MINISTRY, Support of the, Sylvester Hassell “By this occupation Paul supported himself during his Apostleship. His churches, like the Christians in general of the first and succeeding centuries, were of the lower and poorer classes in society; and he chose not to burden them, but to labor for his own necessities, as well as for those with him. He collected money for the poor Jewish Christians in Palestine, but not for himself. “Only as an exception did he receive gifts from the Philippian brethren, who were peculiarly dear to him.” Yet he enjoins upon the churches to care for the temporal needs of their spiritual teachers.” (Hassell)