What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 9:4? Have we Paul opens with a warm yet pointed question, reminding the Corinthian believers that he, Barnabas, and the other apostles are genuine members of the body just like everyone else. By asking, “Have we…,” he: • Invites the readers to think alongside him rather than scold them (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves”). • Affirms that the apostolic ministry is lived out in real-time relationships, not aloof authority (see 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, where Paul says he was “gentle…like a nursing mother”). • Anchors everything that follows to personal example—Paul will not ask anything for himself that Christ did not establish for all His workers (Matthew 10:10, “the worker is worthy of his provisions”). no right The phrase highlights an unshakable truth: God grants legitimate rights to His servants. Scripture consistently teaches that those who sow spiritual seed may reap material support: • Deuteronomy 25:4—“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Paul will quote this two verses later to ground his point in the Law. • 1 Timothy 5:18—Paul repeats both the ox principle and Jesus’ words, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” • Galatians 6:6—“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.” These passages underline that ministerial support is not charity but a God-given entitlement. Yet, as 1 Corinthians 9 later shows, having a right and choosing to use it are two different matters; Paul often lays aside his rights for the gospel’s advance (2 Thessalonians 3:9). to food “Food” here refers to daily sustenance—ordinary, necessary provision, not extravagance. Paul is saying: • God expects His people to care for those who feed them spiritually, in the same way Israel was to provide for the priests’ portions (Numbers 18:8-11). • Apostles should not be distracted by tent-making unless circumstances require it; their focus is to preach and plant churches (Acts 6:2, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables”). • When the church meets tangible needs, everyone benefits—the gospel worker is strengthened, and the congregation participates in the harvest (Philippians 4:17, “Not that I desire your gifts, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account”). and to drink? Adding “and to drink” rounds out the picture of full, basic provision. This echoes Jesus’ promise in Matthew 6:31-33 that the Father knows we need food and clothing and will supply them as we seek His kingdom. For Paul, that supply is to flow through the local body: • Luke 10:7—Jesus commanded the seventy to “stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide.” • Acts 4:34-35—Early believers laid funds at the apostles’ feet, and “there was not a needy person among them.” • Romans 15:27—Gentile believers share material blessings because they have shared in Israel’s spiritual blessings. By pairing food and drink, Paul reassures his readers that supporting servants of the gospel is both simple and sacred—covering everyday needs in obedience to Christ. summary 1 Corinthians 9:4 teaches that those who labor in preaching and teaching possess a God-given right to receive everyday material support—“food and drink”—from the believers they serve. Paul frames the principle through gentle questioning, rooting it in the Law, in Christ’s own instructions, and in the gospel’s call to mutual care. While he personally chooses at times to waive this right for the sake of witness, its legitimacy stands, encouraging every church to honor and sustain those who feed them the living Word. |
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