1 Timothy 5:18
18 For [gar] the scripture [graphe] saith,
[lego] Thou shalt [phimoo] not [ou] muzzle [phimoo] the ox [bous] that treadeth out the corn. [aloao]
And, [kai] The labourer [ergates] is worthy [axios] of his [autos] reward. [misthos] KJV-Interlinear
18 For
the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is
threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." NASB
The ox and the laborer
are quotes from both the Old Testament and the New Testament books, specifically
Deu. 25:4 and Matt. 10:10, and Luke 10:7.
Pauls knowledge of the Old testament scriptures should
be obvious, but He was also familiar with the Book of Luke, since he quotes
from it, and treats his comment here as a quote. If he was familiar with Luke, then he most
probably was familiar with the other gospel books. That is an inference that we
can only assume.
These quotes indicate
that reward or wages, must accompany labor.
There is no such thing (in truth), as slave labor or labor for free or
no pay.
Anyone who works, must be compensated.
No one has the right to take advantage of anyone else. God made provision for the ox, which is
merely an animal, so a person is much more valuable to than any animal. It goes to say that any human being deserves
better than what animals receive.
And since people work
for wages and compensation of various sorts, in this temporal life, then again,
how much more is the value of one who teaches doctrine, which is for the spiritual
life and of eternal value to those who hear or read the instruction!
Paul places this burden
of obligation on the student of the Word of God.
Whether you accept this
obligation or not is between you and God, and no one else.
God can spread the
gospel and doctrine around the world without the help of anyone, therefore that
aspect of your support and its amount, is not relevant.
What is
relevant is your attitude, and then your reasons for accepting or rejecting the
responsibility, for supporting or not supporting those who teach the
scriptures.
For this, you will
either subscribe to Gods expectation of you, or you will not. And likewise, any reward or credit or
blessing (or lack of them) related to your effort is due to your decision.
As goes attitude toward
God, Christ, doctrine and the mandates contained therein, so goes your
life.You have the potential for total
control over your success or failure in life through your decisions to comply
or ignore that which the Bible teaches.
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