Pay the laborer

​What does Acts 16:37 mean?

​Paul and Silas have been accused of a serious crime: promoting the worship of a God not recognized by the Roman Empire (Acts 16:20–21). The Empire had dozens of national, civil, regional, and household gods, but they were strictly controlled. In addition, the Romans insisted on emperor worship: a token tribute to the leader who was seen as the son of a god. By preaching about Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, Paul and Silas had not only broken Roman law, they had also committed sacrilege against the emperor. 

The crime was serious, but not a capital offense. The standard punishment would be to beat the accused and imprison them for one night, then force them to leave the city. Paul and Silas have been beaten, and they've finished one night in jail, but when the magistrates send the police to quietly escort them out of Philippi, they refuse to leave. The "standard punishment" was for those who were not Roman citizens. The magistrates never bothered to ask the two Jewish men if they were also Roman citizens. They are. 

Roman citizenship was given to people born in Roman colonies, like Philippi, to those whose parents were citizens, to those whom the Empire wanted to honor, and to those who could afford to buy it (Acts 22:28). The honor was given to encourage good will and spread Roman culture. Among the various legal rights were the right to defend oneself in a trial, the right to appeal a verdict to a higher court (Acts 25:11), protection from being beaten, tortured, or scourged, and protection from being executed unless found guilty of treason. 

Christians should obey their governing authorities so long as the law does not force someone to disobey God's instruction (Romans 13:1–7). It is perfectly acceptable for Christians to expect and demand the civil rights given them by the secular government. It isn't clear why Paul and Silas didn't reveal their citizenship earlier, although it may be because a crowd attacked them before they could say anything (Acts 16:22). Paul will be able to identify himself later, in Jerusalem (Acts 22:23–25) and even appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11). On this day, he and Silas merely demand the magistrates publicly acknowledge their own crime before the pair move on to Thessalonica.



​What does Matthew 11:19 mean?

​Jesus is showing how the current generation of Israelites is like children who are disappointed because their friends won't participate in their games. The Israelites, as a whole, complained that neither John nor Jesus met their expectations for how a prophet or the Messiah should act. The two complaints presented are mirror images of each other. The point, overall, is that the people are simply looking for excuses not to believe. 

In the previous verse, Jesus pointed out that many accused John of being demon-possessed (Matthew 11:18). In part, this was because of his strange and restrictive lifestyle. He didn't drink alcohol or go to dinner parties. Instead, he lived in a strange place, wearing strange clothes, eating strange food, and calling people to repent of sin. It was easier to declare a man like that demonized than to reckon with his warnings about God's judgment. 

On the other hand, Jesus did attend dinner parties and drink wine. That's what He means when He says that He came eating and drinking. The people who did not want to hear Jesus' message made false accusations—exactly the opposite of those they might have applied to John the Baptist—that because Jesus did not fast as other religious people did and because He did not abstain from wine, He must be a glutton and drunkard. Neither of those things was true. 

Another problem for Jesus' critics, especially religious leaders, was the people with whom He associated. Jesus ate dinner with tax collectors and other known "sinners:" those who didn't strictly follow the law. This is Matthew's gospel, and Matthew once again points out what it cost Jesus' reputation to call him, a former tax collector (Matthew 9:9), as one of the twelve disciples. 

Jewish religious leaders staunchly refused to have any association with tax collectors or others of low reputation. They wrongly believed this increased their religious worth above those like Jesus, who spent time with such people. In one instance, Jesus condemned them for failing to show mercy to the spiritually "sick," the ones who most needed a doctor (Matthew 9:12–13). 

Jesus' point was that the Israelites of this generation, as a whole, rejected John the Baptist and Jesus. But they did so for contradictory reasons. The truth was they refused to accept the teachings of either. Neither John nor Jesus met the people's own, skewed ideas for what a prophet or religious teacher should be like. 

Christ concludes by stating a simple proverb: Wisdom is justified by her deeds. Some ancient manuscripts, including Luke's version of this statement, put it slightly differently: "Wisdom is justified by all her children" (Luke 7:35). Both make the same case. The wisdom of Jesus and John the Baptist is demonstrated by the results which come from those actions. It's not their eating and drinking and dinner companions that matter, it's the content of their message and what comes from their actions that will prove them to be genuine or not. Both would be fully vindicated by the fulfillment of Jesus' mission.



It's important

when preaching and teaching

the Gospel,


that it is done with the

whole counsel of God,

built on Jesus Christ through

the apostles and prophets of the

risen christ

otherwise, a leader may be

claiming to guide others to Jesus Christ or

preach in the name of Jesus Christ,

but isn't truly leading the word

rightly for the hearer,


taking concepts from the New Testament, such as

Pharisees and sinners,

 and applying them to a

​specific context in the the old testament

isn't conveying the same

intended meaning

preaching without the full counsel isn't using

gods word for its intended meaning

in full context,

​It takes the meaning out of context and distorts gods word


​Jesus ate and hung out with with tax collectors and sinners,

the tax collector being the

greatest of sinners, was

the tax collector regenerated in the mind

of Christ?

All the law is fulfilled in the law and prophets,

meaning treat your neighbor as yourself,

''you say pay your taxes, 

I say,

pay the laborer what is due


​
How can one say I, "I'm sick and tired of people saying what they are against and not what they are for, while in regard to "sin," the preacher is "against" one sine and supports another sin

right after saying, "everyone listened to Jesus, even his critics and those who agreed"

Why did they disagree with Jesus?

They didn't believe he had authority from God to voice

​their Unrepentant sin

Matthew has not met the risen Christ

Was the Tax Collector,

chief of sinners,

making and retaining excess

personal riches

from preaching the

gospel of Jesus Christ?

How can a tax collector, chief of sinners,

claim that their truth

​speaks the truth not to condone sin,  

when committing the

​chief of sin?


The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’

Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

True beliefs are followed by actions


Jesus could steal 100 tricycles

from the Church children institution,

but if that department isn't

teaching correct doctrine,


it's a frivolous matter.

​
Matthew the apostle had been a dishonest tax collector driven by greed until Jesus Christ chose him as a disciple. Also called Levi, Matthew was not a stand-out character in the Bible; He is only mentioned by name in the lists of apostles and in the account of his calling. Matthew is traditionally identified as the author of the Gospel of Matthew.

Life Lessons from Matthew the ApostleGod can use anyone to help him in his work. We should not feel unqualified because of our appearance, lack of education, or our past. Jesus looks for sincere commitment. We should also remember that the highest calling in life is serving God, no matter what the world says. Money, fame, and power cannot compare with being a follower of Jesus Christ.

We first meet Matthew in Capernaum, in his tax booth on the main highway. He was collecting duties on imported goods brought by farmers, merchants, and caravans. Under the Roman Empire's system, Matthew would have paid all the taxes in advance, then collected from the citizens and travelers to reimburse himself.

Tax collectors were notoriously corrupt because they extorted far and above what was owed, to ensure their personal profit. Because their decisions were enforced by Roman soldiers, no one dared object.

Matthew the Apostle Matthew, whose father was Alphaeus (Mark 2:14), was named Levi before his call by Jesus. We don't know whether Jesus gave him the name Matthew or whether he changed it himself, but it is a shortening of the name Mattathias, which means "gift of Yahweh," or simply "the gift of God."

On the same day Jesus invited Matthew to follow him, Matthew threw a great farewell feast in his home in Capernaum, inviting his friends so they could meet Jesus too. From that time on, instead of collecting tax money, Matthew collected souls for the kingdom of God.

Despite his sinful past, Matthew was uniquely qualified to be a disciple. He was an accurate record keeper and keen observer of people. He captured the smallest details. Those traits served him well when he wrote the Gospel of Matthew some 20 years later.

By surface appearances, it was scandalous and offensive for Jesus to pick a tax collector as one of his closest followers since they were widely hated by the Jews. Yet of the four Gospel writers, Matthew presented Jesus to the Jews as their hoped-for Messiah, tailoring his account to answer their questions.
From Crooked Sinner to Transformed Saint Matthew displayed one of the most radically changed lives in the Bible in response to an invitation from Jesus. He did not hesitate; he did not look back. He left behind a life of wealth and security for poverty and uncertainty. He abandoned the pleasures of this world for the promise of eternal life.

The remainder of Matthew's life is uncertain. Tradition says he preached for 15 years in Jerusalem following the death and resurrection of Jesus, then went out on the mission field to other countries.

How Matthew died is disputed. According to Heracleon, the apostle passed away from natural causes. The official "Roman Martyrology" of the Catholic Church suggests that Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs also supports the martyrdom tradition of Matthew, reporting that he was slain with a halberd (a combined spear and battleax) in the city of Nabadar.

Accomplishments Matthew served as one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ. As an eyewitness to the Savior, Matthew recorded a detailed account of Jesus' life, the story of his birth, his message, and his many deeds in the Gospel of Matthew. He also served as a missionary, spreading the good news to other countries.

Strengths and Weaknesses Matthew was an accurate record keeper. He knew the human heart and the longings of the Jewish people. He was loyal to Jesus and once committed, he never wavered in serving the Lord.
On the other hand, before he met Jesus, Matthew was greedy. He thought money was the most important thing in life and violated God's laws to enrich himself at the expense of his countrymen.

Key Bible Verses Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Phariseessaw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (NIV)
Luke 5:29

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. (NIV)


The Bible mentions rewards that await the believer who serves the Lord faithfully in this world (Matthew 10:41). A “great” reward is promised to those who are persecuted for Jesus’ sake. Various crowns are mentioned (in 2 Timothy 4:8, e.g.). Jesus says that He will bring rewards with Him when He returns (Revelation 22:12).

We are to treasure the Lord Jesus most of all. When Jesus is our treasure, we will commit our resources—our money, our time, our talents—to His work in this world. Our motivation for what we do is important (1 Corinthians 10:31). Paul encourages servants that God has an eternal reward for those who are motivated to serve Christ: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23–24).

When we live sacrificially for Jesus’ sake or serve Him by serving the body of Christ, we store up treasure in heaven. Even seemingly small acts of service do not go unnoticed by God. “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42).

Some with more visible gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12) such as teaching, singing, or playing a musical instrument might be tempted to use their gift for their own glory. Those who use their talents or spiritual gifts coveting the praise of men rather than seeking God’s glory receive their “payment” in full here and now. The applause of men was the extent of the Pharisees’ reward (Matthew 6:16). Why should we work for worldly plaudits, however, when we can have so much more in heaven?

The Lord will be faithful to reward us for the service we give Him (Hebrews 6:10). Our ministries may differ, but the Lord we serve is the same. “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:8).

The rich young man loved his money more than God in Matthew 19:16–30, a fact that Jesus incisively pointed out. The issue wasn’t that the young man was rich but that he “treasured” his riches and did not “treasure” what he could have in Christ. Jesus told the man to sell his possessions and give to the poor, “and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 21). The young man left Jesus sad, because he was very rich. He chose this world’s treasure and so did not lay up treasure in heaven. He was unwilling to make Jesus his treasure.

The young man was very religious,

​but Jesus exposed his heart of greed.

We are warned not to lose our full reward by following after false teachers (2 John 1:8). This is why it is so important to be in God’s Word daily (2 Timothy 2:15). That way we can recognize false teaching when we hear it.

The treasures that await the child of God will far outweigh any trouble, inconvenience, or persecution we may face (Romans 8:18). We can serve the Lord wholeheartedly, knowing that God is the One keeping score, and His reward will be abundantly gracious. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The Bible teaches the importance and appropriateness of churches providing financial support to Christian ministers who admirably serve their congregations. In 1 Timothy 5:18, the apostle Paul cites two passages to back up his claim that church bodies must honor and care for hard-working pastors to prevent them from becoming overworked and underpaid. The first is “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (NIV). The second is “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (ASV 1901).

In the first instance, Paul cites Deuteronomy 25:4. He reasons that, if God in His law expressed concern for hard-working animals to be fed and cared for, church members ought to show proper consideration for their pastors, teachers, and spiritual leaders, supplying them with a decent wage. It’s good to feed the cow; it’s better to feed your pastor. Paul’s second reference, “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (ASV) or “The laborer deserves his wages” (ESV), is most likely a recitation of Christ’s words: “For the laborer deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7, ESV). Jesus said this to His disciples when He sent them ahead of Him as “laborers into his harvest” (Luke 10:2, ESV), encouraging them to accept hospitality and food from people who would receive them (Luke 10:7–8). Significantly, 1 Timothy 5:18 calls the Gospel of Luke “Scripture.”

In 1 Timothy 5:17, Paul explains further: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” A study of the term double honor reveals that it refers to both respect and remuneration. The phrase emphasizes generosity. Paul expects the church to provide reasonable pay for a job well done, and failure to do so indicates a shortage of respect and honor for one’s spiritual leaders.

In the Old Testament, the priests and Levites who ministered in worship were supported by the community of believers so that they “could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 31:4; cf. 1 Corinthians 9:13). Thus, it stands to reason in the New Testament church that those who devote their lives to the work of the gospel should likewise be supported by the congregations they serve.

To the church in Galatia, Paul wrote, “Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them” (Galatians 6:6, NLT). He informed the believers in Corinth, “In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it” (1 Corinthians 9:14, NLT).

It’s true that Paul earned his own living, supporting his ministry work through tentmaking (Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8). But Paul explained in detail that his case was an exception for a particular purpose (1 Corinthians 9:4–27).

It’s interesting to note that neither of Paul’s scriptural parallels is particularly complimentary. He first compares Christian ministers to oxen, beasts of burden. Second, he likens them to farmhands. Paul’s illustrations are appropriately chosen, not to demean but to stress that the gospel ministry is hard work. Those who serve well deserve to be honored, appreciated, and

​ paid a fair wage.

Just as it is right for farmers to feed their livestock and employers to pay laborers worthy of their hire, it is proper and essential for the local church to provide adequate financial support to its dedicated Christian ministers.




The phrase the whole counsel of God

 is found


in Acts 20:27. In his

fare-well

speech to the elders of the Ephesian church, Paul says, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:26–27, ESV). Declaring the whole counsel of God is what made Paul “innocent” of

anyone’s choice to turn away from the

​truth.

Paul had

​fulfilled

​ his ministry among the Ephesians.

Paul spent several years in Ephesus prior to this speech. When he first arrived in Ephesus, Paul had found some disciples who had only heard of John the Baptist and did not yet know of the completed ministry of Jesus or the coming of the Holy Spirit. After bringing them up to speed by presenting Jesus to them, Paul baptized them “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:4–5). Paul then spent time teaching in the synagogue and, when he was opposed there, taught at the lecture hall, and “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). Verse 20 says, “The word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Later, a group of merchants in Ephesus started a riot over the positive impact of the gospel in their city. After the riot ended, Paul said goodbye to the disciples in Ephesus before going to Macedonia. Several months later, on his way to Jerusalem, Paul called the Ephesian elders to Miletus to meet with him. It is here that Paul reminds the Ephesians that he had “not hesitated to proclaim . . .


​the whole will of God”

​(Acts 20:27).

Paul shared

“the whole counsel of God”

(ESV) or

“the whole will of God”

(NIV) or “


​"the whole purpose of God”

(NASB)


in that he spoke the complete gospel. He had given them the whole truth about God’s salvation. He also revealed to them the “mystery” of God (Ephesians 3:9), which in the context of Ephesians 3 is God’s extending His plan of salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews.

Despite the opposition Paul faced in Ephesus, he continued to share the good news in its entirety. He did not shrink back from his duty but proclaimed the whole counsel of God. He tells the Ephesian elders, “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:19–21). Paul shared everything that God had revealed with everyone who would listen—and even some who wouldn’t.

Paul tells the Ephesian elders that, having given them the whole counsel of God, he is innocent if any of the Ephesians choose to turn away from Christ. Like the prophet Ezekiel, Paul had been a faithful watchman: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself” (Ezekiel 3:17–19; cf. 33:1–9).

Paul emphasizes “the whole counsel of God” as a way to affirm the completion of his duties toward the Ephesians and to remind them of the truth. Paul warns, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” (Acts 20:29–31).

The whole counsel of God includes some things that are difficult to hear—the fact that we are dead in sin and deserving of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3) and the fact that we cannot save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is a call to repentance and faith. Believers will face persecution (John 16:33) and likely be considered foolish. But none of these things can dissuade us.

We should follow Paul’s example and also preach the whole counsel of God. All Scripture is inspired, and all of it is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). We must preach it in its entirety and allow the Holy Spirit to use His sword as He sees fit (Ephesians 6:17). Paul did not share half-truths or only parts of the gospel; rather, he shared all of what God has revealed. We must do the same.
​

The word doctrine means “teaching.” Christian doctrine is the central body of teachings about God, the gospel, and the Christian faith. These doctrines are the truths passed down through the generations as “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3). Scripture provides the litmus test believers can use to judge doctrine as either true or false. If a belief or teaching agrees with the Word of God, it is sound doctrine. If it contradicts Scripture, it is a false doctrine.

The Bible tells us that God, by His character, is truth—He is entirely truthful and trustworthy (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2 Chronicles 15:3; John 14:6, 17; 1 John 5:20). God’s Word is truth (John 17:17; Psalm 18:30; 119:151). He cannot tell a lie (Hebrews 6:18; Numbers 23:19). The Bible also reveals that God is unchanging and unchangeable in His nature, His plan, and His being (Malachi 3:6; 1 Samuel 15:29; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17). Because God does not change, believers can trust that truth will never change, and neither will doctrine based on truth. It can always be relied upon as the foundation of the principles and beliefs of our faith. We can defend our faith and build our lives on God’s rock-solid, unchanging truth.

The standard for discerning truth from error has always been the Word of God. When the people of Isaiah’s day were tempted to heed false teachers, the prophet pointed them to Scripture: “Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark” (Isaiah 8:20, NLT). The objective measure of God’s Word is how we judge doctrine as either true or false.

Sadly, many churches construct their doctrinal positions on shaky ground. Erroneous teachings occur when the Bible is ignored, dismissed, or mishandled, in whole or in part. We must carefully consider the Scripture’s whole teaching on any given subject. Understanding the context includes studying the literal meaning of the words, placing them in their proper historical and cultural setting, and comparing the teaching with other related passages in the Bible.

Misapplied teachings are nothing new. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7, ESV; cf. Isaiah 29:13). False doctrines were rampant in New Testament times, and the Scriptures tell us they will continue to be taught (Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1). Paul warns, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3).

Paul was astonished by those in Galatia who were “turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:6–9).

If our doctrine is based soundly on Scripture, we can know we are walking in the path God designed for us. However, if we do not study the Word of God for ourselves (2 Timothy 2:15), we risk being led easily into error. Paul taught that an elder of the church must hold firmly to God’s truth “so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9, ESV; see also Titus 2:1). Those who do not hold to sound doctrine should be quickly spotted by their ungodly actions (Titus 1:16; 1 Timothy 1:10).

The Bible includes a solemn warning not to add to or remove anything from God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). Instead, Paul urges us to “hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13, NLT).

Sound biblical doctrine refers to teachings that align with the revealed Word of God, the Bible. False doctrines are ideas that add to, take away from, contradict, or nullify the teachings given in God’s Word. For example, any teaching that denies Jesus Christ’s virgin birth is a false doctrine because it contradicts the clear teaching of Matthew 1:18–25. We can judge doctrines that refute the existence of hell as false based on Revelation 20:15, 2 Thessalonians 1:8, and Christ’s own words in Matthew 10:28 and 25:46. Teachings that claim there are many paths to God are directly opposed to the truth that Jesus is the only way of salvation (John 6:35; 10:7; 11:25; 14:6).

The better we know God’s Word, the more equipped we will be to judge doctrine and discern whether it is true or false, sound or in error (Matthew 22:29; Romans 15:4; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:15). We should be discerning, as the Bereans were in Acts 17:11: “They . . . examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” When we follow the lead of the first Christians, we will go far in avoiding the pitfalls of false doctrine. Acts 2:42 sets the standard: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Such devotion will protect us and ensure we stay on the path Jesus set for us.


A church should definitely provide for the financial needs of its pastor(s) and any other full-time ministers. First Corinthians 9:14 gives the church clear instruction: “The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” We pay people to prepare and serve our physical food; shouldn’t we also be willing to pay those who see to our spiritual food? And, honestly, which is more important—physical food or spiritual food—based on Matthew 4:4?

First Timothy 5:17–18 says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’” There are several points made in this passage. Church elders should be honored, and this honor includes wages. Those elders who serve the church well—especially teachers and preachers—should receive double honor. They have earned it. It would be cruel to work an ox while denying it grain, and we should take care not to treat our pastors cruelly. Let them share in the material blessings of the congregation they serve. Our pastors are worth more than many oxen.

There is nothing spiritual about making a pastor “suffer for the Lord.” Yes, a pastor has been divinely called to his ministry, but it does not follow that a congregation should say, “Let God take care of him.” God says the local church is responsible to take care of him and his family. Caring for the spiritual needs of a congregation is an important work—probably more important than other things we normally spend money on, such as meeting our physical needs, maintaining our vehicles, and entertaining ourselves. See 1 Corinthians 9:7.

It is true that the apostle Paul supported himself as he ministered in Corinth (1 Corinthians 9:12). He drew no salary from the Corinthians. But he made it clear that he did this as a voluntary sacrifice on their behalf, “that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel” (verse 18). Paul did take wages from other churches (2 Corinthians 11:8). His arrangement in Corinth was the exception, not the rule.

Sometimes a church is just not able to provide sufficient finances for a pastor. The pastor in such cases is forced to be bi-vocational, having no choice but to work outside the church to support his family. This is regrettable but sometimes necessary. It is usually better for a pastor to be paid full-time so he can fully dedicate himself to the Lord’s work of ministering to and shepherding the congregation God has entrusted to him.

Sound doctrine is important because our faith is based on a specific message. The overall teaching of the church contains many elements, but the primary message is explicitly defined: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures [and] . . . he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This is the unambiguous good news, and it is “of first importance.” Change that message, and the basis of faith shifts from Christ to something else. Our eternal destiny depends upon hearing “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

Sound doctrine is important because the gospel is a sacred trust, and we dare not tamper with God’s communication to the world. Our duty is to deliver the message, not to change it. Jude conveys an urgency in guarding the trust: “I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 1:3; see also Philippians 1:27). To “contend” carries the idea of strenuously fighting for something, to give it everything you’ve got. The Bible includes a warning neither to add to nor subtract from God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). Rather than alter the apostles’ doctrine, we receive what has been passed down to us and keep it “as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13).

Sound doctrine is important because what we believe affects what we do. Behavior is an extension of theology, and there is a direct correlation between what we think and how we act. For example, two people stand on top of a bridge; one believes he can fly, and the other believes he cannot fly. Their next actions will be quite dissimilar. In the same way, a man who believes that there is no such thing as right and wrong will naturally behave differently from a man who believes in well-defined moral standards. In one of the Bible’s lists of sins, things like rebellion, murder, lying, and slave trading are mentioned. The list concludes with “whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:9-10). In other words, true teaching promotes righteousness; sin flourishes where “the sound doctrine” is opposed.

Sound doctrine is important because we must ascertain truth in a world of falsehood. “Many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). There are tares among the wheat and wolves among the flock (Matthew 13:25; Acts 20:29). The best way to distinguish truth from falsehood is to know what the truth is.

Sound doctrine is important because the end of sound doctrine is life. “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Conversely, the end of unsound doctrine is destruction. “Certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4). Changing God’s message of grace is a “godless” thing to do, and the condemnation for such a deed is severe. Preaching another gospel (“which is really no gospel at all”) carries an anathema: “let him be eternally condemned!” (see Galatians 1:6-9).

Sound doctrine is important because it encourages believers. A love of God’s Word brings “great peace” (Psalm 119:165), and those “who proclaim peace . . . who proclaim salvation” are truly “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7). A pastor “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” (Titus 1:9).

The word of wisdom is “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set” (Proverbs 22:28, NKJV). If we can apply this to sound doctrine, the lesson is that we must preserve it intact. May we never stray from “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).

James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” This verse is sandwiched between James’ instruction about the kind of faith that produces good works and his warnings about our words, so we should view it within that context. Those who aspire to leadership within the church are held to a higher standard than other believers because of the great influence teachers wield. Their works and their words carry a greater weight than those who are not teaching. If teachers fall, they can take many people with them; therefore, God will judge teachers of the Word according to the kind of impact they had on those they aspired to lead.

First Timothy 3:2–10 sheds more light on God’s expectations for those who would lead by teaching. That passage gives a list of qualifications that elders must possess before being entrusted with the care of God’s church. One of those qualifications is that he is “able to teach” (verse 2). Elders are teachers, and God says that they will be judged more strictly due to the seriousness of their responsibility.

The “judgment” spoken of in James 3:1 refers to the various levels of rewards teachers will receive. While a believer’s salvation is guaranteed through the grace of God, future rewards are earned through faithful service (Luke 12:33). All Christians will stand before Christ to have our works tested with fire (1 Corinthians 3:11–15). Christ will reward us according to what we’ve done for Him (Matthew 10:41; 16:27; Ephesians 6:8). Teachers who have been faithful to proclaim truth and demonstrate godly living will receive rewards accordingly. They will hear their Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Luke 19:17). But those who desired to become teachers because of selfish motives or those who used their positions as a source of manipulation will realize they’ve already received their reward on earth—fleshly gratification (see Matthew 6:2–4). Such teachers will be judged more strictly and will stand empty-handed before their King.

On the judgment day, every secret thing will be brought to light (Luke 8:17–18). The motives of our hearts will be exposed, and there will be no more pretense or spiritual deception. Teachers of the Word will be judged more strictly. Those who have not been faithful in their calling and have led others astray will be exposed. Sadly, many of those teachers will be found to be lost themselves. Their desire for influence and power motivated them to pose as pastors and Bible teachers while denying the very Christ of whom they spoke (see Romans 1:21–22). Paul speaks of false teachers who view “godliness as a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5). Their judgment will be harsher because of the people they led astray. Many of these false teachers populate the airwaves, spreading lies and flaunting ungodly, selfish lifestyles. They would do well to look closely at James 3:1.

God has blessed the church with many teachers, and He expects those teachers to develop and use their gift to advance His kingdom (1 Corinthians 14:3; 2 Timothy 4:2). Teachers should voluntarily hold themselves to a higher standard, knowing that they will be judged more strictly. Teachers should follow the counsel of Galatians 5:13, which says, “Through love serve one another.” Faithful teachers willingly give up personal rights in the “gray areas” in order to set themselves apart from anything questionable. If we are unwilling to limit our own freedoms out of love for those we teach, we may not be ready to assume the role of teacher (see 1 Corinthians 8:9–13).

Given that teachers will be judged more strictly, there are probably many who have assumed a teaching role within a church who have no business doing so. They are neither gifted to teach nor morally qualified. It is those teachers to whom James 3:1 is addressed: “Not many of you should become teachers.” Before anyone aspires to the role of teacher, he or she should ask themselves the following questions:

1. Am I continuing to learn? Good teachers are good learners. Those with the gift of teaching also love to continue learning. The best teaching arises from the heart of someone who is passionate about what God is teaching him or her (2 Timothy 2:15).

2. Has God called me to teach? Many churches, desperate for volunteers, will place anyone who doesn’t say no in a teaching position. While everyone should pitch in at times in a variety of serving positions, such as the nursery, serving meals, or collecting the offering, no one who is not gifted and called by God to do so should accept the role of a Bible teacher. We can recognize His calling by an incessant nudging in our hearts toward a particular ministry. That calling will be confirmed by leaders who recognize that gifting.

3. Is my personal life free from besetting sins? While none of us will be completely free from sin while in these bodies, we should have victory over besetting sins—those faults that stem from overt, overwhelming, and ongoing temptations. Alcohol or drug abuse, sexual immorality, and anger problems are examples of besetting sins that need to be dealt with before a teacher assumes the role. Besetting sins are those that can easily cause another to stumble (Luke 17:1). A teacher with ongoing, besetting sins will be judged more strictly because of the influence of those sins.

“We must all stand before Christ to be judged” (2 Corinthians 5:10, NLT), and our rewards will be based upon how faithfully we persevered in this life to the glory of God. The Lord knows what He has entrusted to each of us and expects a return on that investment (Matthew 25:14–46). Teachers will face a stricter judgment on that day of reckoning. Those who abused their position or distorted the gospel message will be judged accordingly. Those teachers who persevered in truth and love and served where God placed them will receive His blessing, reward, and the joy of hearing from Jesus Himself, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).

n 1 Timothy 5:17–25, the apostle Paul gave special guidance regarding church leadership. He recognized that these individuals were not perfect. But Paul was eager for the church to appreciate and acknowledge the value of pastors, teachers, elders, and other leaders who work hard and serve in a worthy manner: “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

Paul considered ministry leadership an honorable position to hold. Earlier, he told Timothy, “This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position’” (1 Timothy 3:1, NLT). The leader who performs the duties of his position responsibly and diligently, according to Scripture, is worthy of double honor.

“Double honor” refers not only to an abundance of respect and obedience from members of the church but also reasonable pay. The Greek word translated “double” in 1 Timothy 5:17 means “two-fold.” And the term for “honor” in the original language includes the notion of a price or compensation. In English, we also connect the word honor with the idea of recompence through the noun honorarium, “a payment for unbilled professional services.” Paul felt that dutiful and diligent shepherds of God’s flock, the church, ought to be honored in two ways: in proper esteem and fair compensation.

Paul’s meaning becomes apparent in his following statement: “For the Scripture says, ‘You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.’ And in another place, ‘Those who work deserve their pay!’” (1 Timothy 5:18, NLT). The apostle argued that, if God in His law had made provision for the hard-working ox (Deuteronomy 25:4), then members of Christ’s body ought to show proper concern for their spiritual leaders. Paul’s second statement, “The laborer deserves his wages” (ESV), closely resembles these words of Jesus: “For the worker deserves his wages” (Luke 10:7).

Elsewhere, Paul said, “Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them” (Galatians 6:6, NLT). The church has an obligation to protect dedicated leaders from being overworked and underpaid. Failure to adequately support them indicates a lack of honor.

Paul’s use of “double honor” is probably associated with the “double portion” reserved for the oldest son in a family (Deuteronomy 21:17). The dual benefit of being the firstborn was both respect and financial reward.

Paul worked as a tentmaker to support himself in ministry (Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8) but considered his position the exception, not the rule. Scripture teaches that it is both suitable and essential for Christian ministers to receive financial support from the congregations they serve, just as a laborer rightly deserves a paycheck from his employer.

Paul singled out preachers and teachers, indicating that their work is of utmost importance in the church. Those who fulfill these services in a commendable manner are especially deserving of double honor.


Do not make money with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not use the gospel of Jesus Christ to enrich yourself with earthly riches.

Do not Make Money With the Gospel of Jesus ChristWhen Jesus was on this earth preaching the gospel, He showed us how to preach it. He neither made money with the gospel nor ask/beg humanity for provision.

See true servants of God do not ask/beg humanity for money and provision.
If you are not preaching the gospel Jesus way, you are not preaching His gospel. See what the gospel is.

All apostles and true servants of God in the Bible never made money with the gospel neither ask/beg humanity for money and provision.

Money and the gospel of Jesus Christ do not go together. You will never see the power of the Holy Spirit where the gospel is used to make money.
Show me one ‘church’ making money with the gospel and you see signs and miracles; the power of the Holy Spirit. No Not one.

You cannot love money and worldly riches and love God. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve money and God.

Lk 16:13: No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Many calling themselves servants of God are serving money not God. Churches are being opened up in every corner of the street for money making/self-enriching.

To many people, the gospel is for business and personal gain (self-enriching). Churches are business, merchandising and advertisement centers; den of thieves.
Why are you doing business and merchandising in your so-called churches? Why are you selling in your churches? Is a church a market place?
Others are selling prayers, prophecies and miracles for money. How can you sell the Holy Spirit; Jesus Christ?

What is the difference between you and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus; sold Jesus for money?

Jesus said,
‘Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born’ (Mt 26:24).

Why are you betraying Jesus Christ? Why  are you selling Jesus Christ (the gospel)? Why are you making money with the gospel? It is better if you were not born.

And to those who think they can buy the Holy Spirit with money, as peter told Simon so do I tell you,

‘You money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you’ (Acts 8:20-23)

Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out those doing business in it.
Mt 21:12-13: And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves. And said unto them, It is written, ‘My house shall be called the house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of thieves.

John 2:14-16: And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables. And said unto them that sold doves, ‘Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise’.

Jesus will indeed cast you out, pour out the money and overthrow the tables. Den of thieves in name of churches. 

Stop the love of money and earthly riches. It’s the source of all evil.
1 Tim 6:10: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus because of money. You are indeed betraying Jesus because of love of money. You will perish like Judas Iscariot unless you repent.
True God servants do not ask/beg humanity for money and provision. Tithe, give not because another human being has asked/begged or excited you but because it is the Holy Spirit moving you.

I neither make money with the gospel nor ask/beg humans for money and provision. This is the reason there are no advertisements in this website. The gospel is not for business.

Woe to you making the body of Christ a business, merchandising and advertisement centers. Woe to you making money with the gospel. Woe to you self-enriching yourselves with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Woe to you betraying Jesus Christ. Better if you were not born. Unless you repent, you will indeed perish like Judas Iscariot.

Many of your so-called churches are dens of thieves. You are perishing in these dens.

Repent Repent Repent

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His listeners the difference between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure, and He emphasized the importance of the heavenly: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Whatever we focus on dictates our actions. When we focus on earthly success and wealth, we will expend our energies on earthly matters. However, when we focus on God’s priorities, our actions will reflect different priorities—and our reward in heaven will last forever.

Treasure is anything we value above all else and that which motivates us to action. For some it is money. For others it is power. Still other people strive for fame or attention. There are many things in this world vying for control of our heart. According to Jesus, determining where our treasure is also determines where our heart is. Many people claim to look forward to heaven, but their hearts are really not in it—their hearts are caught up in the cares of this world, because that’s where their treasure lies.

Jesus warned us that earthly currency has an expiration date. While it may satisfy us temporarily, it is unstable and fleeting. The ever-changing faces on magazine covers remind us that the famous are here and gone in a blink. The stock market crash of 1929 taught us that the wealthy can quickly lose it all. Power, prestige, and public approval are limited and can be gone in an instant. Even the Son of God experienced the fickleness of human approval. One day people were trying to make Him king (John 6:15), and the next they were leaving Him in droves (verse 66).

“This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). The moment we take our last breath, earthly treasure won’t matter anymore. Jesus urged us to think beyond that last breath to eternity. When our focus is on eternity—when our treasure is laid up in heaven—our lifestyles reflect that perspective.

We will all give an account of ourselves before God for every action (Romans 14:12) and every idle word (Matthew 12:36). No one is exempt. Excuses are not accepted. God sees and knows every thought we think and holds us accountable for the truth we’ve been given (Romans 1:18–22). We store up “treasure in heaven” when we make choices on earth that benefit God’s kingdom. Jesus said that even offering a cup of cool water to a fellow believer is worthy of eternal reward (Matthew 10:42).

In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus told a story about a rich man and a beggar. The rich man had invested his life in opulence and pleasure. He cared little for anyone or anything but himself. When he died, his riches could not follow him. His life choices had prepared him only for hell, and all the money and prestige he enjoyed on earth counted for nothing. After death, he would have given everything he ever owned for a single drop of water, but his treasure had been invested elsewhere.

It is no sin to be rich, but our passions follow our investments. Wealthy people who consider their riches as belonging to God will use what they have in ways that have eternal significance, protecting their own hearts from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). People whose treasure is in heaven cannot be owned by their possessions. They cannot be bought off because nothing on earth is worth the price of their soul. They value the currency of heaven and use their earthly treasure to purchase “heavenly gold,” which will never lose its value. Investing our treasure in material things keeps our hearts anchored to earthly values; however, when we invest in things of eternal value, our hearts remain loyal to the Lord, and we will not be tempted to foolishly attempt to serve both God and money (Luke 16:13).

Jesus had just finished explaining to the disciples the meaning of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, and these two short parables are a continuance of His discussion of the “kingdom of heaven.” He expressed truths about the kingdom in three pairs of parables in Matthew 13: the seed and the sower (vv. 3-23) and the weeds in the field (vv. 24-30); the mustard seed (vv. 31-32) and the leaven (v. 33); and the hidden treasure (v. 44) and the pearl of great price (vv. 45-46). 

The similarities of these two short parables make it clear they teach the same lesson—the kingdom of heaven is of inestimable value. Both parables involve a man who sold all he had to possess the kingdom. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. And while we cannot pay for salvation by selling all our worldly goods, once we have found the prize, we are willing to give up everything to possess it. But what is attained in exchange is so much more valuable that it is comparable to trading an ounce of trash for a ton of diamonds (Philippians 3:7-9). 

In both parables, the treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit do discern spiritual truth, and they, like the men in the parable, understand its great value. 

Notice that the merchant stopped seeking pearls when he found the pearl of great price. Eternal life, the incorruptible inheritance, and the love of God through Christ constitute the pearl which, once found, makes further searching unnecessary. Christ fulfills our greatest needs, satisfies our longings, makes us whole and clean before God, calms and quiets our hearts, and gives us hope for the future. The “great price,” of course, is that which was paid by Christ for our redemption. He emptied Himself of His glory, came to earth in the form of a lowly man and shed His precious blood on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.

The heretical teaching that infiltrated the church in Timothy’s day is still prevalent in modern Christianity. We commonly hear of preachers and Christian figureheads using their positions of influence to amass unimaginable wealth so that they can live opulent lifestyles. They then teach that their success is the norm and a worthy goal that every believer in Christ should seek. They take God’s promises of blessing (Deuteronomy 28:2; Psalm 21:6; 128:2) and create a religion out of them. In some instances, Jesus is portrayed as a means to achieve all our hopes and dreams. Yet this is the very mindset we are warned against in 1 Timothy 6:9–10: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. . . . Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Rather than consider amassing wealth as great gain, Paul states that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Christ-followers should focus their effort on pursuing holiness in conduct, attitude, and thought. They should choose to be content in whatever circumstances God has given them, just as Paul himself had done while in prison (Philippians 4:11–12). We are told to “flee from all this [eagerness to get rich], and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Contrary to what many popular health-and-wealth proponents would have us believe, the Bible warns us against pursuing riches (Proverbs 23:4; Matthew 6:19). It is impossible to be content when our hearts are set on gaining more. We will not remain godly for long if we are not content with what God has given us. A desire for godliness is quickly eroded by a greedy, covetous spirit.

The Bible never says that it is a sin to be rich. There are examples in Scripture of God blessing His servants with tremendous material wealth (Genesis 39:2; 1 Samuel 18:14; 2 Chronicles 1:11–12). But 1 Timothy 6:17 instructs the wealthy this way: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” The difference is in the heart. Both greed and contentment are states of the heart. When we choose to be content with the riches of Christ (Colossians 1:27; Ephesians 3:8) rather than pursue material riches, our lives will be more in line with God’s desire for us, because “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Psalm 1 seems to present a choice that every person must make. There is a fork in the road of life: one route is the way of the righteous, which leads to blessings; the other is the “path of sinners,” and it ends in destruction. A prerequisite for experiencing a blessed life is described in the opening verses:

Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:1–2, NKJV).

The blessed man does not walk “in the counsel of the ungodly.” In the original Hebrew, the word translated “counsel” is a noun meaning “something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action.” The “ungodly” are wicked people, sinners, and those characterized by godlessness.

To walk not in the counsel of the ungodly means to reject any advice from the wicked. It includes avoiding any guiding influence that might shape or direct one’s way of life toward godlessness. Walking involves progress; thus, the verse instructs, “Don’t walk in the counsel, don’t stand in the path, don’t sit in the seat” of the ungodly. The apparent progression presents a picture of someone walking next to sin, then stopping to stand and take it all in, and then finally sitting right down in sin’s seat “to enjoy the fleeting pleasures” of it (Hebrews 11:25).

Not walking, standing, or sitting with the ungodly implies steering clear of sin by avoiding participation in every aspect of the sinner’s way of life. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared,” cautions Proverbs 22:24–25.

A Christian cannot expect to make forward progress if he seeks counsel from sinners or makes plans with unbelievers: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

The person who chooses the righteous way of life avoids thinking like the ungodly, behaving like the wicked, and associating with the godless. Instead, he will “walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20).

A believer who “walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” will apply biblical truth to his daily life, letting God’s Word be a lamp to guide his feet and a light for his path (Psalm 119:105). His “delight is in the law of the Lord,” and he “meditates on his law day and night,” says Psalm 1:2. Such a person will grow in faith and spiritual maturity (Romans 10:17).


As we read the Scriptures daily, study them, memorize them, and meditate on them night and day, our thinking changes. We no longer love the world or the things in it (1 John 2:15–17). We no longer walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world”; instead, God transforms us by changing how we think. Then we can experience God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2, NLT).


In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His listeners the difference between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure, and He emphasized the importance of the heavenly: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Whatever we focus on dictates our actions. When we focus on earthly success and wealth, we will expend our energies on earthly matters. However, when we focus on God’s priorities, our actions will reflect different priorities—and our reward in heaven will last forever.

Treasure is anything we value above all else and that which motivates us to action. For some it is money. For others it is power. Still other people strive for fame or attention. There are many things in this world vying for control of our heart. According to Jesus, determining where our treasure is also determines where our heart is. Many people claim to look forward to heaven, but their hearts are really not in it—their hearts are caught up in the cares of this world, because that’s where their treasure lies.

Jesus warned us that earthly currency has an expiration date. While it may satisfy us temporarily, it is unstable and fleeting. The ever-changing faces on magazine covers remind us that the famous are here and gone in a blink. The stock market crash of 1929 taught us that the wealthy can quickly lose it all. Power, prestige, and public approval are limited and can be gone in an instant. Even the Son of God experienced the fickleness of human approval. One day people were trying to make Him king (John 6:15), and the next they were leaving Him in droves (verse 66).

“This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). The moment we take our last breath, earthly treasure won’t matter anymore. Jesus urged us to think beyond that last breath to eternity. When our focus is on eternity—when our treasure is laid up in heaven—our lifestyles reflect that perspective.

We will all give an account of ourselves before God for every action (Romans 14:12) and every idle word (Matthew 12:36). No one is exempt. Excuses are not accepted. God sees and knows every thought we think and holds us accountable for the truth we’ve been given (Romans 1:18–22). We store up “treasure in heaven” when we make choices on earth that benefit God’s kingdom. Jesus said that even offering a cup of cool water to a fellow believer is worthy of eternal reward (Matthew 10:42).

In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus told a story about a rich man and a beggar. The rich man had invested his life in opulence and pleasure. He cared little for anyone or anything but himself. When he died, his riches could not follow him. His life choices had prepared him only for hell, and all the money and prestige he enjoyed on earth counted for nothing. After death, he would have given everything he ever owned for a single drop of water, but his treasure had been invested elsewhere.

It is no sin to be rich, but our passions follow our investments. Wealthy people who consider their riches as belonging to God will use what they have in ways that have eternal significance, protecting their own hearts from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). People whose treasure is in heaven cannot be owned by their possessions. They cannot be bought off because nothing on earth is worth the price of their soul. They value the currency of heaven and use their earthly treasure to purchase “heavenly gold,” which will never lose its value. Investing our treasure in material things keeps our hearts anchored to earthly values; however, when we invest in things of eternal value, our hearts remain loyal to the Lord, and we will not be tempted to foolishly attempt to serve both God and money (Luke 16:13).

Paul and Silas ministered together on the second missionary journey (Acts 15–18). Paul and Silas are first mentioned together after the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, as both men were part of the group that took the council’s decision back to Syrian Antioch (verse 22). Silas is called a “prophet” who “said much to encourage and strengthen the believers” in Antioch (verse 32).

After Paul and Barnabas parted ways, Paul chose Silas as a traveling companion, and they went to Syria and Cilicia, ministering to the churches (Acts 15:41). After that, Paul and Silas traveled to Derbe and Lystra, where they picked up another companion, Timothy (Acts 16:1–3). Following a journey through Asia Minor, the Spirit led Paul and Silas into Macedonia (verses 6–10). During the missionaries’ time in Philippi, people were saved and a church was established, but Satan opposed their work. Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, and put in prison for their preaching (Acts 16:16–24). While in prison, Paul and Silas sat with their feet in stocks singing hymns. At midnight, an earthquake broke open the prison doors, setting the prisoners free. The jailer feared that his superiors would blame him for the jail break, and he prepared to run himself through with his sword rather than face the punishment. Paul and Silas convinced him not to harm himself, they preached the gospel to him, and he was saved, along with his entire household that night (Acts 16:25–34). It seems from verse 37 that Silas, like Paul, was a Roman citizen.

Paul and Silas then went to Thessalonica together and preached to a synagogue of the Jews. Some of the Jews were convinced of the truth and were saved. Many Greeks and “leading women” also believed (Acts 17:1–4). Again, Paul and Silas were opposed by Satan, and the unbelieving Jews attacked the house of Jason, one of the new believers, accusing him of harboring “men who have turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:5–8). Paul and Silas moved on to Berea. There they encountered another group of Jews who were “more noble” than those in Thessalonica. The Bereans listened to Paul and Silas, and many of them believed after examining the Scriptures to ensure the truth of what Paul and Silas were saying (Acts 17:11–12).

The last mention of Silas in Acts is in 18:5, as he and Paul are in Corinth. Paul stayed with the Corinthians for a year and six months (Acts 18:11) and then left for Antioch, apparently alone. The Bible does not say what happened to Silas after that. When Paul left Corinth, he made a promise to return if possible (Acts 18:21). It is possible that Silas and Timothy remained at Corinth; a tradition says that Silas stayed behind as the pastor. Peter mentions Silas as “a faithful brother” in 1 Peter 5:12. Paul mentions Silas in 2 Corinthians 1:19 and in the introductions of both the epistles to the Thessalonians.

From the biblical record of Paul and Silas we learn the value of faithful companions and dedicated servants of the Lord in spreading the gospel. Paul and Silas were like-minded and equally committed to the service of God. Whether they were praying for guidance in Asia, blazing new trails in Europe, preaching in synagogues, or singing in jail, Paul and Silas did it together. Their loyalty to the gospel and to each other is a model of how believers should work together today.

There are many examples of irresistible grace in God's Word. Perhaps most plain is the calling of the disciple Matthew, also known as Levi the tax collector. The apostle records his own conversion in his Gospel: "As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he rose and followed him" (Matt. 9:9).
Consideration of this verse makes clear the basic teaching of irresistible grace. The Lord Jesus had just returned to Capernaum from His missionary visit to the region of the Gadarenes. Capernaum had become His Galilean headquarters, and many of His most spectacular miracles already had occurred there. Seeing Matthew at his tax collector's booth, Jesus went to him and called, "Follow me." At these words, the tax collector immediately was transformed into a disciple. It is a striking illustration of God's sovereignty in salvation.

For his part, Matthew presents an equally striking picture of man's total depravity. The statement that he was "sitting at the tax booth" is loaded with meaning. At the time, there hardly could have been a more depraved person than a tax collector. The Roman Empire took bids for the right to collect taxes. These agents paid a set amount to Rome, but could keep all the rest that they collected. Tax collectors enriched themselves by preying on impoverished people, stifling trade, and operating what amounted to a local mafia. To make matters worse, they were despised for collaborating with the foreign power that had subjected their own people to bondage.

By remaining in this occupation in Capernaum, Jesus' base of operations at the time, Matthew showed his hardness of heart to the presence and preaching of Christ. Tax collectors' booths were in the most public places; Matthew's was most likely situated either at the docks by the lake or along the main road leading into town. He probably had seen and heard Jesus many times, and was well aware of some of Jesus' greatest works. Just recently, a paralytic had been cured after his friends lowered him before Jesus through a hole they made in the roof of the building where Jesus was preaching. Earlier, Jesus had cast out demons and healed multitudes of hopelessly diseased people right there in Capernaum. But none of this had had the slightest effect on Matthew. There he was in his booth, carrying on his business without any visible response to all these affairs.

In short, there was nothing in Matthew to explain his sudden willingness to believe and follow Jesus. Instead, the answer is seen in the irresistible grace of God, as the Holy Spirit applied Jesus' call with sovereign and divine power.
This helps make clear that when we speak of irresistible grace, we do not mean that God's grace is never resisted. Those who oppose this doctrine make much of the many instances when men and women shun God's grace and turn away, just as Matthew had done many times. But this objection misses the point, for the simple reason that the doctrine of irresistible grace speaks of the operation of grace in the conversion of sinners. We do not teach that no one resists God's grace. But we do insist that when a sinner turns to Christ in faith and begins to follow Him, this conversion is the result of the sovereign, effectual, and irresistible operation of God's grace through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

As the conversion of Matthew shows, irresistible grace is joined to the saving call of God in Christ. Reformed theology makes an important and useful distinction between two kinds of calls. There is the general call of Christ to all the world, offered to all people irrespective of God's election. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," Jesus cried (Matt. 11:28). John records that during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, "Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink'" (John 7:37). This is Christ's general call to anyone and everyone who hears. It is a sincere call and offer of salvation. But because of man's totally depraved state, no one answers this call by his or her own volition. Indeed, no one can. This was Matthew's situation. For all the many times he had seen and heard Jesus, for all that he had learned about what Jesus was doing, and in spite of even direct appeals to faith that Matthew very well may have heard, his sinful heart was indisposed to answer. Jesus once explained this, saying, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). The sinful heart is hostile to God and uninterested in His offer of salvation; Matthew modeled this perfectly as he greedily went on extorting people in the very presence of Christ's saving ministry.

On one occasion, when Jesus was describing the impossibility of a rich man ever entering God's kingdom, Peter asked in dismay, "Who then can be saved?" (Matt. 19:25). This is a good question that arises naturally when we honestly face what the Bible says about man's hopeless condition in sin. The Bible describes unregenerate sinners as spiritually dead, blind, and enslaved. So how can anyone be converted to faith in Christ? The answer is another kind of call, one that comes with divine power to bring us to Christ: the effectual call. As Jesus told Peter, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

Conversion to Christ is not only possible, but happens by virtue of His effectual call, by which the Holy Spirit works with saving power to bring the unbelieving sinner to faith. R. C. Sproul explains: "The unregenerate experience the outward call of the gospel. This outward call will not effect salvation unless the call is heard and embraced in faith. Effectual calling refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Here the call is within. The regenerate are called inwardly. Everyone who receives the inward call of regeneration responds in faith." As John Murray writes of this saving call of God, "since it is effectual, [it] carries with it the operative grace whereby the person called is enabled to answer the call and to embrace Jesus Christ as he is freely offered in the gospel.

The effectual call offers the only realistic explanation for what happened to Matthew. He did not get up from his tax collector's seat because he summoned up the will to change his mind about Jesus. Rather, he came because Christ called him effectually, as the Holy Spirit applied the saving grace of God to his soul. Through the effectual call, not only was he enabled to respond in faith, but a change took place in his heart so that he was compelled to do so. God's grace was irresistible in his conversion precisely because it was a sovereign and divine act whereby God saved his soul. If a king or a queen is able to summon his or her subjects at a word, how much more is the almighty God able to call His chosen people to follow Jesus. For this reason, when called by the voice of God in Christ, Matthew "rose and followed him."

• Jesus sees Matthew (AKA Levi), a tax collector, sitting in his tax office. Jesus tells him to get up and “Follow Me”, which Matthew does. (Matt 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27-28)
• Matthew throws a feast for Jesus at his house. Tax collectors, sinners, and the disciples attend. (Matt 9:10; Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29)
• The scribes and Pharisees (who were also there) question the disciples about Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners (Matt 9:11; Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30)
• Jesus hears their questioning and answers them directly, telling them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance”.
• Matthew’s Gospel adds, “But go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”. (Matt 9:12-13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:31-32).

​Upon first glance, this passage might not seem to terribly confusing. Here, Jesus ministers to tax collectors and sinners by dining with them. The Pharisees criticize Him and He gives a rebuke. Before looking at what the study tools have to say, let’s ask some questions about this passage.

• What is the significance of Levi/Matthew’s profession of tax collector?
• Why did Jesus dine with Levi/Matthew?
• How come it was so scandalous to eat with tax collectors and sinners?
• Why does Jesus talk about doctors and the sick?

Matthew was Jewish, but he collected taxes for Rome. 

The Jews hated tax collectors. They had a reputation for taking more than they needed in order to add to their own wealth. Licensed collectors often hired minor officials called publicans to do the actual work of collecting tolls. The publicans extracted their own wages by charging a fraction more than their employer required. Matthew was a publican who collected tolls on the road between Damascus and Acco; his booth was located just outside the city of Capernaum. The tariffs were small by themselves (often less than 3 percent) but drove up the cost of goods because they were multiplied by all the borders they passed through. He also collected taxes from fishermen who worked along the Sea of Galilee and boatmen who brought their goods from cities on the other side of the lake.

Most people in the Roman Empire did not like tax collectors; Jewish people viewed them as traitors. For assessment purposes, tax collectors could search anything except the person of a Roman lady; any property not properly declared was subject to seizure. In Egypt, tax collectors were sometimes so brutal that they were known to beat up aged women in an attempt to learn where their tax-owing relatives were hiding. Ancient documents reveal that when harvests were bad, on occasion an entire village, hearing that a tax collector was coming, would leave town and start a village somewhere else. People sometimes paid tax collectors bribes to prevent even higher fees.
What’s the deal with these sinners?Shortly after becoming a follower of Jesus, Matthew gave a reception in his home to some of his former business colleagues and other associates so they could meet his new Master. Later rabbis sometimes contrasted Pharisees, as the godliest Judeans one would normally meet, with tax collectors, as the most ungodly one would normally meet. Pharisees did not approve of eating with sinners, making Jesus’ behavior perplexing to them.

“Sinners” was a general term covering persons who were not allowed to act as judges or witnesses because of their moral unreliability. The Talmud enumerates them as dice players, pigeon racers, usurers, dealers in produce from the Sabbatical year, robbers, herdsmen, customs officials, and tax collectors. It is probable that the sinners whom Matthew invited were so called, not on the ground of their being notoriously bad characters, but because they were not in the habit of studying and practicing ‘the tradition of the elders’.

What’s so bad about eating with sinners?In ancient Israel the table was a place where spiritual points were taught and where fellowship occurred. The term “dinner” often connotes a banquet (a festive meal where people reclined), which was probably in Jesus’ honor. Eating with someone established a covenant relationship of friendship, which normally also signified approval. In one ancient story, two warriors stopped fighting each other when they discovered that their fathers had shared a meal! The issue of eating with sinners was sensitive in Judaism since some believed that eating with such company conveyed an acceptance of that person’s sin. Jesus preferred pursuing relationships that might lead sinners to God rather than “quarantining” Himself from such people (see 1 Cor. 5:9–13).

Jesus’ Response“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what thismeans: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
Matthew 9:12b-13, NKJVThe sickJesus replies that as a doctor sought the sick for treatment, so His place was with the sinners He had come to save, despite artificial conventions.

Ancient writers often used sickness and physicians as moral or intellectual analogies. Jesus was not saying that the Pharisees and scribes had no need of spiritual healing. Instead He was saying that only those who know their spiritual need can be treated. The self-righteous Pharisees would not come for aid, and in their own eyes, did not need a doctor. In this passage, repentance is pictured as a patient who recognizes that illness is present and that only Jesus, the Great Physician, can treat it.

Mercy, not sacrificeJewish teachers sometimes exhorted their hearers to “go and learn,” but Jesus’ words might seem more insulting here. 
Jesus quoted Hos. 6:6 to make the point that God is more interested in a person’s loyal love than in the observance of external rituals. Jesus refers ironically to the Pharisees as “the righteous”. They were not righteous; that was only how they perceived themselves because of their pious and scrupulous law-keeping (Phil. 3:6). But Jesus explained, quoting from the familiar words of an OT prophet, that God had already judged sacrifices without mercy as worthless. Those who valued ritual sacrifices above compassion toward others missed God’s heart (Hos. 6:6). In principle Pharisees, valued mercy—but none would have embraced sinners as Jesus did. He did not condone the activities of sinners, but required repentance—a change of mind that recognizes Jesus Christ as the only Savior.

The takeawayEating with sinners can be tough sometimes. It’s easier to stay in our own lane and tune everyone else out. In this story, Jesus set the example for us by breaking social norms and looking past Matthew’s sin. Matthew was among the most-hated, yet Jesus cared more about his soul. Even if you don’t have an opportunity to eat with someone who has been cast out by society (or by themselves), what can you do to recognize others’ humanity and love them where they’re at?

We recently discussed the two olive trees mentioned in Zechariah 4. If you have not read the article yet, click HERE to discover more!
The two olive trees mentioned in Revelation 11 represent the Holy Spirit’s endless supply of anointing, meant to keep the witnesses empowered and lit for the world to hear the Lord’s message.

The two olive trees on each side of the lampstand featured in Zechariah were a representation of God’s might and power, arming His people to complete His work of rebuilding the temple. The two witnesses in Revelation also have an important role that God will equip them for—to carry the mantle of prophecy.
Let’s look at this biblical passage a bit closer…

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.’
“These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.”—Revelation 11:1-6 (emphasis added)

What a sight! The rich imagery in Revelation brings to life the seriousness of listening to these two prophetic witnesses. The divine protection that surrounds them is a compelling warning to anyone who might cross them.

We see the two witnesses prophesying and clothed in sackcloth. The sackcloth in ancient times was a demonstration of repentance.
And the act of measuring, as shown in verse 1, was to communicate the protection and ownership of a structure or land in biblical times.
The two witnesses testify of God’s truth to the world, illuminating the need to turn from evil and turn to God. They also are equipped, by the oil of the olive tree, with zeal and strength to tell all of humanity to let go of their idols in exchange for the hope of Jesus Christ.

Verse 4 says the witnesses are the two olive trees and two lampstands standing before God testifying. God will prepare them for their divinely ordained ministry of preaching the fullness of truth.
They have a role, just as the oil and light, to advance in the world by the power of God, and they have protection in their ministry.
Similar to any classic ‘good versus evil’ story, war will be waged against them. They will be killed at the same place Jesus was crucified. And just like Jesus, they will be resurrected with the breath of life and ascend to heaven in a cloud (Revelation 11:11-12).

Like an olive tree, the witnesses are sturdy and thrive under harsh conditions. Their olive tree-like qualities also provide them with never-ceasing declarations of truth. They continuously “burn by the oil” that runs through them that is supplied by the Lord Himself.

The Lord uses the olive tree as an instrument of communication to us and the world over and over again throughout His Word.

So, what then does God communicate through these word pictures?
Characteristics of the Olive Tree in the BibleBiblical writers use the characteristics of the olive tree to provide a natural explanation for the supernatural realms.

It is used to describe our relationship with God, Israel’s relationship with God, our relationship with each other, and our relationship with Israel.

The Olive Tree Symbolizes…God’s Relationship with Us | UnwaveringIt has been said that an olive tree can be cut down or even burned, but its roots will still produce new shoots. And, the oil represents an anointing of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when we are anointed with the “oil of the olive tree,” we can overcome trials in life because God supplies us with His strength.
​

• “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”—Isaiah 11:1
• “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.”—Psalm 52:8
• “… a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing…”—Deuteronomy 8:8-9​

​​Revelation 11:4


This verse gives the biblical identification of the Two Witnesses, and it is quite interesting. It is inserted here as if we should know who these Two Witnesses are already. They are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before God. It is as if Jesus is saying, "Don't you read your Bible? Haven't you read Zechariah 4?" Obviously, that is what He is referring to—specifically Zechariah 4:14, where almost the exact same thing is written. In answer to Zechariah's question, the angel says:

These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:14)

One could say, "Well, I'll just go to Zechariah 4 and find out who these two characters are." However, that is where it becomes tricky because Zechariah 4 is in no way easy to figure out.



 Revelation 11:4


This verse tells us that these two are the two olive trees and the two lampstands "standing before the God of the earth." Why are they described as "the two lampstands"? Timing is vital to understanding this. Revelation 10 and 11 are internally chronological. At this time, the seven thunders have ceased, and the Two Witnesses have been raised up. They are the sole effort God has going as far as witnessing, preaching, and proclaiming His way on the earth.

What does a lamp do? It gives light (Matthew 5:14-16). What are the Two Witnesses doing at this time? Revelation 11:4 says that they are the two lampstands that stand before the God of the whole earth. What are they doing? They are lighting the whole house, as it says in Matthew 5. What is the house? Who comprises the house of God? The church! The two olive trees put their oil in the reservoir, and it feeds the whole church - to do what? To make light! At this time, though, the church is hidden in a Place of Safety, and not even Satan can get to them, as far as we know. We know that certainly no men can get to them.

So, we could say that the church's light is at that time under a basket. Who is left to be light to the world? The Two Witnesses! They are, at this point, the two lampstands. All the eyes of the world will be drawn toward these two prophets. They are the only ones that will be doing good works at that time; they are the only ones that will be publicly glorifying God in heaven.
That is why they are called the two lampstands. They are the only ones remaining to shine spiritually during Jacob's trouble and the Day of the Lord. They will be, in effect, raising Cain all over the world. The whole world hates them, and they will rejoice when these two are dead - because they cannot stand the fact that these two shine so brightly for God.

At this point, the seven churches are out of the picture, so the lampstands cannot represent churches. They picture these two bright lights for God. Not only will they be supplying the church with oil, but they will also be shining brightly as witnesses to the world as a result of the good works that they do.

 
Revelation 11:4


Jesus, through the angel speaking to the apostle John, identifies who the Two Witnesses are. To the unenlightened, this sounds like little more than further symbolic claptrap. However, to those who use God's Spirit, which imparts the mind of Christ to His disciples (I Corinthians 2:16), it is a lighted, flashing arrow pointing back to the prophecy found in Zechariah 4.
Zechariah 4:14, in summing up the prophecy, parallels Revelation 11:4: "So [the angel] said, 'These [olive trees] are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth." Clearly, the Two Witnesses and their work are revealed in the two olive trees, but understanding this heavily symbolic description takes some effort.
In Zechariah 4:2, the angel describes a strange golden lampstand, somewhat like a menorah—a seven-branched candelabra—but with a large bowl on top. This lampstand features a central pole, on top of which is the bowl, and from it, perhaps in seven different directions, extend seven arms or branches, each ending in a lamp. Further, seven pipes or tubes run to each of the seven lamps from the large bowl on top. Verse 3 informs us that the two olive trees stand to the right and left of the bowl.
A similar vision is given to the apostle John in Revelation 1:12-13. In it, the resurrected Jesus Christ replaces the central pole, and the seven lampstands are arrayed around Him, much like the seven lamps. Christ Himself interprets the vision, saying that the seven lampstands are the seven churches (verse 20). However, in this vision, the olive trees are not to be found—they appear separately in Revelation 11. Here, the bowl, too, is missing.
Zechariah has no idea what he is seeing, so he asks for clarification. Through the angel, God gives His answer: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). Zerubbabel, a type of Christ, had been given the work of building the Temple after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon. God's answer to Zechariah is that His work is done through His Spirit.
Applying this to the vision, we are to see that the oil that drains from the bowl into the seven lamps represents God's Spirit manifested in works (I Corinthians 12:7-11). We never see the Holy Spirit, since it is invisible to the eye, but we see the works done through it (John 3:8).
On this aspect of the prophecy of Zechariah 4, the Kiel and Delitzsch commentary asserts: "Oil . . . is used in the Scriptures as a symbol of the Spirit of God, not in its transcendent essence, but so far as it works in the world, and is indwelling in the church." Simply put, oil signifies God's Spirit in its visible works rather than in its pure form.
Jesus declares an important principle in John 6:63, "The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." One of the primary vehicles of the work of God's Spirit is words—spoken or written. The Bible is inspired by God's Spirit (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:21), and it is a composition of words—God's words, prophets' words, and apostles' words. In the same way, the primary job of an anointed servant of God is to speak or write words to convict people of God's truth. In the speaking or writing of words, he witnesses for God and accomplishes a work.
In the case of the Two Witnesses, the two anointed ones, this connection becomes critical. Zechariah 4:12 literally reads, "What are the two olive clusters which through the two golden pipes empty out of themselves the golden oil?" It is an illustration of the olive trees emptying oil into the bowl! How can these two men—prophets though they are—supply the seven churches with oil? Because the oil is not God's Spirit in pure form but Spirit-inspired works, probably in the form of words—teaching, instruction.
If this is so, the Two Witnesses provide a massive amount of spiritual instruction to the seven churches just before the end.