9:15
“But I have not used these rights.” Paul now comes to the key point that he is making, and explains why he said what he has just said. He was not making all these arguments about his right to be paid in order that the Corinthians would give him some money! In fact he would rather die than receive money from them, or “allow anyone to deprive [him] of this boast”. The Corinthians were too ready to delight in the things the world delighted in, e.g. boasting of cleverness or status. Paul was motivated by different things.
9:16
The travelling philosophers and the like were proud of what they did, claiming to be so clever and eloquent. Paul could not boast of preaching the gospel, for he was compelled to preach. Paul had not chosen being an apostle as a career option, it was the Lord who chose him and told him he would be an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul had little option in the matter. If he did not preach the gospel then he would be in trouble.
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