1 Timothy 5:18

If this verse is read without critical prejudice, it implies that in the writer's judgment a quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4 and the Saying, ἄξιος, κ. τ. λ. might be coordinated as ἡ γραφή; just as in Mark 7:10; Acts 1:20, and Hebrews 1:10, two O.T. quotations are coupled by a καί. For this formula of quotation, in addition to the reff., see John 19:37; Romans 4:3; Romans 11:2; Galatians 4:30; James 2:23.James 4:5.

The question then arises, Is ἄξιος, κ. τ. λ. a proverbial saying carelessly or mistakenly quoted by St. Paul as ἡ γραφή ? or, Was St. Paul familiar with its presence in a written document, an early gospel, the subject of which was so sacred as to entitle it to be called ἡ γραφή ? The question has been prejudged by supposed necessary limitations as to the earliest possible date for a gospel; and many have thought it safest to adopt Stier's statement that ἄξιος, κ. τ. λ. was a common proverb made use of both by our Lord (Luke 10:7; Matthew 10:10), and by St. Paul. In that case, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that St. Paul forgot that it was not ἡ γραφή; for here it is not natural to take ἄξιος, κ. τ. λ., as a supplementary or confirmatory statement by the writer in the words of a well-known proverb. The proverb, if it be such, is rather the second item in ἡ γραφή, just as in 2 Timothy 2:19, the “seal” consists of (a) “The Lord knoweth them that are his,” and (b) “Let every one that nameth,” etc. Our Lord no doubt employed proverbs that were current in His time, e.g., Luke 4:23; John 4:37. In both these cases He intimates that He is doing so; but He does not do so in Matthew 10:10, or Luke 10:7. Besides, while the variation here between Matt. (τῆς τροφῆς) and Luke (τοῦ μισθοῦ) is of the same degree as in other cases of varying reports of Sayings from Q common to Matthew and Luke, yet such variation in wording is not likely in the case of a well-known proverb. We may add that it is difficult to know to what ruling of Christ reference is made in 1 Corinthians 9:14 if it be not this Saying. Critical opinion has recently grown inclined to believe that much of the gospel material which underlies the Synoptists was put into writing before our Lord's earthly ministry closed. (See Sanday, The Life of Christ in Recent Research, p. 172.) The only question, therefore, is not, Could St. Paul have read the Evangelic narrative? but, Could he have coordinated a gospel document with the written oracles of God, venerated by every Hebrew as having a sanctity all their own? The question cannot be considered apart from what we know to have been St. Paul's conception of the person of Jesus Christ. We may readily grant that it would be a surprising thing if St. Paul thought of the writings of any contemporary apostle as “Scripture,” as 2 Peter 3:16 does; but since he believed that Christ was “the end of the Law” (Romans 10:4), it would be surprising were he not to have esteemed His words to be at least as authoritative as the Law which He superseded.

The order in Deuteronomy 25:4 is οὐ φιμ. βοῦν ἀλο. The same text is quoted, 1 Corinthians 9:9 in the form οὐ κημώσεις βοῦν ἀλο. ([285] * [286] * [287] [288]). St. Paul's treatment of the command, as pointing to an analogy in the life of human beings, does not need any defence. Our just repudiation of the spirit in which he asks in 1 Cor., “Is it for the oxen that God careth?” must not blind us to the large element of truth in his answer, “Yea, for our sake it was written”.

[285] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[286] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[287] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS.

[288] Codex Boernerianus (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthæi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis (δ) of the Gospels.