Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Corinthians 9:10

"or saith he it assuredly for our sake? Yea, for our sake it was written: because he that ploweth ought to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, [to thresh] in hope of partaking." — 1 Corinthians 9:10 (ASV)

That he that ploweth should plow in hope.—There is considerable variation in the manuscripts here. The best rendering of the text is, that the plougher is bound to plough in hope, and the thresher (to thresh) in the hope of having his share.

It has been much discussed whether this passage is to be taken literally, as referring to actual ploughing and threshing, or whether we are to give them a spiritual significance.

I think it is, perhaps, best to take them literally, as expressing the sanction given by God in the legal provision previously mentioned to the divine principle which unites earthly labour and reward. The argument, of course, is that this principle applies à fortiori to the higher work of a spiritual nature, and this application is brought out clearly in the next verse.