Does Acts 20:33-34 suggest that a church should not have a paid ministry?
Upvote:4
No, it does not. A common mistake is to take a particular situation or statement by one person and attempt to apply it as a rule to all situations. All this passage means is that Paul worked to provide for his own living while he lived among the Ephesians. Paul did accept provision from others in other cities and at other times. The book of Philippians is in many ways a thank you letter for gifts given.
Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. Philippians 4:14-17 ESV
He speaks to this again in his first letter to the church in Corinth:
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 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? 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.” 1 Corinthians 9:6-9 ESV
So, no, this is not a universal principle that no one should ever receive his living from those to whom he ministers. It merely records that a minister does not have to do this, and Paul, in particular, did not do this during one specific place in his ministry, though he did receive compensation elsewhere.
More post
- 📝 Connection between the Jesus Prayer and chanting "Jesus!" during worship?
- 📝 How to harmonize teachings of Jesus and Paul about work?
- 📝 Why are certain non-harmful behaviors considered sins?
- 📝 From a trinitarian perspective, how do you biblically reconcile Jesus dying and Jesus being God?
- 📝 Where did the Young Earth Creationist doctrine originate?
- 📝 Why did Lot's daughters seduce their father?
- 📝 Are there published testimonies from Jehovah's Witnesses about their experiences with the presence of the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 Is the wages of sin our natural death?
- 📝 John's question in prison
- 📝 What is the purpose and basis of the stigmata?
- 📝 How does transubstantiation account for the amount of Christ's body eaten over the last 2000 years?
- 📝 Can anybody identify from which order these nuns are?
- 📝 Does The Book of Mormon contain Jewish literary techniques?
- 📝 Recommendations for Ancient Greek NT "versions"
- 📝 How do dispensationalists understand the "antichrists" and "last hour" in 1 John 2:18?
- 📝 According to the LDS Church, what is the purpose or result of proxy baptisms for those who have already died?
- 📝 Do Christians need to keep the 10 commandments?
- 📝 The fall was part of God's plan?
- 📝 What does the Catholic Church mean when it calls humans co-creators with God?
- 📝 Usage of Hades in the New Testament
- 📝 omniscience of God the Son in Matthew 24:36
- 📝 What are the arguments in favour of the 'beginning' at John 1:1 being the old beginning?
- 📝 Does the Lumen Gentium dogmatic constitution say that non-Catholic Christians cannot be saved?
- 📝 Who are the missionaries and godly men who were helped by Keswick Theology for a fuller Christ like life and ministry?
- 📝 Does the pope get paid for being the pope?
- 📝 Does the delayed burial of Jesus attest to the fact that he had no close relatives other than his mother?
- 📝 What are the strongest arguments for the divine inspiration of the Bible?
- 📝 Why did St. John Paul II add the Luminous Mysteries to the Rosary?
- 📝 God said in the Bible: ”I am who am!” What does that expression mean?
- 📝 Why does the throne in Daniel 7:9 have wheels and are they literally wheels?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Does Acts 20:33-34 suggest that a church should not have a paid ministry?
- 📝 Where does the Catholic tradition that Mary did not have pain giving birth to Jesus come from?
- 📝 What does it mean that John's Gospel does not have an account of the institution of the Eucharist?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church have a contingency plan for the case that the pope and all cardinals are dead?
- 📝 What does Mormonism have to offer in regards to salvation through Jesus Christ that was not already taught in the New Testament?
- 📝 Can a baby be baptized in a Catholic Church if the mother does not have papers proving she was baptized?
- 📝 How can apologists argue that if Jesus did not rise again then Christianity and the Church would not have lasted, when other religions have?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church accept that in-person Mass is not an 'essential service'?
- 📝 Does the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) have a policy regarding admitting members who do not accept its doctrines?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that modern churches have guardian angels?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church have an official position on domestic 'health passes' or 'vaccine passes' that could be used to control citizens' activities?
- 📝 Biblically Unitarians claim "the Bible does not teach that Jesus is God." Then by what means do you know or have any experience with Jesus Christ?
- 📝 Do any of the Church Fathers or any Orthodox theologian state that you should not call spiritual leaders “father” or “teacher?”
- 📝 Are there Christians who believe that Jesus does not have a physical body right now?
- 📝 What options does a person of Church of England religion have if they are not sure if they were baptized in infancy, and can't prove it either way?
- 📝 Does the Church say that humans have two parts, ie mind and heart?
- 📝 Does Acts 3:17-26 teach that if the people of Israel repented Christ would have returned and established the Kingdom?
- 📝 How have prominent apologists answered those who claim that Jesus does not love his enemies?
- 📝 What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law but did not abolish it?
- 📝 Does Catholic doctrine teach that the Incarnation would have taken place regardless of Adam's decision?
- 📝 Why does the Roman Catholic Church not hold to the perspicuity of Scripture?
- 📝 Why does the LDS church believe that alcohol was forbidden, despite being common in the Bible?
- 📝 Should Christians uphold unjust laws that are not overtly immoral?
- 📝 What actions does the LDS church (Mormon) take when a member does not pay tithing?
- 📝 What is the basis for arguing that Paul should have been selected as the 12th apostle instead of Matthias?
- 📝 Does James contradict Jesus when he says some foods should not be eaten?
- 📝 Does one have to admit to not being a virgin when preparing for a Catholic wedding?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach that it has the authority to change what is morally right and wrong?
- 📝 Does the Bible suggest that the earth is round?
- 📝 Do Calvinists believe that God does not love the world, but only the elect?