Commentaries:
Adam Clarke comments here,
Almost every critic of note allows that double honor, here, signifies reward, stipend, wages. Let him have a double or a larger salary who rules well; and why? Because in the discharge of his office he must be at expense, in proportion to his diligence, in visiting and relieving the sick, in lodging and providing for strangers; in a word in his being given to hospitality, which was required of every bishop.
The Expositor's Bible Commentary, on this same section, states,
Elders, those who directed the affairs of the church. Those who performed their functions well were worthy of double honor. Since the word honor (5092) in this case means compensation, remuneration'that which is paid in honor of another's work'double honor probably refers to an honorarium or wage.
Zodhiates' Bible Word Study Dictionary says,
Used in the sense of a price paid for something, it has been suggested here that it be translated, honorarium, but that raises the problem of double. Double what was paid the widows, or double what the other elders received? The New English Bible suggests, "reckoned worthy of a double stipend." One other states, "deserving twice the salary they get."
The question is not whether the ministry should be paid; the question is, "What is double? What does it mean?" There is no question that the ministry should be paid a regular salary for what they do. There is further clarification in verse 18: ". . . you shall not muzzle the ox which treads out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward."
John O. Reid
Tithing