In Deuteronomy 25 is a seemingly inconsequential verse that I at first glanced over without a thought but upon reading the commentary on it realized that it was much more profound than I had ever expected (and I guess the lesson is not to ever think a word in the Word is inconsequential!). That verse is Deuteronomy 25:4 which reads, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out thy corn on the floor." There is a literal meaning here which has to do with humane treatment of animals, but like much else in the Bible the significance doesn't end there, and actually it doesn't quite even begin there. What Deuteronomy 25:4 is telling us is that there are those among us who do laborious deeds for our benefit and we are not to neglect them but are to provide for them. Think of the soldier, who goes out and risks his life that we may have safety back home. His deed is utterly selfless and I don't know too many who would argue his pay should not come out of our pocketbooks. To most it would seem pretty logical to give up some of our money so that the soldier may get by; we are after all the main beneficiaries of his work. So why is it much harder to imagine the same principal for clerics? The soldier labors for our physical safety and well-being, while the cleric labors for our spiritual safety and well-being. The cleric, and maybe I should narrow the term, whether priest, bishop, religious brother or sister, selflessly labors his or her life away for our spiritual betterment. They are the oxen treading out the corn on the floor. Does it seem logical to muzzle them? Some (lately many) argue that they are greedy to "demand" our money as stipends. We are offended when that collection basket comes by. Why should we give up our hard-earned money to the cleric who spends his days in leisure on the church grounds? Well, that whole idea is wrong, both our attitude and conception of what a cleric does. The life of a priest is one of constant labor. And it is all for our sake. Just as we wouldn't think twice of paying for a soldier's necessities of life, we should think likewise concerning a priest. And of course St. Paul clarifies all of this for us: "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? Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that ploweth should plow in hope: and he that thresheth, in hope to receive fruit. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?" (First Corinthians 9:9-11).
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Deuteronomy 25 - Feeding the Oxen
In Deuteronomy 25 is a seemingly inconsequential verse that I at first glanced over without a thought but upon reading the commentary on it realized that it was much more profound than I had ever expected (and I guess the lesson is not to ever think a word in the Word is inconsequential!). That verse is Deuteronomy 25:4 which reads, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out thy corn on the floor." There is a literal meaning here which has to do with humane treatment of animals, but like much else in the Bible the significance doesn't end there, and actually it doesn't quite even begin there. What Deuteronomy 25:4 is telling us is that there are those among us who do laborious deeds for our benefit and we are not to neglect them but are to provide for them. Think of the soldier, who goes out and risks his life that we may have safety back home. His deed is utterly selfless and I don't know too many who would argue his pay should not come out of our pocketbooks. To most it would seem pretty logical to give up some of our money so that the soldier may get by; we are after all the main beneficiaries of his work. So why is it much harder to imagine the same principal for clerics? The soldier labors for our physical safety and well-being, while the cleric labors for our spiritual safety and well-being. The cleric, and maybe I should narrow the term, whether priest, bishop, religious brother or sister, selflessly labors his or her life away for our spiritual betterment. They are the oxen treading out the corn on the floor. Does it seem logical to muzzle them? Some (lately many) argue that they are greedy to "demand" our money as stipends. We are offended when that collection basket comes by. Why should we give up our hard-earned money to the cleric who spends his days in leisure on the church grounds? Well, that whole idea is wrong, both our attitude and conception of what a cleric does. The life of a priest is one of constant labor. And it is all for our sake. Just as we wouldn't think twice of paying for a soldier's necessities of life, we should think likewise concerning a priest. And of course St. Paul clarifies all of this for us: "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? Or doth he say this indeed for our sakes? For these things are written for our sakes: that he that ploweth should plow in hope: and he that thresheth, in hope to receive fruit. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things?" (First Corinthians 9:9-11).
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