He sheweth his liberty, and that the minister ought to live by the Gospel; yet that himself hath of his own accord abstained, to be either chargeable unto them, or offensive unto any in matters indifferent. Our life is like unto a race.
Anno Domini 57.
THE false teacher having come to Corinth to enrich himself, we may suppose he was much disconcerted when he found that all the time the Apostle had preached among the Corinthians, he had taken nothing from them on account of his maintenance, nor on any other account. Wherefore, to remove the obstruction which St. Paul's disinterestedness had laid in the way of his covetous designs, he boldly affirmed to the Corinthians, that St. Paul was no Apostle, because he had not accompanied Christ during his ministry on earth; and that his demanding nothing from them for his maintenance, shewed he was conscious to himself that he was no Apostle, and had no right to maintenance from the Corinthians. For if he knew himself to be an Apostle, why did he not use the rights of an Apostle? Why did he not lead about a sister and wife to take care of him, as other Apostles did, and demand maintenance for her as well as for himself? This I suppose the false teacher had done. But be that as it may, it cannot be doubted, that the Corinthians in their letter to the Apostle, mentioned the particulars which his enemies objected to his character. Wherefore, after deciding some very difficult questions which the Corinthians had proposed to him, and particularly after affirming in the end of chapter 7: that he had decided these questions by the inspiration of the Spirit; and after shewing himself a faithful Apostle of Christ, by declaring in the end of chapter 8: his resolution on all occasions to abstain from things indifferent, rather than, by using his liberty respecting them, to lead his fellow Christians into sin, he with great propriety introduced the proof of his Apostleship, and answered all the objections and calumnies whereby his enemies endeavoured to discredit him in the eyes of the Corinthians.
The proof of his Apostleship, St. Paul discusses in a few words, by asking the Corinthians, whether they did not know him to be an Apostle? and a free man, who had a right to preach the gospel without reward, if he thought fit to do so? whether they did not know, that he had seen the Lord since his resurrection? and whether themselves were not his workmanship, as an Apostle of Christ? 1 Corinthians 9:1.—Whatever he might be to others, he was certainly an Apostle to them. For their conversion from heathenism, followed with the spiritualgifts which he had conferred on them, was such an unquestionable proof of his Apostleship, that they could entertain no doubt of it, 1 Corinthians 9:2.
Next addressing the faction, he said, my answer to them who condemn me as no Apostle, is this: I have a right to be maintained at the charges of the persons to whom I preach, 1 Corinthians 9:3-4.—I have a right also, to lead about a wife who is a believer, to take care of me; and I am entitled to demand maintenance for her likewise, even as other Apostles do, and the brethren of the Lord, and Peter, 1 Corinthians 9:5.—Unless it be pretended, that of all the ministers of the gospel, I and Barnabas only have not that right, 1 Corinthians 9:6.—His right to maintenance, he told them, was founded on the common senseand practice of mankind, who give maintenance to soldiers, vine-dressers, and shepherds, in return for their labours, 1 Corinthians 9:7.—It was founded also on the law of Moses, which forbad the Israelites to muzzle the ox while treading out the corn, 1 Corinthians 9:8-10.—Wherefore, having sown in the minds of the Corinthians spiritual things, that is, having given them the first knowledge of the Gospel, it was no great return if he partook of their carnal things, 1 Corinthians 9:11.—Especially as others (meaning the false teacher) who had but lately come among them, had been plentifully maintained by them. But though he had a complete right to maintenance, he had never used that right, but had endured every hardship, that the Gospel might not be hindered, 1 Corinthians 9:12.—Farther, he told them, his right was founded still more directly on another precept of the law, which appointed those who performed sacred offices, to eat from the temple, 1 Corinthians 9:13.—Nay it was founded on the will of Christ, who had expressly authorized those who preach the Gospel, to live by the Gospel, 1 Corinthians 9:14.—But the Apostle being a free man, who was at liberty to do in that matter as he pleased, he had made use of none of these precepts and rights; neither did he mention them on this occasion to induce the Corinthians to give him maintenance. For he would rather die of want, than be deprived of glorying in having preached the Gospel, without receiving any reward from his Corinthian disciples for that important service, 1 Corinthians 9:15.—The reason was, he had nothing to boast of in barely preaching the Gospel; because his conviction of its truth, together with the command of Christ, laid him under such a necessity of preaching, that he would be absolutely miserable, if he did not make known things, which were of so great importance to the world, 1 Corinthians 9:16, &c.
But, becausethe faction thought the Apostle a fool for not demanding maintenance, and because the rest might be surprised at his subjecting himself to so many inconveniences and hardships while preaching the Gospel, he put them in mind of the bodilylabours and hardships to which their countrymen, who contended in the games, subjected themselves, for the trifling reward of a crown of green leaves, which soon withered. Whereas, he and his brethren Apostles, in return for the bodily labours and hardships which they endured, expected to obtain an incorruptible crown. The greatness therefore of the reward sufficiently justified the Apostles in the pursuit, although it was attended with so much labour and suffering; and shewed that they had good reason to disregard every temporal advantage, while pursuing a felicity of such magnitude, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.