1 Corinthians 9:3-6 - This is my defence

9:3,4

“This is my defence to those who sit in judgement on me”. This verse does seem to imply that there were some who criticised Paul, but we now move into Paul describing how his heart attitude works. He raises a number of rhetorical questions, each expecting the answer yes. Do they have the right to food and drink? Of course they do. Though the question here probably means do they have the right to be paid, rather than a philosophical question on the right to eat and drink.

9:5,6

“Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us?” It seems that several of the other apostles did precisely this. Paul, of course, did not do so (see chapter 7).  Barnabas is then brought into the picture. Paul asks if every other apostle is allowed not to work for a living, everyone except he and Barnabas. Paul here is going to show that he has every right to expect the church to pay them for their work. Then he will point out that while he has this right, he chooses not to exercise it. Just because we have a right does not mean we have to use it if there is a greater cause. Paul seems to be including Barnabas as an apostle here.