1 Corinthians 9

Paul vigorously defends his apostleship and his inherent right to financial support, citing both divine ordinance and common sense. However, he voluntarily foregoes these privileges, choosing to preach the gospel without charge to avoid hindering its spread. He explains his missionary strategy of becoming "all things to all men" to win souls, and concludes by urging believers to exercise self-discipline, like athletes, to secure an incorruptible reward.

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul asserts his apostolic authority and personal liberty, using the Corinthians themselves as evidence of his ministry. He argues that those who labor in spiritual things, such as apostles, have a legitimate right to material support, a principle supported by natural analogies and the Mosaic Law. Nevertheless, Paul reveals his deliberate choice not to exercise this right, preferring to preach the gospel freely so as not to place any obstacle before it. He states that preaching is a divine necessity, and his reward is to offer the gospel without charge, thereby not abusing his power. Furthermore, Paul details his adaptive approach, becoming "all things to all men"—Jew, Gentile, or weak—to gain more for Christ. He concludes by likening the Christian life to an athletic race, emphasizing the need for disciplined striving to obtain an incorruptible crown and avoid being a castaway.

The ninth chapter of 1 Corinthians commences with Paul's fervent defense of his apostleship and freedom, affirming his direct encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and presenting the Corinthian believers as the very seal of his ministry. He then expounds upon the legitimate rights of an apostle, including the power to eat, drink, marry, and receive financial sustenance, drawing parallels to soldiers, vineyard planters, and shepherds who rightfully partake of their labor's fruit. Paul reinforces this principle by referencing the Mosaic Law concerning the unmuzzled ox, asserting that such provisions are primarily for the sake of those who labor in spiritual things, as the Lord has indeed ordained that those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Despite these established rights, Paul emphatically declares that he has not utilized any of these privileges, nor does he write to demand them. His paramount concern is to prevent anything from hindering the gospel of Christ, choosing instead to suffer all things. He explains that while preaching the gospel is a necessity laid upon him, his true reward lies in making the gospel available without charge, thereby not abusing his power in the gospel. Transitioning to his missionary methodology, Paul describes his practice of becoming "free from all men, yet made himself servant unto all," adapting his approach to diverse groups. He became as a Jew to the Jews, as one under the law to those under the law, and as one without law to those without law (though not without law to God, but under the law to Christ), and as weak to the weak. His ultimate objective in this contextualization is to "by all means save some," doing all for the gospel's sake that he might be a partaker thereof. Finally, Paul employs the vivid metaphor of an athletic race and a boxing match to instruct believers on spiritual discipline. He reminds them that just as athletes train rigorously for a corruptible prize, Christians must run with purpose and fight with precision for an incorruptible crown. He concludes with a personal application, declaring his own commitment to disciplining his body and bringing it into subjection, lest after preaching to others, he himself should be found a castaway.