“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
The Basket Case Chronicles #92
“Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?” (1 Cor. 9:7).
Paul begins his case with a common sense observation. He is arguing for a practice that is fully supported by Scripture, as we will see in the following verses, but he begins with an appeal to the very nature of things. He uses three examples—one military and two agricultural.
The military example is an example of hiring and employment. If a soldier is recruited by someone, the expectation is that the “someone” will take care of the expenses. You shouldn’t have to bring your own gun. So much is obvious.
The agricultural examples are slightly different. The man planting a vineyard, and the man tending a flock, are both expected to draw support from their labor directly. A portion of the grapes are his to consume, and a portion of the milk is his to consume.
The application is that a minister should be supported by the field he is working in. Paul will go on to buttress this argument with the teaching of Scripture, but if the Scriptures were silent on the subject, ministers should still be supported better than they frequently are—natural law teaches us this.