Free From All, But Made Servant 1 Corinthians 9:19

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth he, “preached the gospel...without charge, that” he would not “abuse” his “power in the gospel”, and in chapter nine and verse nineteen of First Corinthians, Paul told the Corinthians though he was, “free from all men, yet” he had “made” himself “servant to all” where we read:

For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

The verse begins, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all,” Paul began with the words, “For” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “though I be” or “even as Paul being” “free” which means “freeborn, not a slave, manumitted, unrestrained and not bound by an obligation” “from all men” or “out and away from each, every, the whole and every human whether male or female”, “yet have I made myself” which refers to “Paul fashioning himself as a” “servant” which refers to “one in bondage who is given wholly to one's needs and service such as a bondman” “unto all” which means “to each, every, the whole and everyone”. Even though Paul did not “owe” anything to anyone, he made himself to be a “bondservant” to everybody.

The verse goes on to say, “... that I might gain the more.” Paul added the words, “that I” or “so Paul” “might gain” which means “have possibility of acquiring and winning over to the kingdom of God” “the more” or “more people”. Paul became as a “servant” to everyone so he might have the opportunity to “win them” to faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how he put aside his own liberties to be bound to others so they would come to trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Paul did not owe anyone and was “free” from everybody, but he put himself under bondage for the sake of the “gospel”. God Almighty desires for everyone to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ His Son, and those who have this message to deliver to others should desire to have the same passion as the Lord put within Paul.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “unto the Jews” he “became as a Jew” that he “might gain the Jews”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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