Andrews University, MA in Religion

ITA Cernica
Church Growth and the Equipping Pastor, CHMN 539
Bible Study 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Kos Tiberiu-Iosif
Context. This letter is addressed to the Christian Church of Corinth, an important city of the
antiquity. It was written approximately the year 57 AD.
The passage for study is part of the third major section of this epistle (chapters 7-10), dealing
with questions from Corinthian believers, whom Paul answers here. The first part consists of counsels
given for marriage relations (chapter 7) and the next, which includes our verses deals with the food
sacrificed to idols. Chapter 8 introduces the problem, and then, in chapter 9, Paul makes a parentheses
in order to explain better this difficult subject (dealt with in the Council of Jerusalem of 50AD, too).
In the beginning of chapter 9, Paul explains Christian freedom and the rights of the Christian
worker and at the end of chapter 10 he applies his conclusions to the problem in discussion. Verses 1523 could be seen as a section of the chapter where Paul argues that he didn't used the rights of the
apostles which he deserved.
Study of key terms
v. 19. Free - this is the most important word of the passage. It is treated also in v. 1 Am I not
free? It is as if Paul had said: "I ask you to give up your freedom, and to abstain from using it
arbitrarily. I ask you to pay attention to the spiritual condition of your weaker brethren, and you limit
your freedom. Am I not doing this? I have certain privileges as an apostle, but I do not use them, lest in
so doing to prevent someone to do a proper Christian path of progress. The way the questions are made
in this verse shows that they all expect an answer.
Paul returns to the theme of 8:9-13 and 7:22, that will not allow the freedom to become a
stumbling block for those who are weak. He seeks to give new examples of giving up his rights for the
good of others.

The problem of Christian freedom is treated also in Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 2:19.
I make myself slave is suggested also in Rom. 1:1. Paul was ready to work for others,
working as a servant without pay or reward for his good welfare. Servants of God should always be
ready to adapt themselves and their work to the specific of those for whom they work.
To win as many as possible (also in Matthew 18:15; 1 Peter 3:1) - everything in Paul's life
were subject to his great goal to preach the gospel and win souls for Christ. He was ready to be nothing
if doing so, one could be attracted to the Lord (see Rom 9:3). His laudable ambition was that he was
used by the Holy Spirit to lead the largest number possible to accept salvation from sin through Christ.
It is the ambition of every true minister. This principle is very important in evangelism and we should
apply it.
v. 20. He had done considerable work of preaching to the Jews, and they considered him one of
them (see Acts 13:14, 17-35, 17:1-3, 28:17-20). Not only that Paul preaching to the Jews was adapted,
but he appears also to adapt to their habits when it was not contrary to principles (see Acts 16:3, 18:18,
21:21-26, 23:1-6). He was well versed in the kinds of behavior of the Jews, being himself a former
Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (see Acts 23:6, 26:5, Philippians 3:5, AA 102).
An Ellen White Comment:
We know that the apostle did not sacrifice one jot of principle. He did not allow himself to be led away
by the sophistry and maxims of men. He was not to coincide with the suppositions and assurances of
men who were teaching for doctrine the commandments of men; because iniquity and transgression were
in the ascendancy and advancing, he did not allow his love to wax cold. All zeal and earnestness are to
be retained; but at the same time some features of our faith, if expressed, would, by the elements with
which you have to deal, arouse prejudice at once. (SpT, Series A, No. 6, pp. 54, 55).

v. 21. those not having the law - that is, those who were unaware of the precepts of the Law as
the Jews were, in other words, nations or Gentiles (see Rom 2:12,14, Gal. 3:2).
v. 22. 2 Cor. 11:29; Rom. 15:1. Those whose understanding of the gospel was limited and that
could be shattered of things that were perfectly legal in themselves (see Rom 14:1). When he was
dealing with some of this kind, Paul is not deliberately behaving in a way as to awaken their prejudices.
He did not shocked them by his non-compliance in clothing, food and even religious services (see Acts

16:1-3, Rom 14:1-3, 13, 15, 19-21, 1 Corinthians 8:13). This condescendence in terms of weaker
brethren might seem a weakness of Paul, but was actually a sign that he has a great moral power.
All things. 1 Cor. 10:33. Paul's polyvalency enabled him to practice in all aspects an
adaptation to all sorts of people and conditions, in those things which in themselves were not covering
immutable principles. However, Paul never made compromise with principle. Adaptability is one of the
most useful qualifications that a evangelist can cultivate (see MH 23-25; GW 118, 119).
v. 23. This reveals the determining principle that guided Paul in everything he did. He was so
aware of the reality of the love of Jesus, His resurrection's power of authenticity and truth of God's
mercy to the sinner who repents, that he was inspired by an undying passion to save people no matter
how much it would have cost. This is the experience of all who are filled with the Holy Spirit and come
into intimate communion with Jesus (see Acts 1:8, 2:17, 18, 21, 4:13, SC 72, 73). Self leaves away
from the life of one who fell in love with the Savior. He lives only to do the will of God (see Gal 2:20).
Conclusion.
The purpose of this passage is not primarily evangelism, but it can be used for this area of
course. One of the reasons for which Adventists didn't study this passage more is that the context is
oriented in the problem of the food sacrificed for idols, which is not an issue anymore. Another reason
is that as a church we are rather conservative (this is good in many aspects), and we don't like to
introduce much innovation in our methods being afraid of becoming like the world.
Paul was highly adaptable and innovative in evangelism and we must follow his example
because Paul was the first great evangelist of Christianity. His theological influence over Christianity is
also very high. We have to think over and pray for every evangelistic context we meet, and try to find
specific methods for it. Our society is changing rapidly and we have to change continually our
methods, but not our theology and principles.
Note: I used for this study the SDA Bible Commentary.