There’s Always Heaven
“For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’ Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.”
Today’s Text: 1 Corinthians 9:1-10 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
It is possible that Paul is setting up an argument here to convince the Corinthians to allow financial support for himself and Barnabas to be used from the contributions that are being collected for the church in Jerusalem.
In other words, Paul and Barnabas (they must have been reconciled by this time) were working diligently in the cause of the gospel. They were not charging anybody for their teaching. Instead, they were working to provide for their own needs.
However, they might find themselves in a situation where they were unable to work but still needed financial support. In particular, they might need support as they were delivering contributions from the churches back to Jerusalem. It would make sense to use the contributions from the churches to cover their expenses. And so Paul is preemptively undercutting any potential accusations about their stealing from the contributions.
So basically, Paul is pointing out that he and Barnabas were ministering to the Corinthians free of charge, even though they should have been paid for their service to the churches. Therefore, the Corinthians were in no position to raise any objections if Paul and Barnabas chose to pay for their ministry expenses from the contributions that were collected.
By presenting this argument to the Corinthians, Paul is ensuring that their future relationship would not be jeopardized due to potential rumors of financial misconduct.
Paul was incredibly savvy. He understood the nature of the human heart very well. No one could ever accuse him of being a servant of the church just for the money. But he made it very clear that he had every right to be paid for his service to the church.
In an ironic way, though, Paul’s refusal to be paid may have done a disservice to all future ministers. Some churches seem to have the expectation that all ministers should serve the church free of charge. Or if some churches do pay their ministers, it may be just enough to live hand to mouth day to day—at least, as long as they can work. When they can no longer work, well … there’s always heaven.
But those churches are basically misunderstanding what Paul is saying, and it would be practically impossible for a minister to point that out. It would seem self-serving.
Paul is saying that the church must support their ministers. Of course, we cannot blame the churches for pastors who abuse their rights. They should be held to account.
But more than anything, it is the idolatry of money that completely distorts the healthy and generous supporting of ministers of the gospel.
Father, I pray that out of Your glorious riches, You may strengthen us with power through Your Holy Spirit in our inner being, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
