The term 'hireling' is used both in the Old Testament and New Testament scriptures. Just what does it mean and who is a hireling?
The word is used 6 times in the OT Word.
In Job 7:2
As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
The Hebrew word hireling is sakiyr and it means:
a hired man, one who is hired to labor
It simply means a person who is paid to do a job.
It has no real BAD meaning about it but it can become a BAD thing as I will show you in the NT Word.
In the NT Word hireling is used only three times and it is by Jesus Himself.
John 10:12-13
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
In the Greek it is misthÅtos and it means the same as the Hebrew word:
a paid worker or hired servant
If we always study in context, which we should, we see that Jesus is referring to a man who is PAID to look after sheep.
He does not own them but he is ONLY doing the job for MONEY. This in itself is NOT a bad thing but look what happens in the text. The hired man or hireling, doing it just for money, does not protect the sheep but he runs off when wolves come. This proves he loved the money/his life far more then protecting the sheep. This now makes the hireling bad / sinful. ( he thought of himself vs the sheep )
Again looking at context, Jesus is comparing other false men to Himself ... as the good Shepard.
Verse 11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
The context of a "bad hireling" here is to that of a real Shepherd vs the one who does it for a job. We can look deeper at Jesus example ( faithful to death ) and say a man who loves the sheep ( God's People ) does not even do it for the money at all.
Hirelings do it for the money/status!
I want to be clear....
I am not saying a man can't be assisted to be in full time ministry but it should NOT be for profit but for his bare needs to be met.
Now lets look in context, at what a hireling could be today in the modern culture.
I offer up to you that modern pastors/famous evangelists/popular preachers could fall into this category (men who look after claimed believers) and let me explain why.
It is common today that one man takes the role of pastor and is paid well for it. That role is NOT biblical as I show you in an article link attached. See this article on why the modern pastor role is sinful today:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2014/02/is-modern-pastor-role-biblical.html
Note: They will defend their "making money" from the faith or bodies of believers by saying "Well God's teachers always got compensated for such work." Really????
Study this article and see why so many of their ways are NOT of the true NT body today:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2014/04/characteristics-of-new-testament-body.html
Ok, lets look back at the OT and see what God ordained for labors in the ministry/Word.
If you study the temple system in Jerusalem that God ordained for His priesthood, this is what we see. They were dedicated men who did not work outside but lived from the tithe that was brought into them from Israel. That tithe was FOOD, not MONEY. It was for the poor, the priests and the operation of the temple. These men were allowed to eat from the tithe and have shelter as they did their priest duties.
NONE OF THESE MEN GOT RICH OFF OF BEING A MINSTER AND THEY DID NOT DO IT FOR CASH MONEY AT ALL!!!
They were allowed to fairly eat of the tithe ( food ) that came into the temple system. That is only fair of God. This is where we get the idea don't muzzle the oxen as.... it is fair to allow workers to eat as they labor.
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
Deut 25:4
Men who labored for the Lord were expected to eat of the tithe ( food ) to survive. They lived meager lives and were simply able to eat / have shelter. They did NOT take cash salaries or live in a high manner off of God's people. Yes, temple offerings provided for their basic needs. They just ministered and a minister is really just a servant not a lifted up paid for money position!
***See my article on tithing and why it is not for today at the end of this post.
Now fast forward to the NT Word.
We are NOT under the tithing or temple system today. We are all priests unto God ( 1 Peter 2 ) and our bodies are the Temple ( 1 Cor 3 ).
But knowing their will be elders / servants / ministers, Paul makes for allowance for men who labor in the Word to live from the gospel. (Offerings from a body and such can be used to support the work of the gospel ministry/workers within basic limits.)
1 Cor 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? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Paul references the OT priests in 1 Cor 9.
What does this mean if we compare today's servants to the OT priests?
*Do they have a lifted up position/status
*Do they get a big salary?
*A new car
*A house and retirement plan?
Or, like in the OT, does a NT body provide for them to eat and live a meager lifestyle as they serve in the servant ministry?
The answer is obvious if you study the Holy Word.
Today's pastors often make far more then the average worker and they live very well with many benefits. So much so MANY men seek and make a CAREER out of being a pastor. They even go to college/seminary... just to attain it.
How sinful.
Did you catch that? A career that you make money in! Folks this is NOT of God's plan at all!
This is where the HIRELING part comes in today.
Like the sheep herder "paid to do the job" Jesus spoke of, many pastors are more interested in money / growth / status then God's people / truth. (Their fruit shows it ) The same goes for so called Christian authors, evangelists, counselors and musicians. They have created a career and profit flow that again.... GOD never ordained.
*Do you realize the most famous 'so called' Shepherd pastors today like John MacArthur / Billy Graham are (were) all multi MILLIONAIRES by selling and getting paid via God's work? And pastors of big churches are paid like rich CEO's.
This is NOT of God and it clearly makes men.... hirelings.
Also keep in mind 99.9999% of today's pastors are not biblical shepherds nor are they protecting people from the many false teachers/wolves all over because they are wolves themselves. They are teaching false ways and allowing false ways right in to make more money/fill up pews and this too makes them a total hireling.
In fact, in John 2.... Jesus made a whip and used it on men at the idea of them making money off of the Father!
God, the OT priests, Jesus on earth nor Apostle Paul ever viewed it as a paying job for a man's financial gain as men do today. If a man labored in ministry of course he could eat and be provided for meagerly by believers but if MONEY ever becomes any part of his focus or purpose, a HIRELING he is as Jesus so well explained! If money is his focus he needs to go become a business man.
Now Paul does go on to say this in 1 Cor 9:15
But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
While he defends the action, Paul did not even take any provisions and we know he himself labored making tents to not be a burden to others; though he could have lived by the gospel himself. I love that example and I strive to model it.
I remind pastors often today that we are to imitate Paul see 1 Cor 11 and HE WORKED as he ministered! ( they hate that..)
In closing, both in the OT and the NT a man in ministry could be provided for in a simple "biblical manner" ( food / shelter ) if he labors full time in ministry. (It is not a career, status role or big money making position ) If a man in ministry ever becomes paid to the point he is near, at, or above others pay and lifestyle who labor in profit industry/jobs, the title of HIRELING may well apply to him as well.
Ask yourself if you see a "paid man" in ministry today.
*Is he fully biblical and is he protecting people from false ways and wolves.... or is he really one himself?
*Is he making GAIN via mammon ( money ) and living well for his so called laboring/shepherding?
Remember the hireling in John 10....
He allowed sheep to be harmed by wolves for money. You don't have to run off today for that to happen do you? Today's pastors are teaching heresy and letting carnality / destructive doctrines of demons right in the pews as it makes the body grow and that is more income/status for them in the end.
All those areas will assure that King Jesus will call these men a HIRELING on judgement day! How could it be any clearer?
Repent, obey the gospel and run from those hirelings....
Articles on why tithing is NOT for today:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/search/label/Tithing
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