1 Corinthians 9:14

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Even so. The only inference from this passage is, not that the Christian ministry is sacrificial, as the Jewish priesthood, but simply, that as the latter was supported by the people's contributions, so should the former. The stipends of the clergy were at first from offerings at the Lord's supper. At the love feast preceding it every believer, according to his ability, offered a gift; and when the expense of the table had been defrayed, the bishop laid aside a portion for himself, the presbyters, and deacons; and with the rest relieved widows, orphans, confessors, and the poor, (Tertullian, 'Apology,' .) The stipend was in proportion to the dignity and merits of the bishops, presbyters, and deacons (Cyprian, 100: 4: Ephesians 6:1).

Preach the Gospel - the duty of the Christian minister, in contrast to the ministering about sacrifices (Greek) and waiting at the altar of the Jewish priesthood (). If the Lord's supper were a sacrifice (as the Mass is supposed to be), this 14th verse would certainly have been worded so, to answer to . The same Lord Christ 'ordains' the ordinances in the Old and in the New Testaments ().