1 Corinthians 9 discusses the topic of the rights of apostles, but to understand a little bit of history, I am going to bring us back to Acts 18.  Before studying 1 Corinthians, it is very helpful to read about the circumstances involving Paul and Barnabas’ original missionary trip to Corinth. The book of Acts, chapter 18 describes this closely, so  I recommend you read and study Acts 18 at some point in greater detail while studying 1 Corinthians. That scripture is very enlightening, and even mentions Apollos and brings clarity about why the Corinthian church may have been divided in following different leaders (and different leadership styles). There really should be a hyperlink or some sort of footnote that links Acts 18 with the two letters to Corinthians. Acts 18:1-6 says:

1 After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

These few verses explain a few things about Paul’s trip to Corinth. First, we see that Paul stayed in the home of Aquila and Priscilla, a married couple that had relocated to Corinth from Rome.  Paul shares many things with these people besides just a roof and four walls. First, Paul was a Jew like Priscilla and Aquila. Second, Paul was a fellow tentmaker. It’s Paul’s occupation that drew fire from some people in the church later on. We can also see here that Paul’s method of preaching the gospel to Jews was very persuasive and he tried to use logic and reason with his fellow Jews in the synagogue. Later on, when Silas and Timothy arrived, Paul focused on preaching full time (“devoted himself exclusively to preaching“).  We can see here that his efforts preaching to fellow Jews were frustrating, and even might have become dangerous when the opposition became abusive. Paul decided to focus his mission on preaching to Gentiles instead of Jews, and we see him refer to himself as the apostle to the Gentiles in various letters. Let’s move forward, but I want to mention that it might be a good idea to mark that chapter of Acts and study the rest of it in order to get more out of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 9:

The Rights of an Apostle

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? 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.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 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 (Peter)? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

Paul begins the verse asking a few rhetorical questions.  First he asks whether or not he is free, then he asks if he is an apostle, then he asks if he saw our Lord Jesus. Finally he asks if the church in Corinth existed because of his work. The answer to all these questions is yes. Paul wants to remind the reader that he is a free man, and he’s an apostle, he’s a man who witnessed Jesus Christ miraculously, and his work is what built the very church that was judging him. Verse 3 says that he is defending himself from people who were judging him.  Why were people judging Paul? Apparently the issue was money, or compensation. The strange thing is Paul was not getting paid. Paul makes it clear that he worked to support himself and that allowed him to preach the Gospel free of charge.

The Bible discusses important concepts relating to work and pay. Throughout scripture, it is affirmed that free men should get compensated for their work. If you were forced to work without pay, you were a slave (which happened frequently during that period if you had fallen into severe debt). Paul wanted to remind the readers and those who were sitting in judgment that he was a free man, who was working hard to preach the gospel. Based on that fact alone, he had every right to be paid for his labor. Leaders at the church got paid for their work. Not only did the church (or altar) provide for the needs of the leaders and workers, but verse 5 indicates that the altar provided for the needs of their wives and families (in the case of Catholicism, the question of why there are vows of celibacy today baffles me.  It looks like even Peter, their first pope, had a wife!). But anyway, clergy getting paid and having their wife and family supported is in accord with God’s law and scripture. Verse 6 explains what we already know from our excerpt from Acts.  Paul and also Barnabas were not asking for any money for their work.  For quite some time, Paul actually worked making tents with Priscilla and Aquila.  At some point, Paul decided to preach full time, but even after he stopped making tents for money on the side, Paul explains that he still didn’t charge the church for his labor (in verse 12, we will read this).

I need to stop here and bring up a question.  Why are people judging Paul?  What could he possibly be doing wrong? He is working for free! In my opinion, the people who are sitting in judgment of Paul are really scraping the bottom of the barrel to find something to judge him about. Would these people be happier if he took money from the church, and got himself on the payroll? Of course not! I doubt the judgment that Paul faced would go away regardless of what he did. Perhaps these grumblers didn’t see him as a good enough leader to deserve getting paid. Or maybe the fact that he wasnt getting paid reflected on the apparent worthlessness of his service?  Some people back in that era looked down on common laborers or people that worked with their hands. It could have been that his tent-making made him seem less intellectual or mentally fit. Regardless of exactly what their problem was with Paul and his compensation (or lack thereof), Paul saw the need to set the record straight.  He continues the argument, using a different line of reasoning to reach the same conclusion.

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?

Paul describes three different occupations and shows how the worker serves willingly with an anticipation or expectation of sharing the fruit of the labor.  Each of these three jobs has parallels to what Paul is trying to do.  The life of a missionary, or apostle, is similar to that of a soldier, in that Paul’s job is to do battle against false doctrines, lies, and the unending distractions of this world. Soldiers do not do battle at their own expense. Like the worker at the vineyard, the Apostle is charged to plant seeds of faith in peoples’ hearts (he used this analogy before when he said he planted, and Apollos watered).  The work of an Apostle is also like that of a shepherd or pastor tending a flock and helping keep the church safe from straying and outside predators.  In these three occupations, we see the worker getting something for his work.

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

Being a Pharisee, Paul is well versed in the Law of Moses. He makes the case again that Apostles, church leaders, and workers for God’s kingdom are entitled to compensation, just like every free man in the world. The law in Deuteronomy says that even the oxen should be allowed to eat the grain that they are stomping on. Paul describes that this law, while it should be kept by law abiding Jews who use oxen to tread grain, also points to God’s will for human workers.  The text in Deuteronomy 25 is primarily talking about laws for humans, not treatment of animals, so it can be argued that the original intent was probably talking more about humans than animals, like Paul says.

In verse 11, Paul says that even though his labor and work is in the spiritual realm, that certainly doesn’t preclude or prevent him from collecting a physical or material compensation for his work.  Verse 12 explains that already there are people who have claimed and been granted this right of support from the Corinthian church. Since Paul’s work built and established the church itself, Paul should be on any list of people who has this right of support. Up until now Paul has not used this right to collect anything.

The verse about muzzling the ox is a little roundabout, but Scripture is clear throughout in explaining that people in general should be compensated for their work.  Paul reiterates that clergy are no exception to this rule.  Verse 13 explains that people who work in the temple and altar get their food and livelihood from what is collected. Paul could have quoted other scriptures to discuss the issue of payment of clergy in particular, because God’s commands for Aaron and the entire line of the Levites is very clear about this.  Numbers 18 explains this in great detail

6 I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting…

8 Then the LORD said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share. 9 You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. 10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.

11 “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.

12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the LORD as the firstfruits of their harvest. 13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the LORD will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.

14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted to the LORD is yours.

The Old Testament explains that Levites are entitled to EVERYTHING that’s been given to the Lord.  In exchange for this entitlement, the Levites have no inheritance or land portion among the Israelites. The Lord is their portion and their inheritance. Their lives are devoted to the Lord, and it’s important to note that this standing is not something the Levites chose for themselves. Numbers 18:6 is clear about this too. God himself selected the Levites. They were called by God, not their own decisions.  By withholding support, tithes, offerings from the church/synagogue, people are actually taking a God given inheritance from those that have been called to minister in God’s temple. This is important to understand.  Malachi 3:8-11 explains this concept further:

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ 

“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty.

 Our obedience towards God should be an end into itself. Honoring God and serving God is our goal, but when we dishonor God, we also need to understand that there are consequences on Earth that result from our actions. In the case of tithes and offerings, people can sin against God, by not giving Him what is rightfully His. But that sin has a real effect on the people who God says it’s his will to give that portion TO.  In God’s plan, Levites have no portion to give to their children. They have no land to till or crops to plant, no real estate. No gifts to pass on to their kids or grandchildren. Their portion is the offerings of God’s people. Sometimes, we hear it preached that we can give nothing to God that isn’t already his. We have nothing to offer. This is true, in light of Christ’s work on the cross, we can’t add anything to that. But it is also Biblical to understand that some things that God calls us to give aren’t for God alone, but for our neighbors and our brothers and sisters in God’s kingdom.  I’ve kind of built upon some topics related to what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 9, but we’ve kind of moved away from exactly what Paul is saying, so we will go back to the letter.

So far, this chapter sounds a lot like somebody who’s about to ask for some money.  What has he said?  1) He’s free, not a slave, so he should get compensated. 2) he’s an apostle not only because he’s seen Jesus, but the existence of the Corinthian Church testifies to his apostleship. 3) Other apostles, namely Peter and Jesus brothers get compensated and it’s enough for their wives too. 4) Soldiers don’t work at their own expense 5) Planters share the harvest 6) shepherds drink the milk of the flock 7) God’s law requires this sharing of reward with even animals 8) there are people out there who already claim this right and get compensated. 9) Paul hasn’t asked for anything yet 10) it is God’s plan that the gifts and offerings of the temple are the inheritance of people who work in the temple.

That’s where we are in chapter 9.  In my mind, this is the part of the letter that’s about to ask for a generous contribution. I’ve seen many letters like this one. This point is where you check the box to indicate exactly how much you are prepared to give, and how frequently you are prepared to give it. But Paul takes the letter in a wholly different direction. Let’s read verse 15:

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.

Paul builds a rock solid case for why he deserves to be compensated like all apostles. He’s gone beyond proving 10 times over that he has a RIGHT to payment. But like any other rights that a free Christian has, Paul is prepared to push his right aside for the sake of the Gospel. All the things we’ve spoken about are Biblically sound, they are truth, and they are very important to know and follow, but in fact, this isn’t Paul’s point at all!  This chapter outlines a right that’s established throughout scripture for people that serve in God’s temple.  But after explaining this right, Paul reminds the reader that this right is still subordinate to the importance of the Gospel. In effect, the point of Paul’s message of verse 9 is the same as verse 8. In verse 8, Paul talks about the right to eat any meat even if it’s sacrificed to an idol. But Paul gives up that right for the sake of the weak, and ultimately for the sake of the Gospel.’

Paul doesn’t want payment. He doesn’t want what it is his right to have. He wants to Preach the Gospel, because that’s his calling. Listen to how important this is for Paul. He “would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.” What’s this?  Paul’s being super dramatic again? I always get this idea that Paul is a big drama queen over-exaggerating about all the different stuff that he says. But this “boast” is actually very valid. Paul is preaching the gospel to a people who don’t know scripture. His mission is to be an apostle to the Gentiles. He’s taking a message that for centuries was (falsely) believed to be a Jewish only message and spreading it to every tribe, nation and tongue.  Look at how missions work today. In any church setting, if someone wants to go out to do missions work, he can raise funds from the home church and then use the money to make new disciples or plant a new church. Paul is the original apostle to the Gentiles. There is no home church. He is planting the first churches, so there is no existing church to raise the money from. If Paul were to be compensated, he would be drawing funds from the people he’s trying to minister TO. Or if he raised funds from the Jews to be an apostle to the Gentiles, the Gentiles would forever be indebted to the subsidy of the Jewish synagogues. His boast isn’t that he is self sufficient, or that he didn’t need to raise money. His boast and his reward is that he’s offering the gospel Free of charge, just as God had offered his Son free of charge.

 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 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. 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. 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. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul isn’t being hypocritical or two-faced here. He is not trying to pull one over on anybody. He isn’t hiding his strategy. He wants to make everyone he ministers to feel comfortable. Paul isn’t going to lead a Jew to believe that he’s keeping Kosher 24-7, but he will avoid eating anything in their presence that will make them uncomfortable. He sees first what is important to the person he’s preaching to, and then decides what rights, if any, he can retain and what rights he needs to give up. His goal is not to pretend that he is under a different law for every different person or group. His goal is to remove all stumbling blocks except for the cross of Christ. Nobody should be forced to theologically “stumble” on the dinner on his plate. The Gospel itself is more important than any rights or freedoms that come from the gospel. Here are Paul’s closing thoughts.

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.

Paul ends the verse with words of encouragement.  He sounds like a personal trainer, pushing his students on to a more effective work out. In fact, I referenced this verse in a New Year’s post, geared towards motivation for growth and discipline. The reminder here is that holiness and Christianity are not always easy. Sometimes we need to fight hard against our flesh. Sometimes we have to deny ourselves and take up our crosses. We never have to take Jesus’ cross, nor could we ever even come close to doing that. But we are called to continue running a race of holiness and doing so in such a way as to work as hard as we possibly can, as if we were competing for a prize or running a race. These works are not going to save us, but the discipline and focus should be like that of somebody who is racing to win.  Paul even says that he makes his body his slave in order to keep himself running the race.  Christ died for our freedom, but we need to remember to embrace Christ, not those freedoms he gives.