3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, 4 Have we not power to eat and to drink? 5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? 7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? 8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? 4 5 PARAPHRASE. 3 velations. My answer then, in defence of myself, to those who question me as to my fitness to urge you to this zealous regard for the interests of the Gospel is this; have not I and all other preachers of the Gospel the privilege of being maintained by you? have we not the privilege of carrying about with us, at the public cost, a Christian sister as a wife, even as the twelve apostles, who consider themselves entitled to it, even the kinsmen of our "Lord and Peter? or have I and Barnabas only, no privilege to forbear from labouring for mainten7 ance? Consider the case according to the usual practice of men. Who, ever, engages himself to a military life at his own charge? Who plants a vineyard and does not consider himself entitled to eat of its produce? or who feeds a flock of goats and does not consider himself entitled to eat of the 8 milk of the flock? But when I state these things as giving us a claim to maintenance for our services as Christian teachers, do I so state them as having no other authority for it, than human practice, or 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. 9 PARAPHRASE.. does not the Jewish law also state the same things? Assuredly it does, for in the law of Moses it is written, "thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox when treading out the corn". Is God, do you think, in giving this direction solicitous for the 10 maintenance of oxen, or does he not deliver it entirely on account of us Christian teachers? Certainly on our account. For as such a law could not be required for cattle, it was doubtless on account of us Christian teachers that it was written, "that one plowing should plow in the hope that he will produce his own remuneration, and that one threshing in the hope that he has produced his own remuneration, should partake of what he has "thus hoped for." And then, comparing, respectively, the value of spiritual and worldly things, say whether, if we have sown in your minds the seeds of spiritual knowledge, tending as it does, to produce. future spiritual advantages, it is a great thing that we should reap from you in return worldly things for our present subsistence? If other teachers partake 12 13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. 15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. you PARAPHRASE. of the privilege of claiming maintenance from you, are not we rather entitled to it who have laid among the foundation of a Christian Church? But nevertheless, we have not used this power; but on the contrary, we endure all the inconveniences of our situation without claiming maintenance, in order that we may not occasion any hindrance to 13 the spreading of the Gospel of Christ. Consider further, that this mode of remunerating the ministers of religion is the same as that which is used in the Jewish dispensation. Do you not know that by the Mosaic law the Levites who are employed in attending on the services of religion, partake of the tithe-feast eaten in the temple; and that the priests who are continually employed in offering the sacrafices on the altar, partake of the sacrifices offered 14 thereon? It is, therefore, on a principle of just conformity to that dispensation, that the Lord hath appointed for those who preach the Gospel a live15 lihood from it. But I have not, at any time, availed myself of any one of the preceding arguments for claiming maintenance from you for myself and my associates. Neither have I now written these 16 For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me. 18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the Gospel, I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the Gospel. 16 17 PARAPHRASE. things, in order that I should be so supplied with maintenance. For it were better for me that I should die from want, than that any one should by so supplying me annul the ground I have for peculiar exultation: which would be the effect of my being so supplied. For if I preach the Gospel on those terms, I have no ground for peculiar exultation, for I am necessitated to do so by the special revelations which have been vouchsafed to me: and a heavy punishment awaits me if I make not a suitable use of the revelations I have received, by preaching the Gospel on those terms. For the principle on which these revelations have been granted to me is, according to the equitable rule of the Gospel dispensation, this; if, being willing to follow them up, I preach the Gospel, I have the means of obtaining a particular recompense; but, if, being unwilling, I do not do it, I have still been entrusted with a stewardship for which I am answer18 able. What means then have I for obtaining a particular recompense? Why that which I have used, of not claiming maintenance for preaching it, in order that while laying the foundation of the Gospel 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; PARAPHRASE. For of Christ by publicly preaching it, I may do it as according to my settled purpose, I shall, free of charge; with a view to evincing a zealous regard for its interests, by not using my privilege as a 19 minister to its prejudice. It is by the same principle of zeal for the Gospel that I have been guided in my reasonings with different persons under their various conditions, not inconsiderately delivering the doctrines of the Gospel to all in the same manner, but in every case applying the reasoning appropriate to the condition of the party. though independent of all human authority, I have preached it to all, as a slave labouring for his master and accommodating himself to his humour, without any stipulated wages. And this I have done that 20 I might gain more converts to it. And accordingly, with unbelieving Jews I have reasoned as an unbelieving Jew, admitting the truth of the whole of their dispensation, but pointing out its prophetic allusion to the Gospel, in order that I might gain the unbelieving Jews as converts to the Christian faith; with Jews who had embraced the Gospel, but regarded it only as a subordinate part of the Jewish law, to which they held themselves to be permanently engaged, I have reasoned as a converted |