1 Corinthians 9:17

“For if I do this thing willingly, etc.] That is, not freely and without receiving anything for preaching, without seeking any temporal profits and advantages; nor in pure love to Christ, and the good of souls, without any fear of punishment, or hope of reward; but the apostle supposes a case which was not, and his sense is, that supposing no necessity had been laid upon him, or any injunction or command given him to preach the Gospel, but he had entered on it without any obligation upon him, then, says he, I have a reward; or should have one, or might expect one; so the Jews f160 say, that a reward is given to him, who does anything unbidden: but if against my will, or unwillingly, a…”

“Translate, "If I be doing this (that is, preaching) of my own accord (which I am not, for the 'necessity' is laid on me which binds a servant to obey his master), I have a reward; but if (as is the case) involuntarily (Act 9:15; Act 22:15; Act 26:16); not of my own natural will, but by the constraining grace of God; (Rom 9:16; Ti1 1:13-16), I have had a dispensation (of the Gospel) entrusted to me" (and so can claim no "reward," seeing that I only "have done that which was my duty to do," Luk 17:10, but incur the "woe," Co1 9:16, if I fail in it).”

“For if I do this thing willingly - If I preach so as to show that my heart is in it; that I am not compelled, If I pursue such a course as to show that I prefer it to all other employments. If Paul took a compensation for his services, he could not well do this; if he did not, he showed that his heart was in it, and that he preferred the work to all others. Even though he had been in a manner compelled to engage in that work, yet he so acted in the work as to show that it had his hearty preference. This was done by his submitting to voluntary self-denials and sacrifices in order to spread the Saviour’s name. I have a reward - I shall meet with the approbation of my Lord, and shall obtain the…”

“Willingly - He seems to mean, without receiving anything. St. Paul here speaks in a manner peculiar to himself. Another might have preached willingly, and yet have received a maintenance from the Corinthians. But if he had received anything from them, he would have termed it preaching unwillingly. And so, in the next verse, another might have used that power without abusing it. But his own using it at all, he would have termed abusing it. A dispensation is intrusted to me - Therefore I dare not refrain. 1 Corinthians 9:18”

“if I: Ch1 28:9, Ch1 29:5, Ch1 29:9, Ch1 29:14; Neh 11:2; Isa 6:8; Co2 8:12; Plm 1:14; Pe1 5:2-4 have: Co1 3:8, Co1 3:14; Mat 10:41 against: Exo 4:13, Exo 4:14; Jer 20:9; Eze 3:14; Jon 1:3, Jon 4:1-3; Mal 1:10 dispensation: Co1 9:16, Co1 4:1; Mat 24:25; Luk 12:42; Gal 2:7; Eph 3:2-8; Phi 1:17; Col 1:25; Th1 2:4; Ti1 1:11-13 1 Corinthians 9:18”