See on Romans 14:13.

Only here in the New Testament. See on Revelation 2:14.

Be emboldened (οἰκοδομηθήσεται)

Lit., be built up. The A.V. misses the irony of the expression. His apparent advance is really detrimental. Calvin remarks: "a ruinous upbuilding."

Not a question, as A.V. The participle "he that is being weak" indicates a continuance of the weakness, and the present tense, is perishing, implies that the process of moral undermining is in progress through the habitual indulgence of the better informed Christian. Rev., he that is weak perisheth.

See on Matthew 5:29. Rev., maketh to stumble.

Meat - flesh (βρῶμα - κρέα)

The former food in general, the latter the special food which causes stumbling. Dr. South draws the distinction between a tender and a weak conscience. "Tenderness, applied to the conscience, properly imports quickness and exactness of sense, which is the perfection of this faculty .... Though the eye is naturally the most tender and delicate part of the body, yet is it not therefore called weak, so long as the sight is quick and strong.... A weak conscience is opposed to a strong; which very strength, we shew, consisted in the tenderness or quickness of its discerning or perceptive power" (Sermon 29, "A True State and Account of the Plea of a Tender Conscience").

See 1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 9:17; Acts 18:9; Acts 22:17, Acts 22:18; 2 Corinthians 12:1 sqq. Compare Acts 22:14.

See on Romans 4:11; see on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10.

See on 1 Peter 3:15.

Examine (ἀνακρίνουσιν)

See on Luke 23:14.

At the expense of the churches. Compare Luke 10:7.

Wrong. Sister means a christian woman, a fellow-member of the Church, as Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 7:15; James 2:15. It is in apposition with wife: A wife that is a sister or believer. So Rev. Such an one has also the right, like her husband, to be maintained by the Church. Some of the fathers claimed that not a wife was meant, but a female attendant, serviens mantrona, who contributed to the maintenance of the apostles as certain women ministered to Christ. There is no foundation for this. It is contradicted by the example of Peter cited at the end of this verse; compare Matthew 8:14; and besides, the point of the argument is that these companions should be maintained. Such a practice, however, did grow up in the Church, but was abolished by the Council of Nicaea on account of its abuses. Stanley remarks that the fact of these women accompanying their husbands, may be explained by the necessity of females to gain access to and to baptize the female converts in Greece and in oriental countries; the same necessity which gave rise to the order of deaconesses.

The only mention of Barnabas along with Paul since the quarrel, Acts 15:39.

Forbear working

For their own support. Ἑργάζεσθαι to work, is the regular word for manual labor. See Matthew 21:28; Acts 18:3. See on 3 John 1:5; and see on trade, Revelation 18:17.

The "a" in a warfare is the abbreviated preposition on or in, as a coming, afield, going a pilgrimage. In the Geneva Bible, Deuteronomy 24:5 is rendered, "When a man taketh a newe wife, he shal not go a warfare." So Froissart: "He was not in good poynt to ride a warfare." The phrase, however, is incorrect as a translation, since the Greek word is used not only of war, but of military service in general. Soldiers are called στρατευόμενοι, Luke 3:14. More correctly, who serveth as a soldier? or, as Rev., what soldier serveth? See on Luke 3:14; see on James 4:1.

Charges (ὀψωνίοις)

See on Luke 3:14, and compare Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 11:8.

Feedeth (ποιμαίνει)

See on 1 Peter 5:2. Bengel remarks: "The minister of the gospel is beautifully compared with the soldier, vine-dresser, shepherd." He goes forth to contend with the world, to plant churches, and to exercise pastoral care over them.

Rev., after the manner of men. See on Romans 3:5. The formula occurs six times in Paul's epistles. The question introduces another kind of evidence - that from Scripture. I will not confine myself to illustrations from human affairs. I will appeal to Scripture.

See on Matthew 22:12, Matthew 22:34; see on Mark 4:39. Some texts read κημώσεις a muzzle, from κημός a muzzle See Deuteronomy 25:4.

Ox - treadeth

The custom of driving the oxen over the corn strewed on the ground or on a paved area, was an Egyptian one. In later times the Jews used threshing instruments, dragged by the beasts through the grain Herodotus says that pigs were employed for this purpose in Egypt, but the monuments always represent oxen, or, more rarely, asses. In Andalusia the process may still be seen, the animals pulling the drag in a circle through the heap of grain; and in Italy, the method of treading out by horses was in use up to a comparatively recent date.

The verb ἀλοάω to tread, occurring only here, Deuteronomy 25:10, and 1 Timothy 5:18, is etymologically related to ἅλων halon, threshing-floor (see on Matthew 3:12), which also means the disk of the sun or moon, or a halo, thus implying the circular shape of the floor. Dr. Thomson says: "The command of Moses not to muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn is literally obeyed to this day by most farmers, and you often see the oxen eating from the floor as they go round. There are niggardly peasants, however, who do muzzle the ox" ("The Land and the Book"). This custom was in strong contrast with that of Gentile farmers, who treated their laboring animals cruelly, sometimes employing inhuman methods to prevent them from eating while threshing. All students of the Egyptian monuments are familiar with the hieroglyphic inscription in a tomb at Eileithyas, one of the oldest written poems extant:

"Thresh ye for yourselves,

Thresh ye for yourselves,

Thresh ye for yourselves, O oxen.

Measures of grain for yourselves,

Measures of grain for your masters."

Doth God take care for oxen?

The A.V. misses the true point of the expression. Paul, of course, assumes that God cares for the brute creation; but he means that this precept of Moses was not primarily for the oxen's sake but for man's sake. He is emphasizing the typical and spiritual meaning of the command. Render, as Rev., Is it for the oxen that God careth?

Better, as Rev., in margin, as He doubtless doth, or, as American Rev., assuredly.

In hope (ἐπ' ἐλπίδι)

See on Romans 8:21. Resting on hope. Compare Aeschylus: "When hope has raised me up on strength (ἐπ' ἀλκᾶς); i.e. elated me with confidence" ("Choephoroe," 407).

He that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope

The text is in error here. The true reading is ὁ ἀλοῶν ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τοῦ μετέχειν and; he that thresheth to thresh in hope of partaking.

Rev., correctly, right. The right to claim maintenance.

Suffer (στέγομεν)

Rev., bear. The primary meaning is to cover. So some render 1 Corinthians 13:7, covereth for beareth. Hence to protect by covering, as with a tight ship or roof. So Aesehylus, of a ship: "The wooden house with sails that keeps out (στέγων) the sea" ("Suppliants," 126). "The tower keeps off (ἀποστέγει) the multitude of the enemy" ("Seven against Thebes," 220). And so, to bear up against, endure. Compare 1 Thessalonians 3:1, 1 Thessalonians 3:5.

Hinder (ἐγκοπὴν δῶμεν)

Lit., give hindrance. Rev., cause hindrance. Ἑγκοπή hindrance, only here in the New Testament. Primarily, an incision, and so used by the physician Galen. Compare the kindred verb ἐγκόπτω to cut into, also occurring in Hippocrates in the surgical sense. In the sense of cutting into one's way, it gets the meaning of hindrance. See Acts 24:4; Romans 15:22; Galatians 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Peter 3:7. Compare the Latin intercidere to divide, inter-rupt.

Lit, work or perform. Never in classical Greek of being engaged in sacred rites.

Wait (παρεδρεύοντες)

Etymologically akin to πάρεδρος sitting beside. See on 1 Corinthians 7:35. Only here in the New Testament.

Altar (θυσιαστηρίῳ)

See on Acts 17:23.

The exact line of Paul's thought is a matter of much discussion, and must be determined if we are to understand the force of the several words. It appears to be as follows: He has been speaking of the fact that he preaches at his own cost. He so glories in this that he would rather die than surrender this ground of boasting Compare 2 Corinthians 11:7-12; 2 Corinthians 12:13-16. For it is the only ground of boasting that is possible to him. The preaching of the Gospel in itself furnishes no such ground, for one cannot boast of what he needs must do; and the necessity to preach the Gospel is laid on him under penalty of a "woe" if he refuse. He goes on to show, in two propositions, why and how there is no cause for boasting in preaching under necessity. 1. Supposing there were no necessity, but that he preached of free will, like the twelve who freely accepted the apostleship at Christ's call, then he would rightfully have a reward, as a free man entering freely upon service; and so would have some ground of glorying. 2. But supposing I became an apostle under constraint, as was the fact, then I am not in the position of a free man who chooses at will, but of a slave who is made household steward by his master's will, without his own choice, and consequently I have no claim for reward and no ground of boasting. What, then, is my reward? What ground of boasting have I? Only this: to make the Gospel without charge. In this I may glory.

Willingly - against my will (ἑκὼν - ἄκων)

These words are not to be explained of the spirit in which Paul fulfilled his ministry; but of his attitude toward the apostolic charge when it was committed to him. He was seized upon by Christ (Philippians 2:12); constrained by His call on the way to Damascus. Rev., of mine own will - not of mine own will.

Reward

Correlative with the second καύχημα something to glory of, in 1 Corinthians 9:16.

A dispensation is committed unto me (οἰκονομίαν πεπίστυμαι)

Lit., I am entrusted with a stewardship. For a similar construction see Romans 3:2. Stewards belonged to the class of slaves. See Luke 12:42, Luke 12:43, and note οἰκονόμος steward in Luke 12:42, and δοῦλος ἐκεῖνος that bond-servant in Luke 12:43. Paul is not degrading the gospel ministry to a servile office. He is only using the word to illustrate a single point - the manner of his appointment.