11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, (is it) a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things ?
That is, if we have bestowed on you one class of benefits, is it unreasonable that we should receive fi'om you another class ? And if the benefits which we bestow are spiritual^ such as knowledge, faith and hope, the fruits of the Spirit, and therefore of infinite value, is it much that we should derive from you carnal things, i. e. things necessary for the support of the body? On every principle of commutative justice, the minister's right to a support must be conceded.
12. If others be partakers of (this) power over you, (are) not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power ; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
This is an argument directed specially to the Corinthians. They had recognized in other teachers the right to a support ; they could not, therefore, with any show of reason, deny it to the apostle. This power over you (tt^s vjxhiv c^^ovo-ta?), i. e. the right of which you are the objects. For this use of the geni- tive, [i^oicer ofyou^ for power over you), compare Matt. 10, 1. John 17, 2. Un disputable as this right was in the case of Paul, he did not exercise it, but suffered all things, i. e. en- dured all kinds of privations. The word means to bear in si- lence. Lest we should hinder (place any hinderance in the way of,) the gospel of Christ. Under the circumstances in which Paul was placed, surrounded by implacable enemies, it would have hindered the gospel had he done any thing which gave the least ground to question the purity of his motives. He was willing to sufier any thing rather than to give his op- ponents the slightest pretext for their opposition to him.
13. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live (of the things) of the temple ? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar ?
What Paul here says is true of all religions, though his reference is probably only to the Jewish. Those which min- ister about holy things (ot ra lepa epya^oixevoi) ; those who per- form the sacred services, i. e. those who offer sacrifices. Mit