1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that they which minister about sacred things eat of the temple? And they which wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar? Even so did the Lord ordain that they which proclaim the Gospel should live of the Gospel.
He takes great care to show that the receiving was not forbidden. Whereupon having said so much before, he was not content but proceeds also to the Law, furnishing an example closer to the point than the former. For it was not the same thing to bring forward the oxen and to adduce the law expressly given concerning priests.
But consider, I pray, in this also the wisdom of Paul, how he mentions the matter in a way to give it dignity. For he did not say, They which minister about sacred things receive of those who offer them. But what? They eat of the temple: so that neither they who receive may be blamed nor they who give may be lifted up. Wherefore also what follows he has set down in the same way.
For neither did he say, They which wait upon the altar receive of them which sacrifice, but, have their portion with the altar. For the things offered now no longer belonged to those who offered them, but to the temple and the altar. And he said not, They receive the holy things, but, they eat of the temple, indicating again their moderation, and that it behooves them not to make money nor to be rich. And though he say that they have their portion with the altar, he does not speak of equal distribution but of relief given them as their due. And yet the case of the Apostles was much stronger. For in the former instance the priesthood was an honor, but in the latter it was dangers and slaughters and violent deaths. Wherefore all the other examples together did not come up to the saying, If we sowed unto you spiritual things: since in saying, we sowed, he points out the storms, the danger, the snares, the unspeakable evils, which they endured in preaching. Nevertheless, though the superiority was so great, he was unwilling either to abase the things of the old law or to exalt the things which belong to himself: nay he even contracts his own, reckoning the superiority not from the dangers, but from the greatness of the gift. For he said not, if we have jeoparded ourselves or exposed ourselves to snares but if we sowed unto you spiritual things.
And the part of the priests, as far as possible, he exalts, saying, They which minister about sacred things, and they that wait upon the altar, thereby intending to point out their continual servitude and patience. Again, as he had spoken of the priests among the Jews, viz. both the Levites and the Chief Priests, so he has expressed each of the orders, both the inferior and the superior; the one by saying, they which minister about sacred things, and the other by saying, they which wait upon the altar. For not to all was one work commanded; but some were entrusted with the coarser, others with the more exalted offices. Comprehending therefore all these, lest any should say, why talk to us of the old law? Do you not know that ours is the time of more perfect commandments? after all those topics he placed that which is strongest of all, saying,
Even so did the Lord ordain that they who proclaim the Gospel should live of the Gospel.
Nor does he even here say that they are supported by men, but as in the case of the priests, of the temple and of the altar, so likewise here, of the Gospel; and as there he says, eat, so here, live, not make merchandize nor lay up treasures. For the laborer, says He, is worthy of his hire.
1 Corinthians 9:15
- But I have used none of these things:
What then if you have not used them now, says one, but intendest to use them at a future time, and on this account sayest these things. Far from it; for he speedily corrected the notion, thus saying;
And I write not these things that it may be so done in my case.
And see with what vehemence he disavows and repels the thing:
For it were good for me rather to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
And not once nor twice, but many times he uses this expression. For above he said, We did not use this right: and after this again, that I abuse not my right: and here, but I have used none of these things. These things; what things? The many examples. That is to say, many things giving me license; the soldier, the husbandman, the shepherd, the Apostles, the law, the things done by us unto you, the things done by you unto the others, the priests, the ordinance of Christ; by none of these have I been induced to abolish my own law, and to receive. And speak not to me of the past: (although I could say, that I have endured much even in past times on this account,) nevertheless I do not rest on it alone, but likewise concerning the future I pledge myself, that I would choose rather to die of hunger than be deprived of these crowns.
For it were good for me rather to die, says he, than that any man should make my glorying void.
He said not, that any man should abolish my law, but, my glorying. For lest any should say, he does it indeed but not cheerfully, but with lamentation and grief, willing to show the excess of his joy and the abundance of his zeal, he even calls the matter glorying. So far was he from vexing himself that he even glories, and chooses rather to die than to fall from this glorying. So much dearer to him even than life itself was that proceeding of his.
- Next, he exalts it from another consideration also, and signifies that it was a great thing, not that he might show himself famous, (for far was he from that disposition,) but to signify that he rejoices, and with a view more abundantly to take away all suspicion. For on this account, as I before said, he also called it a glorying: and what says he?