I’ll be honest, for a long while I wondered what in the world the phrase “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing” actually meant. The phrase is often used in the Christian Finance realm, and though I understood the concept it described, the connection to muzzled oxes remained a little vague in my pysche.
Paul said in his letter to the Corinthians: “For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING ” God is not concerned about oxen, is He? Or is He speaking altogether for our sake? Yes, for our sake it was written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope, and the thresher to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:9-14)
Don’t get me wrong, I understood the concept he was getting across (the surrounding verses make this clear). What I didn’t really get was what in the world the phrase about muzzling the ox literally meant. So here is the answer: In ancient times an animal was used to spin a wheel or walk a threshing floor to separate the wheat from the stalk/chaff. Those who were first to harness animal power to thresh wheat quickly discovered that their “power source” was eating the grain they were harvesting. Animal owners quickly began to muzzle the ox/donkey to keep it from eating the grain. In the old testament Law God commanded Israel to permit the animal doing the labor to share in the benefits of his hard work. While I have found animal rights activists use this verse (seriously), Paul explains that the Law was for our benefit.
It is designed to teach us that those working hard to produce, ought rightly to share in the benefits of their production. He says more simply in 2 Timothy: “For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (1 Tim. 5:8)
We should always be quick to let the laborer enjoy the fruit of his or her labor. This speaks to our provision of those who make proclaiming the Gospel their “livelihood”. It does, however, provide an interesting challenge to business owners, managers, etc.
