1 Corinthians 9:1-18
Paul’s Rights as an Apostle
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord? Aren’t you the result of my work for the Lord? Others may not think of me as an apostle. But I am certainly one to you! You are the proof that I am the Lord’s apostle.
That is what I say to stand up for myself when people judge me. Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife with us when we travel? The other apostles do. The Lord’s brothers do. Peter does. Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to do other work for a living? Are we the only ones who can’t just do the work of apostles all the time?
Who serves as a soldier but doesn’t get paid? Who plants a vineyard but doesn’t eat any of its grapes? Who takes care of a flock but doesn’t drink any of the milk? Do I say this only on human authority? The Law says the same thing. Here is what is written in the Law of Moses. “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” (Deuteronomy 25:4) Is it oxen that God is concerned about? Doesn’t he say that for us? Yes, it was written for us. Whoever plows and separates the grain hopes to share the harvest. And it is right for them to hope for this. We have planted spiritual seed among you. Is it too much to ask that we receive from you some things we need? Others have the right to receive help from you. Don’t we have even more right to do so?
But we didn’t use that right. No, we have put up with everything. We didn’t want to keep the good news of Christ from spreading.
People who serve in the temple get their food from the temple. Don’t you know this? People who serve at the altar eat from what is offered on the altar. Don’t you know this? So those who preach the good news should also receive their living from their work. That is what the Lord has commanded.
But I haven’t used any of those rights. And I’m not writing because I hope you will do things like that for me. I would rather die than allow anyone to take away my pride in my work. But when I preach the good news, I can’t brag. I have to preach it. How terrible it will be for me if I do not preach the good news! If I preach because I want to, I get a reward. If I preach because I have to, I’m only doing my duty. Then what reward do I get? Here is what it is. I am able to preach the good news free of charge. And I can do this without using all my rights as a person who preaches the good news.
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