The word of the day is “hinder.” We are social creatures. What we do influences others, and what they do influences us. Today, in our reading of 1 Corinthians 9:2-12, Paul reveals the single-minded motive for his labor among the Corinthians. He insists, “I endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.” Today, we consider what it means to “hinder the Gospel.” We learn from Paul the wisdom of modesty that does not pose a stumbling block to the faith of others.
In today’s passage, Paul defends his right to be called an
apostle. Some at Corinth say he is not an apostle because he does
not act like the others. Further, they claim that Paul is unsure of his
apostolic rank because he does not ask for church support for
his ministry.
The objection is a twisted argument. The charge
against Paul is that other apostles have wives and receive financial support
for their ministry. Why not Paul? The apostle is criticized for the generosity
of his time and effort as if that was a fault.
PAUL DOES NOT MAKE USE OF HIS RIGHT
Paul’s response is likewise puzzling on the surface. He is
adamant that he has a right for the Corinthians’ support. To prove his point,
he quotes the Mosaic Law. He argues that farmers sow crops to gain a harvest, and threshers separate the grain from the chaff
(vs. 10). Moreover, those who offer sacrifices in the temple have a
right to a portion of them (1 Corinthians 9:13). And Paul even says that the
Lord taught that those who preach the Gospel have the right to make their
living by the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14).
So why doesn’t Paul require that his flock in Corinth honor
his right to their compensation? Remember that Paul has already laid out the
rule that if eating meat would cause his brother to sin, he would abstain from
meat (1 Cor. 8:13). Likewise, Paul now expands this principle that one should
be considerate of the conscience of others. Now, he keeps the principle
that he will do nothing to “hinder the Gospel” (vs. 9).
DOING NOTHING THAT WOULD HINDER THE GOSPEL
The Greek word for “hinder” derives from the thought of cutting something off the path (Strong’s #1464). Thus, a hindrance is an
obstacle that prevents one from achieving a goal. For St. Paul, “…the gospel is
the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Paul’s
singular motive is that the Gospel should do its saving work. Paul recognizes
that he is only a messenger. The message is the most important thing, and the apostle wants to ensure that he does nothing to deter his hearers from accepting the message and obtaining its
purpose.
FOR REFLECTION
We can glean two fruits of wisdom from today’s study. These
insights bring us back to the fundamental problems that Paul addresses in his letter. First, Paul teaches that we should be careful that our speech and our conduct promote and do not detract from the Gospel. But that is what some of the
congregation in Corinth are doing. They claim to have superior knowledge
and a more advanced level of spirituality than others. Such claims of
super-belief and super-piety cause conflict and offer the
sensitivities of unbelievers and those who are weak in faith.
A MODEST SPIRITUALITY
The modest spiritualty that the Lord teaches in the
Beatitudes and in the practice of prayer (Matthew 6:6), fasting (Matthew 6:16),
and almsgiving (Matthew 6:3-4) does not offend anyone. Rather, Paul taught, “Let your moderation be known to all” (KJV Philippians 4:5). The Greek word for ‘moderation’ is variously translated as “gentleness” (NIV), “graciousness” (Holman Standard), and “reasonableness” (English Standard). Generally, it refers to a
mild, gentle, fair, and moderate attitude (Strong’s #1933).
Second, Paul teaches in today’s reading that the Gospel is
primary, not the messenger. Divisions in the church do not arise without
schismatic leaders who gain the loyalty of their followers at the expense of
the unity of the church. Accordingly, the Corinthians are dividing into
factions and the leaders they choose are letting the divisions
happen. Here, too, the principle of modesty should apply to church leadership.
The faithful should be wary of those whose personality overshadows the message of
the Gospel. Instead, the believers can confidently follow those who say with the
Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptism, “He [Christ] must increase, and I must
decrease” (John 3:30).