1 Cor 9.1-27 tells us that Paul will defend his status as a shaliach and that he has certain rights to be supported, but he will not lay claim to such rights but relies on his own support; Paul’s attitude is likened to an athlete.
v 1…Am I not free (not ordained by man or under their authority; not obligated to anyone-v 19; to use his liberty as he sees fit)? Am I not an apostle (a shaliach, sent one by God)? Have I not seen Yeshua our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?
v 2…If to others I am not an apostle (shaliach or sent), at least I am to you; for you are the seal (validation) of my apostleship in the Lord (the proof that he is a shaliach and sent by God).
v 3…My defense to those who examine me is this (he defends his rights and authority):
v 4…Do we not have a right to eat and drink (receive support)?
v 5…Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles (and their wives), and the brothers of the Lord (James; Joseph, Judah and Shimon), and Cephas (Peter-Matt 8.14; Mark 1.29-31)?
v 6…Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working (and receive financial support).
v 7…Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense (no one)? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it (no one)? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock (no one-all of these point to the fact that the laborer merits financial support)?
v 8…I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law (Torah) also say these things (he uses the Torah to validate what he is saying because Paul was Torah observant and so were the Corinthians)?
v 9…For it is written (already recorded) in the Law (Torah) of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen is he?
v 10…Or is he speaking altogether for our sake (if God cares for oxen, does he not care for our needs)? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing (the crops).
v 11…If we sowed spiritual things in you (ideas, services, truth of the Torah, etc.), is it too much if we should reap material things from you?
v 12…If others (like herdsmen, soldiers, vine-growers) share the right oven you, do we not more (are justified in being helped materially by them)? Nevertheless, we did not use this right (while we were with you), but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Messiah (not put an obstacle before anyone about money, which may have stood in their way to receiving truth).
v 13…Do you not know that those who perform sacred services (the “avodah” in the Temple in Jerusalem) eat the things of the Temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share in the altar (of what was presented)?
v 14…So also (it is right and proper) the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel (basar) to get their living from the gospel (basar)-Matt 10.10).
v 15…But I have used none of these things (on my own behalf; his motive was not money). I am not writing these things that it may be done so in my case (to personally benefit); for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one (the false prophets who said Paul was in it for the money; Paul stood against these accusations and he never did take any support).
v 16…For if I preach the gospel (basar), I have nothing to boast of (before God), for I am under compulsion (to do it; a necessity); for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel (basar)-chastisement awaits a rebellious servant-Luke 12.47).
v 17…For if I do this voluntarily (on his own) I have a reward (and should expect one), but if against my will (out of duty or fear, etc), I have a stewardship committed to me (he knows he is going to be required to give an account ton the master of the house, whether in honor or shame).
v 18…What then is my reward (some said it was money, etc)? That when I preach the gospel (basar), I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel (of having support).
v 19…For I am free from all men (not obligated to anyone), I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more (gain or influence them).
v 20…And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews (he related to them and observed their customs as long as they did not violate Torah); to those who are under the law, as under the Law (“under law” means a system of works righteousness, developed and popular at that time-(Rom 9.30 through 10.3) though not being myself under the law (for works righteousness, but he identified with them), that I might win those who are under the Law (the Jews).
v 21…To those who are without Law (Torah; non-Jews), as without the Law (he identified with those who were “anomos” or lawless; Torah-less; he observed their customs as long as they did not violate the Torah), though without the Law (Torah) of God (he was Torah observant(, but under the Law of Messiah (his mandates to follow him) that I might win over those who are without the Law (non-Jews didn’t know the Torah; these verses do not suggest Paul obeyed the Torah on a part-time basis depending on who he was with; Paul rebuked Peter for this hypocrisy in Gal 2.11-14; Paul is saying that he accommodated customs that did not violate the Torah).
v 22…To the weak (those with low-level understanding or comprehension), I became weak (tried to meet them at their level; help them understand; he is not saying he became ignorant like they were, but identified with where they were), that I may win the weak (but not changing the Torah or compromising the truth); I have become all things to all men (he identified where they were at), that I may by all means save some (within the boundaries of the Torah; he is not saying he will compromise the truth to achieve this).
v 23…And I do all things for the sake of the gospel (basar), that I may become a fellow partaker of it (to further its progress).
v 24…Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize (Paul uses the Grecian games as a metaphor)? Run in such a way that you may win (obtain, don’t stop, stay in your lanes).
v 25…And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things (eats right; trains right; sleeps right; doesn’t over-indulge; stays focused; stays in his lane; knows the rules and follows them, etc). They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
v 26…Therefore I run (walk in the Torah) in such a way, as not without aim (he is certain); I box in such a way, as not beating the air (fighting a spiritual battle with no impact or empty punches against HaSatan; he wants his blows directed at his enemy-Eph 6.10-17);
v 27…but buffet (train) my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified (from competing like an athlete; his service is rejected and without influence like a “quack” doctor or an unethical lawyer; this word for disqualified is “adokimos” and means a reprobate and used in Rom 1.28; Titus 1.16; Heb 6.8; 2 Cor 13.5-7; this is not talking about salvation).
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