The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 285

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER IX. much that he says is of the nature of e. 'digression-though an important one-until Vers. I-27.-The righl.s and the self- he resumes the main thread of his subject denial of an apostle. at eh. xi. 15. Have I not seen Jesus Ch,rist Vers. 1-14.-An apostle's right to main- our Lord l Doubtless he mn.inly refers to tenance. the vision on the road to Damascus (Acts Ver. 1.-Am I not an apostle t am I not ix. 3, 17; eh: xv. 8), though he received free t The order of the best manuscripts other visions and revelo.tions also (Acts is, Am I not free 1 am I not an apostle 'i xviii. 9; xxii. 14, 18; 2 Cor. xii. I, etc.). St. Paul designed in this chapter to show He had probably not seen Christ during that he was not only giving a precept, but his life on earth (see my ' Life of St. Paul,' setting an exampk. He told the " strong " i. 73-75). 'fhu words are added to remind. Corinthians, who hacl "knowledge," that them that those who boasted of persona.I they should be ready to abnegate their rights knowledge and relo.tion with Jesus-per- for the good of others. He now wishes to haps the Christ p1uty-ho.d no exclusive show them that, in a matter which affected prerogative. Are not ye my work in the his whole life, he had himself abnegated Lord 1 I am not only an npostlo, but his own rights. Being free and an apostle, emphatically your apostle (Acts xviii. I - be could, if he had chosen, have claimed, as ll; eh. iv. 15). others had done, a right to be supported by Ver. 2.-Unto others. If the emisso.ries the Churches to which he preached. He from Jerusnlem or the Petrino pnrty do had thought it more for their good to wnive not choose to rcgnrd me o.s their o.postle or this claim, and tLernforo be hnd done so at o.n 11postle at nll, yet at any rnto I nm youi·s. the cost (as appears in many other passages: Doubtless; rather, at least, at any 1·ate. eh. iv. 12; Acts xx. 3!; 1 These. ii. 9) of The see.I of mine apostleship. Your conver- bitter hardship to himself. But St. Paul sion o.ttests tho genuineness of my clo.im, as practically "goes off" at the word" apostle." o. seal nttcsts o. document. Thus bo.ptism is- It was so essential for him to vindicate, tho sea.I of conversion (Eph. iv. 30; comp. against the subterranean malignity of hostile Hom. iv. 11; John iii. ;J::J). partisans, his dignity as an apostle, that in Ver. 3.-Mine answer; litero.lly, my asserting that authority ho almost loses defence; the word '' examine" is the word sight for the time of the main object for used for o. legul inquiry. The Corinthians wliich he had nlludcd to the fact. Hence had us it were pluced him on bis defonce at. cu. 1x. 1-27.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO 'l'HE CORINTHIANS. 287