1 Corinthians 9:10

10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

1 Corinthians 9:10 in Other Translations

10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

10 Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

10 Don't you think his concern extends to us? Of course. Farmers plow and thresh expecting something when the crop comes in.

10 Or isn't He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing 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 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?

9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?

12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

Cross References

• 1. S Romans 4:23,24
• 2. Proverbs 11:25; 2 Timothy 2:6