1 Corinthians 9:1-27
Jim Watt
jmbetter at gmail.com
Tue Jun 9 19:30:38 PDT 2009
“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*
*Jim & Marie Watt*
*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*
*Web: www.2rbetter.org*
*2009-06-09
<http://www.2rbetter.org/>*
*B. 1 CORINTHIANS 9:1-27 - RESTRAINTS TO APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY*
*1. 9:1-2 PROOF OF APOSTLESHIP: A NEW CITY CHURCH*
*a. 9:1 QUESTIONS*
Ouk eiMI eLEUthe-ros [652]? ouk eiMI aPOsto-los [652]?
*Am I not free? am I not an apostle?*
ouCHI 'I*e*SOUN ton KUri-on h*e*M*O*N he*O*ra-ka [3708]?
*have I not seen Jesus our :Lord?*
ou to ERgon [2041] mou huMEIS es-te en KuRI*o*?
*are not you my work in the Lord?*
*b. 9:2 THE SEAL OF PAUL'S APOSTLESHIP*
ei ALlois ouk eiMI aPOsto-los, alLA ge huMIN ei-mi;
*If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you;*
h*e* gar sphraGIS [4973] mou t*e*s apo-stoL*E*S [651] huMEIS es-te en KuRI*o
*.
*for the seal of my :apostleship are YOU in the Lord.*
*2. 9:3-18 REASONS FOR RELINQUISHING APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY*
*a. 9:3 PAUL'S DEFENCE*
H*e* eM*E* a-po-loGIa [627] tois eME a-naKRInouSIN [350] es-tin HAUt*e*.
*My :defence to them that examine me is this.*
*b. 9:4 QUESTION*
m*e* ouk Echo-men e-xouSIan [1849] phaGEIN [5315] kai pein [4095]?
*Have we not authority to eat and to drink?*
*c. 9:5 PAUL'S RIGHT*
m*e* ouk Echo-men e-xouSIan a-delPH*E*N [79] guNAIka [1135] pe-riAgein
[4013],
*Have we not authority to lead about a wife that is a sister,*
h*o*s kai hoi loiPOI aPOsto-loi,
*even as the rest of the apostles,*
kai hoi a-delPHOI [80] tou KuRIou, kai K*e*PHAS?
*and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?*
*d. 9:6 QUESTION*
*e* MOnos eG*O* kai BarNAbas, ouk Echo-men e-xouSIan m*e* erGAzes-thai
[1849]?
*Or I only and Barnabas, have we not authority to forbear working?*
*e. 9:7 QUESTIONS*
tis straTEUe-tai [4754] iDIois o-ps*o*NIois [3800] poTE?
*Who is ever a soldier at his own charges?*
tis puTEUei [5452] am-peL*O*na [290], kai ton karPON [2590] auTOU ouk
esTHIei [2068]?
*who plants a vineyeard, and eats not its fruit?*
*e* tis poiMAInei [4166] POIMn*e*n [4167], kai ek tou GAlak-tos [1051] t*e*s
POIMn*e*s ouk esTHIei?
*or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock?*
*f. 9:8 QUESTIONS*
M*e* kaTA ANthr*o*-pon TAUta laL*O*?
*Do I speak these things after man's manner? *
*e* kai ho NOmos [3551] TAUta ou LEgei?
*or says not the law also the same?*
*g. 9:9a PRINCIPLES OF RIGHT FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT*
en gar t*o* M*o*-uSE*o*s NOm*o* GEgrap-tai,
*For it is written in the law of Moses,*
Ou phiM*O*seis [5392] boUN [1016] a-lo*O*Nta [248].
*You shall not muzzle an ox threshing.*
*h. 9:9b-10a QUESTIONS*
m*e* t*o*n bo*o*n MElei t*o* The*O*,
*Or cares God for the oxen, *
*e* di' h*e*MAS PANt*o*s LEgei?
*10a or says he it altogether for us?*
*i. 9:10b APPLICATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PRINCIPLE*
di' h*e*MAS gar eGRAph*e*;
*Yes, for us it was written:*
HOti oPHEIlei [3784] ep' elPIdi [1680] ho a-ro-tri*O*N [722] a-ro-triAN;
*because who plows ought to plow in hope;*
kai ho a-lo*O*N [248], ep' elPIdi tou meTEchein [3348].
*and who threshes, to thresh in hope of partaking.*
*j. 9:11 QUESTION*
Ei' h*e*MEIS huMIN ta pneu-ma-tiKA [4152] esPEIra-men [4687],
*If we sowed for you :spiritual things,*
MEga ei h*e*MEIS huM*O*N ta sar-kiKA [4559] theRIso-men [2325]?
*is it a great matter if we shall reap your :carnal things?*
*k. 9:12a QUESTION*
ei ALloi t*e*s huM*O*N e-xouSIas meTEchou-sin [3348], ou MALlon h*e*MEIS?
*If others partake of this :authority over you, do not we yet more?*
*l. 9:12b PAUL'S REASON FOR REFRAINING FROM USE OF APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY*
all' ouk ech-r*e*SAme-tha [5330] t*e* e-xouSIa TAUt*e*; alLA PANta STEgo-men
[4722],
*But we did not use this :authority; but we bear all things,*
HIna m*e* ti-na en-koP*E*N [1464] D*O*men [1325] t*o* eu-an-geLI*o* tou
ChrisTOU.
*that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of the Christ.*
*m. 9:13 QUESTION*
ouk OIda-te HOti hoi ta hi-eRA [2413] er-gaZOme-noi [2038]
*Do you not know that who minister about the holy things*
ta ek tou hi-eROU esTHIou-sin [2068];
*eat of the things of the holy place;*
hoi t*o* thu-si-a-st*e*RI*o* [2379] pa-reDREUon-tes [4332] t*o* thu-si-a-st*
e*RI*o* sun-meRIzon-tai [4829]?
*they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?*
*n. 9:14 THE LORD'S ORDAINED PRINCIPLE*
HOUt*o*s kai ho KUri-os diEta-xen [1299]
*Thus also the Lord ordained*
tois to eu-agGELli-on ka-tagGELlou-sin [2605] ek tou eu-ag-geLIou z*e*n
[2605].
*those proclaiming the gospel to live of the gospel.*
*o. 9:15 PAUL'S REASON FOR REFRAINING FROM THIS RIGHT*
eG*O* de ou KEchr*e*-mai [5530] ou-deNI TOUt*o*n:
*But I have used none of these things:*
ouk Egra-psa de TAUta HIna HOUt*o*s GEn*e*tai en eMOI;
*and I write not these that it be so done in my case;*
kaLON gar moi MALlon a-po-thaNEIN [599], *e* -
*for it were good for me rather to die, than -*
to KAUch*e*MA [2745] mou ouDEIS keN*O*sei [2758].
*none shall make my :glorying void.*
*p. 9:16 PAUL'S OBLIGATION CONCERNING THE GOSPEL*
eAN gar eu-ag-geLIz*o*-mai [2097], ouk EStin moi KAUch*e*-ma;
*For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of;*
aNAGk*e* [318] gar moi ePIkei-tai [1945];
*for necessity is laid upon me;*
ouAI gar MOI es-tin, eAN m*e* eu-ag-geLIs*o*-mai.
*for woe is me, if I should not preach the gospel.*
*q. 9:17 REWARD VERSUS STEWARDSHIP*
ei gar heK*O*N [1635] TOUto PRASs*o* [4238], misTHON [3408] Ech*o*:
*For if I do this of my will, I have reward:*
ei de Ak*o*n [210], oi-ko-noMIan [3622] pePISteu-mai [4100].
*but if not of mine own will, I have a stewardship intrusted to me.*
*r. 9:18a QUESTION*
tis oun moi esTIN ho misTHOS?
*What then is my :reward?*
*s. 9:18b PAUL'S SOLUTION: PREACHING WITHOUT CHARGE*
HIna, eu-ag-ge-liZOme-nos, aDApa-non [77] TH*E*s*o* [5087] to eu-anGEli-on,
*That, when I preach the gospel, I may give the gospel without charge,*
eis to m*e* ka-taCHR*E*sas-thai [2097] t*e* e-xouSIa mou en t*o* eu-ag-geLI*
o*.
*so as not to use to the full my :authority in the gospel.*
*3. 9:19-23 EMPATHY: PAUL'S ADAPTATION OF AUTHORITY TO WIN ALL*
*a. 9:19 PAUL'S METHOD OF REACHING THE LOST*
E-LEUthe-ros [1658] gar h*o*n ek PANt*o*n,
*For though I was free from all, *
PAsin a-mauTON eDOUl*o*-sa [1402], HIna tous PLEIo-nas kerDEs*o* [2770].
*I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.*
*b. 9:20-21 PAUL ILLUSTRATES THIS*
kai e-geNOm*e*n [1096] tois 'IouDAIois h*o*s 'IouDAIos, HIna 'IouDAIous kerD
*E*s*o*;
*And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews;*
tois huPO NOmon [3551], h*o*s huPO NOmon,
*to those under law, as under law,*
m*e* *o*n auTOS huPO NOmon, HIna tous NOmon kerD*E*s*o*;
*not being myself under law, that I might gain those under law;*
tois aNOmois [459], h*o*s Ano-mos,
*21 to those without law, as without law, *
m*e* *o*n Ano-mos TheOU, all' ENno-mos [1772] ChrisTOU,
*not being without law to God, but under law to Christ,*
HIna kerDAn*o* [2770] tous aNOmous.
*that I might gain those without law.*
*c. 9:22 HE CONTINUES HIS ILLUSTRATION*
e-geNOm*e*n tois as-theNEsin [772] as-theN*E*S, HIna tous as-theNEIS kerD*E*
s*o*:
*To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak:*
tois PAsin GEgo-na PANta,
*I am become all things to :all men,*
HIna PANt*o*s tiNAS S*O*s*o* [4982].
*that I may by all means save some.*
*d. 9:23 THE BENEFIT PAUL SEEKS*
PANta de poi*O* diA to eu-agGEli-on,
*And I do all things for the gospel,*
HIna sun-koi-n*o*NOS [4792] auTOU GEn*o*-mai.
*that I may become joint partaker of it.*
*4. 9:24-27. AUTHORITY WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL BRINGS DISAPPROVAL*
*a. 9:24a PAUL USES THE MARATHON AS AN ILLUSTRATION*
Ouk OIda-te HOti hoi en staDI*o* [4712] TREchon-tes [5143] PANtes men
TREcou-sin,
*Do you not know that who run in a racecourse run all,*
heis de lamBAnei to braBEIon [1017]?
*but one receives the prize?*
*b. 9:24b THE GOAL IN RUNNING*
HOUt*o*s TREche-te HIna ka-taLAb*e*-te [2638].
*So run that you may apprehend.*
*c. 9:25a THE CONDITION OF SELF-CONTROL*
pas de ho a-g*o*-niZOme-nos [75] PANta eg-kraTEUe-tai [1467].
*And every one that strives in games exercises self-control in all things.*
*d. 9:25b CONTRAST BETWEEN TWO TYPES OF CROWNS*
eKEInoi men oun HIna phtharTON [5349] STEphe-non [4735] LAb*o*-sin;
*Now they do it therefore to receive a corruptible crown;*
h*e*MEIS de APHthar-ton [862].
*but we an incorruptible.*
*e. 9:26-27 PAUL'S MOST SERIOUS SELF-DISCIPLINE IN THE CHRISTIAN RACE*
eG*O* TOInun HOUt*o*s TREch*o* [5143], h*o*s ouk aD*E*l*o*s [84];
*I accordingly so run, as not uncertainly;*
HOUt*o*s pukTEU*o* [4438], h*o*s ouk aEra [109] DEr*o*n [1194]:
*so fight I, as not beating air:*
alLA hu-p*o*-piAz*o* [5299] mou to S*O*ma [4983], kai dou-la-g*o*G*O* [1396]
:
*27 but I bruise my :body, and bring it into bondage:*
m*e* p*o*s, ALlois k*e*RUxas [2784],
*lest by any means, after that I have preached to others,*
auTOS aDOki-mos [96] GEn*o*-mai.
*I mayself should be disapproved.*
*NOTE*: There are many words of the Lord through Paul in this 4-fold
section, that are worthy of our close attention and meditation. But as I
prepared the above Interlinear section based on the work of Ivan Panin, two
verses stood out to me - namely - 9:20-21.
We know that Paul as a rabbi was mentored by Gamaliel, and sat at his feet.
We know also that for the first 3 years of his life as a new believer, he
was sent by the Spirit into the desert of Arabia, and was there personally
mentored by our Lord Jesus through the Spirit. There the 27 “Mysteries” of
the New Testament were unfolded to him, many for the very first time. Old
Testament prophets could not understand what the Spirit spoke and wrote
through them concerning the coming church, including Gentiles. *But to
Paul*was this mystery made clear. In Ephesians 2 and 3 he went into
some detail
on this mystery of the “One New Man.” He believed that those who read his
letter to this church, would understand this unusual revelation God had
given him on this subject. Nor was this the *only* mystery God unfolded to
him, that had in the past been unclear.
Then Jesus appointed Paul as his apostle unto the Gentiles, just as Peter
was the chief apostle to Jewish believers - the circumcision. And how did
Paul conduct himself among the 14 city churches that God raised up through
him, chiefly composed of Gentile believers?
Well, these two verses throw light on his personal understanding of his own
ministry. Many have attempted to explain Paul's ministry. Isn't it better
that we let him speak for himself? What he says may not always correspond
with present day church doctrine, understanding and conduct - but it
*is*significant to hear Paul's understanding on these matters from his
own lips.
See his words on 9:20-21 again - “*And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I
might gain Jews; to those under law, as under law, not being myself under
law, that I might gain those under law; 21 to those without law, as without
law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might
gain those without law.”*
First - *why* did Paul have to become as a Jew to Jews, when his entire
background was Jewish? He says it was so that he could win Jews. Then we can
assume that as a believer in Christ, he was not bound by the Old Covenant or
Testament as the Apostle to Gentiles, but moved in the New Testament and
Covenant words of Jesus.
But every new city he visited, he first shared the Gospel with his fellow
Jews, as he reports in Romans 1:16-17, *For I am not ashamed of the gospel:
for it is God's power unto salvation to every :believer; to Jew first, also
to Greek. 17 For herein is being revealed God's righteousness from faith
unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous man shall live by faith.” *As
these Jews invariably as a majority rejected his Gospel, he then with the
small Jewish remnant who believed - turned to the Gentiles. But in his
initial presentation of the Gospel to Jews, *he became* as a Jew for their
sakes, living in their traditions so that it would be easier for them to
receive. But for those Gentiles without law, he became without the Old
Covenant law of ordinances, so as to make it easier to Gentiles, and not be
a hindrance to them with the yoke of bondage of the 613 Torah laws. He then
walked in the spirit of Galatians and Acts 15.
Was he then without law? He avers that *he was not* - *Not* the law of Old
Testament commandments, but the law of the words of Christ under the New
Covenant and Testament. Isn't this what he is saying in this portion of
Scripture? He *refused* to bring Gentile believers into bondage of
circumcision. He refused to allow Titus as a Gentile to be circumcised. Yet
he did command Timothy to be circumcised, for his mother and grandmother
were Jewish, and he would need to be as Paul, when meeting with Jews in new
cities.
I realize that this is *not* the interpretation of this passage that one
hears in many Messianic Jewish Congregations - but - *is it* what Paul is
truly saying here?
It is also Paul who says, When we pray in our devotional prayer language -
that we are praying to God - and these prayers are in line with the 27
“mysteries” of the New Covenant that God revealed to him in Arabia.
I am not saying a “Thus says the Lord” for the above, but I am saying - Let
us be good Bereans (Acts 17:11) and like them search the Scriptures, and *let
them* speak to us as we meditate over them. - J.A.W.
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