Galatians 6:6 Commentary and Bible Study

There were recognized teachers in the churches right from the start. They were men whose work for the Lord often left them insufficient time to do a secular job in order and support themselves. They certainly were not going to be rewarded by unbelievers for their teaching of God’s word and were therefore dependent on the church for the provision of food, clothing, and shelter. That is not to say that they were never times when it was appropriate for men like Paul to teach and to support themselves with a part-time job when pioneering, but this is not the norm for teachers, and where pioneer work has advanced sufficiently churches should see their responsibility to advance the cause of God by enabling a man to study and teach without having to take time from his spiritual work to himself through secular employment.Those who gave money and other gifts gave it to men whom they knew personally and from whom they benefited directly. They did not give it to some central organization that dispensed salaries to Christian workers who were strangers to them, for there is to be accountability for material gifts received from the Lord’s people. In this way a church will avoid continuing to support teachers who were idle or incompetent. The benefit of each in this reciprocal arrangement was known: ‘him that is taught’. These were not teachers who occupied their pulpits but never caused their hearers to grow. There is no command in Scripture for teachers to be rewarded who are unable to teach.