[votivesoul]

Let it be remembered, that the same Emissary of the Gospel who wrote 1 Corinthians 9, later on, to the same exact church, wrote the following:

2 Corinthians 12:14 (ESV),

14 Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

Paul wanted nothing that belonged to the Corinthians. He just wanted them, their fellowship and camaraderie in the Gospel.

His reasoning? Parents "save up" for their children, not the other way 'round. Paul, as the founding apostle of their assembly, had begotten them through the Gospel, and following the human pattern throughout history, recognized his responsibility to nurture and support and take care of his "children" in the faith, and not the other way 'round.

Earlier in 2 Corinthians, he wrote this:

2 Corinthians 2:17 (ESV),

17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to be assured that as far as he and his team went, they didn't minister the Gospel for a fee, hidden/to come later, or otherwise. They were sincere, commissioned men, who would preach the Gospel no matter the circumstances.

One of those sincere, commissioned men was Timothy, who was with Paul when Paul first arrived in Corinth (See Acts 18 with 2 Corinthians 1:1 and 19).

Much later in life, Paul wrote to him the following:

1 Timothy 6:8 (ESV),

But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

It is hard to imagine that when Paul wrote about the Corinthians' "material things" in 1 Corinthians 9:11, he meant anything other than food and clothing, especially if, to his son in the Gospel, Paul instructed Timothy to be content with nothing else. If Paul had meant something more/else/or different, like financial renumeration, imagine Timothy's confusion when after all that time together, Paul suddenly had a change of heart and only wanted Timothy to be content with food and clothing, when financial renumeration as an income had previously been meant and intended in Paul's first letter to the church he founded in Corinth.

Furthermore, let it also be remembered, that the Emissary of the Gospel who wrote 1 Corinthians 9, earlier in the same letter, wrote the following:

1 Corinthians 1:26 (ESV),

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

Paul reminds his audience of their low-born status. People of that time and era, like in all times and era, those who are low-born, who are not very wise, i.e. intelligent, who wield no power or authority, and who do not come from the nobility of the upper classes, are consistently poor/impoverished. And in many cases, such folk are often servants and slaves.

1 Corinthians 7:21 (ESV),

21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.

Gain your freedom? Sounds like Paul realized that a number of Corinthians were slaves. Thus, what means did these slaves have of providing any kind of financial renumeration for services rendered, to anyone? They had nothing. They owned nothing. Their masters fed, clothed, and housed them, and otherwise put them to work. These mostly low-born Corinthians weren't in a position to help anyone with an income, because they themselves didn't have an income. Food they could share, drink they could share, clothing they could share. But that was about it.

It is therefore incomprehensible to think that Paul meant "to live of the Gospel" to mean anything other than a meal, some additional garments, and a place to stay while travelling.