"All Things to All People" Season Three/Episode Sixteen (1 Corinthians 9:1-27)
Oct 14, 2024
A deep dive into Paul defending his apostolic authority and explaining his missionary methods. Discussion of why he renounced certain rights to protect the gospel and avoid patronage. Exploration of his “all things to all people” approach—adapting behavior to reach Jews, Gentiles, and the weak. Athletic metaphors about discipline, self-control, and running with purpose close out the conversation.
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Scriptural Basis For Ministerial Support
Paul grounds the apostles' right to support in Old Testament temple practice and law.
The plowman/thresher and ox illustrations show God expects laborers to share the crop of their work.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Paul's Tent‑Making Example
Paul and Barnabas supported themselves by working, exemplifying tent-making ministries.
This practical example explains why Paul sometimes refused church support.
insights INSIGHT
Voluntary Renunciation Of Rights
Paul had a legitimate right to material support but chose not to exercise it among the Corinthians.
He sacrificed personal rights to avoid creating a patron-client dependency that might hinder the gospel.
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If we were to find Paul’s notes for an upcoming lecture on “my philosophy of ministry,” we would probably find the words of 1 Corinthians 9:19–23,
"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."
In this chapter, Paul defends his apostolic office and explains his methods and purposes to the Corinthians. Recall that Paul had spent a fair bit of time in Corinth, but has been in Ephesus for several years. During his time away, many in Corinth had fallen back into pagan ways and began challenging Paul’s authority and integrity. One thing Paul must do as he addresses the various struggles facing the Corinthians is to remind them of his own calling to share the gospel with both Jew and Gentile.
Paul is an apostle who has seen the risen Lord. Everything he has done has been to further the cause of Jesus Christ and the gospel. Paul has consistently put the needs of others first and foremost–something which Paul also expects of the Corinthians. Although entitled to financial support, Paul took nothing from them while in Corinth in order to set an example to the strong as to how they should treat the weak. Paul is concerned to run the race and win the prize so that by all means he may win more to Christ.
For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/
The Blessed Hope Podcast -- with Dr. Kim Riddlebarger