Why does 1 Timothy 5:18 quote both the Old Testament and Jesus' words? Text of 1 Timothy 5:18 “For Scripture says: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and, ‘The worker is worthy of his wages.’ ” Immediate Context within 1 Timothy 5 Paul is instructing Timothy on honoring elders who “labor in preaching and teaching” (v. 17). The two quotations justify financial remuneration for such labor. By citing both Moses and Jesus, Paul anchors the principle in the full, unified testimony of Scripture. The Old Testament Citation: Deuteronomy 25:4 “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” . 1. Original setting: humane treatment of animals during harvest (ca. 1400 BC, Mosaic Law). 2. Underlying ethic: workers—human or animal—must be allowed to benefit from their labor (cp. 1 Corinthians 9:9). 3. Hermeneutic move: Paul applies the agrarian statute typologically to church leaders, revealing continuity of moral principle across covenants. The New Testament Citation: Jesus’ Words (Luke 10:7 // Matt 10:10) “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7). 1. Spoken by Jesus c. AD 30 during the sending of the Seventy. 2. Principle: gospel laborers deserve material support. 3. Transmission: Luke’s Gospel (AD 60–62) already circulating; oral tradition universally recognized (cf. Papias, c. AD 95). Paul Treats Jesus’ Saying as Scripture 1. He prefaces both quotes with the singular noun “Scripture” (γραφή) indicating equal canonical weight. 2. This provides early, internal evidence that the words of Jesus—immediately upon dissemination—were regarded as inspired revelation on par with the Law of Moses. 3. Matches Peter’s recognition of Paul’s letters as “Scripture” (2 Peter 3:16), illustrating reciprocal apostolic acknowledgment of authoritative writings. Early Gospel Access in Pauline Circles 1. Luke was Paul’s traveling companion (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Acts “we” sections). 2. An eyewitness-informed Gospel penned by Luke would naturally be available to Paul before the Pastoral Epistles (cf. fragments P^75, c. AD 175, and Muratorian Canon, c. AD 170, affirm Lucan authorship). 3. Linguistic parity: verbatim match (ἄξιος ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ) between 1 Timothy 5:18 and Luke 10:7 in earliest Greek witnesses (ℵ A C P 33). The Mosaic-Messianic Convergence By pairing Torah and the Messiah’s instruction, Paul illustrates: • Unity of redemptive revelation (Hebrews 1:1-2). • Law fulfilled and clarified through Christ (Matthew 5:17). • Two-witness pattern (Deuteronomy 19:15) substantiating doctrine. Practical Pastoral Application 1. Elders who preach are analogous to oxen working the threshing floor—critical, repetitive labor for the community’s nourishment. 2. Congregations practicing this principle model gospel generosity (Galatians 6:6). Theological Implications for Canon Formation 1. Elevates apostolic recollection of Jesus to scriptural status before formal canon lists. 2. Demonstrates that the church didn’t “invent” authority centuries later; it recognized intrinsic authority contemporaneously. Response to Common Objections Objection: “Luke was written after Paul; quotation therefore impossible.” • Counter-evidence: Majority of scholars date Luke earlier than AD 62 based on Acts’ abrupt ending (Paul alive, temple standing). • Oral formula could precede written form; either way, Paul cites Jesus’ historical words, not a later fabrication. Harmonious Consistency of Scripture The ethical through-line from Deuteronomy to Luke to 1 Timothy shows coherence across 1,500 years of revelation, validating divine authorship (2 Timothy 3:16). Summary Paul quotes both Deuteronomy 25:4 and Jesus’ teaching to supply a double-scriptural witness that gospel workers deserve material support, at the same time illustrating: (1) early recognition of Jesus’ sayings as canonical Scripture; (2) seamless unity between Old and New Testaments; and (3) dependable transmission of inspired text. |
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