Paul and Barnabas did something other apostles did not: they worked for their own living instead of being supported by the churches. Barnes explains "forbear working" as "To abstain from labor, and to receive support as others do." He explains that critics had inferred from their working that they had no real claim to support, and, borrowing a word from Doddridge, he senses a special ill will at Corinth against these two ministers of the gospel. Gill notes that Paul worked with his own hands at Corinth, and that it seems Barnabas did likewise. Paul's question turns the criticism around: are he and Barnabas the only ones without this right? It presses the Corinthians to admit that their working was a choice, not a sign of lesser standing.

Paul treats the answer as obvious and then proves it. No soldier serves "at his own charges" (1 Corinthians 9:7), the law says "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox" (1 Corinthians 9:9), and "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (1 Corinthians 9:14). So he and Barnabas had the same right as the others. Yet Paul adds, "Nevertheless we have not used this power" (1 Corinthians 9:12).

Barnabas was "a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus," whose name means "The son of consolation" (Acts 4:36). The Holy Spirit set apart "Barnabas and Saul" for the work together (Acts 13:2), and Luke calls them both "apostles" (Acts 14:14). The two later parted after a sharp disagreement over John Mark (Acts 15:37-39), yet here Paul still names Barnabas beside himself. At Corinth Paul worked as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). In Greek, "power" is exousia, a right or authority, and "forbear working" reads literally "not to work."

This question shows how Paul thought about rights. Having a right and using it are two different things. Paul argues hard that he and Barnabas had the right to be supported, then says he chose not to use it (1 Corinthians 9:12, 15). He told the Thessalonians the same: "Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us" (2 Thessalonians 3:9).

The question also comes right after Paul says he would eat no flesh "while the world standeth" rather than make his brother offend (1 Corinthians 8:13). Now he shows he has laid down other rights too. Matthew Henry keeps both sides in view: a minister "may wave his right, as Paul did," but those who withhold due support from ministers go against a precept of Christ.