1 Thessalonians 2:9
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
At Thessalonica Paul preached the gospel by day while working with his hands at tentmaking through much of the night, laboring night and day. By this toil he supported himself and at times others, so he would not be chargeable to the believers or burden them for material aid. Although as an apostle he was fully entitled to ministerial support, for the laborer is worthy of his hire, he willingly gave up that just claim to remove suspicion that he preached for personal gain. This caution was especially needed at Thessalonica, where sharp traders believed gain was godliness, so that receiving support there would have weakened his message and harmed his hearers and fellow laborers. His self-denying labor remains the pattern for ministers to join preaching with useful work when needed, dignifying manual toil, rebuking indolence, and keeping the body strong to give teaching greater force.
Paul's Labor at Thessalonica
After leaving Philippi he came to Thessalonica on the seacoast, where with his fellow workers he preached the gospel of God by day while working with his hands at his trade of tentmaking through much of the night, in labour and travail night and day. He and the other apostles toiled in this way to support themselves while carrying forward the gospel work, joining preaching with labor for their own support. By working at his trade, at times continuing into the night, he earned his bread and provided for his own needs and at times for the needs of others. In this he would not be chargeable to any of the believers, would not depend on his hearers for material aid, and would not burden the churches, especially sparing poor churches any financial burden for his support.
His night-and-day toil was gentle care like a nurse cherishing her children, with affectionate desire for the believers that imparted to them not only the gospel of God but his own life, because they were dear to him. By his own example of working night and day he illustrated his teaching that if a man will not work neither shall he eat.
Reasons for Refusing Support
It was perfectly right for Paul to be supported by the gospel, for the laborer is worthy of his hire, yet as an apostle he willingly gave up his just claim to ministerial support. His apostolic labor entitled him to his bread, but he labored with his hands making tents to earn it rather than claim it. He accepted the toil of a craftsman even though preaching was his chief work.
He declined that support to remove suspicion that he and his fellow laborers preached for personal gain. He feared that imputed selfish motives would give excuse to depreciate the work of the gospel, weaken his message, and hurt the influence of God's servants. By supporting himself and not depending on his hearers for material aid, he kept his message from being misrepresented.
This caution was especially needed at Thessalonica, where the Greeks were sharp traders educated to shrewd practice in deal, who believed gain was godliness and honored ability to make money by fair means or foul as reason for honor. There he judged that receiving support would not have the best influence on his fellow laborers and hearers, so he gave no opportunity to say they preached in order to be supported by the gospel. His working also met practical needs and gave him access to people he might not otherwise have reached in order to teach them.
Example for Ministers Today
Paul's night-and-day toil at Thessalonica shows that preaching the gospel can be joined with working for one's own support, so that he and his fellow workers sustained themselves while preaching and would not be a financial burden to the believers. His example teaches young ministers that preaching does not excuse ministers and teachers from useful work when circumstances require it, for he was not ashamed of honest labor and such work is not demeaning alongside service to God. Working with his hands in the gospel field was itself a way of teaching and training, strengthening the body for service.
His work as a tentmaker honored industry and gave fellow workers an example of diligence and self-support, even though his apostolic work entitled him to support. Skill in ordinary work is a gift from God, and God is to be honored in daily toil rather than letting time be wasted. Manual labor does not diminish the dignity, influence, or force of a Christian minister, and his labor-worn hands did not weaken the force of his appeals. By this he rebuked indolence and selfish ease and showed diligence to be honored.
Physical work with the hands kept him from becoming enfeebled and prepared and strengthened the body to endure the toil and hardship of gospel work. Keeping the whole body exercised gives teaching greater vitality and force, while ministers' teaching loses vitality and force when they fail to exercise the whole body. Making this faithful, Christlike life of self-denying labor one's own at home and abroad, in health and in sickness, amid the world and in the sanctuary, gives a hope that does not bring shame. Every trial patiently endured in such labor is recorded in heaven and will be rewarded when Christ comes to give every man according to his works.