1．自分にも謝儀を得る権利はある（9:1-15）
強い信仰者と弱い信仰者、そのような言い方はよく使われます。しかし、教会の現場で話を聞いていると、本当はどっちが強いのか、弱いのか、わからない、そう思うこともあります。パウロは、強い信仰者というのは、何事にも縛られない人である。しかし、その自由さを押し付けない、つまり自由だからと他人の心に無神経な人ではない、場合によっては、自分の自由を喜んで制限できる人だ、と語るのです。これには納得です。私は強い信仰者だ、自由だと自由を押し付ける人は、逆に弱い信仰者、つまり未熟な信仰者じゃないかと思うところです。
具体的にパウロは自分の例を語ります。まずパウロは、自分が使徒であることを明言します。彼はいわゆる十二使徒ではありませんでしたが、ダマスコの途上で、復活のイエスと直接出会い、イエスに直接召されて使徒とされました。彼の働きによってコリント教会が誕生したことは、少なくともコリント教会に対しては、彼は使徒である証拠だと述べています（1、2節）。そしてその使徒には、教会に生活を支援してもらえるなど、様々な権利があるのではないかと言います。
パウロはその主張を四つの根拠によって正当化しています。一つは7-8節で、一般常識、つまり世の慣例を取り上げます。また、9-12節、旧約聖書の教えをあげます（申命25:4：8-12節）。さらに13節、旧約時代の慣例（民数18:8-32）、そして最後に、14節、イエスの教えをあげます。こうしてパウロは、教会の働き人として、自分が教会から報酬をもらって生活する権利がある、けれども、その権利を自分は用いようとはしなかった、と主張するのです（15節）。
なぜか、それは一つには、16節、自分にとって宣教はお金を貰わないですべき事情があったからだ、と言います。私は自分でコリント教会の開拓を選んで始めたわけではない。むしろ、神に特別に担わされたのだ、そのことを考えるならば、この特別な分は無報酬でいたしますと思わざるを得ない働きだった、と言うのでしょう（17、18節）。実際、パウロはいつも完全に無報酬で働いてはいません。ピリピの教会からは、支援を受けています。ですから、後で述べますが、コリントの教会に対しては、こう語らねばならない事情があった、と理解しておかなくてはいけない部分です。
2．自由を制限する本当の理由（9:19-27）
ともあれパウロは、自由がありながら、自由を制限する、つまり強い信仰者になることが大切で、それは、19節「より多くの人を獲得するため」つまり、キリストの救いをより多くの人に理解してもらい、受け入れてもらうためである、と言います。そのためであれば当然主張できる権利も自分は主張しない、というわけです。
当時ギリシアの町にはたくさんの巡回教師、説教者が溢れていて、その大部分は金儲けの仕事でした。パウロは、自分の働きに相応しい報酬を求めることで、同類の者と思われ、福音の価値が減じられることを望まなかったわけです。権利を用いることが福音宣教の妨げとなるなら、そのようにはしない、というわけです。
24節、パウロは、スポーツ選手のイメージを取り上げています。選手が競技において賞を獲得するために、自制心を働かせながら、ベストを尽くす、伝道者も同じだと言います。伝道者は、福音宣教が進む、その目的に沿って全てを考える。そして自分の自由を制限することも厭わない、と。本当に信仰の強い人というのは、自由人でありながら、自由にも縛られない人だと言えます。
1 Corinthians 9: For the Progress of the Gospel Mission
1. You Have the Right to Receive Recognition (9:1-15)
Strong believers and weak believers, such phrases are often used. However, when I listen to people in the church, I sometimes think that it is hard to tell who is really the stronger or weaker believer. Paul says that a strong believer is one who is not bound by anything. But he tells us that he does not impose this freedom, that is, he is not a person who is insensitive to the hearts of others because he is free, but a person who is willing and able to limit his own freedom, as the case may be. I agree with this. I am a strong believer, and I would think that someone who pushes for freedom in order to be free is, on the contrary, a weak believer or an immature believer.
Specifically, Paul speaks of his own example. First of all, Paul makes it clear that he is an apostle. He was not one of the so-called twelve apostles, but on his way to Damascus he had a direct encounter with the risen Jesus and was directly called by Jesus to be an apostle. He says that the birth of the Corinthian church through his ministry is proof that he is an apostle, at least to the Corinthian church (vv. 1, 2). He then says that this apostle may have various rights, including the right to have the church support his life.
Paul justifies his claim on four grounds. The first, in verses 7-8, addresses common sense or the conventions of the world. In verses 9-12 he gives the teaching of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 25:4,8-12). Then, in verse 13, he discusses the customs of the Old Testament era (Numbers 18:8-32), and finally, in verse 14, he discusses the teachings of Jesus. Paul argues that as a worker in the church, he has the right to live off the church, but that he has not exercised that right (v. 15).
One reason, he says in verse 16, is that there were circumstances in which he should not be paid for his missionary work. I did not choose to pioneer the Corinthian church on my own. Rather, he would say that God had given him a special assignment, and in light of that, he had to be willing to do that special part of the work without pay (vv. 17, 18). In fact, Paul did not always work completely without pay. He was supported by the church at Philippi. Therefore, as we will see later, it is important to understand that there were circumstances that forced him to speak this way to the church in Corinth.
2. the real reason for limiting freedom (9:19-27)
In any case, Paul says that it is important to be a strong believer, that is, to limit one’s freedom, even though one has freedom, in order to “win more people,” v. 19, that is, to have more people understand and accept the salvation of Christ. He says that he is not claiming any rights that he could naturally claim for this purpose.
At that time the Greek cities were filled with itinerant teachers and preachers, most of whom were in the business of making money. Paul did not want to be considered one of them, and he did not want to diminish the value of the gospel by demanding a fee for his work. He would not use his rights to hinder the preaching of the gospel.
In verse 24, Paul uses the image of the athlete. He says that athletes do their best by exercising self-control to win prizes in competition, and the same is true of evangelists. The evangelist thinks of everything in terms of the goal, which is the advancement of the gospel mission. And he is willing to limit his own freedom. It can be said that a truly strong person of faith is one who is a free man, but who is not bound by his freedom.
2. the real reason for limiting freedom (9:19-27)
In any case, Paul says that it is important to be a strong believer, that is, to limit one’s freedom, even though one has freedom, in order to “win more people,” v. 19, that is, to have more people understand and accept the salvation of Christ. He says that he is not claiming any rights that he could naturally claim for this purpose.
At that time the Greek cities were filled with itinerant teachers and preachers, most of whom were in the business of making money. Paul did not want to be considered one of them, and he did not want to diminish the value of the gospel by demanding a fee for his work. He would not use his rights to hinder the preaching of the gospel.
In verse 24, Paul uses the image of the athlete. He says that athletes do their best by exercising self-control to win prizes in competition, and the same is true of evangelists. The evangelist thinks of everything in terms of the goal, which is the advancement of the gospel mission. And he is willing to limit his own freedom. It can be said that a truly strong person of faith is one who is a free man, but who is not bound by his freedom.