1 Corinthians 9:12

If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ (KJV)

Then: After establishing his right to being paid, Paul states he purposefully does not claim the right because he does not want to interfere in the work of the gospel. That is an unusual twist and difficult for others to understand. Robertson and Plummer postulate that the Jews might think Paul was preaching only for the sake of what he could get out of it. A different source (cannot find it) stated that the Jews feared the apostles were causing a loss of revenue flow into the temple. Paul had to be able to step back and say he received nothing for his work as an apostle.

Now: Paul's example of taking nothing sets a standard of pastoral poverty in the minds of some church boards and members. People like Mother Teresa are admired, but few want to emulate her lifestyle. The politics of who gets money for what, who gives the most money, and who should have control of ministerial salaries can be just as messy as in the first century. As Christ said, "The love of money...."

Extra source: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians by Archibald Robertson and Alfred Plummer (Charles Scribner Sons, 1911) online at http://www.archive.org/stream/stpaulcommentary00robeuoft/stpaulcommentary00robeuoft_djvu.txt *When I rediscover the missing source, I'll post it.