What has the Lord Jesus ordained in reference to the temporal support of preachers? I Cor. ix: 14. With what provision of the law of Moses is this ordinance compared? 13.

      Note.--A part of almost every gift and sacrifice presented at the altar, and sometimes the whole of it, was given to the priest.

      What argument does Paul use in the context to show the propriety of this ordinance?--Verses 7, 11..

      When did Jesus ordain that they who preach the gospel shall live of the gospel? Matt. x: 5, 9, 10. Did he tell the apostles not to provide gold, silver, etc., because they were not to have any of these things, or because it was the duty of those for whom they preached to supply them? Were the apostles, under their first commission, sufficiently provided for by the people? Luke xxii: 35. Were they, under their second commission, to act on the old rule of not providing for themselves? 36. Why the difference? Ans.--By their first commission they were sent only to the Jews who well understood the duty of supporting the religious teachers; but under the second, they were sent to the Gentiles who knew no such obligation.

      How did Paul act in regard to this ordinance of the Lord Jesus? I Cor. ix: 15, 18. Did he receive any compensation from the churches? Phil. iv: 10, 14, 18. How could he do this consistently with what he says in the passage first quoted? Ans.--He accepted what was voluntarily given, but he did not use his liberty to claim a support. What reason did he give the Thessalonians for thus acting? II Thes. iii: 8, 9. What reasons [87] did he give to the elders of the church at Ephesus? Acts xx: 34, 35. What reason does he give to the Corinthians? I Cor. ix: 18. Would such reasons justify a preacher of the present day in declining a support, if they existed now in the same force? How should a preacher decide whether to give his whole time to preaching and study, or to devote a part of it to secular business as a means of support? Ans.--As Paul decided it, by considering what is best for the cause of Christ under existing circumstances.

      In ordaining that they who preach the gospel shall live by the gospel, on whom did Jesus place the obligation to pay the preacher? In what proportion, according to justice, does this obligation rest on the members of the church? What rule in this particular does Paul lay down about giving to the poor? I Cor. xvi: 2. If we should give to the poor according as the Lord has prospered us, how should we give for other purposes? Is it any man's privilege to give more than his due proportion? II Cor. viii: 1, 3. If any brother refuses to give his due proportion, what is the duty of the church? Who, in the first instance, is to judge how much each one should give? When the question is raised whether a particular brother is giving as much as he ought, who is the judge of this question?

      Is there any prescribed method of giving for the support of preaching? Whose privilege is it, then, to decide what method shall be adopted, that of each congregation?

[FBL 87-88]