1 Corinthians 9:13

1 Corinthians 9:13

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

a. NLT: Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.

b. NIV: Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?

c. YLT: Have ye not known that those working about the things of the temple -- of the temple do eat, and those waiting at the altar -- with the altar are partakers?

d. Amplified Bible: Do you not know that those men who are employed in the services of the temple get their food from the temple? And that those who tend the altar share with the altar [in the offerings brought]?

e. Worrell Translation: Know ye not that those who are occupied upon sacred things eat of the things of the temple? And that those who wait at the altar partake with the altar?

1.”Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple?...”

a. do ye…know [1492 * eido] [Strong:   a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

b. not [3756 * ou]  [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

c. that [3754 * hoti] [Strong: neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

d. they which minister [2038 * ergazomai] [Strong: middle voice from 2041; to toil (as a task, occupation, etc.), (by implication) effect, be engaged in or with, etc.:--commit, do, labor for, minister about, trade (by), work.]

e. holy things [2413 * hieros] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; sacred:--holy.]

f. live [2068 * esthio] [Strong: strengthened for a primary edo (to eat); used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by 5315; to eat (usually literal):--devour, eat, live.]

g. of the things [1537 * ek] [Strong:  a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, ...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]

h. the temple [2411 * hieron] [Strong: neuter of 2413; a sacred place, i.e. the entire precincts (whereas 3485 denotes the central sanctuary itself) of the Temple (at Jerusalem or elsewhere):--temple.]

1). This verse speaks of the different ministries between the Levites and the priests. All priests were Levites but not all Levites were priests. The Levites were divided into the family of Aaron who were the priests and the other families of Levites who were not priests but had responsibilities of transporting the tabernacle. Moses and Aaron were Levites.

a). Exodus 2:1-10 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.

2:7Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.

2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.

2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

b). Exodus 4:14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

2). Levi had three sons and Moses and Aaron were descended from Levi through Kohath.

a). Numbers 3:17-20 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

3:18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

3:19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

3:20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

3). Aside from the family of Aaron, the three sons of Levi each had their particular tasks concerning the Tabernacle, that is the “holy things” things referred to in 1 Corinthians 9:13. The  Gershonites responsibilities in the tabernacle were the materials of the tabernacle.

a). Numbers 3:25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hangings for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

3:26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

4). The Kohathites responsibilities was the sacred furniture of the tabernacle.

a). Numbers 3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

5). The sons of Merari had the responsibilities of the wooden supports of the tabernacle.

a). Numbers 3:36, 37 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

3:37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

6). When Israel was traveling, these particular families would carry the tabernacle only. When Israel would break camp, the priests would disassemble the tabernacle and cover all the pieces. Only then would these three families then accomplish their ministry (Numbers 4:5-15). This was their ministry.

a). Numbers 3:5-8 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

3:6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

3:7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

3:8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

7). Because of their sacred service, they received the tithe of Israel and therefore lived “of the things of the temple”.

a). Numbers 18:21-24 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18:22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

2. “…And they which wait at the altar are partakers of the altar?”

a. they which wait [4332 * prosedreuo; pros-to; hedra-a seat] [Strong: to sit near, i.e. attend as a servant:--wait at.]

b. at the altar [2379 * thusiasterion] [Strong: from a derivative of 2378; a place of sacrifice, i.e. an altar (special or genitive case, literal or figurative):--altar.]

c. partakers [4829 * summerizomai] [Strong: middle voice from 4862 and 3307; to share jointly, i.e. participate in:--be partaker with.]

d. with the altar [2379 * thusiasterion] [Strong: from a derivative of 2378; a place of sacrifice, i.e. an altar (special or genitive case, literal or figurative):--altar.]

1). What is meant by “partakers with the altar”? In many of the offerings made by Israel, there was a portion that was given to the priests, and they were allowed to eat it with their families. There are a few examples given in Scripture.

a). Leviticus 2:1-3 [NIV] When someone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering is to be of fine flour. He is to pour oil on it, put incense on it,

2:2 And take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, together with all the incense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, and offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

2:3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings made to the LORD by fire.

b). Leviticus 7:28-34 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

7:29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.

7:30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.

7:31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron and his sons’.

7:32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.

7:33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

7:34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.

             2). Paul also mentioned this principle in the next chapter when addressing behavior that                        opens the door to the demonic.

a). 1 Corinthians 10:18-20 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

10:19 What say I then? That the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?

10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

3). In this one verse Paul includes both groups who serve in the Temple, the priests and the Levites, with the purpose of providing a foundation to exhort believers to support the ministry financially.