Must Be Called of God/Unpaid Ministry - Ancient

Officers Must Be Called of God

Men must be called of God to serve in the offices of the church . We do not take ecclesiastic office unto ourselves. Furthermore, the authority of the priesthood has to come from someone who already has it. Even the Savior had to receive his authority from His Father:

"And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son" (Hebrews 5:4)

Of his apostles, the Savior said:

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit... that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16)



No Priestcraft Permitted - Unpaid Ministry

The apostles of the early church worked to support themselves:

"Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; And labour, working with our own hands..." (1 Corinthians 4:11-12)

The Apostle Paul took great joy in devoting his life to the preaching of the gospel "without charge":

"What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more." (1 Corinthians 9:18-19)

The apostles set the example for all those who were engaged in the work of the Church:

"For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us." (2 Thessalonians 3:8)

Peter encouraged the people of the Church in his day not to take pay for their work, and to serve with a willing attitude:

"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock..."  (1 Peter 5:2)

Jesus taught that "hirelings" can't care for the sheep and won't lay down their lives to protect them the way He, the Good Shepherd, can:

"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." (John 10:12-13)

 The apostles did both the work of their occupations and the work of the Church:

 Occupations of the Apostles:

Simon (Peter) - fisherman (Mark 1:16-17)

Andrew - fisherman (Mark 1:16)
James - likely carpenter, brother of Jesus
John - fisherman (Mark 1:19)
Phillip - likely fisherman (from fishing town of Bethsaida) (John 1:44)
Bartholomew/Nathanael - possible fisherman because of his friendship with Phillip
Matthew - publican/tax collector (Matthew 10:3)
Thomas Didymus - fisherman (John 21:2-3)
James (son of Alphaeus) - fisherman (Mark 1:19)
Simon Zelotes/the Caananite - possible lawyer/politician, belonged to "Zealots" party
Judas Iscariot - accountant (John 13:29)
Lebbaeus Thaddeus or Judas brother of James - fisherman (Mark 1:19)

Paul - tentmaker (Acts18:1-3)

Barnabas - ???

Matthias - ??? 
Judas???
Silas??? 
John Mark??? 

Outside of their day jobs, the servants of old were called of God and formed a Church with an unpaid ministry.