1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Tonight we pick up Paul’s argument that he had started back in chapter 8. Remember what he said now concerning food offered to idols. So Paul is answering some questions that the Corinthians had about food and idols and how the Christian ought to behave concerning that. He talked about how some had a problem with eating food devoted to idols and some it didn’t bother their conscience at all. After that Paul talked about how he was free to do what he wanted to do in Christ. He explained how he was an apostle and therefore had authority. And so he made his defense against those who would examine him. Then Paul went into a debate or a conversation about but him being paid for his ministry to the people. He argued that if other Apostles like the brothers of the Lord and Cephas were able to be paid why not Barnabas and him? After all, soldiers don’t serve at their own expense people who plant vineyards eat the fruit of that vineyard and those who tend the flock drink the milk. He also went back to the Old Testament to explain that the law that said “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain” That was written for us so that we would know that those who so deserve to reap. But then Paul said that he wasn’t going to make use of any of those rights nor was he looking for a handout. He didn’t want any of those who were criticizing or denying that he was an apostle the have anything against him. He didn’t want to give them any ammunition to fire back at him. So he explains that he’s not going to use that right that he has to ask for payment for what he’s done. And that really leads us up to where we’re going to look at tonight. We’re going to see two main things in the rest of 1st Corinthians 9 and that is that Paul says he has become all things to all people and he’s going to talk about training discipline and control.