QT 1 Jun 10

1 Cor 9:1-6 (NIV)

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

NOTE: It is not completely clear what the issue is here. It does appear to be a response to something in the previous Corinthian letter to Paul since it sits between other responses. It is about financial support to Paul. What is not clear is what their beef was -- did Paul ask for support? Were they considering support? Were they jealous because some people were supporting Paul, and he was accepting their money? I have seen this in the church where some people are upset because the Pastor gets paid more than they do, and they perceive the Pastor's job as easier than theirs, and for that matter, the Pastor's lifestyle easier than theirs. But that is a complete lack of understanding and appreciation for what is truly involved in that lifestyle. Some may have thought that Paul's apostleship gig was a good deal -- lots of travel, light work, celebrity status, etc. May God forgive us for such thinking and for judging our leaders. God will judge his leaders. And God will judge us for how we use the money and the things he has lent us. God protect me from such petty jealousies.