1 Corinthians 9:10

10 or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

1 Corinthians 9:10 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 9:10

Or saith he it altogether for our sakes
That is, God says this, or delivers out this law, forbidding the muzzling the ox, while it treads out the corn; not merely for the sake of the ox, but chiefly for the sake of men; and so Jarchi upon the place says, that the ox is mentioned, (Mda ta ayuwhl) , "to express man"; and so another of the Jewish writers ^F13 interprets the law in ( Deuteronomy 22:6 ) . "Thou shalt not take the dam with the young";

``the intention of the command is, not to have mercy on birds, "but for the sake of men", he (God) says this, whom he would accustom to meekness and compassion:''

and particularly this is here said, for the sake of ministers of the Gospel, who for their spiritual strength, and labours in their work, may be compared to oxen; see ( Ezekiel 1:10 ) . This law is elsewhere produced by the apostle, and urged in favour of the maintenance of ministers, as here, ( 1 Timothy 5:17 1 Timothy 5:18 ) and therefore

for our sakes no doubt it is written;
to teach men, that as any workmen are not to be deprived of proper sustenance, so neither they that labour in the word and doctrine:

that he that ploweth should plow in hope;
of enjoying the fruit of his labours:

and that he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope;
of having a supply out of that he is threshing.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F13 R. Menuachcm apud Ainsworth on Deut. xxii. 7. & Drusium in loc.

1 Corinthians 9:10 In-Context

8 Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things?

9 For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen,

10 or does he say [it] altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of [it].

11 If we have sown to you spiritual things, [is it a] great [thing] if *we* shall reap your carnal things?

12 If others partake of this right over you, should not rather *we*? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ.

Footnotes

• [a]. These two 'fors' are an example of the rapidity of the apostle's style. To make the sense hang together, we should have to add, in the first case, 'not as a man merely,' or, 'surely it does:' 'For in the law of Moses,' &c.; and, in the second, 'not about the oxen, for for our sakes,' &c.
• [b]. Or 'with:' see Rom. 4.18.