Paul and Barnabas to Forbear Working? 1 Corinthians 9:6

Paul the apostle asked the church members in Corinth “have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles?”, and in chapter nine and verse six of First Corinthians, Paul asked the Corinthians whether he “and Barnabas, have...power to forbear working” where we read:

Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

The verse begins, “Or I only and Barnabas, ...” Paul began with the words, “Or I only” which means “or Paul alone, forsaken, destitute of help and merely” “and Barnabas” whose name means “son of rest” and was “the surname of Joses or Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus and was a distinguished Christian teacher and companion and colleague of Paul.” Paul began his next question by referring to himself and Barnabas who first brought him to the disciples and was his companion on his first missionary trip. (See Acts 9, 13)

The verse continues, “... have not we power to forbear working?”. Paul added the words, “have not we” or  “did not Paul and Barnabas hold, possess and own the” “power” which means “the ability to choose and liberty of doing as one pleases” “to forbear” which means “no, not lest and without” “working” or “laboring, exercising, performing and committing to make gains by trading or doing business”? Paul questioned the church members concerning he and Barnabas' “ability” to live without working among them.

When we consider these words from Paul, we see how he desired for the church members to think about how he and Barnabas as their “apostle” and “teachers” really did not have to work while they were with them. Paul, however, was a tentmaker by trade, and physically worked while he ministered to the church in Corinth. In other words, he supported himself and was not dependent upon the church members even though he could have been. Those who minister the “gospel” of Jesus Christ are worthy of their hire, however, Paul, as we shall soon see, did not want remuneration to be a stumbling-block to their faith. Therefore, he supported himself. Perhaps there are people reading these words who shall be inspired by Paul and continue to minister to others even though they have “the power to forbear working”.

Next time Paul asks the Corinthians, “Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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