1 Corinthians 9:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"But I have used none of these things" (1 Cor 9:15). If you have not done this until now, they will say, do you not wish to do so in the future, and is this why you say all this? No. To explain this, he immediately adds: "Nor have I written this that it should be so done to me."

See with what force he refutes and denies this: "For it is better for me to die than that anyone should make my boast void." He uses such an expression not once or twice, but several times. Above he said, "We have not used this authority" (1 Cor 9:12). Then again, "not using my authority" (1 Cor 9:18). Here he says, "But I have used none of these things."

"But I have used none of these things." That is, I have used none of the above-mentioned Old Testament examples, nor Christ's command to eat and drink what is yours.

"And I have not written this that it should be so done to me." Lest someone say to him, "What then? If you have not used this until now, do you wish to use it hereafter, and is that why you say this?" he hastens to correct such an opinion.

He says, "I have not written this so that it should be so done to me," that is, so that I might receive from you. "For it is better for me to die than that anyone should make my boast void." I would rather agree to die of hunger, he says, than allow anyone to destroy my boast, that is, to declare it vain and empty.

The Apostle Paul says that the Lord commanded those who preach the Gospel to live from the Gospel, but that he himself did not use this. What could be clearer? What could be more definite? I fear only that, when I try to explain it, what is clear and exhaustive becomes obscure, because those who do not understand, or pretend not to understand, these words understand mine still less.

The Lord Himself said, "The laborer is worthy of his food" (Mt 10:10). Paul showed that such a practice was permitted, but not imposed as an obligation. Thus a man preaching the Gospel to people, and receiving from them food for himself, should not think that he is doing something unlawful.

But I, although I have in all this an example for myself, have not burdened you with any such thing. It is better for me to die of hunger than for anyone to make void this boast of mine, that I preach the Gospel freely.

Paul calls this his boast: that the strictness of the Gospel should remain. He prefers death for himself to the violation of the law of the Gospel, for he knows that in it he was walking the path toward future salvation.

"But I have used none of these things," that is, while preaching among you. He also reports this in the Second Epistle: "For in what were you made inferior to the other Churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you?" (2 Cor 12:13).

That he did receive from others, concerning whom he thought that by receiving from them he would benefit them, he reports in the following words: "I robbed other Churches, receiving wages for your service" (2 Cor 11:8). Thus he also praises the Philippians because they zealously served him many times (Phil 4:15-16). For this he also wishes blessings to Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:16-18).

In this section the Apostle unfolds his right or authority, mentioned in verses 12 and 18, to require from the Corinthian Christians, as generally from his spiritual children, full provision for life, "to reap material things" from them (v. 11), to have food from them (v. 13), and, of course, everything else necessary. This passage of the Epistle should instruct those who censure the Orthodox clergy for receiving remuneration for performing services of need.

But I did not use my right to receive support from believers (1 Cor 9:15-18). "But I have used none of these things," that is, none of so many examples. "Nor have I written these things that it should be so for me," that is, so they would not forget to provide me ready support. "For it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boast void." He did not say, "that anyone should violate my law," but "my boast." He calls this, his disinterestedness and self-denial, a boast, wishing to show with what great joy and zeal he acts in this way (Chrysostom).

In explaining where and how a hindrance to the spread of preaching could arise if he accepted recompense from the Corinthians, the Apostle points to the possibility of reproaches that could lower his holy apostolic dignity.

This reproach could have appeared simply by placing the Apostle alongside other teachers, who usually taught the Corinthians in order to obtain the means of life for themselves. Sharply rejecting the possibility of such a humiliating view of the preachers of Christianity, which was equivalent to condemning them to death, the Apostle seems to fear the opposite. Namely, he fears that someone might think he is too concerned about reward for himself, and says: "If I preach the Gospel, I have no boast."

Now it is evident to you, he says, that I could have received support from you. Yet I voluntarily received nothing from you. I made no demand upon you, though my apostolic labors among you authorized me to do so.

He says this not once or twice, but several times. Above he said, "We have not used this authority." Later he will say, "so as not to use my authority" (1 Cor 9:18). Here he says, "But I have used none of these things."