Tentmaker

Paul the Apostle worked as a Ordained Minister of the Church and all he had belonged to the Church as a whole and not for his own profit.

Was Paul the Apostle a tentmaker and a minister of Christ?

Tarsus was a major tent manufacturing city. It imported wool and hair from all over the world by ship and shipped out as finished products. It was a major industry in that area and it was big business. Tents were in big demand and not merely the habitation of nomadic Bedouins.

Paul's family almost had to be connected to tent manufacturing as almost everyone in that city was connected to it. He was clearly of the wealth class. and the Bible is clear about his occupation.

Acts 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation [τέχνη techne] they were tentmakers [σκηνοποιός skenopoios].

Aquila and Priscilla were always considered part of the 120 from the upper room by many historians and also well to do holding the same occupation.

The idea that Paul the Apostle was sowing tents sitting on the floor would not fit a clear view of his life and connection with some of the wealthiest families in the Roman Empire.

Because they sold tents does not mean they did it for profit?

Profit is gain or increase.

The ministers of the early Church like the Levites of Moses had no personal "estate". They owned all things in common. The ministers of Christ had to meet the qualification and conditions imposed by Christ which was common among priests in those days. They had to give all their personal property away and become the bondservants of Christ. They held all things they did have in common. One qualification was what we call today a Vow of poverty.

Because each congregation of ministers were connected through a network of minister congregations they were also joint heirs.

The tents were manufactured by them with an expenditure of labor which was turned into tents, into denarii and then into things they needed or was need in the service of the Christian Church.

This is no different than the Levites who belonged to God but were also his ministers of the people serving the tents of the congregations. The Levites had lands and also worked in many industries which often made them independent financially but they could not sell their lands to others because they only had a legal title to what they held. They had no inheritance in the land itself.

This labor of Paul's was not outside the Church but within the Church. It was not for personal profit or to create a wealthy estate. It was labor for the estate of Christ and his work with other ministers clearly made it within the Church. It would not be considered "trade or business" by the definition of those terms. See The Free Church Report

If you need help:

Or want to help others:

Join The Living Network of The Companies of Ten
The Living Network | Join Local group | About | Purpose | Guidelines | Network Removal
Contact Minister | Fractal Network | Audacity of Hope | Network Links