Honour And Priests

Rogamus autem vos, fratres, ut cognoscatis eos, qui laborant in vobis, et praesunt vobis in Domino, et monent vos; ut illis summam honorem habeatis in charitate propter opera ipsorum: pacem habete inter vos. Hoc est, quod dicit in alia epistola presbyteres duplici honore honorandos, qui laborant in verbo doctrinae. Potest enim pigere eum, qui inopiam patitur, exercitium facere, quod prosit audientibus. Quid enim prodest honorem sine fructu habere: aut quid magnum est efferre ei carnali, qui tribuit spiritalia? Sicut enim divitiae negligentiam pariunt salutis, ita egestas dum saturari quaerit, a justitia declinat. Hinc Solomon nec nimis divitem se petit fieri; nec egestuosum. Hoc ipsum tamen in charitate fieri debere; ut honorificentia sacerdotis non de timore magis sit, sed de amore; ut etiam illi proficiat, qui facit. Res enim quae sponte non fit, ad effectum non pervenit; quamvis enim ad praesens proficiat sumenti, nihil tamen proderit in futuro danti. Et quia dissensio multa generat mala, pacificos eos esse hortatur. Ambrosiaster, Commentaria in Epistolam Ad Thessalonicenses Primam Caput V Source: Migne PL 17.452a-b

'We ask you, brothers, that you acknowledge those who labour among you and lead you in the Lord and warn you, that you give them all honor in love on account of their works, having peace among you.' 1  That is, which he says in another letter, 2 that priests have a double share of honor, they who labour in the word of teaching. For it is possible that he who suffers poverty is impeded in exerting himself for the improvement of his hearers. How indeed does it profit to have honour without fruit? Or why is it so important to give material things to him who has given spiritual things? Because as wealth gives birth to carelessness for salvation, so seeking to fulfill needs in poverty leads to a decline from righteousness. Whence Solomon does not seek to be rich, nor to be destitute. 3 But this should be done in love, that the honour given to a priest is not from fear, but from love, which indeed profits him who does it. For that which is not of one's own will does not achieve its end, although indeed in the present it may profit in gain, but in the future such giving will profit not at all. And because much dissention produces evils, he exhorts them to the love of peace. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On Saint Paul's First Epistle to the Thessalonians, Chapter 5 1 Thes 5.12-13 2 1 Tim 5.17 3 Prov 30.8