1 Corinthians 9:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, from the great abundance of his zeal, he overstepped the limits and in everything stretched beyond heaven itself. Having spoken of enslavement, he next speaks of its various kinds. What kinds?

"To the Jews," he says, "I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews" (verse 20). How did this happen? He circumcised in order to abolish circumcision. Therefore he did not say, "a Jew," but "as a Jew," since this was done with a deliberate purpose.

What are you saying? Could the preacher of the whole world, who ascended to the very heavens and shone with such grace, suddenly descend so far? Yes, because this also is ascent. Do not look only at the fact that he descends, but also at the fact that by descending he raises up the one lying below and brings him up with himself.

For example, when he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3). He did not say, “a Jew,” but “as a Jew,” to show that this act had a special purpose. We understand by this proselytes, or those Jews who had believed but still kept the Law. This happened when he shaved his head (Acts 18:18), and when he offered sacrifice according to the rite of purification (Acts 21:26). He did this with a special purpose and outwardly, in order to correct those who did it from conviction.

A man caring for the sick becomes sick himself, not because he thinks he has developed a fever, but because, in compassion, he considers what care he would desire if he himself were sick.

It looks like pretense to become all things to all, as flatterers commonly do. Yet it is not so. For the man of God is a spiritual physician. Knowing all causes and wounds, he surrounds the suffering with great care, attention, and compassion, for we always have something in common with all people.

To the Jews he was as a Jew. Because of their scandal he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3), and after purification he entered the Temple, so that he would not receive an accusation of sacrilege (Acts 21:26). He did what should already have ceased, yet he did it according to the Law.

For he agreed that the Law and the Prophets are from God, and from them he showed the foreshadowing of the promised Christ, in order to obtain the agreement of those under the law.

By Jews, I think, he means those who had not yet believed. By those under the Law he means those who had received the Gospel but were still attached to the keeping of the Law. For the sake of both, he performed the lawful purification in Jerusalem (Acts 21:26), circumcised Timothy in Lycaonia (Acts 16:3), and, as discretion required, did many other similar things.

“I became to the Jews as a Jew” when I completed the purification and offered sacrifice in the sanctuary (Acts 21:26). Likewise, after circumcising Timothy, he sent him as a teacher to the Jews, abolishing circumcision by circumcision. For this reason he did not say, “a Jew,” but “as a Jew.”

"I became to the Jews as a Jew, to those under the law as one under the law." According to Blessed Theodoret's observation, "the divine Apostle did not change himself in conformity with the time, as some asserted when slandering him, but used every means for the benefit of others."

Rising above the notions of Jews and pagans, and striving for the conversion of both, he dealt with each as though he himself were a Jew or a pagan.

With the Jews he abstained from foods forbidden by the Law, kept Sabbaths and feasts, and even circumcised his disciples (Acts 16:3; Acts 21:26). In relation to the pagans, the Apostle strove to free them from the Law of Moses. He himself ate with them food that Jews did not eat (Gal 2:12 and following).

But he did not take part in those pagan customs that violated the moral law. Therefore he adds: not being without law toward God, but under the law of Christ.

“To the Jews, who are also those under the Law, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews.” Saint Chrysostom says, “How was this? He circumcised, for example, his disciple Timothy, in order to destroy circumcision.” Therefore he did not say, “I became a Jew,” but “as a Jew,” since this was done with prudent purpose.

The Apostle also renounced many other things for the salvation of those being converted. In other words, he made himself a slave to all his hearers, so that by every means he might draw all to Christ. According to St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle Paul speaks as though saying: "I not only did not take or use my right, but even subjected myself to slavery, and to slavery varied and complete." "Do you see the greatest condescension? Though he was under the law of Christ and kept the highest law, he became to those without the law, that is, to the Gentiles, as without law, and to the Jews as a Jew. In both respects he was more perfect and higher than all. You also should act in this way. Do not think that you fall when, being exalted, you do something humble for your brother.

All the Jewish ranks prescribed to the Jews in the Law lose their obligatory force through faith in the Lord. They pass into the category of indifferent things, which may be used freely according to circumstances, with the single aim of pleasing God. St. Paul acted in this way for the advancement of the Gospel. When he was among Jews, in everything external he acted as a Jew. In his conscience he did not attach any religious significance for himself to anything he did. If he had appeared among them as one set apart from them in things that had no moral value, yet were dear to the Jews, he would have repelled them from himself. By this he would have cut off entrance for his word into their ears. Through this the Gospel would have lost followers.