Do Not Muzzle an Ox While It Treads Out Grain (Quoting the Old Testament)

 

Do Not Muzzle an Ox While It Treads Out Grain (Quoting the Old Testament)

 

1 Corinthians 9:5-10 "Do we not have the right to take along wives who are sisters in faith, as the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas do? Do Barnabas alone not have the right to work? Who serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink its milk? Am I speaking this according to human custom? Does not the Law also speak this? For it is written in the Law of Moses, 'Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain.' Does God not care for oxen? Does He not speak for us? Indeed, it is written for us: 'The plowman plows with hope, and the thresherer threshs with hope of sharing in the harvest.'"

 

Deuteronomy 25:4 "Do not muzzle an ox while it threshs grain." Plowing and It is only natural for a working ox to eat. Whether a soldier or a farmer, they perform their work because they hold a certain hope, and when that hope is realized, they experience the joy of reaping the fruit of that hope.

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 25 contains regulations regarding judgment. The fundamental premise underlying the judgment process is that judgment is God's decision, not a human one. There are several decisions made by the righteous God. First, those who commit serious sins are to be flogged. Second, there are clear standards of conduct that must not be crossed even in extreme situations of conflict, and those who commit sins capable of causing sexual crippling must not be shown pity. Third, in commercial transactions, using two weights or two measures to deceive people is an abomination in the sight of God. Fourth, the Amalekites, who attacked Israel during the Exodus, are to be utterly destroyed.

 

Even though such righteous God's judgments and their consequences are solemnly proclaimed, God's love for humanity permeates the text. First, even corporal punishment must not exceed 40 strokes, and punishment must not be inflicted to the extent that human dignity is compromised or human life is threatened. Second, it was commanded not to muzzle the oxen threshing grain in the threshing floor. Third, if one brother dies, the other brother has an obligation to care for that family, and through the institution of levirate marriage, a way was provided for families suffering from sudden misfortune or accidents to survive. Ultimately, this conveys the message that life is a gift from God and is precious.

 

It is said, "Is He not speaking solely for our sake?" Here, the issue of a believer's livelihood is, for the sake of maintaining at least physical life for oneself, while for others, it holds significance in giving resurrected life. Whether a soldier or a farmer, the purpose of working diligently is to obtain fruit. An ox plowing a field works hard, and if that ox has hope, it would be a metaphor that it eats in proportion to its labor. The hope of a believer working diligently for the gospel is to bear spiritual fruit. That fruit is the fruit of resurrection. Just as Christ became the firstfruits of the resurrection, those who participate in the resurrection in Christ become the fruit.

 

Paul resolved the issue of his own livelihood through self-support and devoted himself to proclaiming the gospel. Regarding the saying, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," Paul intended not to link preaching the gospel with the compensation necessary for it.

 

For a pastor to devote himself to ministry, he receives payment for his work and lives off it. This is for the purpose of maintaining the physical body, and the purpose of ministry is not to earn money from that work. A pastor’s dedication to ministry is likely for the purpose of bearing the fruit of heavenly life. Likewise, we can see that a believer's diligent preaching of the gospel is also for the purpose of bearing the fruit of heavenly life.

 

The Corinthian church was the one with the largest number of members who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit after Paul preached the gospel. Although Christians at the time did not regard Paul as an apostle, he was telling the members of the Corinthian church that they should not act in such a manner. In 1 Corinthians 9:2-3, he states, "Although I am not an apostle to others, to you I am an apostle; and you are the ones who have sealed (sphrachia) my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense (apologia) against those who criticize me." Apologia (ἀπολογία) means to answer. "This" signifies that he has been sealed in the Lord regarding his apostleship. At that time, Paul practiced self-supporting ministry. Because he ministered while doing tentwork without receiving payment, some Christians doubted his apostleship based on this.

 

In 1 Corinthians 9:4-6, he says, "Do we not have the right (exousian) to eat and drink? Do we not have the right (exousian) to take along women who are sisters in the faith, as the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas do? Do Barnabas alone not have the right not to work?" Exousian (ἐξουσίαν) signifies a right given by God. Paul could have worked, received payment, eaten and drunk, married, and lived his life; he is saying that even though this is a right given by God, he did not do so for the sake of the ministry of the gospel.

Paul argues that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is related to the Holy Spirit, and that believers giving offerings is a religious act. He asserts that it is not excessive for ministers to take a portion of the offerings given by believers as a religious practice. Of course, Paul could have taken it, but he states that he did not because it would hinder the Gospel.

 

Paul explains the practice of Gospel ministers receiving payment for their work by comparing it to those who worked in the temple during the Old Testament era. However, fearing that the Gospel might be misunderstood due to the acceptance of payment, Paul expresses his stance by saying that he would rather die. 1 Corinthians 9:13-15: “Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of the temple's produce, and those who serve at the altar share in the altar's? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel. But I have not written any of this, nor am I writing it to ask you to do so. Rather, I would rather die than let anyone turn my boasting into vain.”

 

However, the point is that preaching the gospel is not something to boast about. It tells us that it is a mission that must be naturally proclaimed. The church pays a stipend because ministers need money to live; if there are those who demand excessive fees, it is because their hearts are more focused on money than on the mission of preaching the gospel. Paul does not associate preaching the gospel with money. Since preaching the gospel is done without cost, he is saying that he will not use the right to expect a reward for that ministry in this context.

 

Paul spoke of various things he gave up in his life to preach the gospel, stating that those who receive the Holy Spirit are free from sin, but have become slaves to everyone. The reason was to make more people into people of God.

 

The situation of church communities today is starkly contrasting. While there are mega-church communities, small, humble churches stand in stark contrast. The conflicts arising in mega-churches and the desire to pass the church down to one's children are likely related to money. One can imagine a scene where people are more interested in honorariums than in bearing the fruit of the resurrected life. Conversely, small communities find themselves in a situation where even maintaining a minimum livelihood is difficult. Believers must re-examine what the calling of the church community truly is.