1 Corinthians 4:12 - Exposition

Labour, working with our own hands. St. Paul supported himself by the dreary toil and scant earnings of a tent maker, in the express determination to be no burden upon his converts ( Acts 18:3 ; Acts 20:34 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:9 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:8 ; 1 Corinthians 9:6 ; 2 Corinthians 11:7 , etc.). Such conduct was the more noble because all mechanical trades were looked down upon by the Greeks as a sort of banausia. And though it was repellent and mechanical work to be handling the strong scented black goats' hair all day, yet by this labour he maintained not only himself but also his brother missionaries ( Acts 20:34 ). Being reviled. The early Christians were falsely accused of the most execrable crimes, so that the very name "Christian" was regarded as equivalent to "malefactor" ( 1 Peter 4:14 , 1 Peter 4:16 ). We bless. Herein they obeyed the direct precept of our Lord ( Matthew 5:44 ), as well as his example ( Luke 23:1-56 . 44; 1 Peter 2:23 ; 1 Peter 3:9 ).