are from everlasting to everlasting
In You is a sure hope to have life anew
And so to You our eyes and our hopes we are a’casting
For the wondrous resurrection and eternal days with You

Yes Lord God, our days on earth are few and full of trials and difficulties, but You have given an eternal hope to those who have called on Jesus. Help us to remember this in the times when things seem hopeless, toilsome, or painful and remind us that these afflictions are just temporary and passing away. Thank You for our sure and grounded hope in Jesus our Lord! Amen.