1 Corinthians 9

     9:1-18.  Paul continues his teaching that those who are strong, who understand their rights and liberty as Christians, should “take care lest this liberty [margin: Lit., right] of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak” (8:9).  He does this by defending his apostleship against those who question it (1-3), perhaps for the purpose of usurping Paul’s authority.  He reminds them of his rights (4-18) as an apostle, rights which he has freely given up for their sakes, so as to “cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ” (12).

     9:5.  Brothers of the Lord; cf. Mt.13:55.

     9:9.  Paul is by no means saying that the Lord cares nothing for how we treat the beasts in our care.  Rather, he is teaching us that the law is spiritual, and an overly literal application of the law misses the mark.  Jesus teaches the same thing in the Sermon on the Mount.  See also Ro.2:26-29, which shows that the requirements of the Law are “that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter”.

     9:19-23.  Paul’s willingness to be “all things to all people” was not hypocritical manipulation, but a surrender of rights and freedoms for the sake of the weak, just as parents surrender their freedom to care for an infant.  Paul was free of those shadows and types in the law, which pointed to and were fulfilled in Christ.  But he was willing to put himself under the law to save those under the law (20).  However, he refused to let such things become a hindrance to the Gentiles.  Thus we see him having Timothy, whose mother was Jewish, circumcised, but not Titus, because he was a Gentile (Acts 16:1-3; Gal.2:3-5; cf. Acts 21:23-26).

     9:24-27.  Live the Christian life in earnest.  Persevere so as to win the imperishable prize.