1 Corinthians 9:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Explaining exactly what I have now said, he says: "For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have only been entrusted with a stewardship." He uses the words "willingly" and "unwillingly" in the sense of commanded and not commanded.

Likewise, the words "for necessity is laid upon me" must not be understood as though he did this against his will. May it not be so. Rather, it means that an obligation lies upon him, in contrast to the freedom either to receive or not to receive.

Therefore Christ also said to the disciples: "When you have done all that was commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, because we have done what we were obliged to do" (Lk 17:10).

"What then is my reward? That, in preaching the Gospel, I may proclaim Christ without charge." Tell me, does Peter then have no reward? Who could receive such a reward as he? And the other Apostles likewise?

Why then did he say, "If I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if unwillingly, I have only been entrusted with a stewardship"? Note his wisdom here also. He did not say, "If unwillingly, I have no reward," but, "I have only been entrusted with a stewardship."

He thereby shows that in this case also there is a reward, but such as one receives who has fulfilled a command. It is not such as one receives who has shown his own zeal and done more than was commanded.

For what then is such a reward? "That, in preaching the Gospel," he says, "I may proclaim Christ without charge, not using my authority in the Gospel." Do you see how everywhere he uses the word "authority," to show, as I have often repeated, that those who receive are not deserving of blame?

He adds the phrase "in the Gospel" both to designate the Gospel itself and to prevent use of this right in everything. For one who teaches may receive, but not one who is idle.

Therefore he showed that, although he had received this right from the Law and from the God of all, and although he saw that the Apostles used this right, and although he perceived its foundation in the very nature of the matter, he heeded none of this. He had in view only the success of the preaching and the benefit of those who heard. The words that follow agree with this.

But lest, from another side, someone think that he is altogether unworthy of honor, he again points to the free character of his Gospel preaching. He also points to his servantlike obedience to the will of God, according to which he performed this work as a debt and obligation.

He did not proclaim some teaching pleasing to himself by personal choice, as the Platonists, Cynics, Stoics, and other philosophers did when they taught in their own name. Explaining this, Chrysostom exclaims: "What can compare with preaching? It makes the preachers like Angels. Yet since it is for them an obligation and duty, while preaching without payment is a work of voluntary zeal, in this respect the latter is greater than the former."

According to Blessed Theodoret, "the Apostle expounded all this at length, trying also to compel the Corinthians, who misused knowledge and fearlessly ate things offered to idols, to renounce a harmful right." He himself did this, for example, through his unpaid teaching, undertaken for the greater success of preaching and the greater benefit of those who heard.

For what can compare with preaching? It makes the preachers like Angels. Yet since it is for them an obligation and duty, while unpaid preaching is a work of voluntary zeal, in this respect the latter is greater than the former (Chrysostom).

The reward is that I preach the Gospel without payment. The Gospel of Christ, or concerning Christ, I regard as my duty. Yet in doing so I do not use the right that belongs to me. I do not act according to my authority, the right given by the Lord also to me as an Apostle in the Gospel, that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel.

Do you see how everywhere he uses the word "authority," to show that those who receive support are not deserving of blame? (Chrysostom).

Blessed Theodoret applies what is said in this section to the main subject of the chapter in this way: I sacrifice my right so as not to hinder the Gospel. You also should give up the right of your knowledge and not eat things offered to idols, lest you scandalize the brother for whom Christ died and cast back into destruction the one whom my preaching has saved.

"The Master gave me the right," says the Apostle, "to receive necessary sustenance from the disciples. But I do not use this right. I labor, working myself, in order to reap the fruit of this labor."

The Apostle expounded all this at length, trying also to compel the Corinthians to renounce a harmful right. They misused knowledge, fearlessly ate things offered to idols, and thereby gave the weak an occasion to suffer harm.

Therefore he showed that, although he had received this right from the Law and from the God of all, and although he saw that the Apostles used this right, and although he perceived its foundation in the very nature of the matter, he heeded none of this. He had in view only the success of the preaching and the benefit of those who heard.