As a Jew or As Under the Law 1 Corinthians 9:20

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth if they knew, “that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple?” In chapter nine and verse twenty of First Corinthians, Paul told the Corinthians, “I became as a Jew” and “as under the law” that he “might gain them” where we read:

And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

The verse begins, “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews;” Paul began with the words, “and” which means “in addition, moreover” “unto the Jews” or “toward those belonging to the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion” “I became” which means “Paul came to be, arose and happened” “as a Jew” or “like those belonging to the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion” “that I might gain” or “so Paul might acquire Christ's favor and fellowship with” “the Jews” which means “those belonging to the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion”. Paul behaved as a “Jewish” person so he might be able to win the “Jewish” people to Jesus Christ.

The verse continues, “to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;” Paul added the words, “to them” or “toward the people” “that are under” which means “who were from and among” “the law” which means “the rule producing a state approved of God”, “as under the law” which means “like being from and among rule producing a state approved of God”, “that I might gain them” or “so Paul might acquire Christ's favor and fellowship with” “that are under” or “those who are from and among” “the law” or “the rule producing a state approved of God”. Paul was like those who were “among God's law” so that he might be able to win those who were raised “among God's rule”.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see how he put no strong emphasis upon ethnocentrism and identification for selfish purposes. Paul became like the people to which he was ministering the “gospel of Jesus Christ” because when he did, he had the possibility to “gain” or “acquire” them for “Christ's favor and fellowship”. Paul desired to win everyone he could to Jesus, and if he needed to behave like those with whom he shared, he did. The heritage of people was not nearly as important as their “salvation”, and if Paul needed to identify with them to share the “gospel”, he did. Let us allow the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit teach us how to identify with others that we “might gain” them for the kingdom of God.

Next time Paul adds to his list of ways that he acted as he tells the church members, “to them that are without law, as without law”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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