During the Commission to the Twelve as documented in Matthew 10, Jesus told the Apostles that they had been called by God and instructed them not to take with them money, provisions or unnecessary clothing because their needs would be provided by those who received them:

“Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick” (Mt 10:9)

In their *** of chapter 10 in Matthew’s Gospel, the 2×2 Fellowship place great importance on the fact that the Workers do not receive a salary as compared to most other “worldly” religions. Cornelius Jaenen even goes so far as to call worldly preachers “hirelings”, a term that directly implies that a pastor or minister is motivated primarily by money rather than a genuine spiritual calling. Setting aside such a contemptuous presumption to know what is inside the hearts of worldly preachers, the premise that a paid clergy is both unbiblical and undesirable needs to be explored. The 2×2 Fellowship places great emphasis on having the “right spirit” but apparently Dr. Jaenen is unable (unwilling?) to give outside believers any benefit of the doubt when it comes to contemplating their personal motivations. For that matter, it is generally agreed that most pastors do not make much money in their respective vocation. According to one report, only about 10% of pastors receive a salary that places them in the upper-middle class bracket.

The Bible explicitly supports paying clergy, establishing that those who dedicate their lives to spiritual leadership have a rightful claim to financial support from the congregation. Both the Old and New Testaments mandate that religious workers be materially supported so they can focus entirely on teaching and ministry. [1, 2]

Key biblical principles and scriptures supporting paid clergy include:

New Testament Mandates

• 1 Corinthians 9:14: Paul writes that "the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel."

• 1 Timothy 5:17–18: Paul instructs churches to honor leaders who preach well, stating, "The worker deserves his wages."

• Luke 10:7: Jesus establishes this principle while sending out His disciples, telling them, "the laborer deserves his wages."

• Galatians 6:6: Believers are instructed to share "all good things" with the one who teaches them. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Old Testament Precedent

• Numbers 18:21-24: The Levites were fully supported by the tithes of the other tribes so they could dedicate their time to tabernacle duties without holding secular jobs. [1, 2, 3]

• Deuteronomy 25:4: Paul quotes the Mosaic law, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," to illustrate that workers should be allowed to benefit from the fruit of their labor. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Apostolic Example

• Paul's Rights vs. Practice: While Paul famously worked as a tentmaker at times to avoid burdening new churches, he consistently defended the right to be paid, calling it an apostolic authority. [1, 2, 3]

• Church Support: Paul accepted financial gifts from churches (such as the Philippians) to further his missionary work without distraction. [1]

Although clergy are to be paid, the New Testament warns against serving solely for financial gain or "shameful gain" (1 Peter 5:2). Financial support is designed to facilitate devoted service, rather than personal greed

https://sellingjesus.org/articles/paying-pastors

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. (John 10:11-13)

Are pastors who receive pay like the hired hand in this passage? Jesus criticizes those who are in it solely for the money and “care nothing for the sheep.” However, receiving financial compensation does not immediately imply insincere motives, just as being financially dependent in a marriage does not imply insincere love. The point of Jesus’ illustration is not to only trust human shepherds who work for free, but to trust in the good shepherd. While no pastor can match the sacrificial nature of the chief shepherd himself (1 Peter 5:4), any good pastor will tell you that you should ultimately follow Jesus, not them.

Finally, it should be remembered that this is an illustration of Jesus’ trustworthiness and sacrifice, not an instruction on how to run a church. Notably, the sheep do not give any money to the hired hands (to state the obvious) in this illustration. Jesus gives other illustrations where servants receive compensation in a positive light (Matt 20:1–16, Luke 12:42-44). Pastors should not be greedy while shepherding God’s flock (1 Peter 5:2) yet they are entitled to support from the flock (1 Cor 9:7)

We do not argue that pastors should be supported because of the temple system. We merely argue that the way God provides for those in ministry is consistent throughout the Bible. They are provided for through the offerings believers give in worship of God, whether someone chooses to give a certain percentage or not. The consistency adds weight to our view, not proof.

 Paul received financial support from the Philippians (Phil 4:18) and instructed believers to financially support elders/pastors (1 Tim 5:17-18).[3]

https://sellingjesus.org/articles/should-preachers-be-paid

Workers get paid - in some form or fashion: they get free food, lodging, transportation, cars, computers, cash; They say they’re relying on God to provide, but this is just skipping the step of money; the entire point of money is to pay for food, lodging, transportation, etc.

Levitical Precedent: The Church draws a parallel to the Old Testament, where the Tribe of Levi did not own land but were supported by the tithes of the other tribes to focus on temple duties

Biblical Mandate: St. Paul clearly states in 1 Corinthians 9:14 that "the Lord ordered that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel

from Catholic Answers: https://www.catholic.com/qa/is-there-scriptural-support-for-paying-clergy-a-salary

Whoever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock? Am I saying this on human authority or does not the law also speak of these things?

It is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is God concerned about oxen, or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, for the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher in hope of receiving a share. If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you? If others share in this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?

He goes on to specify that even though he would be completely justified in being paid for his ministry (v. 18), he chose to forego that right in order to eliminate a potential source of criticism from his detractors. He explains in verses 13 and 14, “Do you not know that those who perform the temple services eat what belongs to the temple, and those who minister at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel.” Also see Romans 15:26-27, 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10, and 2 Timothy 2:6