Am I not free? Am I not an Apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
If to others I am not an Apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my Apostleship in the Lord.
Now Paul is explaining his own motivations to dispel any gossip or slander that had been spread about him. He says even if other people don't consider him to have the authority he has, then these Corinthians know better because they know him.
My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have a right to eat and drink? Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the Apostles and the brothers in the Lord and Cephas (Peter)?
Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?
Now he's talking about rights. Today the big discussion is about rights, so we need to pay attention to the principles he's explaining here.
He says that he's no different from the rest of the Apostles and believers who have the same right to earn a living and to be married and have a family.
Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Armies are raised by the king or the government and are paid by them, so they aren't to go out and get other jobs.
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?
Anyone who puts in the work of planting and caring for animals only does it so they can live off of the proceeds they are producing. People put forth the effort to work at a job because they expect to be paid.
I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I?
Isn't this how the World works? You get a job or start a company so that you can make money to live off of. Only people who already have some income can afford to volunteer, the rest of us need to "get a job!"
Or does not the Law also say these things?
For it is written in the Law of Moses:
You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing (Deuteronomy 25:4).God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops.
God put into the Law that even animals who work should not be forbidden to eat a little of the grain they are threshing; how much more should people expect to get their income from the work they do. This is how God designed this Earth to operate.
We work to produce something that is valued by others, so they will pay for it, and we can receive a paycheck, and everybody gets the benefits.
If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
If Paul and Barnabas are giving valuable spiritual things to these people, it is not unreasonable that these people would pay for it in providing Paul's and Barnabas' physical needs. That is why we pay our pastors.
If others share the right over you, do we not more?
So if these Corinthians are paying their pastors a living wage so they don't need to go out and get other work, don't the planters of this church also need to be paid?
Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the Gospel of Christ.
But Paul never asked them to give him a paycheck, or provide for his food or clothing. He didn't want to put anything in the way of their receiving this Good News. He wanted everyone to hear, no matter how rich or poor they were.
Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the Temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar?
The priest who offers the sacrifice was always to eat some of the meat of the animal sacrificed, as part of the ritual. God wanted to make sure that His full-time workers would have their full time to serve. And what else would they do with all that meat? It was to sustain their families and all the workers who were needed to do the work in the Temple.
So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the Gospel to get their living from the Gospel.
We don't serve God with animal sacrifices any more, but by sharing that Jesus fulfilled all those sacrifices, and done all the work to satisfy God's judgment, so now we can freely come to God through Christ. So the same principle applies here also, to get his living from the work he does, in proclaiming the Gospel.
But I have used none of these things.
But Paul never asked for this. He never did assert his right to receive this.
And I am not writing these things so that it will be done so in my case;
And he's not saying these things to get them to support him.
for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one.
Paul really feels strongly about this issue--he doesn't want them to be compelled to do anything for him, he has volunteered himself to them, and doesn't want any material reward or payment for it from them.
For if I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel.
He doesn't think he's doing anything to be congratulated for, since he has to share God's Love since God gave him such grace and mercy.
For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.
He says that God will reward him if he is willing to do this, but even if he has to force himself to do it, it's still his duty and responsibility.
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the Gospel, I may offer the Gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.
He says that his reward is not having to charge an entry fee to come "see his show," so he won't demand his rights.
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.
Even though he is a free man, he is Christ's slave, ministering to everyone so that everybody can hear the Good News of the Gospel and be saved.
To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
to those who are without Law, as without Law, though not being without the Law of God but under the Law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without Law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.
No matter what a person's state in life, Paul wanted to identify with them, to commiserate with them, and befriend them; so that they would listen to the remedy for whatever ailed them or worried them or bothered them. That remedy was and always is Jesus Christ.
I do all things for the sake of the Gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
Everything he does every day is because he wants everyone to realize how much God loves them. He is single-minded, and doesn't allow distractions to dilute his focus.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
He's referencing the Olympic Games here.
Everyone who competes in the Games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
Those who compete in the Olympics are very dedicated to train and be prepared for the event they are entering, in order to be sure they are giving their very best performance, to win the prize.
The prize they won was a wreath woven from laurel branches, which was beautiful, but would fade.
We are working for a much better prize than they did, so we should train and prepare to do our best with an even greater passion and determination, because the reward we will receive will never fade, but will last forever.
Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
Paul doesn't shadow-box, he aims to hit his target squarely.
but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Paul wants to be able to travel and have the energy to preach passionately, so he wants to make sure that he is healthy and strong, to be physically able to do what he needs to do to accomplish all of this ministry God has given him.
He doesn't want to wimp out at the end, and lose out on any of the rewards for not being able to finish the job.
O my Father, I also don't want to wimp out. I want to be able to do what I see is before me to accomplish. Teach me how to do everything I need to do to prepare and do the ministry You have placed before me to accomplish, also.
Father, You are so good to me, You have always provided everything I have needed in the past, and I am confident that You will also provide for everything I will need in the future, so I don't need to worry about that. I see Your provision for today, so help me to finish today what is today's work, so that tomorrow will take care of itself, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:34).
So I am confident, Father, that my efforts will be rewarded eternally, and I will be able to do everything You have planned for me to accomplish for Your Kingdom.
And every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord God Almighty, to the glory of Almighty God the Father!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
