1 Corinthians 9:10

10 Isn't he speaking entirely for our benefit? This was written for our benefit so that the person who plows or threshes should expect to receive a share of the crop.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Corinthians 9:10 In-Context

8 Am I merely stating some human rule? Don't Moses' Teachings say the same thing?

9 Moses' Teachings say, "Never muzzle an ox when it is threshing grain." God's concern isn't for oxen.

10 Isn't he speaking entirely for our benefit? This was written for our benefit so that the person who plows or threshes should expect to receive a share of the crop.

11 If we have planted the spiritual seed that has been of benefit to you, is it too much if we receive part of the harvest from your earthly goods?

12 If others have the right to expect this from you, don't we deserve even more? But we haven't used our rights. Instead, we would put up with anything in order not to hinder the Good News of Christ in any way.