1 Timothy 5:17

Here are directions, I. Concerning the supporting of ministers. Care must be taken that they be honourably maintained (Ti1 5:17): Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour (that is, of double maintenance, double to what they have had, or to what others have), especially those who labour in the word and doctrine, those who are more laborious than others. Observe, The presbytery ruled, and the same that ruled were those who laboured in the word and doctrine: they had not one to preach to them and another to rule them, but the work was done by one and the same person. Some have imagined that by the elders that rule well the apostle means lay-elders, who were employed in ruling but not in teaching, who were concerned in church-government, but did not meddle with the administration of the word and sacraments; and I confess this is the plainest text of scripture that can be found to countenance such an opinion.

— Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary (public domain)

The transition from the widow presbyteresses (Ti1 5:9) to the presbyters here, is natural. rule well--literally, "preside well," with wisdom, ability, and loving faithfulness, over the flock assigned to them. be counted worthy of double honour--that is, the honor which is expressed by gifts (Ti1 5:3, Ti1 5:18) and otherwise. If a presbyter as such, in virtue of his office, is already worthy of honor, he who rules well is doubly so [WIESINGER] (Co1 9:14; Gal 6:6; Th1 5:12). Not literally that a presbyter who rules well should get double the salary of one who does not rule well [ALFORD], or of a presbyteress widow, or of the deacons [CHRYSOSTOM]. "Double" is used for large in general (Rev 18:6). specially they who labour in the word and doctrine--Greek, "teaching"; preaching of the word, and instruction, catechetical or otherwise. This implies that of the ruling presbyters there were two kinds, those who labored in the word and teaching, and those who did not. Lay presbyters, so called merely because of their age, have no place here; for both classes mentioned here alike are ruling presbyters. A college of presbyters is implied as existing in each large congregation. As in 1Ti. 3:1-16 their qualifications are spoken of, so here the acknowledgments due to them for their services.

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)