Benny Nalkara, CMI

“I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings” (1 Cor 9:22). These heart-touching and mind-blowing words of St. Paul to the Corinthian Community in fact reveal the unparalleled commitment of Paul to Christ and for the sake of the Gospel. With this statement, he defines the true nature of discipleship in the world. In a way he was translating the exhortation of Jesus, “abandon everything and follow me”. Paul had completely abandoned himself to the purposes of Christ.
St. Paul established the correct concept of an apostle (apo+stello), as one who is “sent out with a specific task” over against a sedentary and apocalyptic understanding of apostleship which was prevailing in the Jerusalem Church. The basic characteristics of an apostle are apostolic altruism and availability, and Paul was characterized by these qualities as is well exemplified in 1 Cor 9:19-23. Paul was explaining to the Corinthian church his motivation for submitting himself to a hard life. He had relinquished his rights to be married (verse 5) and to draw a salary from the church (verses 6–12). His apostolic availability is characterized by his all-inclusive commitment that helped him to go beyond all barriers and boundaries of caste, creed, or culture. In a figurative way Paul made himself such a slave to other men. Again it was the fulfillment of the teaching of the Lord, who had taught that “whoever wishes to be first … shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:44).
Part of Paul’s calling was to preach to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:8), and that required him to change elements of his approach when needed. As far as his rights were concerned he was free from all men, but because of his love for all men he would gladly limit those rights for their sakes. He had, figuratively, become a slave to all. He would modify his habits, his preferences, his entire life–style if any of those things caused someone to stumble, to be offended, or to be hindered from faith in the Lord. Paul, as all believers, was free to do as his conscience allowed. But love would not let him do anything that the consciences of weaker believers would not allow. Love would not even allow him to do things that would be offensive to unbelievers to whom he witnessed.
Paul’s statement “I have become all things to all people” was not an excuse to live worldly lives, assuming that unrepentant sinners will be impressed and want to come to Christ. But Paul never compromised God’s moral standards set forth in Scripture; rather, he was willing to forgo traditions and familiar comforts in order to reach any audience, Jewish or non-Jewish with an all-inclusive mind. For example, when in Athens, Paul established rapport with the Greeks before telling them about Jesus. He stood amidst their many idols and commented about their devotion to their gods (Acts 17:22). Rather than rail against the idolatry of Athens, Paul used those symbols of pagan pride to gain their attention. Another time, when speaking to educated Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Paul pointed out his own high level of education in order to earn their respect (Acts 22:1–2). Later, when in Roman custody and about to be flogged, Paul mentioned that he was a Roman citizen and avoided the flogging (Acts 22:25–29). He never bragged about his credentials, but if pertinent information would give him credibility with a specific audience, he did what he could to find common ground with them. He knew how to behave in a Hebrew household, but he could dispense with the cultural Jewish traditions when he was in a Greek household. He could be “all things to all people” for the sake of the gospel.
Paul explains his availability in three categories. “To the Jews I became as a Jew:” In Christ he was no longer bound to the ceremonies, rituals, and traditions of Judaism. The special Jewish vow Paul took in Cenchrea (Acts 18:18) may have been for the sake of some Jews. Second, Paul was willing to live like a Gentile when he worked among Gentiles. In other than moral matters, however, Paul identified as closely as possible with Gentile customs. He ate what they ate, went where they went, and dressed as they dressed. The purpose again was to win the Gentiles to Christ. Thirdly, to the weak I became weak. Paul was willing to identify with those, whether Jew or Gentile, who did not have the power of understanding to grasp the gospel. To those who needed simple or repeated presentations, that is what he gave them. In summary, Paul became all things to all without compromising the “truth of gospel.” It was not for his own advantage but “for the sake of the Gospel.”
In the ministry of the Gospel and in the service to the Church, Paul always wanted to highlight the method of his ministry, which was to become all things to all men. This is not a case of being hypocritically one thing to one man and another to another. Rather, it’s an “art of accommodating oneself to others.” We can never attain to any kind of service or friendship without speaking the same language and thinking the same thoughts as the other man. Paul, the apostle, saw how essential it was to become all things to all men. One of our greatest necessities is to learn the art of getting alongside people with an all-inclusive mind set, the mind of Jesus Christ.