If there is any text in Scripture which provides guidance on paying pastors and elders, it is 1 Timothy 5:17-18. Paul says that elders who preach and teach are worthy of a double honor, and that a worker is worthy of his wages.
So get out the checkbook.
Hold on. Not so fast.
Though some have disputed the idea that “double honor” refers to payment, the context indicates otherwise. First, Paul is talking about wages in the immediate context, and furthermore, in 1 Timothy 5:3, Paul writes that widows deserve to be “honored” which in that context, means that their daily needs are to be met by the church.
Curiously, though pastors assert that they are to be honored by getting paid, I have never heard of a church that honors widows in a similar fashion…
Nevertheless, even though honoring the widows refers to taking care of their daily and physical needs, this does not necessarily mean that a pastor or elder receiving a double honor means that he should get a salary.
First Timothy 5:17-18 says much less than we think.
Who is the Worker Worthy of his Wages?
The way this verse is most often used, one would think that the worker is anyone who works in “full time pastoral ministry.” Sadly, no such thing exists in the New Testament. There was no such thing as the clergy-laity division that exists today. In the church, every person is a full-time minister, every member a priest.
God also expects every follower of Jesus to have a ministry. To accomplish this ministry, he gives to each person a set of skills, gifts, and abilities. Those who are often called “pastors” generally have skills and abilities in areas of administration, leadership, encouragement, caring, and teaching.
So in the church today, why do we pay one type of minister, but not another? Is there any reason other than that these ministers who are getting paid say that they must get paid for what they do? Why is it we pay the “ministers” who have these gifts, but not the “ministers” with other gifts?
This verse does not justify such a distinction, except in one area, and one area only. In the context of Paul’s words, the one who deserves wages is the one who devotes himself to the Word and doctrine. It seems that if we are going to use Scripture to defend our practice of paying pastors, then only pastors who devote time to studying and teaching Scripture and theology should receive any kind of payment.
How Much Payment?
But what kind of payment, and how much? Well again, some have argued that if “honor” in 1 Timothy 5:3 means paying widows enough to live on, “double honor” in 5:17 means paying pastors twice as much. If a church decides to pay a pastor who devotes time to study and teaching, I do believe they should pay him well. Numerous questions must be asked to determine this for your own gathering.
For example, how often does he teach? How long does it take him to prepare? What is his educational background? How many years of experience does he have? What is the comparable pay for people in the church who have similar years of education and experience? How much is his teaching worth to you? These, and other similar questions, might help you determine what your gathering could pay a pastor.
However, it does not appear that the passage supports this practice of pastoral salaries. In First Timothy, Paul is writing to Timothy, one of the elders in the church of Ephesus. He has already instructed them to provide for their needs with the work of their own hands (Acts 20:33-35). If they were following his instructions, they would not need the same “honor” that was being given to the widows.
How to Receive Double Honor?
They were, however, allowed to receive the “double honor” which is not an additional salary, but gifts—probably of food or money—from individuals in the congregation who were appreciative for the study and teaching that the elder provided. Today, we might call this an “honorarium.” Paul seems to indicate that while giving the double honor is not required, if a particular elder devotes time on his nights and weekends (after he has worked his regular job) to study and preparing quality Bible teaching for those who gather, then if someone wants to give him a gift of appreciation, the elder has the right to accept it.
These gifts of appreciation are not to be expected or demanded (cf. 1 Pet 2:5-9). They are not to evolve into a full-time salary. They are simply gifts given to those who lead the church well, especially in the areas of the word and doctrine. How much should the gifts be? The text does not say. It is up to the individual, and what they want to give to the elder who has helped them understand Scripture in a greater way.
Jeremy,
Thanks so much for these last few posts on context. Context is often missed in many teachings.
When Christianity became a business, and you get a degree in order to have that particular job is where these verses needed to misconstrued so that “pastors” as worldly job could get paid.
I like the way you have laid this out. Nice job.. “no pun intended”
Swanny
Thanks! Context is vitally important. You’ll see tomorrow that I’m not completely against “pastors” getting paid, but with a small caveat.
Jeremy, I believe that you have taken that text out of context. For starters, widows are not serving the church but are being served by the church. Secondly, Paul made it very clear to young Timothy, who was an elder/pastor who was directing the church affairs well, and so was worthy of double honour, that is, honour and respect, as well as being paid wages, which he so clearly pointed out in the context. For Timothy was preaching and teaching, and just as the ox received grain as its wages for serving it’s owner, so the full time elder/pastor should receive his wages for serving God’s church. Just because some men have peddled the Word of God for profit, does in no way negate what Paul taught in this passage.
There was no church is was a messianic assembly (kehilat)
Then the Elders should get paid. Slaves should be paid , there’s no such title in the Bible head pastor or senior pastor. Elder, Bishop, teacher pastor. All synonymous. If a pastor is getting paid a large salary how can he be the least and a servant. Jesus came to serve not to be served.
How come pastors don’t here Paul when he says you aught to work and he said he didn’t take any money from we’re he just came From lest it cause problems in the church. Living off spiritual things don’t all Christians do that? double honor is never money.
no
w.i.d.o.w.
without important degree omit wages
Another good post! I have understood this passage to mean gifts, as opposed to a salary or paycheck, but I’ve never done an extensive study on the passage. As with you, I’ve always been puzzled that the passage has been used to support pastoral salaries, but the verse that seems to indicate we should give something to widows is usually (always in my experience) ignored.
Some years ago we attended a church that had a staff with four full time paid positions. Our pianist was a widow who struggled mightily to pay her bills. Her husband had been a poorly paid pastor in a small denomination. Her widow’s benefits were a pittance. The church leadership was very aware of this. Yet the pianist was never paid or given any cash assistance.
To my shame, in one of the churches I pastored, we had a widow also. She subsisted on about $573 a month. Not enough. We never did a single thing to help her. Not once.
I take that back. We once gave her a plaque for fitting the description of the Proverbs 31 woman…
Unfortunately today Pastors have put themselves on a pedestal sometimes it appears in church’s I have been in even above God.
Pure and undefiled religion before God is to take care of Widows and Orphans.
Steve. Good succinct answer. Ha! As you can see in the post, I agree with you.
I am writing purely from the context of the Asian church.
Lots of ministry places and churches today give their pastors, leaders and workers close to nothing for their service. In India, most pastors get paid not more $50 a month to take care of themselves and their family. Most ministry places pay their workers low wages; to the extent that $250 is considered a really good pay for even skilled workers like IT people etc. And i’m talking here about smaller churches or ministries. How are they supposed to survive in a world where prices are sky rocketing everyday?
Where i do not believe that it is right for pastors and laborers in the Kingdom to demand a high pay based on the scripture you quoted; i am wary of the fact that ministries and churches are not willing to take care of their teachers and workers. After all in the context of the scripture you wrote about, we also need to consider 1 Cor 9: 7 – 14. Also the greek word for laborer use in the following portions is the same:
ergates – toiler, teacher, workman in God’s Kindgom.
Mt 10: 10
Luke 10: 7
1 Cor 9: 14 (7 – 14)
1 Tim 5: 18
For me therefore this portion of scripture is about people who are working for the Lord and the extension of His Kingdom getting honored rightly and paid for according to their work.
The gospel is not for sale. Jesus said don’t call yourselves Rabbi or teacher or father . Yes you can be a pastor but it’s wrong to accredit yourself as one . To many are puffed up. Modern church is so worldly. We need to get back to schripture. Remember Peter was a fisherman he didn’t have a PHD . Accolades mean nothing. He who is first should be last. Corporate church 501-c3 government run church not for me . If your a true follower of Christ get out of this false church deception.
Amen to this!
Wages were not money in the NT. Please read article at http://www.inthebeginning.com/articles/wages.htm Also, there was no such thing as our current definition of pastor in the NT. Where was a ‘pastor’ ever addressed at the beginning of any of the epistles?? This all came from the Roman Catholic church, which got the idea of a priest from paganism.
Curtis,
I essentially agree with you. There were people with the spiritual gifts of “pastor-teacher” but they did not function the way most “Pastors” do today.
Scripture MUST be used to interpret scripture.
Paul …(who commanded that all must provide for themselves wherever possible) …explains what he means by double honor in a parallel passage which somehow is never considered.
1 Thess 5:12-13
And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. NKJV
Double honor is “recognition” and “being highly esteemed”. The wage which the worker is worthy of is HONOR….not money! (which would be contrary to Jesus words in Luke 16:13)
The interpretations put on this by many that ‘double honor’ includes ‘financial reward’ is wishful thinking which exposes their own covetous hearts.
Chris,
That is a good point. But I was using Scripture to interpret Scripture.
In the same chapter, Paul writes that widows deserve to be “honored” which in that context, means that their daily needs are to be met by the church. This is the nearer context than 1 Thess, and therefore holds more weight.
“These gifts of appreciation are not to be expected or demanded (cf. 1 Pet 2:5-9).”
It is expected in many churches nowadays which is why they take up a Speaker’s Offering before the speaker steps up to the rostrum. Trust and believe, folks watch who’s giving and who’s not.
Jeremy,
Thank you so much, this is what I believe as well. I just read in Matthew were he speaks on were Pastors and others who demand to be called by titles like Dr, Pastor have a problem with pride, and that we are all equal.
Also in the old testament God made allowance for payment of everyone who worked building the temple. But today they only want to give the Pastor money ( or a should say they demand it)
If a Pastor is to be paid so should every other person working in the church. People with mid week home groups, the cleaners of the church the elders the worship leaders and singers. But you are asked to give it for free or as a gift to God.
I just came from a church were it was the Pastors birthday and he was asking 1,000 from the congregation as a gift for his birthday. They were people who gave and others pledged to give but not that amount.
He even took money from a widow in the church who was raising her Grandson as he Daughter and partner died in a car accident. She struggled and not long after asked for help from this same pastor but it was refused.
Ezekiel 34 speaks a lot about these wolves in sheep’s clothing.
God Bless you for speaking the truth.