|
THESIS: The Lord's people have always had a treasury out of which
expenses for spiritual activities and material provision for their needy
was funded. Regulations regarding the maintenance of the treasury are
found in the scriptures.
OBJECTIVE: To provide scriptural evidence of the above
proposition and answer questions concerning it.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND:
A. The tithe of the Old Testament was placed into the
treasury ‑Lev. 27:30‑32.
B. God accused the people of robbery when they withheld
them ‑ Mal. 3:8‑11.
C. The poor widow cast her all into the treasury‑Mark
12:41‑44
1. Why? see Deut. 16:16‑17
2. Note that it was a mandatory offering but they were
required to give as they were able.
D. The blood money of Judas was refused ‑ Matt. 27:6
E. Jesus and the disciples had a treasury (bag) out of
which expenses and money for the poor came ‑ John 13:27‑29.
THE POOLING OF RESOURCES UNDER COMMON OVERSIGHT:
A. Acts 2:44 ‑ "...had all things common..."
B. Acts 4:34,35 ‑ "...laid them down at the apostles'
feet...distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
1. Note the significance of the words "laid them down at
the apostles' feet".
2. Expositor's Greek New Testament, page 138 "the
apostles are represented as sitting, perhaps as teachers, xxii.3, cf.
Luke ii.46, and also as an indication of their authority: the expression
in the Greek conveys the thought of committal to the care and authority
of anyone..."
C. Acts 6:1f ‑ The burden of distribution became too great
for the apostles to personally oversee and seven men were selected to be
"over" this "ministration." Yet, the collected funds were still under the
auspices of apostolic authority. The widows here are quite probably of the
type mentioned in I Tim. 5:3‑16 (see below).
D. I Tim. 5:3‑16 ‑ Certain qualified widows were to "enrolled"and
the church was to "relieve" them.
E. I Tim. 5:17‑18 ‑ Wages were to be paid to elders who
labored in teaching or preaching the gospel just as to "preachers."
F. I Cor. 9:6‑15 ‑ Paul argues that preachers have a right
to be supported materially for preaching. In II Cor. 11:8 Paul states that
he "robbed other churches, taking wages of them,to do you (Corinthians,
bgg) service." In chapter 12:13 asks forgiveness for this wrong. The
Corinthians should have paid their own preacher but Paul wanted no
accusation from his enemies. (See context of 11:1‑12:13)
G. Phil. 4:15 ‑ The Philippian church supported Paul in
preaching in other places.
H. Acts 11:29,30 ‑ "And the disciples, every man according
to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren that dwelt in
Judea: which also they did, sending it to the elders by the hands of
Barnabas and Saul." That the funds were first gathered into a common
treasury is not stated in this passage but that it was placed in such, at
least temporarily, under the auspices of the elders of the various Judean
churches until distribution to the poor could be made is implied.
I. This information should be sufficient to establish
beyond doubt that some form of "treasury" or pooled resources existed and
was used by churches in apostolic times in order to carry on the work of
church.
MAINTENANCE OF THE TREASURY:
A. What was the source of the funds which made up the
treasuries of the churches out of which the above mentioned expenditures
came?
1. As in the Old Testament the offerings of the people
of God provided the funds.
a. These offerings were mandatory according to
ability.
b. The offerings were of the nature that they were
both obligatory and free‑will at the same time. This poses no
contradiction.
2. The resources for the "treasury" were gathered by
free will offerings of the members of the local churches. No funds were
solicited from non‑members or from other churches except in emergency
circumstances when the soliciting church had internal benevolent needs
that it could not meet. (Acts 11:27‑30; et al) This much has already
been determined by a cursory reading of the passages above.
3. The question(s) remains, "How were these funds
collected, when were the collections made, and what is the nature of the
collections?"
B. Does the "Corinthian Collection" provide information
and authority for a regular, first day of the week collection from which
the on‑going work of the church is funded? Is there authority for
maintaining a "treasury" or bank account in which a balance is kept?
1. THE CORINTHIAN COLLECTION ‑ (I Cor. 16:1‑4)
a. Background Information: The Judean Situation
(1) We have already noted the on‑going need in
Jerusalem for continued benevolent response. Acts 2:42‑45; 4:32‑5:4;
6:1‑6
(2) This need began immediately upon establishment
of the church in AD 30. It continued to develop and intensify during
the reign of Claudius when famine struck the area in AD 44‑48. The
need for outside help was evident during this famine and continued
throughout N.T. history as recorded in Acts (Jerusalem's being
destroyed in AD 70 would certainly have an effect on Christians
generally). Paul's letter to the Corinthians was written in AD
56‑57, nearly 30 years after the establishment of the church and the
benevolent needs of Judea was a constant factor. As other churches
were established and grew able, they were called upon to have
fellowship with Judean Christians by sending funds for relief.
(3) The structure for collecting, overseeing, and
disbursing funds for benevolence and evangelism was long in place
when I Corinthians was written (see passages above). Twelve or
fourteen years earlier the church Antioch had begun relief efforts
during the famine mentioned above (Acts 11:27‑30). However, little
concerning the manner and nothing concerning the time of collection
had been recorded.
(4) The need was still apparent and the ability of
the Corinthians was evident (although they were not an "upper class"
church, I Cor. 1:26f). So Paul, from Ephesus in about AD 56 or 57
wrote to the Corinthians concerning a number of items which needed
correcting. In chapter 16, as it is now divided, he addresses the
collection for the saints in Judea. The text in the KJV states:
"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I
have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the
first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as
God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And
when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will
I send to bring your liberality to Jerusalem. And if it be meet that
I go also, they shall go with me." (I Cor. 16:1‑4)
b. The traditional view of this text by members of the
Lord's church has been that this passage authorizes the Sunday
collection being placed into a "treasury" out of which the on‑going
work of the church as well as any emergency need is funded. I believe
this position to be true, not because it is traditional, but because
the evidence supports it. It has become traditional among churches of
Christ because it is true. Whatever abuses may exist, the validity of
the practice is Scripturally demonstrated. The following things are
true concerning the collection:
(1) Directed by apostolic authority ‑ "as I have
given order...so do ye"
(2) On the first day of the week ‑ Sunday cf. Acts
20:7 Why Sunday? This is when saints gather for worship and
spiritual service.
(3) An individual responsibility ‑ "every one of
you"
(4) Pool an amount proportionate to income ‑ "lay by
him in store,as God hath prospered him,that there be no gatherings
when I come." "gatherings" is the same word as "collection" in verse
one.
c. I believe that this is a specific example of
general authority and responsibility to "fellowship" others in
benevolence, and, by legitimate extension, to evangelism. No other
means of collectively funding the Lord's work is authorized.
(1) This contribution is described by the following
terms which help to identify its nature:
(a) logeias ‑ "a thing that has been counted, a
collection." (I Cor. 16:1)
(b) charin ‑ "a gracious gift" (I Cor. 16:3)
(c) koinonia ‑ "a taking part, a fellowship, a
communion: (II Cor. 8:4; 9:13)
(d) diakonia ‑ "a ministry, a deaconship" (II Cor.
8:4)
(e) hadroteti ‑ "bountiful, abundance, liberal
gift" (II Cor. 9:12)
(f) eulogian ‑ "well‑counted, blessed‑counting"
(II Cor. 9:5)
(g) leitourgia ‑ "serviceable gift, a gift to
serve, a liturgy" (II Cor. 9:12)
(h) eleemosune ‑ "alms, gift of mercy, gift for
the poor" (Acts 24:17)
(i) prosphora ‑ "a sacrificial offering" (Acts
24:17)
(2) Not only does this terminology and the
statements in II Cor. 8‑9 indicate that the motive for thus giving
is love and mercy for fellow Christians, but that it is considered
an ACT OF “WORSHIP” OR SERVICE TO GOD just as it was under the Old
Covenant.
d. COMMON OBJECTIONS:
(1) Command or apostolic advice? "Did Paul, by his
statement, command all Christians of all generations to lay by in
store on the first day of the week? We affirm he did not....How can
this be a command to us when it was not even a commandment to the
Corinthians? Paul said himself that he did not command them to give
towards the needs of Jerusalem. Read 2 Corinthians 8:8." (The
Persuader, August 27, 1972).
(a) "gave order" ‑ dietaxsa "to arrange, appoint,
command....gave order" Thayer "signifies to set in order, appoint,
command....gave order" Vine In the ASV it appears in Matt. 11:1
(commanding; Luke 3:13 (appointed); 8:55 (commanded); 17:9‑10
(commanded); Acts 7:44 (appointed); 18:2 (commanded); 23:31
(commanded); 24:23 (gave order); I Cor. 7:17 (ordain); 9:14
(ordain); Gal. 3:19 (ordained); Tit. 1:5 (gave...charge). IN NOT
ONE OF THESE PASSAGES DOES THE WORD INDICATE MERELY ADVICE. The
word means "command." What could be plainer?
(b) The clause "so do ye" is from poiesate, first
aorist, imperative, of the verb poieo. The word translated "lay"
in verse 2 is from titheto, present, active, imperative, third
person singular, and "the imperative mood is used in commands" (J.
Gresham Machen, New Testament Greek for Beginners, p. 180).
(c) But, it is objected, "What about II Cor. 8:8
which says, 'I speak not by way of commandment...'?"
{1} This is an elipsis and is parallel to John
6:27; I Cor. 1:17, 14; I Pet. 3:3‑4; Matt. 6:19‑20.
{2} Read it "I say this not by way of
commandment only, but especially as proving the sincerity of
your love..."
{3} Also in this context we have two more
imperatives: "See that ye abound in this grace also..." and "But
now complete the doing of it also..."
(2) "The contribution is to be stored at home
weekly and then gathered when Paul arrived."
(a) Some say that the "by him" means "at home."
{1} par heauto can be translated "by him" but
it is not necessarily so. It is the third person singular,
instrumental case of the reflexive pronoun heautou which may
be neuter or masculine. The context must declare which. cf. I
Sam. 9:23
{2} McGarvey and Pendleton in their "Standard
Bible Commentary" state: "The word, 'thesaurisoon,' translated
'in store,' means, literally, 'put into the treasury;' and the
phrase 'par heauto,' translated 'by him,' may be taken as the
neuter reflexive pronoun, and may be rendered with equal
correctness 'by itself.' Macknight thus renders these two
words, and this rendering is to be preferred. If each man had
laid by in his own house, all these scattered collections
would have had to be gathered after Paul's arrival, which is
the very thing he forbade....It was put in the public treasury
of the church, but kept by itself as a separate fund."
{3} "The Living Oracles" version of the New
Testament, translated by "Doctors George Campbell, James
Macknight and Philip Doddridge," renders these verses, "Now,
concerning the collection, which is for the saints; as I
ordered the congregations of Galatia, so also do you. On the
first day of every week, let each one of you lay somewhat by
itself, according as he may have prospered, putting it into
the treasury; that when I come, there may be no collections."
The only way to avoid logeiai when Paul came was to have the
logeias concerning which he wrote ready when he arrived.
(b) The contribution, the collection, was done
when the brethren would be together, i.e., the first day of the
week. It was to be an expression of devotion to God and love and
concern for brethren. It provides a pattern for both emergency
and regular maintenance of the working funds of the church.
(c) Consider the fact that this need as well as
evangelistic needs exist continually in throughout the world. As
our ability and judgment allows, we must seek to glorify God in
this was as in others.
2. "The treasury is subject to abuse."
(1) This is not a valid objection, but is an area of
real concern.
(2) In view of the constant need and our limited
resources, we should never have a "fat" treasury, we should spend and
be spent for the Lord, we should seek areas into which to send the
gospel. If we do, too much money will NEVER be a problem!
|