The
apostle Paul's “answer to them that
do examine” him
“is this, have we not power to eat and to drink?”,
and in chapter nine and verse five of
First Corinthians, Paul shared concerning “power
to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other disciples”
where we read:
Have
we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other
apostles,
and
as
the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
The
verse begins, “Have
we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other
apostles, ...” Paul
began with the words, “Have we not”
which means “Doesn't Paul and his companions hold, own or possess
the” “power” or
“ability for choice, liberty, leave and permission of doing as one
pleases” “to lead about”
or “to take around, compass or go about”
“a sister” which
means “a woman connected by the tie of the Christian religion”,
“a wife”
or “a woman who is married to them” “as
well as”
which means “like or even as” “other
apostles”
which refers to “the remaining or rest of the delegates, messengers
and ones sent forth with orders specifically applied to the twelve
apostles of Christ”? Paul questioned the church members concerning
whether he had the “same ability as other apostles” to have a
“sister”
or “wife”
in the Christian faith.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and
as
the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?”.
Paul
continued with the words, “and as the
brethren”
which means “fellow believers who are united to another by the bond
of affection” “of the Lord”
which refers to “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which
he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the
Messiah”, “and Cephas”
or “stone which is another name for the apostle Peter”. Paul
referred to “the other brothers in Christ” and “Peter” who
had wives too.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we continue to see his appeal
to the church members in Corinth concerning his “apostleship”
and his “liberality”
within the faith. Paul could “lead
about a sister”,
and he could have a “wife”
just like the “other apostles, their fellow brothers in Christ”
and even “the apostle Peter” himself. Though Paul did not
exercise his “liberty”
to have these, he used this example to demonstrated the validity of
his “apostleship” with authority over them. Jesus Christ gives
various gifts to different people in the church through His Holy
Spirit, and He decides who should have them. We must keep in mind
that just because a person is “free in Christ” to do something,
it does not necessarily mean that he or she has to do it. Let all we
do or not do be to the glory of God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Next
time Paul continues to ask the Corinthians, “Or
I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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