Free To Be Free, But Disciplined

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting August 21 to study 1 Corinthians 9.  This chapter seems to be an opportunity for Paul to vent; like he's tired of people taking advantage of him.  Or perhaps you might see him attempting to reassert some credibility among churches.  But I think, when you look closer, those things have little to do with this chapter.

Read through this chapter several times, use as many translations as you have handy.  Look for places where translations seem to disagree.  Those are good places to check the footnotes to see why.  Make notes, jot down questions, and highlight stuff where the Spirit seems to be highlighting stuff for you.  Then, step back from the chapter, and read it aloud straight through.  If you don't see a unifying theme different from the elements, then try it again, only include the last verse from 8.  If that doesn't work, read 8, 9, and 10 together.

After you've read through, made notes, asked questions, read through again using the questions below:

• There is some debate about what 'Apostle' means in the New Testament, and who is referred to when the term is used.  What do you think Paul means by the term in verse 1 and 2, and what do you think his criteria is for using the term on himself?
• This chapter takes on a defensive tone because of verse 3.  Why do you think he's defending himself, and against whom do you think he's defending himself?
• Corinth was visited in the second missionary journey, without Barnabas.  So why do you think Paul brings him up and not Timothy and Silas?
• Do you think Paul is complaining in verses 4 through 14?  He pulls from culture, Scripture, common religious practice, and then his own rights.  Why do you think he's working so hard at supporting his stance here?
• In verse 15, Paul's argument takes a dramatic turn.  In a sense, he up-ends the whole thing on the reader/listener, and then shoves it down around their ears.  What do you think he's up to by doing that?
• When Paul says he'd rather die than to receive 'wages' for preaching, do you think he's being a 'drama king' or do you think something else is driving him?  If you think it's something else, what do you think that might be?
• In verses 16 through 18, Paul drives home his point of view, within his ministry, but how do you think he intends the believers in Corinth to apply it?
• In verse 19, Paul makes a statement, then supports it in verses 20 through 22.  Again though, how do you think he intends the believers in Corinth to apply this?  How do you think a 'craftsman' or 'laborer' or 'slave' can 'become all things to all men to win some'?
• In Corinth, they had the Isthmian Games, second only to the Olympics in the Mediterranean.  So, the people are very well acquainted with Paul's imagery in verses 24 through 27.  But what do you think Paul refers to as the 'crown', and what does it seem to require to get it?  What do you see possibly wrong with this view, or how do you think it can be distorted?

That should keep us busy for the evening.  I look forward to seeing you Thursday.