By Apostle Edward Ssewanyana

 

Deuteronomy 25:4 KJV

(4)  Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

 

Moses the Prophet of God wrote a principle concerning oxen 1,400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. At face value this principle appears to address a simple command to allow oxen to eat the grain which they were treading out or threshing. It is important for us to understand the method used by the ancient Israelites in the processing of grain. After harvesting they did not take the grain to an electrical threshing machine but rather they took the grain to a flat outdoor expanse called a threshing floor. A yoke or pair of oxen was then driven in circles around the threshing floor so that as they stepped on the grain the stalks and chaff would separate from the grain kernel.

 

This is where muzzling now comes in. In a bid to prevent the oxen from eating the grain on the threshing floor, some farmers would place a basket-like muzzle over the mouth of the ox or bull as it did this work of threshing. The muzzle was secured to the horns of the ox and was sufficiently perforated enough to allow the ox to breathe but would not permit the ox to eat the corn on the threshing floor. I have personally experienced the application of a muzzle on a dog since we had dogs for a long time as I grew up. Whenever the dog was taken for vaccination to the veterinary doctor, a plastic or metallic muzzle was placed on its mouth to prevent it from biting the staff and doctors at the veterinary clinic.

 

Applying the Muzzling Principle to Gospel Ministers Today

 

1 Corinthians 9:9-11 KJV

(9)  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

(10)  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

(11)  If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

 

Apostle Paul was defending his Apostleship before the Corinthian church and clearly quoted the principle of muzzling the mouth of the ox from the scripture in Deuteronomy 25:4. An obscure horticultural grain processing principle is suddenly revealed to be applicable to the gospel ministers today. The principle that Apostle Paul brings forth is that just as the ox should not be hindered from eating the grain it was threshing, the Apostles and Prophets today should not be stopped from receiving financial or material support as a recompense for their labours. The same ox that was active in plowing and threshing should not be stopped from eating the grain on the threshing floor. Likewise, the gospel minister according to v11 had a right to receive financial or material support because they participated in sowing spiritually into the lives of those who benefited from their preaching and teaching ministries.

 

The entire context in which this scripture is given rotates around Paul stating that he had a right not to engage in secular work and simply receive financial support from the churches but he chose not to as a personal decision “Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?” (1 Corinthians 9:6 KJV). Apostle Paul had a tent making business and he used this business to support himself and his ministry activities including even supporting a team of ministers who travelled with him (Acts 20:34). Likewise, today gospel ministers have a choice to support themselves through any form of secular employment, businesses or investments. However, as the ministry grows there may not be an opportunity to engage in full time secular employment. I would take an example of an Apostle or Prophet who travels to other nations for extended periods of time for gospel missions which definitely cannot sit well with a secular boss who expects that person seated at their desk from Monday to Friday.

 

We have to note that the personal decision of Apostle Paul not to receive financial support from the Corinthian church can not be apply to all ministers because it was simply a decision which he made not to stumble the fickle consciences of the strife-prone believers at Corinth (1 Cor 3:1-4). The same way a gospel minister today who chooses not to receive financial support from the church but earns through businesses or investments should not condemn full time ministers or fivefold ministers who are fully supported by salaries from churches or ministry organizations.

 

The Soldier and the Farmer

 

Apostle Paul uses three figures of speech to highlight the fact that ministers deserve their pay, “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?”  (1 Corinthians 9:7 KJV).

  1. The soldier: The first figure of speech is a soldier. Even in modern armies the recruited soldier is not expected to fight for his nation while purchasing army uniforms and weaponry from his own pocket. Rather the government collects taxes which it uses to pay the salary of the soldier and buy him the guns and other weaponry to wage war.
  2. The horticultural farmer: The second figure of speech is a farmer who grows crops. Apostle Paul makes it clear that a farmer who plants a vineyard has a right to pluck the grapes and eat them. No one blames the vineyard farmer for eating his own grapes.
  3. The pastoralist farmer: The third figure of speech is a farmer who rears domestic animals. The animal husbandry farmer has a right to drink the milk gotten from his own cows that he has bred.

 

Following up on the same logic from the 3 examples above, the preacher and teacher of the Word of God has a right to partake of the financial support of those who receive spiritual food from him just like the soldier receives government salary and the farmer can eat his harvested crops and drink milk from his own cows. Thus, it is very hypocritical for someone to complain about the financial support, church salary and love offerings given to gospel ministers yet they do not raise hell when a government soldier receives salary and a farmer partakes from the products of his own farm. Actually, if anyone were to make a law forbidding farmers from eating their own produce there would be riots on the streets the next day.

 

Those Who Partake With the Altar

 

1 Corinthians 9:13-14 KJV

(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?

(14)  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

 

The modern ministers of the New Testament are also compared to the Priests and Levites of the Old Testament. The Levites were told not to own and were not apportioned vast properties in promised land of Canaan because the Lord was their inheritance, “Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them” (Deuteronomy 18:2 KJV). Long portions of scriptures in Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy explain that most of the offerings brought by the Israelites to the Lord’s altar were to be consumed by the Levites and Priests. That is why Apostle Paul concludes in v14 that likewise the preachers of the gospel who include Apostles, Prophets and Pastors have a right to live of the gospel just like the tribe of the Levites. You will note that during those times when the Israelites turned to idolatry, they indirectly muzzled the Levites by failing to give towards the temple. The Levites then also forsook the service of the temple and fled to their own fields to become farmers (Neh 13:10).

 

The Double Honour

 

1 Timothy 5:17-18 KJV

(17)  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

(18)  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

 

The same scripture from Deuteronomy 25:4 is quoted again in 1 Timothy by Apostle Paul. This time the context is the elders or five fold ministers under the supervision of the Apostle Timothy. There are 2 types of honour that can be given to gospel ministers today:

  1. The honour with words; This is the most common type of honour given to ministers by church members or those who are ministered to, where they verbally appreciate those who minister to them.
  2. The honour with finances: This is the second type of honour and is the honour envisaged by the scripture quote of not muzzling the ox.

 

Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy makes it clear that the elders who laboured in teaching and preaching the Word of God had a right to partake of both verbal appreciation and financial support from the church. Those who taught doctrines by whatever means had a right to eat the corn or receive material benefit from those to whom they ministered.

 

Practical Outcomes of Muzzling the Ox as Demonstrated in the Financial Fates of Nations Today

 

The United States government does not have a specific budget where it hands out funds to support churches. However, as we are going to see the US government is indirectly the biggest donor to churches in the entire world. Any person who indicates on their IRS (Internal Revenue Services) declaration that he or she gave funds as a donation to a church can claim a tax exemption. Donors who itemize their deductions can claim a charitable deduction for donations made to a church. This means the government collects less income tax from the donor, further reducing revenue.

 

Here is a breakdown of the specific taxes churches are generally exempt from:

  • Federal Income Tax: Churches do not pay federal income tax on donations, offerings, and other income tied to their religious mission. This is the core benefit of 501(c)(3) status.
  • Property Tax: Churches are typically exempt from paying property taxes on buildings and land used for religious purposes. This is a significant exemption at the state and local level.
  • Sales Tax: In many states, churches are exempt from paying sales tax on purchases related to their religious mission.
  • Payroll Taxes (FICA & FUTA): Churches can elect an exemption from paying Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes for certain employees and are exempt from federal unemployment (FUTA) taxes.
  • Parsonage Allowance: Ministers are allowed to exclude a housing allowance (or the rental value of a parsonage) from their taxable income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The total amount of revenue foregone due to these exemptions is debated. A widely cited figure is $71 billion annually, which comes from a 2012 study by researchers at the University of Tampa. When this amount is compared to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of countries worldwide, approximately 130 countries had a GDP of less than $71 billion in 2024. That is one of the primary reasons why I believe God keeps on prospering the USA economy. The USA outgives all other countries in the world and because it does not muzzle the gospel labourers it continues to prosper despite many other failings in other moral departments.

 

The core outcome of not muzzling the labourers becomes clear as day when we look at it from the national or macro-economic level. The countries that do not muzzle their gospel ministers prosper as per Isaiah 1:19 KJV “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”

 

On the other hand the countries that muzzle their gospel ministers struggle financially.  This will apply in the lives of individuals as well because when individual Christians start to give generously to support the gospel ministers, they will prosper because of their obedience.