John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 9:13

"Know ye not that they that minister about sacred things eat [of] the things of the temple, [and] they that wait upon the altar have their portion with the altar?" — 1 Corinthians 9:13 (ASV)

Do you not know, Apart from the question that he discusses, he appears to have dwelt longer on this point, with the intention of indirectly reproaching the Corinthians for their malice in allowing the ministers of Christ to be reviled in a matter that was so justifiable.

For if Paul had not of his own accord refrained from using his liberty, there was a risk of the progress of the gospel being obstructed. The false Apostles never would have gained that point, had not ingratitude, to which the Corinthians were already prone, opened up the way for their slanders.

For they should have repelled them sharply; but instead of this, they showed themselves excessively credulous, so that they would have been prepared to reject the gospel if Paul had used his right. Such contempt of the gospel, and such cruelty towards their Apostle, deserved to be more severely rebuked; but Paul, having found another occasion, touches upon it indirectly and mildly, with his usual modesty, so that he might admonish them without offending them.

Again he uses a new comparison to prove that he had not used the power that he had from the Lord. He no longer borrows examples from any other source but shows that this has been appointed by the Lord—that the Churches should provide for the support of their ministers.

Some think that there are two comparisons in this passage, and they refer the former to the Lord’s priests, and the latter to those that acted as priests to pagan gods. I am, however, rather of the opinion that Paul expresses, as he usually does, the same thing by different terms.

And truly, it would have been a weak argument derived from the practice of the pagans, among whom the revenues of the priesthood were not devoted to food and clothing, but to magnificent dresses, royal splendor, and profuse luxury. These, therefore, would have been things too remote. I do not doubt, however, that he has pointed out different kinds of ministerial offices; for there were priests of a higher order, and there were afterwards Levites, who were inferior to them, as is well known; but that is not much to the point.

The sum is this— “The Levitical priests were ministers of the Israelite Church; the Lord appointed them sustenance from their ministry; therefore, for ministers of the Christian Church, the same equity must be observed today. Now, the ministers of the Christian Church are those who preach the gospel.” This passage is quoted by Canonists when they wish to prove that idle bellies must be fattened up so that they may perform their masses; but how absurdly, I leave it to children themselves to judge.

Whatever is stated in the Scriptures regarding the support to be given to ministers, or the honor that is to be shown them, they immediately seize it and twist it to their own advantage. For my part, however, I simply admonish my readers to consider attentively Paul’s words.

He argues that pastors, who labor in the preaching of the gospel, should be supported, because the Lord in ancient times appointed sustenance for the priests on the ground of their serving the Church. Therefore, a distinction must be made between the ancient priesthood and that of the present day.

Priests under the law were set apart to preside over the sacrifices, to serve the altar, and to take care of the tabernacle and temple. Those today are set apart to preach the word and to dispense the sacraments. The Lord has appointed no sacrifices for his sacred ministers to be engaged in; there are no altars for them to stand at to offer sacrifices.

Hence appears the absurdity of those who apply this comparison, taken from sacrifices, to anything other than the preaching of the gospel. Nay, further, it may be readily inferred from this passage that all Popish priests, from the head himself to the lowest member, are guilty of sacrilege, who devour the revenues appointed for true ministers while they do not in any way discharge their duty.

For what ministers does the Apostle order to be maintained? Those who apply themselves to the preaching of the gospel. What right then have they to claim for themselves the revenues of the priesthood? “Because they hum a tune and perform mass.” But God has enjoined upon them nothing of that sort. Hence it is evident that they seize upon the reward due to others.

When, however, he says that the Levitical priests were partakers with the altar, and that they ate of the things of the Temple, he indicates (μετωνυμικῶς) by metonymy the offerings that were presented to God. For they claimed for themselves the sacred victims entire, and of smaller animals they took the right shoulder, and the kidneys and tail, and, besides this, tithes, oblations, and first-fruits.

The word ἱερόν, therefore, in the second instance, is taken to mean the Temple.