1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9:1

And that you may not think that what I say ch. viii. 13. of abstaining from many things that are lawful is magnificently and speciously, rather than with exactness of truth, spoken by me, I shall now mention my practices of this kind in other instances; and this the rather, because of another part of your letter, which mentions the deep knowledge of the teachers you have now among you, and intimates how I am despised by them, and that particularly for labouring in the works of my calling, making of tents, and so getting mine own living among you, (see vv. 3, 4.) Now hereto I make this reply, that without the vanity of comparing with them I may surely say four things of myself: 1. that I am an apostle of Christ, called from heaven immediately to that office: 2. that I had no obligation to do what I have done among you, (see vv. 4. 19,) that is, to preach on free cost to you, as I have; that I discern my Christian liberty so well, that I know I might have done otherwise: 3. that though I was none of Christ’s followers here on earth, yet I have been equalled to them by seeing and being spoken to by Christ out of heaven: and 4. that I am certainly he that converted you to the faith, that planted the gospel at Corinth; and so surely am not unworthy to be considered by you.

1 Corinthians 9:2

For the first of these, mine apostleship, whatever I am to others, I am sure I am an apostle in respect of you. Your conversion to the faith is as great a confirmation of my apostleship as a seal is to an indenture or instrument, or particularly to the letters dimissory, by which messengers were wont to be sent to the churches.

1 Corinthians 9:3

For the second, that of my getting my living by my labour, the account which I give unto them that backbite me for this, (as if I knew not the nature of Christian liberty, and so out of niceness of conscience or scrupulosity durst not receive any reward from them to whom I preach,) is this,

1 Corinthians 9:7

For my apostleship being a kind of warfare, in the scripture phrase, a planting a vineyard, a feeding a flock, in all reason, in all these respects I may expect a sufficient maintenance from them to whom I have these many relations.

1 Corinthians 9:8

Nay, this is not only rational discourse, but it is the doctrine of the law. 9, 10. For when it is there commanded that the ox that treadeth out the corn should all the while he doth so have liberty to eat of the corn before him; that precept, that seems to respect the ox, belongs certainly to men, and signifies that men are obliged to reward all those that take pains for them, as the ploughman would never labour were it not in hope of reward; and he that is at the pains of threshing must in any reason have the encouragement of eating of the corn that he thresheth out.

1 Corinthians 9:11

And then much more we that have laboured spiritually for your good, planted the gospel among you, may think it but just and proportionable that we receive some part of your wealth from you.

1 Corinthians 9:12

This I know, the false apostles that come among you make use of this power, and receive the fruits of it; and then may not I have great confidence to do it? By what hath been said, it is clear we might require a maintenance from you, and that we know this our liberty, ver. 1; but yet we have abstained from making use of it, and have rather chosen to take any pains ourselves, Acts xviii. 3, 1 Cor. iv. 12, yea and to suffer hunger many times, (that you may not think we abstain from receiving from you because we have no need of it,) and so make no use of this claim of ours, as we might lawfully do (see note [e] ch. xiii.), rather than be thus burdensome to our auditors, on purpose designing this that we may not

1 Corinthians 9:13

In sacrifices it is clear that the priests (see note [b] John vi.) eat part of the consecrated offering, and all is not burnt upon the altar, the altar devours not all, but the priest divides with it, and eats or carries home some portions of the sacrifices.

1 Corinthians 9:14

And accordingly God, that hath the free disposal of all men’s estates, hath given an assignment to those that preach the gospel, of so much out of their auditors’ substance, that they may be maintained by preaching it.

1 Corinthians 9:15

But I have made no use of this privilege of an apostle, but have preached to you on free cost; and I do not now speak of it as if I would desire to receive any thing from you, for I am much better pleased to do it thus, yea, and I would rather choose to famish by doing so, than be deprived of this way of advancing the gospel, ver. 12. I am so far from murmuring or complaining of this, that I would not for all the world lose this comfort and joy, that I have preached to you without receiving any thing from you, it being far a more blessed thing to give than to receive.

1 Corinthians 9:16

For I am commanded to preach the gospel, and consequently by doing so I can expect no extraordinary reward from God; I do no more than strict duty, (see note [a].) I am sent by God with commiesion to do so, and that lays an obligation upon me, and it were a damning sin if I did it not.

1 Corinthians 9:17

If I did indeed preach voluntarily without a command, then even for my preaching the gospel, as well as for my doing it without any reward, I might have some reason to expect some reward from God, as for an act of free-will offering; but seeing I do it not so, now all that can be said of me in respect of the preaching itself is only this, that I had a stewardship intrusted to me and I discharged it, which if I had not discharged I ought to be punished, and having discharged it I can expect no future reward for doing that which I was bound to do.

[a] willingly] What is the meaning of ἑκὼν πρᾶσσω, to do any thing voluntary, or as a volunteer, appears by several parts of the context, first, by the opposition to ἄκων, involuntary, as that is explained by a necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I preach not, &c. ver. 16, and, I am intrusted, or a trust is reposed in me, ver. 7. For that notes the involuntary action to be that which is by law required, and cannot be omitted without sin, and so becometh necessary. So saith Theophylact, Εἰ δὲ ἐνεχειρίσθην, πρόδηλον ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ τοῦτο ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ δεσποτικὴν ἐντολὴν πληρῶ, τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστι τὸ ἄκων, by these words, “If I am intrusted, it is manifest he means that I do it not of myself, but perform the Lord’s command, for this is to do it involuntary.” And therefore to do it ἑκὼν, voluntary, is to do it of one’s self, without any command or obligation on him to do it. So Theophylact interprets it, Εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἐνεχειρίσθην τὸ κήρυγμα, ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ δὲ τοῦτο ἐποίουν, it signifies, “If this were not committed to me as a trust, but I did it of myself.” Secondly, by the mention of καύχημα, boasting, ver. 16, and 2 Cor. xi. 9, 10, for that implies what is done to be done without obligation, and above that which was necessary by engagement of any precept. And so, thirdly, by μισθὸν ἔχω, I have reward here; and ver. 18, for reward signifies a return or retribution to somewhat, which a man was not bound to do. So the phrase is used among the Jews; and Maimonides hath a rule, Mor. Neb. l. 3. c. 17, Ei datur præmium, qui iujussus aliquid facit, “To him a reward is given who doth any thing unbidden.” And therefore the whole phrase here, εἰ γὰρ ἑκὼν τοῦτο πρᾶσσω, must thus be rendered most clearly, not if I do or shall do this voluntary, as supposing that possible that he may, (for speaking of preaching the word, he had before said, that necessity was laid upon him, and therefore he cannot be free or at liberty to do or not do it,) but as suppositio non ponit, “a supposition doth not affirm,” so the εἰ is to be rendered, if, that is, on supposition that I did this voluntarily, a reward would then belong to me, εἰ δὲ ἄκων, but seeing it is not so, seeing I do it not of my own instinct, but by appointment from God, &c. διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φιλοτιμία τὸ πρᾶγμα, therefore there is nothing heroical, or matter of holy emulation, or ambition in it. And accordingly it follows that the matter of preaching being to him distinctly under precept, there was but one thing which could bring him any reward, viz. the ἀδάπονον θήσω, making it costless to the auditors, εἰς τὸ μὴ καταχρήσασθαι τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ μου, ver. 18, in not making use of that power which he had, that is, the power of receiving maintenance from others, ver. 5, which he might most lawfully have done, ver. 7. 12. 14, and which Cephas and others freely did, ver. 5, and the not using it would therefore be thankworthy with God, and yield him some reward from him. To this purpose clearly St. Chrysostom, Τὸ μὲν ἐστιν ἐπίταγμα, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἐμῆς προαιρέσεως κατόρθωμα, “One was a precept, the other a virtuous action of his choice,” ἃ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐντολὴν γίνεται, πολὺν δὲ ἔχει τὸν μισθὸν κατὰ τοῦτο, “for what is done above the command, hath proportionably a great reward.” And again of the word ἀνάγκη, necessity, that it refers to the command, πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῆς ἐλευθερίας τῆς ἐν τῷ λαμβάνειν, “in opposition to the freedom or liberty of receiving,” ver. 12. So again Theophylact,

1 Corinthians 9:18

What is it then that shall bring me in a reward? whence shall my reward come? Why, if I preach freely, and make no use of that liberty or

⁶ eat of that which is holy, or, feed by the temple, ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἰσθίουσιν. ⁷ yet have I

not written, οὐκ ἔγραψα δέ. ⁸ if, εἶσ. ⁹ voluntary. ¹⁰ I have been intrusted

with a stewardship, οἰκονομίαν πανίστευμα. ¹¹ What then is reward to me? Τίς οὖν μοί

ἐστιν ὁ μισθός;

[d] run in a [e] race

run all, but [f] one receiveth the prize?

1 Corinthians 9:19

For being obliged to no man, I have freely served all, preached to them without any wages, that I might be more likely to bring them to Christ.

[b] servant unto all] Servants or δοῦλοι, bondmen or slaves, were wholly in the power of their masters; they had power of life and death over them, much more of their bodies for labour, without giving them any wages or reward. To do all that they are commanded is but the due debt to their masters, which if they perform they are not praised, but punished if they do it not; whereas they that are free, if they do any office for any, they may in reason expect to be paid for it. So here St. Paul being a free man, no slave to the Corinthians, that is, under no obligation to preach without maintenance, ver. 1, might in

reason expect from them reward for all his service, his preaching, &c.;

but he did all this for nothing, and that he calls ἐδούλωσα ἐμαυτὸν πᾶσιν,

his serving them as a servant doth, without any wages, or as though he were their servant.

1 Corinthians 9:20

In like manner I have denied myself the use of my Christian liberty in many other things also, observed many ceremonies of the Jewish law, which I needed not to have done, but only to gain the Jews.

1 Corinthians 9:21

To those that observe not the law of Moses, I behave myself in like manner, (not as if I were irregular, but ruling my actions according to the law of Christ and Christian liberty,) that I may work on those that are not observers of Moses’s law.

1 Corinthians 9:22

To those which were not sufficiently instructed in the nature of their Christian liberty, I restrained myself of the use of mine, that I might attract those the more probably; and so I dealt with all other sorts of men, doing that which I thought most probable to win them to Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:23

And all this for the propagating the Christian faith, that I may convert the more, that by so doing my reward in another world may be the greater.

1 Corinthians 9:24

You Corinthians have the Grecian games in one part of your country, and therefore cannot be ignorant of the customs of those, particularly how in that of running in a race, though many run, yet only one comes foremost to the goal, and consequently only one receives that reward which by the laws of the game belongs to him that comes first. Do you therefore so run, and so it becomes us all to do, that we may come foremost, and so receive the prize.

[c] Know ye not—] The discourse that here begins, and goes

on to the end of the chapter, is all perfectly agonistical, no way to be

explained but by observation of the customs in the Grecian games or ἀγώνες. Of these there were four most famous in Greece, Τέσσαρές εἶσιν ἀγώνες ἂν Ἑλλάδα, τέσσαρες ἰροί, in the Anthology, l. 1. the Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, Isthmian, differing one from the other only in the places of the πανηγύριες or celebrations. The last of them, the Isthmian, were kept among the

Corinthians, and that occasions his speech in this place, Οὐκ οἴδατε; Do

you not know? as presuming their particular knowledge of all those customs which he is about to mention or refer to.

[d] run] In every of these four ἀγώνες, there were five exercises,

as was said, note [l] on Rom. ix, wrestling, cuffing, running, leaping,

quoiting, πάλη, πνυμή, δρόμος, ἄλμα, δίσκος, which the Anthology sets down with some little change, Ἄλμα, ποδωκείην, δίσκον, ἄκοντα, πάλην,

putting ἄκοντα for πνυμήν not very fitly. Beside these five single ones,

there was another kind made up and compounded of the two foremost together, cuffing and wrestling both; and because to the performing

of that all kind of strength and agility was required, it was therefore

called παγκράτιον, from κράτος, strength, not from κρατίω, to overcome.

Now the particulars that are here referred to are only two of these,

that of δρόμος or ποδωκείη, running, the third of the five, and this of

παγκράτιον, the one compounded of the other two; the former of these in this and the two next verses, the latter in the last verse of the chapter.

[e] a race] Στάδιον was the space wherein they run, ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ

[f] one receiveth] This race is open to all to run in, that is, to all that aspire to the crown or prize, who come from all coasts to that end, and from thence the agones were called πανηγύριες or frequentiae, “places of meeting or assembly.” But when never so many ran, there was no possibility for above one to overcome, to wit, he that came foremost to the goal; for to him only the reward or prize belonged, which was called in their idiom βραβείον, bravium or ἄθλον, which two words differ no more than δῶρον and λῆμμα, the first in respect of the βραβεντής, that adjudges, the second in respect of the ἀθλητής, that receives it. This he was said λαμβάνειν, or καταλαμβάνειν, or ἐπιλαμβάνειν, (see note [l] on Rom. ix. and note [c] on Phil. iii.) which we render by receiving or obtaining, that is, catching of the prize or βραβείον from the top of the goal, the βραβενταί or judges having passed their sentence that he hath overcome, and it belongs to him.

[g] So run] The οὕτω here refers to the laws or rules of the agones, the observing of which was as necessary toward the obtaining the victory or prize, as the swiftness was. For in the race there was not only the two terms, from whence and to which they ran; the first called βατήρ and τέρμα, the latter ἐσκομμένα, βαλβίς, τέλος, σκοπός, but also κακών, the rule, a white line marking out the path, within which they were to run, τὸ μεταξύ τοῦ βατήρος καὶ τῶν σκαμμάτων, “the middle space betwixt the two terms, from which and to which they ran or leaped,” saith Jul. Pollux: and if they transgressed or ran over it, they did not νομίμως ἀθλήσαι, 2 Tim. ii. 6, run regularly, and consequently they lost the prize: so saith St. Chrysostom, “Ἀν μὴ πάντα ἁπλῶς διέλθαι τὰ τοῖς ἀθλήταις προσήκοντα οὐδέποτε στεφανοῦσθαι, “If they do not absolutely pass through and perform all things that befit the combatants, they are never to be crowned.” Nay, if others observe aright, (that they were bounded with swords on one side, and the river Alpheus on the other,) the danger was greater than that of losing the prize; if they transgressed, they not only lost, but fell into the river, or on the sword’s point; which is very applicable to our Christian race. Beside these, many other νόμοι ἀθλήσεως, laws or rules of combating there were, all which were to be observed in order to obtaining the crown, and that is the meaning of the οὕτω τρέχετε here, so run.

1 Corinthians 9:25

Now every man that undertakes any of those combats or strifes binds himself to strict laws of abstaining from all such things as are hurtful for him, doth nothing but what is in order to his design. These indeed, in those heathen games, merely to get a crown of leaves or boughs, which presently fade or wither; but we Christians, that we may obtain an unfading, durable crown. ¹² use not, μὴ καταχρῆσασθαι. partner of it, συγκοίνωνος αὐτοῦ. abstinence. ¹³ obedient to the law of Christ, ἵννομος Χριστῷ. ¹⁴ co-

[h] is temperate] What is here meant by ἐγκρατεύεται πάντα will be best collected by recounting the manner of the athletæ in preparing themselves for the games: first, negatively, that it was not by λεπτή δίαιτα, temperance, or thin diet, but directly the contrary, many times ἀναγκοφαγία, cramming, forcing themselves to eat, that by that means they might become παχεῖς and πολύσαρκοι, fleshy and corpulent. So saith a Lucian of Damosias, the athleta, whom Charon durst not take into his boat, τοσαύτας σάρκας περιβεβλημένον, having such a weight of flesh about him. To this agrees the phrase among physicians, ἀθλητική ἑξίς, and athletice, and pancratice valere, for “a full habit of body.” So b Julian of Constantius, that he did not think agreeable to an emperor, τὴν τῶν παλαίστρας κατειληφότων θρυλλονμένην εὐεξίαν, “that famous full

a Tom. 1. p. 266. b Or. 1. p. 19.

[i] corruptible crown] The ground of this phrase φθαρτὸς στέφανος, a corruptible fading crown, hath been mentioned, note [l] on Rom. ix. For in all those famous games of Greece, that were so honourable in respect of their institution, their authors, and the celebrity and concourse of people to them, there was yet no reward proposed or obtainable by any of them, but the leaves of some plant, or boughs of some tree, which therefore κ Lucian calls τὸν φυλλινὸν στέφανον, a leafy crown, and in the person of Anacharsis sufficiently derides, περὶ γυμνασ. p. 727, to which is opposed not only the στέφανος ἄφθαρτος here, but more clearly the ἀμάραντος, 1 Pet. i. 4, the not-fading crown, the not-withering inheritance; to which perhaps may be applied also that of Heb. xii. 11, where having made mention τῶν γεγυμνασμένων, of them that are exercised, he saith there is laid up for them καρπὸς ἰρηνικὸς, a peaceable fruit, which, saith Peter Faber, denotes the crown made of the olive-tree, the emblem and token of peace.

1 Corinthians 9:26

[k] as uncertainly] The phrase οὐκ ἀδήλως refers to the form or manner of the stadia or courses among the Grecians, wherein every racer had his course chalked out to him, both the place where he set out, the goal whither he went, and the way that he passed; so that unless a man winked, he could not but see perfectly, and know (for ἀδηλία and ἄγνοια, uncertainty and ignorance, are all one in Hesychius) which way he must go, and whither aspire. To this may be further added the δηλότης, certainty of the victory, and the assurance that he shall have the crown, if he do regularly perform the race and overcome. So in h Lucian saith Anacharsis, εἴτ’ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδήλῳ καὶ ἀμφιβολῷ τῆς νίκης τοσοῦτοι πονοῦσι, “If they labour so, when the victory is uncertain and doubtful,” &c.

[l] fight] Here is the allusion changed from that of running to the other of cuffing, (for that is the particular notation of πυκτεύω and πυγμή,) or rather to that of παγκράτιον, compounded of cuffing and wrestling, and so of which πυγμή was a part; for so saith St. Chrysostom here, καὶ γὰρ δρόμος καὶ παγκράτιον, &c., the apostle speaks of two exercises, racing and that called pancratium. (See notes [d] and [o].)

f Bibl. Pat. Gr. tom. 1. p. 1035. C. κ Περὶ τῶν ἐπὶ μισθῷ συνοντ. p. 321. h Περὶ λυμνασ.

[m] beateth the air] Ἄερα δίρειν or δαίρειν, beating or striking the air, belongs to that of cuffing, a præludium or preparative to which was σκιομαχία, fighting with or beating the air, which Virgil describes by

————— Alternague jactat Brachia protendens, et verberat ictibus auras.

“He thrusts out his arms one after another, and beats the air with his blows.” And ¹ Lucian, Ἦν τινα ἀθλητὴν ἴδης ἀσκούμενον πρὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος, λακτίζοντα εἰς τὸν αἶρα, ἢ πῦξ κενὴν πληγὴν τινα καταφέροντα, “If you see a combatant exercising before the combat, kicking into the air, and with his fists giving it an empty blow.” This was only a brandishing before the fighting: of which, saith Buddæus on the Pandects, p. 74, that there is nothing more ordinary than that they that excel in skill and dexterity at this, (so that they can before they meet with their adversary shew their readiness to take all advantages of striking and wounding the enemy,) yet when they come to fight in earnest, and proceed a prolusione ad cruentum discrimen, “from the proclusion to the bloody combat,” conciderint statim animo, nec artis suæ præceptorum meminerint, “miscarry, and fall presently in spirit, and forget all the precepts of their art.” Where the opposition between this beating of the air and bloodiness of the combat, coming to sharps, as we call it, may give us the understanding of that phrase, Heb. xii. 4, Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin; all that they had yet suffered being but a προπυγμή or σκιομαχία, as it were; they were not yet come to the real blows, had but been in some skirmishes as yet. Another notion there may be of this phrase, to signify the missing of the adversary, and hitting the air only. So saith Eustath. on Ἰλ. ε’. Οἱ πυγμάχοι πολλάκις οὐκ εἰστοχούντες μάτην κινοῦσι τὰς χεῖρας, “They that contend by cuffing do many times miss, and move their hands” (that is, strike) “to no purpose.” And thus will it here agree with the former phrase οὐκ ἀδήλωσε, for as those that cuff in the dark, though they strike never such καλὰς πληγός, saith Aristotle, lucky blows, yet many times miss their aim, wound nothing but the air; so here, should the apostle not be perfectly skilled in the ἀγών or combat he was about, he might often lose his blows; but being perfectly instructed in his race, and what will bring him first to the goal, and being entered into the lists with his adversary, and set knowingly about his business, as it follows, ὑποπιάζει καὶ δουλαγωγῆ, he plays the pancratiasta notably.

1 Corinthians 9:27

[n] keep under] What is the notion of ὑποπιάζει hath been formerly touched on, Luke xviii. 5; and though there it signify by a secondary borrowed signification to reproach or put to shame, yet here it is certainly in a primary notion to strike under the eye or in the face, as the πύκται were wont to do. This being here joined to τὸ σῶμά μου, and applied to the matter in hand, of denying himself the use of his Christian liberty, must be rendered, (according to the notion of עצמו, which is Hebrew for σῶμά μου, my body, before mentioned, note [a] on Rom. vi. and is no more than ἱμάντον, myself.) I do give myself blue eyes, as in cuffing the combatant doth the adversary, pugnis ductis cæstibusque impactis lividum reddere, “I use great severity upon myself.”

[o] bring it into subjection] Δουλαγωγῆ, to bring under, belongs to

¹ In Hermot. p. 219.

[p] when I have preached] Κήρυξ, in the Olympic or Isthmian games, is the præco or herald, (the word by its origination seeming to come from the Hebrew י״ד, clamavit and proclamavit, “to cry,” and “proclaim,” and from thence κράζω and κηρύσσω, by an easy change,) whose office it was from a scaffold or eminent place to proclaim the combat that was to be entered, to call the agonistæ, to name the prizes, to admonish the athletæ, to animate them, to set them the laws of the agones, to subject all to the examination of the judges, and as they shall determine to pronounce the conqueror. So in Isidor. Pelus. Epist. l. 3. Ὁ κήρυξ τῶν Ἰξωθεν ἀγώνων τοὺς νικῶντας ἀνακηρύττει, ἀγῶνα τοῖς ἄλλοις διατιθεῖς, “He proposes the combat, and proclaims the conqueror and conquered.” Such are the apostles under Christ, at once κήρυκες and στεφανίται, heralds and crowners, saith Isidore, pronouncing, proclaiming, citing, admonishing, binding, loosing, pronouncing some conquerors, and ἀποκηρύσσοντες, rejecting others as unworthy.

[q] a castaway] What ἀδόκιμος signifies hath been said in note [h] on Rom. i. to miscarry, and lose the reward that he is contending for. Thus in good authors ἀδόκιμον γενίσθαι and ἀποκηρυχθῆναι are all one, and are opposed to στεφανούσθαι, being crowned or rewarded. And so that will be the importance of this close of the apostle, that he denies himself many things which he might enjoy, as combatants are wont to do, puts himself to many hardships also, that (whilst he is an apostle to others, directing them to that course that will bring them to their crown, to