Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “the laborer deserves his wages.” 1 Timothy 5.17

Here Paul appeals to Deuteronomy 25.4 in something of a different setting. He’s not instructing Timothy to hold out for twice as much in the way of salary and benefits as anyone else in the congregation. He’s appealing to this statute as it relates to both its eighth commandment application (don’t steal) and its fifth commandment application (respect your elders).

Pastors and elders are worthy of double respect. They should be treated with deference, love, and honor because of their office. The people of God should be diligent to attend to their teaching, obey their counsel, and submit to their discipleship, knowing that these men are committed to the care and nurture of their souls.

But they should also receive material support – not in every case “full-time” or even the same as a pastor. However, the people of God should recognize the work of pastors and elders and provide for their material needs as these appear, especially with respect to their ministries, thus giving them the “double honor” – deferential and material – to which Paul alludes in our text.

Thus, from a single, obscure statute regarding the treatment of oxen Paul was able to derive principles critical to the right ordering of churches and the honor and support due the servants of God. How many more principles, all designed for goodness, justice, and the glory of God, are we, like those childish Corinthians, failing to observe because we choose to remain ignorant of the Law of God?

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