1 Corinthians 8:1-10:14
9:1-5 Paul launches into a series of rhetorical questions to show how he has restricted his own rights as an apostle. He's showing his readers that he's not asking them to do anything that he would not do.
v. 6 Apparently the other apostles were being supported financially by the Corinthians even though it was Paul and Barnabas who started the church there. Paul and Barnabas had to work to support themselves rather than be funded by the church.
v. 7-11 Soldiers are paid by the government, vineyard workers eat the grapes, shepherds drink the milk, and even the Law says an ox should be allowed to eat the grain while it's working. The man who plows and the one who harvests should share in the harvest. Paul has "sown spiritual seed" by preaching the gospel to them and he has a right to be supported financially by them. The Corinthians are supporting other apostles but not Paul.
v. 12 Interestingly, Paul is not demanding his rights. He's merely using this as an example to help convince them to restrict their own right to eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul restricted his rights for them and he wants them to do the same for their weaker brothers. The priests in the Jewish temple receive their food from the temple. "The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." But Paul is not begging for them to support him, instead he says, "I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast."
v. 13-18 Paul is "compelled" to preach the gospel. He's not doing it for the money. Preaching voluntarily results in a heavenly reward (rewards are something different than salvation because no one is saved by preaching the gospel to others.) Preaching involuntarily is merely fulfilling an obligation and does not deserve a reward. Paul desires to offer the gospel free of charge and not demand his right to be paid for preaching it.
v. 19-23 Although Paul is free, he makes himself a slave to others in order to win them to Christ. He became like Jews, preaching in synagogues and reasoning from their scriptures. He became like those under the law, even though he is no longer under the law. He became like the Gentiles who don't have the law, though he is under Christ's law. He became like the weak in faith, though he is not weak in faith. He became like all these people not to exploit them or take their money, but so they would come to faith in Christ.
v. 24-27 In a race everyone runs but not everyone wins. Athletes go into strict training to win a perishable crown. Shouldn't believers work hard for a crown (rewards) that will last forever?
10:1-6 Now Paul takes them back into Israel's history and reminds them about the exodus from Egypt. All the Israelites were under the cloud (pillar of cloud that led them in the wilderness) and all passed through the Red Sea. They were all baptized into Moses, ate the same spiritual food, drank the same spiritual water. Christ was the one who provided all this for them. But God was not pleased with most of them because they turned to idols. A whole generation died in the wilderness. This was an example for the believers in Corinth.
v. 7 Israel turned to idolatry by making a golden calf. Click to read Exodus 32:1-8
v. 8 They were sexually immoral and 23,000 died. Click to read Numbers 25
v. 9 They tested the Lord and were killed by snakes. Click to read Numbers 21:4-9
v. 10 They grumbled against the Lord and were killed by a plague. Click to read Numbers 16:41-50
v. 12-14 Again Paul says these things happened long ago as warnings to his readers who were now living in the end times. They must not commit the same sins. "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" The readers will be tempted to sin, just like their forefathers were but God will provide a way out. Still they must "flee idolatry." It is God who helps them, not some pagan god or man-made idol. Next time we'll see how Paul finishes chapter 10 with more specific instructions about food sacrificed to idols. --Sandy Blank Back... |