The Book of Nehemiah — Bible Study 22 Expository Commentary on the Book of Nehemiah
The Book of Nehemiah — Bible Study 22
Expository Commentary on the Book of Nehemiah
Scattered Pearls — 6.
Nehemiah 13:13.
Corruption in the Higher Levels of the Temple Administration
“Then I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites over the storerooms, and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful...”
— Nehemiah 13:13
What lessons does this passage teach us?
First, let us look at the background of this event.
1. Nehemiah Was Away from Jerusalem for a Period of Time
According to Nehemiah 13:6, he returned to the Persian king Artaxerxes I. During his absence, the spiritual order among the Jews began to deteriorate.
2. The Order of the Temple Became Corrupted
The high priest Eliashib gave a chamber in the temple to Tobiah, an Ammonite who was hostile to God’s people (Nehemiah 13:4–9). This was a serious spiritual corruption — a terrible betrayal against the people.
3. Tithes and Offerings Were Neglected
Nehemiah 13:10 states that the portions due to the Levites and singers were not given to them. As a result:
The Levites abandoned their ministry duties
They returned to work in their own fields
Temple worship was severely affected
The temple service was pushed to the brink of collapse.
4. Nehemiah’s Strong Response
When Nehemiah saw this situation, he rebuked the leaders:
“Why is the house of God forsaken?” (Nehemiah 13:11)
Afterward, he:
Called the people to restore the tithes
Reorganized the storehouses
Appointed trustworthy men to faithfully manage the finances and resources
What do we learn from this?
Corruption at the highest levels has existed in every generation — it is nothing new. Even today, financial corruption in church administrations damages the credibility of the Lord’s ministry.
Nehemiah 13:13 establishes a clear biblical principle:
In God’s work:
Money
Offerings
Responsibilities
Authority
—all these things must be handled with holiness and integrity.
A believer or minister must first prove himself faithful in practical matters before being entrusted with financial responsibility. This is exactly what Paul writes:
"Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
— 1 Corinthians 4:2
Entrusting financial matters to someone whose faithfulness has not been proven is equal to handling the Lord’s ministry carelessly.
To prevent corruption within Christian organizations, financial responsibilities must be entrusted only to those who have already demonstrated integrity and faithfulness. According to Scripture, this is the acceptable and godly pattern.