Five Charges Against Paul

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He was not an Apostle

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Paul was probably one of the most controversial persons in the Bible. Many were envious of him, some were afraid of him and others thought he was dogmatic, opinionated, hardheaded and unreasonable. These people, Paul could deal with. But those who doubted his calling and the sincerity of his mission and made these charges publicly, caused Paul much concern. Let us see how he dealt with these charges.

An Apostle, at the time of Paul, was someone who had been personally called by the Lord to go and witness to the world. At that time, they only accepted the 12 Disciples as Apostles, but Paul knew in his heart that he had personally been called there on the road to Damascus by the Lord Jesus and believed that the success of his ministry was evidence of this.

Some among the Corinthians questioned the Apostleship of Paul. Paul could not understand why they, of all people questioned this. He had been used of the Lord so successfully in Corinth and he had done so, freely, as was his privilege. "You are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord."

He Didn't Pay His Own Way

Having proclaimed his Apostleship, he proceeds to claim the "rights" that belong to this office. "My answer to those who would examine me, (inquire into my authority or the reasons for my conduct) "Do I not have the same rights as the other Apostles?"

Then Paul lists those rights:

1. The right to have a wife.
2. The right to maintenance.
3. The right to a servant.

Paul was single, but he claimed the right to have a wife if he chose to do so. Paul worked and maintained himself by making tents, but he claimed the right to be maintained by the churches that he served. Paul never took with him a servant, he took care of his own personal needs himself. But obviously other Apostles did take servants to help them with the rigors of traveling and Paul claimed the right to do this if he should choose. It is the common practice and expectations of mankind to be paid for their services. Even the oxen expect to be fed for their labors.

He had been an instrument that conveyed to them great spiritual blessings, should he not have a share of the carnal things with which they were blessed, for his own maintenance? Ministers should be provided for, but Paul did not insist on this right but rather served in poverty the interests of the Gospel for promoting the salvation of souls (for the sake of the Gospel).

In the order of things in the Old Testament, the Priests as well as the Levites were taken care of and all their needs were met. If the Jewish Priesthood was maintained out of the holy things of the Temple, should not Christ's ministers share the fruits of their labors?

He Boasts

He has just told them that he waived his rights and privileges as a minister and now he lays down his reasons for doing it. "I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for glorying." The Greek word is "kenoo". It means to abase or neutralize, to make of no reputation or to make efforts in vain. Paul would rather die of starvation, would rather work himself to death, to live a very lonely life,than to have taken from him the "glory" that he had chosen instead.

Now, what was this "glory". First, it had nothing to do with boasting in spite of what some modern translations say. It had nothing to do with self-conceit or the need for applause. It had to do with the comfort and pleasure that he received from preaching the Gospel without making it burdensome to anyone. This self-denial was more comforting to him than all the worldly goods that his ministry could have provided.

Paul says that in doing this, preaching the Gospel and taking no maintenance willingly, he had a reward. Matthew Henry says that the willing ministers of the Word will be compensated in proportion to their sincerity, zeal and diligence. Notice what Paul considered his reward, "That when I preach the Gospel, I may make it without charge, and that I abuse not my power in the Gospel."

He Was "Wishie Washie"

Here was another instance where in the practice of self-denial and parting with his liberty for the benefit of others, his actions were mis-understood. Paul considered himself a servant to all men. Even though Paul was a freeborn citizen of Rome, in bondage to no one, and depending on no one for his subsistence, he still made himself a servant to all. Why? That he might gain some for Jesus Christ.

To the Jews, he became a Jew. When he returned to Jerusalem from his missionary journey where he lived and ate with Gentiles, he took the Rites of Purification in order not to cause a problem with the Jews. He gave up his liberty in Christ that he might gain some report with the Jews.

To the Gentiles, those who were not under the Law, he became a Gentile. He gave up all customs and traditions in order not to burden the Gentile Christian, as some Jews would have liked. He did this that some might be brought to Christ. To the weak, those who were "babes in Christ", he became as they were that he might understand them and they, in turn, accept him as understanding them, that he might gain their confidence.

He became all things to all men and they mis-understood this as being "wishie-washie", unable to be positive about anything. Notice his reason for doing this. "For the Gospels sake." For the honor of Christ, whose the Gospel is. For the salvation of souls, for which it was designed. For the communication of it to all people, which was his mission. For these ends, he denied himself and became all things to all men.

He Was a Vagabond

They took his many journeys as being the actions of one who could not stay put. He had no "roots". He claimed no place as his home. He, as he had just said, was interested in all people, to them that meant that he was interested in none.

Notice how Paul explains this and rebuffs their charge. All men seek a goal, here Paul calls it a "corruptible crown". They all run a race, but only one will receive the prize. This requires a great deal of dedication and moving around. He, likewise, is striving for a "crown", the difference is that the crown for which he strives is "incorruptible". He is "sure" of the prize that he will win. He does not run with uncertainty.

So like the athlete, he must keep his body under subjection, being temperate in all things, so as not to fall by the wayside and if in the process, he needs to go from Place-to-place, he will do so even at the cost of being called a "vagabond". He does this for the sake of the Gospel and to gain a prize, an incorruptible crown.

This paradox was well known to the Corinthians. Combatants in the Isthmian Games held in Corinth, were well known and honored. The parallel between what they strived for and what Paul shrived for was understandable. What Paul was trying to get them to see was that the "prize" was different. One was temporal the other was eternal. These athletes went from one contest to another but no one called them vagabonds. So Paul, going from one city to another, was not a vagabond either.

Paul assures us as Christian, that we do not run a race for a corruptible crown nor should we, in our endeavors for the Lord, be charged with going from one place to another. Therefore, we should run, with assurance and sincerity, the race that is set before us.

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