Crossing the Bridge

The Ox

But how does he quote from Christ? “The laborer is worthy of his reward.” Let us not then look only to the reward, but to the terms of the commandment. “The laborer,” he says, “is worthy of his reward.” So that if any one lives in sloth and luxury, he is unworthy of it. Unless he is as the ox treading out the corn, and bearing the yoke, in spite of heat and thorns, and ceases not till he has carried the corn into the granary, he is not worthy. Therefore to teachers should be granted a supply of their necessities without grudging, that they may not faint nor be discouraged, nor by attention to inferior things deprive themselves of greater; that they may labor for spiritual things, paying no regard to worldly things

John Chrysostom, “Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, on the First Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to Timothy,” in Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, ed. Philip Schaff, trans. James Tweed and Philip Schaff, vol. 13, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, First Series (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1889), 460.

Whatever the apostle is here citing, he intends Timothy to understand that a divine sanction underlies the principle of fair provision for those who serve the church. Too often a niggardly attitude has been maintained towards faithful men who have laboured for Christ in the interest of others.

Donald Guthrie, Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 14, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 120.

Paul here is using this OT quote to make a point. That you would not muzzle an ox while they are working to separate grain and chaff. The ox has free range to snack and eat the product of its labor, while it is laboring.

Paul uses this as an example that those who labor in the Gospel should also be compensated properly out of the produce of the labor, i.e. get paid a sustainable wage to provide for him (and family).

Paul gives us a great example of “Crossing the Hermeneutical Bridge” here in this instruction to Timothy.

1 Corinthians 9

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Co 9:7–12.

Deuteronomy 25:4

Luke 10:7