What is the meaning of "the laborer is worthy of his hire" in 1 Timothy 5:18?

Verse 17. Clearly, an elder may be thoroughly reliable in qualities of leadership, even though he may not be a capable teacher of the Word of God; and if so, he is entitled to double honor, but specially if he labors in the giving of the Word, and teaching. True spiritual qualifications should earn the respect of saints: a mere formal appointment would not do this. The ox not to be muzzled would teach us that a laborer is entitled to partake of the fruits of his labor; and in this case, if one devotes such time to the work of the Lord that other regular employment is not sufficient to support him, then the saints of God are to consider themselves responsible for this: "The laborer is worthy of his reward."

(Vv. 17, 18). The work of the elders was to take the lead in the assemblies of God's people (N.T.). They are responsible to see that godly order is maintained in public and private. Honour was due to an elder as such; those who did their work well were to be counted worthy of double honour, especially those who, besides caring for the saints, laboured in word and teaching. Moreover, their temporal needs were not to be forgotten. Both the Old Testament and the New are quoted, as having equal authority as Scripture, to press our responsibility to help the labourer (Deuteronomy 25:4; Luke 10:7).

It cannot then be fairly doubted that the English version is justified, and that salary or pay is not the prominent or even true idea, but "honour." Still that there is included every loving consideration of the elders taking the lead or presiding well seems plain from what follows, but this is rather as honorarium than as stipendium. On the one hand it is degrading to the service of Christ when it is made a question of the earning of a trade or profession; but on the other it is a dishonour to the saints who reap the fruit of unremitting and unselfish care in spiritual things if they do not mark their sense of it, not merely where the servants are needy, but in the reciprocity of loving regard where no such want exists. The payment of "honour," nay, "double honour," might be questioned where there was not the apparent desire to prove it. The apostle had enjoined on Timothy, in the preceding verses, to "honour widows;" here he claims honour doubly for elders that take the lead well. That "double" was used for indefinitely great in good or evil, one sees in Matthew 23, Revelation 18:6, as in Isaiah 40:2. The "especially" (μάλιστα) is incompatible with a fixed salary, as indeed is all scripture. The general principle is equally true of those who teach (Galatians 6:6), and of those who preach. (1 Corinthians 9.) Acts 28:10 seems to distinguish the attentions paid during the stay at Melita from the provision of requisites on departing.

Further instruction as to elders is given in verses 17 to 19. An elder was not necessarily a recognized teacher of the word, though he was to be "apt to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2). Those who did "labour in the word and doctrine" were to be counted worthy of double honour, and that honour was to be expressed in a practical way as might be needful. If any of them lacked in material things they were to be supplied as the Scripture indicated. The first quotation of verse 18 is from the Old Testament but the second is from the New, Luke 10:7. This is interesting evidence that Luke's gospel was already in circulation and recognized as the inspired Word of God equally with the Old Testament.

We read in 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” That an overseer must have a good knowledge of the word and be able to use it effectively in his overseership is manifest from Titus 1:9, “Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” but 1 Timothy 5:17 goes further and supposes that some overseers have not only office but gift, and that they set themselves to labour (a strenuous word) in word and doctrine, whilst Acts 20:28 speaks of them feeding the church of God. What the “double honour” and “especially” mean is difficult to say. The next verse, “For the Scripture says, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward” points to their receiving carnal things as a recognition of their ministering spiritual things. But it certainly does not indicate a fixed stipend, but rather loving, grateful, acknowledgement of benefits received spiritually in the ministering of things carnal.

The official elders are now considered. Their work is spoken of here more as taking the lead than exactly as ruling. Evidently, those who were fit for the position would be those who might be expected to have a judgment which would form the judgment of others. As has been often said, but cannot be too fully understood, the following of men in any case has to be carefully guarded. If it interferes with the taking up of individual responsibilities before God, then it is a thorough evil, and not good at all; yet how common a case is this, how content we are oftentimes to leave the responsibility to others, as if, after all, we could devolve that which is our own upon them! How we love ease, to escape the conflict of opinion, and all that this may entail also! There is not a place, perhaps, in which there is but a small company of Christians together, that does not suffer greatly from this very thing. On the other hand, to take the lead well, gave a place of special honor, which, if those who did so labored in the word and teaching, would be necessarily increased. Here it is that again the responsibility of the saints to minister to the need of such is emphasized. Scripture had already said, as the apostle has quoted in another place, that the ox was not to be muzzled that trod out the corn, and the workman, too, was worthy of his hire. All this is very different from the way of bargain and guarantee which is the fashion of the day. The workman is God's laborer, if he be anything; and nothing must take him from or deprive him of the privilege of a walk of faith on his own part, looking to God alone. The misery of making a man's gift a matter of merchandise is illustrated so on all hands now that it should not require much to be said about it. "The merchantman in the house of the Lord" has had his rebuke plentifully, in the Old Testament and in the New.

Elders that ruled well were counted worthy of double honor, and especially those who had the gift of expounding the word of God, and teaching the truth, "who labor in the Word and teaching." And as elsewhere in his former epistles, the apostle here once more states the responsibility that "the laborer is worthy of his hire." The ox that treadeth out the corn is not to be muzzled. The Creator-God careth for the oxen, and made a merciful provision for them in His law. How much more then should those be ministered to in temporal things that labored in the Word, and with much self sacrifice taught the truth. But the laborer must remain in dependence on the Saviour-God, for he is God's laborer. (The almost universal custom of promising a laborer in the Word, an evangelist, pastor and teacher a salary, and the laborer depending on his bargain, is nowhere sanctioned by the Word of God. It is contrary to faith which should mark the path of the servant of Christ.) Instruction is given how an elder is to be treated if charged with wrong. Before God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels (from which we learn that angels are silent onlookers in all these things--1 Cor. 11:10), Paul charges Timothy to observe these things, to be firm in them, without showing partiality.

"Let the elders that preside well be counted worthy of double honour, especially those that labour in word and teaching. For the scripture saith, An ox when treading out corn thou shalt not muzzle, and Worthy [is] the workman of his hire" (vers. 17, 18).

So as to the laborer in the Word, it was very clearly announced, and that as what God had ordained, that "they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel," and that "the laborer is worthy of his hire." But although here also God used the willing hands of His people, it was not understood that they hired" him, or that he was their laborer. What they gave, it was to God they gave it, and his privilege it was to be Christ's servant. His responsibility was to the Lord, and theirs also. They did not understand that they were to get so much work for so much money. They did not pay, but "offered." There is a wonderful difference: for you cannot "pay" God, and you do not "offer" (in this sense of offering) to man. The moment you pay, God is out of the question.

Many times in the Old Testament Israel was exhorted to bring their tithes and free-will-offerings unto the Lord and to remember the Levite who served the Lord entirely (see Deut. 12). And in I Corinthians 9:7-14 Paul speaks of what the servant of the Lord has a right to have of material things. "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? ... 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? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." So also Galatians 6:6 exhorts: "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." In Luke 10:7 the Lord said to His disciples: "in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire," or "of his reward," as I Timothy 5:18 puts it. His servants are entitled to what is given them. In I Corinthians 16:2 we are told: "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." Thus the Lord's people are exhorted to periodical, personal, and proportionate giving unto His interests.