Slices
Prepare
Think of a time when you have felt hard done by. What did you feel? Why? Ask the Lord to speak to you through Paul’s story.
Bible passage
Paul’s rights as an apostle
9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defence to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’ Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever ploughs and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
Explore
In chapter 8 Paul had explored the eating of meat offered to idols. He had encouraged more mature Corinthian Christians not to be stumbling blocks to weaker Christians, but to give up their freedom to eat such meat for the sake of those offended by them doing so (1 Corinthians 8:9). In Chapter 9, he uses his rights as an apostle to illustrate this further. In verse 12, he makes it clear that he did not push his own rights, in order not to hinder the gospel of Jesus, even though he could have done so (vs 4–6). In his argument, Paul is the stronger party and the Corinthian church the weaker.
What three sources does Paul use to support his argument (see verses 7–10, 13 and finally v 14)? He clearly is not writing to make the Corinthians feel guilty (see verse 15). For Paul, preaching the gospel is not something he has a choice about: he is simply fulfilling Jesus’ call on his life (vs 16,17). He concludes his argument in verse 18. Look at that verse and summarise it in your own words.
Respond
Think of ways in church life where people try to demand their rights. In the light of Paul’s argument, what should our response be? Ask the Lord to give you strength to put the needs of others in your church before your own.
Deeper Bible study
As you commence this journey through the second half of 1 Corinthians, ask God both to challenge you and to fill you afresh with his Spirit so you can change.
The central theme of these verses comes through clearly. Paul is talking about ‘rights’ and how to exercise them. In verses 4–6 the word ‘right’ is mentioned explicitly and there are three other references in our verses (vs 12,15,18). Even when the word isn’t used, the concept dominates the argument. What do we learn?
Those who work full-time for the church have the right to financial support. Paul states this plainly in verse 14. Indeed, there were times when he received such support himself and this freed him up for his work as an apostle.1 It’s also important to stress that the Bible says much about the rights of the poor and marginalised. To suggest, as some do, that the rights of the oppressed are unimportant is thoroughly unbiblical.2 What is more, such talk completely misses Paul’s point.
What he is saying is that, in this particular context, he is making a free choice not to rely on others’ support. Why does he do this? First, he has an overriding passion for the gospel. In the Corinthian situation he judges that offering the gospel ‘free of charge’ (v 18) is the best way to commend it (v 12b). Does that same passion for the good news shape our decision-making and way of life? Second, he’s looking for the heavenly reward which will be his if he does his work as a volunteer (v 17). Might an application be for us to give something of ourselves as volunteers too? To go above and beyond the call of duty and serve, for at least some of the time, free of charge, in the church and in the wider community? If so, it would be a fitting response to our Lord Jesus, who freely gave up his own rights to give us a gospel to believe in and to share.
What is God calling you to do ‘free of charge’? Reflect on this question and allow God to prompt your thoughts.
1Eg Phil 4:16-19 2Eg Prov 31:8,9
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 61,62; Hebrews 12
Pray for Scripture Union
This weekend sees the residential for Amplify, when young people who are on the year-long programme for young evangelists come together to be equipped to share Jesus with their friends and others. Pray that they will be inspired and encouraged as they spend time learning together.
