Missionary Support: A Biblical Mandate (Part 1)

     To reiterate John Piper’s observation, there are only three kinds of responders to the Great Commission: zealous goers, zealous senders, and disobedient.¹ Unless one is willing to personally take the gospel beyond his or her immediate environs, the only way to be faithful to the Lord’s mandate is to effectively engage in sending others. 

Sending Missionaries

     Before appealing to the brethren in Rome to assist him on his mission to Spain (Rom. 15:24), Paul writes: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? …” (Rom. 10:14-15a NKJV). Sending missionaries involves more than just pushing them out the door and waving goodbye. Militaries do not send troops into battle without adequate equipment and support. Those fighting the good fight of faith on the front lines of the spiritual warfare are no less deserving. “Who ever goes to war at his own expense?” (1 Cor. 9:7a).

     The English word “missionary” is based on the Latin term mittere, meaning “to send.” A missionary is basically “one who is sent” (with a specific mission to fulfill). The nearest counterpart in the Greek New Testament is the noun apóstolos, often transliterated “apostle.” The verb apostéllō means to “send” (Acts 8:14; 15:27, 33; 26:17), while the noun form apóstolos generically refers to “one who is sent” (Acts 14:4, 14; 2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25; 1 Thess. 2:6).²

Supporting Missionaries

     In 1 Corinthians chapter 4 Paul contrasts the comparative ease of the Corinthians with the plight of those described as apóstoloi (vv. 8-12). While rendered “apostles” in most English translations, the expression essentially refers to “sent ones,” contextually inclusive of Apollos (3:4–4:6) and thus in a broader sense applicable to “missionaries.” In v. 11 Paul writes, “To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.” As a prelude to what is to be discussed in chapter 9, this serves as a subtle indictment against the Corinth church and all other congregations at the time, considering their divinely-appointed responsibility of providing for the needs of the Lord’s servants.

     Chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians is about God-given “rights” (Greek exousía, cf. vv. 4, 5, 6, 12, 18).³  While emphasis is often placed on Paul’s refusal to elicit financial support from the Corinthian disciples (discussed below), the underlying principle is what God has set in place to ensure that full-time ministers of the gospel have their essential needs met. Paul and his fellow-missionaries have a right [exousía] to eat and drink, i.e., be supported in the Lord’s work (1 Cor. 9:4; cf. vv. 6-14; 4:11; Matt. 10:9-10; 2 Thess. 3:7-10). They also have a right [exousía] to “take along a believing wife” (1 Cor. 9:5). Apparently first-century missionaries did not abandon their spouses in their service to Christ (cf. 7:10-11). Financial support must therefore include sufficient resources to take care of one’s family (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8).⁴

     The real issue is the right [exousía] of Barnabas and Paul to refrain from [secular] work and be supported by the church (1 Cor. 9:6; cf. 4:12). These directives were written about five years after Paul and Barnabas had had their falling out over John Mark and gone their separate ways (Acts 15:36-41). Obviously the relationship was not permanently damaged and the Corinthians were aware of the partnership. Paul then launches into an extensive argument to establish an irrefutable case for supporting ministers of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:7-15).

     Remuneration for services rendered is a natural part of the secular world, including soldiers, farmers, and shepherds (1 Cor. 9:7). But this is not only a basic human concept; it is divinely enjoined, with scriptural confirmation (vv. 8-10; quote from Deut. 25:4). God is more concerned about people than he is about animals (cf. Matt. 6:26; Luke 12:7, 24), and this biblical principle legitimately applies to the expectation of workers to be compensated for their labors.

     The particular application here concerns the right of spiritual laborers (full-time ministers of the gospel) to be supported by those who benefit from their labors (1 Cor. 9:11-15; cf. Gal. 6:6). The Corinthians (as recipients) should feel obliged to participate in this divine system. Paul and his coworkers have just as much right [exousía] and more to expect financial support from the Corinthians, yet they have denied themselves this right lest the gospel of Christ be hindered (1 Cor. 9:12).⁵ Even Levitical priests are supported by the offerings of the people (1 Cor. 9:13; cf. Lev. 6:16, 26; 7:6, 31; 22:10; Num. 18:8-10). “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live [get their living] from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14).⁶

Paul’s Financial Support

     Paul did not exercise his right to be subsidized by the Corinthians while working in their midst, in order to avoid compromising his integrity in the gospel (1 Cor. 9:15).⁷ Nevertheless, he did accept and even solicit support from others in different circumstances (cf. 2 Cor. 11:7-9; Phil. 2:25-30; 4:10-20), even from the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:6). In fact, Paul actually felt like he had wronged the brethren at Corinth by not getting them to financially participate in his evangelistic work like other congregations had done (2 Cor. 12:13; cf. 11:8). How, then, was his missionary work financed?

     At times Paul supported himself (Acts 18:3; 20:34; 1 Cor. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:9). His customary practice was to refuse financial remuneration from the brethren with whom he labored in order to avoid burdening anyone (2 Cor. 11:9; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8). This also averted potential misconceptions and problems (1 Cor. 9:12, 15, 18), afforded evangelistic opportunities (cf. Acts 17:17), provided for basic needs (Acts 20:34), perhaps supplemented outside support (Phil. 4:16), and most of all served as a good example to young converts (Acts 20:33-35; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 2 Thess. 3:7-8).

     At other times Paul received outside assistance from churches (2 Cor. 11:8-9; Phil. 4:15-16). When he writes to the Corinthians, “I robbed other churches, taking wages [from them] to minister to you” (2 Cor. 11:8), the word suláō (to “rob” or “plunder”) refers to the right of seizing the goods of a merchant for payment (H. K. Moulton, Analytical Greek Lexicon Rev. 381). Presumably Paul first arrived in Corinth with depleted funds, compelling him to work (at least initially) as a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla for his livelihood (Acts 18:1-3). The arrival of Silas and Timothy was no doubt accompanied by the financial support from the Macedonian brethren (Acts 18:5).

     The apostle also relied heavily on the hospitality and provision of his fellow-Christians (Acts 9:19; 16:15, 34; 18:1-3; 20:11; 21:4, 7-10, 16-17; 28:13-14; 24:23; Rom. 15:24; 16:23; 1 Cor. 16:6; Gal. 1:18; Philem. 22). While financial assistance is necessary, there are many other ways missionaries can and should be supported.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ John Piper and Tom Steller, “Driving Convictions Behind Foreign Missions,” desiringGod (1 Jan. 1996), <Link>.

     ² Beyond its generic usage, the term apóstolos is also employed in the more limited sense of one specially chosen and appointed by the Lord as an authoritative representative (Matt. 10:2; Luke 6:13; 1 Cor. 12:28, 29; 2 Cor. 12:12; etc.).

     ³ Of the ten occurrences of exousía in 1 Corinthians, six are in chapter 9.

     ⁴ This included the rest of the apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas/Peter (1 Cor. 9:4-5). Peter was married (cf. Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:30; 1 Pet. 5:1), made evangelistic trips (Acts 9:32–11:2; cf. 1 Pet. 5:13), and apparently took his wife with him. This would also have been the case for the other apostles (cf. John 19:26-27; 2 John 1) and the Lord’s brothers (cf. Matt. 13:55), including James (1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19).

     ⁵ The “others” who “are partakers of this right [exousía] over you …” (1 Cor. 9:12a) may refer to the countless “instructors” (4:15), including Apollos (3:5-6), and/or the “false apostles” (cf. 2 Cor. 11:1-15) who apparently received support from these brethren.

     ⁶ This could refer to the Lord’s revelation through apostles and prophets (cf. 14:37) and may also be a reference to a well-known collection of “Jesus sayings” (cf. 7:10), later recorded by Luke (Luke 10:7) and then quoted by Paul and regarded as “scripture” (1 Tim. 5:18).

     ⁷ Paul was compelled to proclaim the gospel (1 Cor. 9:16-18), driven by an inner compulsion (cf. Acts 17:16; 18:5; 2 Cor. 5:14; also Jer. 4:19; 20:9). He was so convicted that it was like evangelizing involuntarily, like a slave entrusted with a stewardship (1 Cor. 9:17; cf. 3:5; 4:1-2). He was content to preach free of charge that he might not take advantage of his right/authority [exousía] in the gospel (1 Cor. 9:18).

Related Posts: Missionary Support: A Biblical Mandate (Part 2)

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