Chapter XIII.
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—Support of Prophets.
1. But every true prophet that willeth to abide among you
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is worthy of his support.
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2. So also a true teacher is himself worthy, as the workman, of his support.
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3. Every first-fruit, therefore, of the products of wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and of sheep, thou shalt take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests.
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4. But if ye have not a prophet, give it to the poor. 5. If thou makest a batch of dough, take the first-fruit and give according to the commandment. 6. So also when thou openest a jar of wine or of oil, take the first-fruit and give it to the prophets; 7. and of money (silver) and clothing and every possession, take the first-fruit, as it may seem good to thee, and give according to the commandment.
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A large part of this chapter is found in
Apostolic Constitutions,
vii. 28, 29, but with modifications and additions indicating a later date.
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“Who will settle among you” (
Hitchcock
and
Brown
). The itinerant prophets might become stationary, we infer. Chaps. xi.-xv. point to a movement from an itinerant and extraordinary ministry to a more settled one.
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Lit., “nourishment,” “food.”
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Matt. x. 10
; comp.
Luke x. 7
.
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This phrase, indicating a sacerdotal view of the ministry, seems to point to a later date than that claimed for the
Teaching
. Some regard it as an interpolation: others take it in a figurative sense. In
Apostolic Constitutions
the sacerdotal view is more marked. [
1 Pet. ii. 9
. If the
plebs
= “priests,” prophets = “high priests.”] Here the term is restricted to the prophets: compare
Schaff
in loco
.