The Culture Clash

.....By the time of Jesus, the Jewish people had fully accepted the propriety of tithes and offerings. Because of their background in the law, they understood that those who ministered partook of the offerings that were given (1 Corinthians 9:13). In this culture, Jesus had rarely asked for offerings of any kind, for the people were generous enough to give without His asking (Luke 19:5; Mark 14:14; John 4:7; Luke 5:29; 7:36; 8:3; John 12:2). And thus He gave a commandment to the apostles:

....." . . . Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy . . . and remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give; for the laborer is worthy of his wages."

(Matt 10:11; Luke 10:7)

.....Thirty years later, Paul’s ministry was advancing into Europe as he preached to the Jews of Philippi. They, too, had a background in the law and knew that financial support was appropriate, so they had given freely (Acts 16:15). But the Gentiles, with a much different background, had objected loudly. And the apostles were caught off guard.

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.....When the idea of financial support came to the Gentiles, they were suspicious. If an offering of any kind was taken, even for the most basic of needs, the purity of Paul’s motives were questioned (1 Corinthians 9:3-12). He was accused of being ‘unspiritual’ or of preaching ‘for the money’, and as a result the gospel that he preached was dismissed out of hand (2 Corinthians 2:17).

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.....Paul was faced with a terrible dilemma. The Gentiles, as strangers to the promises of God, could not be expected to respond to the collection maturely, as the Jews had done. If he took a collection of any kind they would be offended, and it might keep them from being saved. But if he refrained from collecting their offerings, he would starve.
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.....The only other option was to work day and night at any secular job he could find, and to preach the gospel between jobs without rest. He came to Thessalonica as a foreigner who would naturally be viewed with suspicion, and was offered only the worst of jobs. But he toiled in them ceaselessly so as not to be a burden to anyone (1 Thessalonians 2:8,9).

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.....Also, the Jewish Christians from Philippi began to help him quietly (Philippians 4:16). It was barely enough for Paul and his companions to survive.

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.....In the days that followed, Paul was persecuted and chased from city to city. He finally came to Corinth where he landed a better paying job as a tent maker (Acts 18:1-3). He would now earn enough to supply his needs and the needs of those who ministered with him (Acts 20:34).