New Testament Commentary - 1 Corinthians 9

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 9 Paul rejoices in his Christian liberty—He preaches the gospel to all without cost—He is all things to all men to gain converts.
1 AM I not an ^aapostle?^a am I not free? have I not ^bseen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my ^cwork in the Lord? 2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the ^aseal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.	1^a Am I not an apostle? This is most apparantly after the ministration of John unto Paul, which ministration was unto the ordaining of Paul to be an apostle of the Lord (see commentary Acts 13:1-13 & explanatory text associate with such). Paul's name had always been given as being 'Saul' until after John's ministration or ordination of Saul to be an Apostle (See commentary Acts 13:1-2 were 'Saul is used exclusively, then Acts 13:5 mentions John ministering unto them, and in Acts 13:9 'Saul' is there having been given his new apostleship name of 'Paul' is ever after named Paul in the record and not 'Saul'.), after which ordinantion of John Saul is called Paul and he has his own 'company' or troop over whom he officates in his ministry as an apostle of the Lord thereafter. Obviously, Paul has been an apostle for some time as he writes to the Saints at Corinth with the leading question, 'Am I not an apostle?', which has the obvious implied answer that certainly he was a rightfuly ordained apostle of the Lord.	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
3 Mine ^aanswer to them that do ^bexamine me is this, 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a ^awife, as well as other apostles, and as the ^bbrethren of the Lord, and Cephas?		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? 7 Who goeth a ^awarfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a ^bvineyard, and ^ceateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not ^amuzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is ^awritten: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be ^bpartaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you ^aspiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this ^apower; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which ^aminister about holy things ^blive of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which ^apreach the ^bgospel should ^clive of the gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. 16 For though I preach the ^agospel, I have nothing to glory of: for ^bnecessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I ^cpreach not the gospel!
17 For if I do this thing ^awillingly, I have a ^breward: but if against my will, a ^cdispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. 18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without ^acharge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself ^aservant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews^a; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.	20^a unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews To a certain extend, in order to obtain the favor of the people to be heard, one must adopt certain customs of that people in order to 'honor' that people to be heard of them. As long as this 'honorum' is not unto the breaking of the commandments of God, it does not only seem permissible but also advise able. When Ammon went to the Lamanites, that the Lamanites might accept him unto the hearing and understanding his words, he did as the Lamanites and even spoke unto King Lamoni in such terms as he did understand, calling God that 'Great Spirit' which the Lamanites did so recognize. Likewise did Paul, when speaking to the Greeks he spoke of that 'Unknown God' as being God who Paul did speak of and would teach them concerning. And in respect to the Jews, Paul became Jewish, even to the purifying himself for the Temple, that the Jews had not reason to rebuff him. This seems to also be the logic of the 'soft acceptance' of circumcision by those Saints of Jerusalem. In that it was not required but was of which was done in order to first be heard of the Jews as to the message of Jesus Christ. However, when gone to in such an extend as making the customs of a people as a part of the gospel, it becomes the putting of new wine into old bottles. And in part this seems to be what Paul was fighting among the Jewish Saints who had made circumcision a part of the Doctrine of Christ, which it was not. And this in part likely attributed to the 'bursting' of the fall of the Church among the Jews, in that even after coming to understand that circumcision was not a part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the performances of the Law of Moses had come to an end and had been fulfilled in Christ, they still insisted in making it a part of their daily ritual worship practices. Thus there is a line which must not be crossed over, and that is that which is not allowed to be brought into practice within the church itself.
22 To the weak became I as ^aweak, that I might gain the weak: I am made ^ball things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the ^amastery is ^btemperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible ^ccrown; but we an ^dincorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I ^akeep under my ^bbody, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.