For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

1 Corinthians 9:17

While teaching Christians about sacrificing one’s freedoms and rights for the spiritual benefit of others (8:7-13), Paul illustrated his point by speaking of how he and Barnabas had abstained from exercising the divinely-given right held by all preachers and missionaries to be financially supported by the church in their efforts to bring the gospel to others (9:1-12a).  They did so, not with all churches but specifically in the case of the church at Corinth (9:15a, 18; 2 Cor. 11:7-9; cf. Phil. 4:15-19), because they chose to “endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ” (9:12b).

The apostle now continues with his illustration by pointing out that the priests and Levites who served in the temple and at the altar “get their food from the temple” and “share in the sacrificial offerings” (9:13; cf. Lev. 6:16ff; 7:6ff; Num. 5:9-10; 18:8-20; Deut. 18:1ff).  “In the same way,” Paul writes, “the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (9:14; cf. Matt. 10:10b; 1 Tim. 5:17-18).

However, he stresses again that he has “made no use of any of these rights” as far as Corinth was concerned, nor was he speaking of them now with the goal of “secur(ing) any such provision” (9:15a).  The likely reason he was stressing this repeatedly was to forestall charges from his enemies at Corinth that he was not truly an apostle (cf. 2 Cor. 10-12).  Apparently one reason some at Corinth had no problem financially supporting others while objecting to doing the same with Paul and Barnabas (9:3-6) was because they doubted the legitimacy of Paul’s claims of apostleship and thought he was simply “in it for the money” (cf. 2 Cor. 12:11-18).

By asking the Corinthians for financial support, he would appear to lend legitimacy to their slanderous claims about him and thus place obstacles in their path towards accepting him and his teachings as divinely legitimate.  This would both keep their souls in danger and rob him of being proud (kauchema, “boasting”) that he had served his Lord by putting others before himself, a privilege that he would “rather die” than have anyone take from him (9:15b).  He did not have this kind of pride towards “preach(ing) the gospel” because he considered that his life’s work, a “necessity” (9:16).  However, by willingly (“if I do this of my own will” ) giving up his own rights for the spiritual benefit of even his enemies, and not just any right but even the right to earn a living, he knew God would take notice and “reward” him (9:17a).

Even if he gave up this right grudgingly (“but if not of my own will”), he still recognized the need to do so because he was “still entrusted with a stewardship” (9:17b).  “Stewardship” (oikonomia) has to do with the concept of administering over an assigned task.  Paul always kept before him the fact that he had a duty, a task God had given to him to manage.  That duty was to help souls get to heaven by any and all means within his power.  If a soul in need of saving had a scruple about him that would close their mind to divine instruction that would strengthen and save their souls, Paul understood that his responsibility was to do as much as was within his power to remove that obstacle from this soul’s path to eternal life.  If that meant giving up a right or a freedom he had, then so be it.  He would do so, willingly or unwillingly, because the salvation of souls mattered more to him than his own rights or liberties.

Christians must learn this lesson.  We like our rights, our freedoms.  It’s easy to have an “it’s all about us” attitude.  Paul’s point is that this attitude can get in the way of helping lost souls be open to the saving message of the gospel.  This mindset can likewise keep brothers and sisters in Christ from growing spiritually.  Instead, God wants us to “count others more significant than (our)selves” (Phil. 2:3) and be willing to do whatever it takes to help them get to heaven.

— Jon