Jesus' Words Only

Habakkuk and Paul – Ep #8: Does Paul seek increase in what is not his, matching Hab. 2:6?

Jul 20, 2022

Video Description

Habakkuk 2:6 provides as part of the prophecy about a "him" as follows:

6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say,

[10] Woe to him that increases that which is not his! how long? [11] and to him that [loads] himself with thick clay! KJV

Does Paul seek increase of that which is not his?

Paul does appear to admit in this statement:

I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. II Corinthians 11:8 (KJV)

Paul appears to do likewise with his demand of a right to make a living from the gospel for himself or for others.

Jesus cut this off in Matthew 10:8 & 9 [Avoid Bribery by Givers]

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. [Law of Hospitality]

Jesus means that if you are preaching / teaching, you cannot take money from your listeners, except you can go into a city and use the Law of Hospitality in the Mosaic Law where "the workman is worthy of his wage" comes from. You can go into a town, find someone worthy, and ask to stay in his house. They are obliged by law to give you at least 2 days room and board free, but you can thereafter stay if you work and do chores around the farm, such as clean the barns, feed the animals, and so on. And hence "the workman is worthy of his wage."

Along those same lines, the early church condemned what Paul we will see was teaching.

The Didache, or Teaching of the Apostles, was found in the 1800s. It dates to as early as the 100s as apostolic sayings of the twelve apostles. The apostles are recorded teaching us to give room and board to Christ's messengers for one or two days (i.e., the law of hospitality in Leviticus to which Jesus alluded in Matthew 10), but "If he remain a third day, he is a false prophet." (Quoted in Edwin Johnson, Antiqua Mater (1887) at page 57.)

The Didache continued, and spoke about sermons asking for money: "Whosoever says in spirit; 'Give me money or any other things, you shall not listen to him." Id., at page 64.

Paul is going to rewrite -- truly rewrite - this verse from the law to prove the Lord commands a minister / teacher has a right to a living fom preaching / teaching.. The verse is Deut. 25:4:

25:4 is one of the shortest verses in the Torah with no preceding or succeeding verse amplifying it or setting it up. It reads just this:

“Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”

Paul construes its literal meaning based upon only the proof -- he claims - that God does not care for oxen, and hence this verse was "altogether" written for "our" benefit -- i.e., for the benefit of preachers and teachers. Paul explains:

“For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.” 14. “14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:9-10 NKJV; v 14 NIV)

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