John Calvin Commentary 1 Corinthians 9:4

"Have we no right to eat and to drink?" — 1 Corinthians 9:4 (ASV)

Have we not power? He concludes from what has already been said that he had a right to receive food and clothing from them, for Paul ate and drank, but not at the expense of the Church. This, then, was one liberty that he dispensed with. The other was that he did not have a wife — to be maintained, also, at the public expense.

Eusebius infers from these words that Paul was married, but had left his wife somewhere so that she might not be a burden to the Churches. However, there is no foundation for this, for Paul could have made this argument even if he were unmarried.

In honoring a Christian wife with the name of sister, he intimates, first of all, by this, how firm and lovely the connection between a pious couple should be, as they are held by a double tie.

Furthermore, he hints at the same time what modesty and honorable conduct should exist between them. From this, too, we may infer, how very far marriage is from being unsuitable for the ministers of the Church.

I pass over the fact that the Apostles practiced it, whose example we will discuss soon, but Paul here teaches, in general terms, what is allowable for all.