Fathers

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What the Fathers say

1 Corinthians 9:7

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"What soldier ever serveth at his own charges?" For since, which was the strongest point, he had proved from the Apostles that it is lawful to do so, he next comes to examples and to the common practice; as he uses to do: "What soldier serveth at his own charges?" saith he. But do thou consider, I pray, how very suitable are the examples to his proposed subject, and how he mentions first that which is accompanied with danger; viz. soldiership and arms and wars. …

Homily on 1 Corinthians 21 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

For all soldiers receive their sustenance from the public. He fittingly placed the service of a soldier first, for it bears a resemblance to apostolic service because of the dangers connected with it and because of the struggle against spiritual enemies. By this example he pointed to the difficulty, the multitude of misfortunes and cares. …

Commentary on 1 Corinthians ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

The church has its own soldiers and its own provincial officers … its vineyard and its planters, its flock and its shepherds.… Thus some are rightly fed and clothed at the expense of the charitable rich. They accept nothing for their own necessities except from those who sell their goods. They are not to be judged and condemned by the more perfect members of Christ who furnish their own needs with their own hands—a higher virtue which the apostle strongly commends. …

Letter 157, To Hilarius ↗

Bonaventure

On that passage in 1 Corinthians 9: Who serves as a soldier, etc.; the Gloss says: "As the Lord ordained, those living from the Gospel ate bread freely given, received from those to whom they preached grace freely given"; but it is called bread freely given because it was not acquired through bodily labor: therefore those exercising the work of preaching are not bound to bodily labor.

Disputed Questions on Evangelical Perfection, Question 2 ↗