21Supporting the Man Of God (9:1-14)

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.

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 of the Lord, and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? 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? I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? 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.” 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. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 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 with the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. (9:1-14)

In chapter 8 Paul set out the limits of Christian liberty, limits that are to be determined by brotherly love, by concern for the welfare of fellow Christians. He summarizes the principle as, “Take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak” (8:9). Our rights end when another person is offended.

In chapter 9 the apostle illustrates how he followed the principle in his own life. In verses 1-18 he discusses his right to be financially supported by those to whom he ministers. Verses 1-14 set forth his right, and verses 15-18 give the reason why he would not take advantage of it. In verses 19-27 he explains that he would give up any and every right for the sake of winning men to Jesus Christ.

In the first section of the chapter Paul gives six reasons why he had the right to be supported by the churches to whom he ministered: (1) he was an apostle; (2) it is customary to pay workers; (3) it is according to God’s law; (4) other leaders exercise the right; (5) it is the universal pattern; (6) and Jesus ordained it. The first reason related only to apostles, and therefore does not apply today. The other five reasons, however, apply to every minister and Christian worker in every time of church history.

PAUL WAS AN APOSTLE

Verse one is composed of four questions. All of them are rhetorical, the answer to each being assumed.

The first question is Am I not free? In their letter to Paul (see 7:1) the Corinthians must have made much of their liberty in Christ—a liberty they had been taught largely by Paul himself. Now he states his own freedom and his own rights. “I have no less freedom than you do,” he implies. “And I cherish my freedom no less than you do. But I cherish some other things even more.”

The second question, Am I not an apostle? is closely related to the first. As an apostle he would, if anything, have greater freedom than the average Christian. Paul was always conscious of his apostleship. He did not preach and teach his own philosophy or minister and serve in his own name and power. He was the Lord’s apostle, commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).

At this point he gives two verifications of his apostleship. First, he had seen the Lord: Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? An apostle had to be an eyewitness of Christ and of His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). Paul was not among the original disciples who were with Jesus during His earthly ministry, but he had seen the resurrected Christ on at least three occasions. The Lord appeared to Paul at his conversion (Acts 9:4-5) and in two visions that we know of (Acts 18:9-10; 22:17-18). Paul could witness to having personally met the risen Christ.

The second proof of his apostleship was the Corinthian believers themselves. Are you not my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you. The church at Corinth was one of the fruits of Paul’s apostolic labors. Their saving faith and their knowledge of God’s Word came from Paul’s faithful evangelism and discipling (Acts 18:1-11).

The Corinthian church was the seal of [his] apostleship in the Lord. In ancient times seals were used on containers of merchandise, on letters, and on other things to indicate the authenticity of what was inside and to prevent the contents from being substituted or altered. The seal was the official representation of the authority of the one who sent the merchandise or letter. What was under the seal was guaranteed to be genuine. The Corinthian church was a living seal of Paul’s apostleship, the proof of his genuineness.

Paul next gives a defense to those who examine me in this. Examine (anakrinō) was a legal term for the investigation or inquiry made before a decision was reached in a case. He desires to clearly defend his rights.

The first right defended was that of being supported financially by those to whom he ministered. Do we not have a right to eat and drink? That is, “As a minister of God, not to mention as an apostle, don’t I have the right to expect that at least food and drink will be provided to me?” (cf. 1 Tim. 5:17-18; Gal. 6:6).

Or, he continues, Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? “Don’t I have the right to marry a Christian woman and have her minister with me wherever I go?” The other apostles, including Cephas (Peter), were married, as were Jesus’ brothers—the sons born naturally to Joseph and Mary after Jesus. Paul probably was a widower. In any case he had a right to marry a believer. Though he chose the status of singleness, he had every right in the Lord to be married. He also had the right, as did the other apostles, to take his wife with him as he ministered and to have her supported along with him.

I believe that verse supports the principle of paying pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and other such Christian workers enough so that their wives do not have to work; so they can have more time to be with their husbands in the ministry.

The verse can be applied to the principle of paying for the wife’s expenses when she travels with her husband in his ministry, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas. The term to take along (periagō) means “to carry about in one’s company.” A wife’s support and companionship is especially helpful when the husband is ministering away from home. No doubt one of the contributing causes of divorce among ministers today is that many of them are not able to spend enough time with their wives and families. Obviously a wife with small children at home or with other such commitments is limited in the trips she can take. The point is that, when it is possible for her to go along, every effort should be made by the sponsoring group to pay her way. It is a question of the right attitude, the attitude of generosity in supporting the Lord’s full-time workers.

With a touch of sarcasm Paul asks, Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Paul and Barnabas had as much right as the others to get their livelihood from the ministry, without having to work on the side. They did not pay their own ways because they were obligated to do so. They did it voluntarily.

IT IS CUSTOMARY

Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? 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? (9:7)

Paul gives three illustrations to show that paying workers is customary. As he does in much of this chapter, Paul makes his point through rhetorical questions, the answers to which are obvious. The answer expected to each question is none.

Soldiers do not fight during the day and then work at a civilian job at night in order to eat, buy clothes, and have a place to stay. Soldiers do not serve at their own expense. They are provided food, clothing, arms, lodging, and whatever else is needed to live and fight effectively.

Farmers do not plant a vineyard or cultivate a crop for someone without being paid. They do not farm for free and then do other work to make a living. They eat the fruit of their farming, being paid either in money or with a share of the crop (cf. 2 Tim. 2:6).

Shepherds do not work for free, either. They expect at least some of the milk of the flock in payment.

All three types of workers are paid for their work. It is the customary, rightful, and expected thing. Why should it not be true for God’s workers as well?

IT IS GOD’S LAW

I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? 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.” 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. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? (9:8-11)

The principle of workers being paid for their work is not merely according to human judgment, as in the previous illustrations. God’s Law teaches the same thing. You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing. That quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4 refers to the general practice written in the Law of Moses that oxen were to be allowed to eat as they worked. That was their “payment.”

The comment that God is not concerned about oxen does not mean that He has no interest in the welfare of animals. The Lord “prepares for the raven its nourishment” (Job 38:41) and “He gives the beast its food” (Ps. 147:9). Jesus spoke of the heavenly Father feeding “the birds of the air” (Matt. 6:26). In spite of that, ultimately God’s concern is not for animals but for people. If He wants to be certain that oxen are “paid” for their work, how much more is He concerned that men be compensated for theirs.

So the primary purpose even of the quoted Old Testament command had to do with human beings. Deuteronomy 25 pertains to social and economic relationships among men, and in verse 4 the well-established practice of not muzzling working oxen is used to teach that human workers should be paid for their work. As Paul explains, God was speaking altogether for our sake. Men should earn their living from their labor. The plowman and the thresher should be able to work in hope of sharing the crops.

Paul had every right to apply the principle to himself. If men working for men should be paid for their labor, surely men working for God should be paid for theirs. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? The only difference in the principle as applied to the Lord’s service is that material payment is given for spiritual work. The Lord provides His own spiritual rewards, but His people are to provide material reward, and provide it generously as unto Him. Paul calls for “double honor” (1 Tim. 5:17).

The Lord’s servants deserve to be supported well. There should not be a double standard, applying to preachers, missionaries, and other Christian ministers a standard that is considerably lower than that set for those laboring in the system of man. We should pay them as generously as is feasible and leave the stewardship of that money to them, just as we expect the stewardship of our own money to be left to us.

Obviously we should give our money only to ministries that are biblically sound and responsible. Every appeal made in the Lord’s name does not deserve the support of the Lord’s people. Being wise in our giving is part of our stewardship. But when we give to a servant who is worthy, we should give happily, generously, and trustingly. The if (ei with the indicative) in Paul’s statement if we sowed spiritual things, presents a condition assumed to be true. That is, if that genuine spiritual ministry has occurred, and it has, it should not be too much to ask material things from you.

The churches of Macedonia—those at Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and perhaps others (see Acts 16:11-17:13)—consistently supported Paul financially, as a pastor while he worked among them and as a missionary after he left. In addition they gave to help other churches. They had little wealth and were undergoing considerable persecution, but,

in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. (2 Cor. 8:1-5)

Their attitude and their pattern of giving is a model for all Christians.

Giving to the Lord’s workers is giving to the Lord. God gives to His children beyond measure, so that, as Paul had already reminded the Corinthians, we “are not lacking in any gift” (1 Cor. 1:7). Peter tells us that “His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). God supplies all our “needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). God’s children are to reflect their heavenly Father’s generosity. “He who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully” (2 Cor. 9:6). As individuals and as churches, Christians who give generously to the Lord’s work and to the support of His servants will be blessed.

It is our Lord’s will that we be generous to our pastors, our educational workers, our missionaries, and to those leaders of any kind who come and minister to us—just as He has been so immeasurably generous to us.

IT IS DONE FOR OTHERS

If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. (9:12)

Paul’s fourth reason for having a right to be supported in his ministry was that the Corinthians apparently had always supported their pastors. Those they now supported, or had supported, doubtlessly included Apollos and Peter (cf. 1:12; 3:22). As the church’s founding pastor and as an apostle, Paul had more claim on their support than the others. But he did not use this right.

In spite of the many reasons he had to justify his right to be supported, he waived the right. But we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. The basic meaning of endure (stegō) is “to bear or to pass over in silence.” Paul used the present tense, indicating that throughout his ministry he continued to bear uncomplainingly whatever was necessary to fulfill his work. His customary way of life was self-denial.

He worked as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3) to pay his way while he preached and taught. Paul could tell the Corinthians the same thing he told the Ephesians: “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me” (Acts 20:34). He not only supported himself but many of those who worked closely with him (2 Thess. 3:8).

Paying his own way was one means of causing no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Paul did not want new converts or potential converts to have reason to think he was preaching the gospel for selfish motives. He wanted no one thinking he was in the ministry for the sake of money or an easy living. That policy was no doubt especially significant for Paul’s work, because he, more than any other apostle of which we know, worked in virgin territory among the Gentiles. Not only the gospel itself but its Old Testament background was completely new to those he reached, and he did not want that message clouded in any way. The other apostles and New Testament prophets worked largely among Jews, who were accustomed to the Lord’s ministers being supported by His people.

In new ministries today it is wise for those working in them to be able to support themselves, or to be supported by fellow Christians, until a group of believers is well established. Particularly in light of some preachers who make merchandise of the gospel, Christian workers should be careful not to give grounds for any such charge against them. Calling people at the same time to come to Christ and to give their money is offensive.

IT IS THE UNIVERSAL PATTERN

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 with the altar? (9:13)

The fifth reason for Paul’s having a right to be supported by the churches he served was that it had been the universal pattern since the founding of the priesthood in Israel. The priests, those who perform sacred services, were supported by the tithes of crops and animals as well as sacrifices from the people to whom they ministered in the temple, and before that in the tabernacle (Num. 18:8-24). Hundreds of years before the Aaronic priesthood, in fact, Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, “a priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18-20). Since they attend regularly to the service of God as a way of life, they need to be provided for.

JESUS ORDAINED IT

So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. (9:14)

Paul had the right to ask for support because the Lord had ordained the principle. Those who proclaim the gospel are to get their living from the gospel. Both God’s Law and God’s Son teach that His prophets, teachers, and ministers are to be paid for their work in the Lord. The New Testament teaching reiterates that of the Old. Paul may have been referring to Jesus’ instruction to the seventy (Luke 10:7), to an otherwise unrecorded teaching of the Lord, or to a special revelation given to the apostle. In any case Jesus personally taught that truth.

The Lord commands His people to offer support to those who minister to them, but He does not command those who minister to accept the support. Paul did not. He had the right, as much as any and more than most. But for the gospel’s sake, for the brethren’s sake, and for love’s sake, he gladly limited his liberty. He willingly waived his right.