1 Corinthians 9:1-18
About the Text
(1) Why was it so important for Paul to defend his apostleship and his having seen Jesus? In order to make his point - that he willingly gave up much of his freedom for the sake of reaching others for Christ. By proving that he was as much an apostle as any other, he was also proving that he possessed all the authority and rights that came with being an apostle of Jesus Christ. Then, towards, the end of the chapter, Paul mentioned that he gave up this freedom in order to reach more people for Jesus Christ. In other words, Paul didn't have to give up marriage - he voluntarily gave it up for the sake of reaching more people for Christ. An apostle is one who has actually seen Jesus Christ (v. 1), wins others to follow Jesus Christ, and also has been specially commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself to communicate the gospel to the world (Gal. 1:16). Because Paul identifies an apostle by these marks, many Christians, including myself, do not believe that apostles exist today. However, the work of the apostle, namely winning others to Christ, most definitely continues in the church today.
(5) Who is Cephas? Cephas was the apostle Peter's Aramaic name. Peter was married. See Mark 1:30.
(11) What "material harvest" is Paul talking about? Material things such as food, shelter, clothing, and money. Those who preach the gospel have a right, says Paul, to be paid by the church and make their living from it. But in the next several verses, Paul explains why he gave up this right.
(17) What did Paul mean by "if I preach voluntarily"? Preaching without having to. Those who preach as a result of their own career choice will be compelled to seek monetary compensation for it. Those who see preaching and missionary work as just another career choice will be prone to compare the dollar figures. This is not wrong, for even preachers need something to live on, but it tends to limit the flexibility and effectiveness of the preacher.
(17) What did Paul mean by "if not voluntarily"? Preaching because God called him to. Those who are called by God, and serve out of simple obedience to Him, will end up doing all they can to do their job well, regardless of how much money they get in return. These are the best servants in the church, whether preachers, Sunday School teachers, lay workers, etc.
Insights
The Bottom Line
Sometimes, you must set aside your freedom to reach others for Christ. This is the second of four criteria by which we should judge our involvement in "questionable" activities like smoking or drinking. Paul urges believers to curb their freedom by testing each activity with these tests: 1. It must not cause a new Christian to sin. (1 Cor. 8, which we studied last week) 2. It must not impose barriers that keep some people from hearing the gospel. (1 Cor. 9:1-18, today's lesson) 3. It must not hinder your ability to relate to the people you're trying to reach for Christ. (1 Cor. 9:19-23) 4. It must not hinder the church's ability to communicate the gospel. (1 Cor. 9:24-27) Why make such a big deal about limiting one's freedom? Because the gospel is too wonderful to keep covered-up. The gospel is this: that Jesus was God who came to earth as a man 2,000 years ago, to take upon Himself the moral punishment that we deserved. By doing that, He won our release from condemnation to hell, and He earned God's forgiveness for us. All those who believe will receive a new, abundant, eternal life - a life that increases in love, joy, peace, and hope. Christ promised this new life to all who admit they are sinners and believe in Him, regardless of bad your sins are. This message of Jesus Christ is so wonderful that we must be careful not to do anything to hinder anyone from hearing it.