Work - Romans, 1 Corinthians

4:4

In case you're wondering, the word 'to work' (as a verb) in this verse is slightly different from the work 'works' (as a noun) in, say, verse 6. Both come from ergo, but apparently they have different nuanced meanings. You'd hope so, when one's translated as a noun and another as a verb!

Because I'm looking at work for my sermon, I'm looking more in the verb meaning as used in 4:4, and less so to the more theological meaning used in 4:6.

After all that, it is a perilously simple concept that I want to pull from this verse - that is, that when someone works, their wages are an obligation you have to them. They are not a gift, they are not charity, they are a debt. You owe them.

16

For a book that is so much about grace, and not works, I want you to take note of how many people are portrated as "hard workers" - Priscilla, Aquila, Mary, Urbanas, Tryphena and Tryphosa, Persis, and Timothy.

1 Corinthians 3

Just a couple of quick mentions. Even though Paul is talking about Kingdom work, he points out that there is a reward for building up God's Kingdom (vs 8). He also points out that how you work for God's Kingdom will also be measured, and can actually mean you 'suffer loss'. My understanding of that loss is that you lose all that you worked for, that is, that there's no extra reward for you.

4:12

I think this is a sideways mention to the Corinthians that Paul had to work as a tentmaker while teaching the gospel to them, because they were so sensitive about money that he didn't dare accept any payment from them.

9

Paul goes into great lengths here to show that, as an apostle, he has the right to be materially supported by his work. So did Barnabas. In fact, the Lord's brothers, and Peter, also had this right, and made use of it. They even brought wives along in tow (vs 5).

Paul chose not to use this right, firstly because he didn't want them to stumble over the idea of money, but secondly because he wanted to make a point to the Corinthians regarding his relationship with them, and their relationship to the gospel.

My point, however, focuses on the deserving of payment for those who serve the body of Christ. That is, they get paid for their work. vs 7-11 are key to my point. When someone works, they do so in expectation of getting a share of the harvest. Although it's really easy to read this in a Marxist "workers control the means of production and therefore get a share of the profits" sort of way, remember that isn't the kind of society they were living in. Day workers got paid a day's wage - that is, enough for their family to survive on for 1 day.

16:15-16

I might just point out quickly, although this isn't strictly to do with my point here, that in these verses Paul basically assumes that those who devote themselves to God's work in such a way should be seen as leaders of one kind or another. Interesting point.