1 Corinthians 9:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Not stopping at this, he continues: "To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak" (v. 22). Here he speaks with reference to them, the Corinthians, as he said all the rest. What was said before was much greater, but this is nearer to them. Therefore he placed it after everything else. He does the same in the Epistle to the Romans, when he instructs them concerning food, and in many other places. Then, lest by enumerating everything separately he make the discourse too long, he says: "I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Do you see his excellence? "For all," he says, "I became all things," not hoping to save all, but to save at least some.

So now also, because of your instability in conviction and your readiness to be led into offense, I did not wish to be supported at your expense. And in those cases where, because of the weakness of his hearers, he does not speak plainly about the divinity of the Son or the divinity of the Spirit, know that he becomes to the weak as weak. And why enumerate many things? I adapted myself to all. Though I did not hope to save all, I wished to save at least some. This is even more wonderful. To labor to the point of exhaustion for the sake of a few is a great thing. He added "at least" in order to console teachers. For though no one will save all, he will certainly save some. Therefore one must not remain inactive.

Thus blessed Paul became all things to all, not in order to gain something insignificant while suffering partial loss (1 Cor 3:15), but in order to gain all.

The correct interpretation here is that he made their conversion possible not by deceit, but by compassion. His love was so great that it seemed as though he himself were seized by the evil from which he wished to heal them.

With the weak, who fall and sin, I was weak, that I might gain them. He says something similar: “Who is weak, and I am not aflame? Or who is made to stumble, and I do not become weak?” (2 Cor 11:29).

He who did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped took the form of a servant (Phil 2:7), and became all things to all, that He might bring salvation to all. Paul, His imitator, lived as though he were outside the Law, while remaining under it. He lived for the benefit of those whom he wished to gain. For the weak he became weak, in order to strengthen them. He ran, in order to overtake them.

The Apostle Paul abstains from what is permitted, so as not to cause scandal among them.

“I became weak as one weak, that I might gain the weak.” Thus in the Epistle to the Romans he said, “We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak” (Rom 15:1). We must understand exactly what is said. The divine apostle did not change himself according to the time, as some slanderously asserted. Rather, he used every means for the benefit of others. This is what he says: “that I might gain the Jews,” “that I might gain those under the Law,” “that I might gain those outside the Law,” and “that I might gain the weak.” Then. Speaking more briefly, he continues, “I became all things to all, that by all means I might save some.” The apostle knew that not all would become partakers of salvation. Yet even for the sake of one he undertook every labor.

Everywhere, for all and to all, the Savior becomes all things: for the hungry, bread; for the thirsty, water (Jn 6:35); for the dead, resurrection (Jn 11:25); for the suffering, physician (Mk 2:17); for sinners, redemption (Mk 10:45).

“That by all means I might save some.” In Russian this is expressed with a limitation: that I might save at least some. The apostle shows that he cares for the salvation of his neighbors by every means.

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.

By the weak one may understand those who were not yet Christians, but nevertheless heard the word and could not yet understand it. The Apostle says that he condescended to the weakness of their mind. Lowering himself to the level of their understanding, he used every means to raise them to the knowledge of the matter concerning Christ. But one may also understand here Christians weak either in faith or in life, as he writes to the Romans: "We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak" (Rom 15:1). What else did the Apostle's way of acting in Corinth, supporting himself, signify if not condescension to the weaknesses of the weak? St. Chrysostom understands them in this way here. "Here he speaks with reference to the Corinthians, for whose sake he says all the rest as well.