The support that a minister receives should never be thought of in terms of payment for services rendered.
Such support does not fall into the same category as the fees that a doctor or lawyer might charge, or the salary that an engineer, plumber, or teacher might receive. In the case of ordinary professions there is some sort of commercial equivalence between the work done and the payment received. Work done by a professional who has undergone many years of costly training is more expensive than work done by a labourer who has spent little time or money on his training—and this is right (see Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 16:11).
In contrast to these professions, the labour of the minister is a proclamation of the free grace of God. The gospel is not a product for the preacher to sell as if it belonged to him. Paul condemned those who sold God’s Word for profit like hawkers (2 Corinthians 2:17); and when Jesus sent out his disciples he said to them, You received without paying, give without pay
(Matthew 10:8). Those whom God has called to the ministry need to display a sense of reverence toward God’s Word. It is the eternal gospel, able to give life to the dead when owned and used by the Holy Spirit; it must never be treated as a commodity for sale.
8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.