1 Corinthians 9:4

4 Don't we 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 Even though others may not think of me as an apostle, I am certainly one to you! You are the proof that I am the Lord's apostle.

3 That is what I say to stand up for myself when people judge me.

4 Don't we have the right to eat and drink?

5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife with us when we travel? The other apostles do. The Lord's brothers do. Peter does.

6 Or are Barnabas and I the only ones who have to work for a living?