1 Corinthians 9:4

4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

1 Corinthians 9:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Corinthians 9:4

Have we not power to eat and to drink?
] Having proved his apostleship, he proceeds to establish his right to a maintenance as a Gospel minister; which he expresses by various phrases, and confirms by divers arguments: by a "power to eat and drink", he does not mean the common power and right of mankind to perform such actions, which everyone has, provided he acts temperately, and to the glory of God; nor a liberty of eating and drinking things indifferent, or which were prohibited under the ceremonial law; but a comfortable livelihood at the public charge, or at the expense of the persons to whom he ministered; and he seems to have in view the words of Christ, ( Luke 10:7 Luke 10:8 ) .

1 Corinthians 9:4 In-Context

2 If to others I am not an apostle, yet indeed I am to you, for you are my seal of apostleship in the Lord.

3 My defense to those who examine me is this:

4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

5 Do we not have the right to take along a sister [as] wife, like the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

6 Or do only I and Barnabas not have the right {to refrain from working}?