Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 Although I may not be an apostle for others, certainly I am for you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 My defense against those who would pass judgment on me is this. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work? 7 Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock? 8 Am I saying this on human authority, or does not the law also speak of these things? 9 It is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is God concerned about oxen, 10 or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?
The Corinthian church appears to be questioning Paul's authority and his entitlement to material support from the community. Some members may doubt his credentials as an apostle, given that he has not claimed the rights typically afforded to apostles, such as financial support or the companionship of a wife, which others in similar roles have enjoyed. Paul defends his apostolic authority by asserting his legitimate rights as an apostle.
Paul begins by asserting his apostolic authority and his freedom from obligation to anyone but Christ. He rhetorically questions the Corinthians to affirm his status as an apostle, stating that his encounter with the risen Lord qualifies him as an apostle (Acts 9:1-19; Gal. 1:11-17). He further emphasizes that the Corinthians themselves are the "seal" of his apostleship, meaning that their existence and growth as a Christian community are proof of his apostolic work. This makes it clear that, while some may question his apostleship, the Corinthians cannot deny his role in their spiritual development (1 Cor. 9:2).
In response to those who question his legitimacy as an apostle, Paul argues that he, like other apostles, has the right to receive sustenance from the community for his work. He also has the right to receive the same support as Peter (Cephas) and the brothers of the Lord who travel with their wives, but he voluntarily chooses to renounce that right to avoid placing any burden on the community or hindering the Gospel. Paul and Barnabas were close collaborators in missionary work and have worked to support themselves, unlike others who are supported by the community. They were among the few apostles who deliberately chose not to depend on the Christian communities for financial support. By highlighting Barnabas, Paul emphasizes that their decision to support themselves is a shared commitment, demonstrating that this renunciation of rights was not due to any inferiority, but was a deliberate act of self-sacrifice. Barnabas was not one of the twelve but was considered an apostle in the broader sense of the term.
Paul uses three analogies to show the fairness of receiving support for one’s labor. Soldiers, vineyard workers, and shepherds all expect to benefit from their work, just as apostles, who labor for the Gospel, have the right to receive material support from the community. These analogies highlight that just as others who work expect a return for their labor, so too should apostles be entitled to material support for their spiritual work.
Paul then switches to scriptural authority and cites Deuteronomy 25:4 to support his argument. Just as the ox is entitled to eat while working, so too are apostles entitled to material support as they labor for the Gospel. All laborers, including those who plow and thresh, should work with the hope of sharing in the fruits of their labor. If the apostles have provided spiritual benefits to the Corinthians, it is only fair that they receive material support in return.
Paul concludes by affirming that, although he has the right to material support, he has deliberately chosen not to exercise it to avoid hindering the Gospel. Paul’s refusal to claim this right is not a rejection of it but a personal decision to ensure that nothing obstructs the spread of Christ’s message. His focus is on the Gospel, and he willingly endures hardships for the sake of advancing the mission.
Almighty God, grant us the grace to serve others without seeking reward, trusting in Your provision and guided by Your love. May we always labor with humility, striving to remove all obstacles that hinder Your message. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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