Back in chapter 8, Paul explained to the Corinthians just because they can do something doesn’t mean they should. Specifically, just because they can eat meat sacrificed to idols doesn’t mean they should; after all, doing so might throw off newer Christians for whom the sacrifices still seem taboo. In chapter 9, Paul builds on this argument by using himself as an example.
As an apostle, Paul states he has certain rights. The Corinthians were already in the practice of paying teachers in their communities (which we talked about in chapter 1), but Paul demands no such payment. Paul points to a handful of professions where payment is expected: priests, vintners, soldiers— hell, even field oxen get to eat as they work. But Paul distinguishes himself, saying he hasn’t called for payment because he feels it could hurt the church. Instead, Paul says preaching God’s love is its own reward, and he delights in continuing to offer the Gospel for free. This point wraps up the argument Paul began in chapter 8: Simply having the right to do something doesn’t make it right.
From here, Paul takes a further leap:
Not only has he refused payment; Paul has made himself like a servant to everyone.
One of the Corinthian church’s biggest problems was pride (especially as it pertained to social stratification). The rich Corinthians tended to lord it over the poorer church members, so Paul likely ruffles some feathers by putting himself in the servant role. This is also where Paul utters the famous line, “I have become all things to all people.” This phrase sometimes gets misconstrued, so let’s break it down a bit: Paul isn’t some sort of social chameleon. He doesn’t switch between a Gentile hat, Jewish hat, rich hat, slave hat, and so on. Rather, by staying humble, Paul can meet people where they are without judgment. As Ambrosiaster puts it:
Did Paul merely pretend to be all things to all people in the way flatterers do? No. He was a man of God and a doctor of the spirit who could diagnose every pain, and with great diligence he tended them and sympathized with them all. We all have something or other in common with everyone. This empathy is what Paul embodied in dealing with each particular person.
I also like the way William Barclay describes this empathy:
It is a matter in the modern phrase, of being able to get alongside anyone. The man who can never see anything but his own point of view and who never makes any attempt to understand the mind and heart of others, will never make a pastor or an evangelist or even a friend.
Though Paul offers his opinions pretty freely in this letter, he’s still approachable and easy to get along with, and he uses this to his advantage to spread the message of Jesus. Paul models a willingness to engage radically different people, sit with them, learn from them, and genuinely love them as he shares about God’s love. This is what he means by “becoming all things to all people.” And please note, Paul isn’t puffing himself up as he describes this trait; he’s encouraging the Corinthians (and us) to go and do likewise.