1 Corinthians 9:5

“Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, etc.] The phrase “a sister, a wife”, is an Hebraism, and answers to hlkytja, “my sister, spouse”, (<220409>Song of Solomon 4:9,10,12 5:1). The Jews called their wives, sisters, not on account of religion, which also is not the meaning here; but because of the common relation that men and women, all mankind, stand in to one another, antecedent to any nearer relation, as that of man and wife. The sense the Papists put on these words, to secure them from being a proof of the lawfulness of the marriage of the ministers of the Gospel, can by no means be the true one; which is, that they are to be understood of a rich woman, or women, the apostles…”

“lead about a sister, a wife--that is, "a sister as a wife"; "a sister" by faith, which makes all believers brethren and sisters in the one family of God: "a wife" by marriage covenant. Paul implies he did not exercise his undoubted right to marry and "lead about" a believer, for the sake of Christian expediency, as well to save the Church the expense of maintaining her in his wide circuits, as also that he might give himself more undistractedly to building up the Church of Christ (Co1 7:26, Co1 7:32, Co1 7:35). Contrast the Corinthians' want of self-sacrifice in the exercise of their "liberty" at the cost of destroying, instead of edifying, the Church (Co1 8:9, Margin; Co1 8:10-13). as other…”

“Have we not power? - Have we not a right? The objection here seems to have been, that Paul and Barnabas were unmarried, or at least that they traveled without wives. The objectors urged that others had wives, and that they took them with them, and expected provision to be made for them as well as for themselves. They therefore showed that they felt that they had a claim to support for their families, and that they were conscious that they were sent of God. But Paul and Barnabas had no families. And the objectors inferred that they were conscious that they had no claim to the apostleship, and no right to support. To this Paul replies as before, that they had a right to do as others did, but…”

“Have we not power to lead about with us a sister, a wife - And to demand sustenance for her also? As well as the other apostles - Who therefore, it is plain, did this. And Peter - Hence we learn, That St. Peter continued to live with his wife after he became an apostle: That he had no rights as an apostle which were not common to St. Paul. 1 Corinthians 9:6”

“9:5 the Lord’s brothers: See Mark 6:3 for their names. • Peter: Mark 1:30 also speaks of Peter as married.”

“to lead: Ti1 3:2, Ti1 4:3; Tit 1:6; Heb 13:4 a sister: Co1 7:15, Co1 7:39; Sol 4:9, Sol 4:10, Sol 4:12, Sol 5:1, Sol 5:2; Rom 16:1; Ti1 5:2 wife: or, woman the brethren: Mat 12:46-50, Mat 13:55; Mar 6:3; Luk 6:15; Joh 2:12; Act 1:14; Gal 1:19 Cephas: Co1 1:12; Mat 8:14; Mar 1:30; Joh 1:42 1 Corinthians 9:6”