Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
Did you ever explain the following passage?
I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
(Act 20:33-35) Did the apostle not tell the elders that they were to follow his example and work and provide support out of their own pockets (as it were) for the needy in the local congregation? Does this apostolic instruction apply to you? If not, why not? |
I wrote this earlier in this thread.
So, what is
Acts 20 saying?
1 Corinthians 9:13-14
(13).. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
(14).. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
The above passage Must be kept in mind when reading this:
Acts 20:[33] I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
[34] Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Acts 4 shows us how the apostles had a huge responsibility on their shoulders to take what church members owned and gave, and distribute it where it would best fit. Paul would not take anything and make himself rich, as many ministers do today.
Paul did not covet money. He had no love of money.
Acts 20:[35] I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
His life was an example to support the weak and how it is more blessed to give, and he proved it. The weak are those who cannot support themselves. They are the poor. Giving to people like this is completely different than receiving an income from a congregation that Paul plainly stated was the right of those who preach the gospel. All of Paul's positive words about the law-confirming, God-ordained right for ministers to forego working outside the church defeats all that you are using
Acts 20 to say.
Acts 20 is as much word of God as
1 Cor 9. Therefore, the example of
Acts 20 is not meant to say ministers should forego work, because he spoke directly opposite to that in
1 Cor 9. You believe it is wrong for people to give tithes today and is against the word of God. You believe it is wrong for a church to fully support a minister.
The example is to show how we must give and support the weak-- the needy who are poor and poverty-stricken.
If the church cannot support him, as was the case in my own personal ministry, I worked, and am actually working now outside our church. Paul said it is not a sin for him to work as he did. It's an entirely different perspective than that from which you are using this chapter to support the idea that no minister should forego work. You are ruining the context of
Acts 20 in favour of further refusing the proper context of
1 Cor 9 to say
Acts 20 proves that ministers should never forego work. It proves no such thing. Your conclusion makes a contradiction of
1 Cor 9.
Paul spoke also in terms of starting churches where it would be impossible to receive support solely from the church. There would not be enough. But when the church grew, the minister would then forego work as taught clearly in
1 Cor 9.
What Paul said here is what he explained in
1 Cor 9:15-18 as a CHOICE showing how much he gave of himself in
Acts 20's context of thought, that he urged to no other minister.
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