Show notes
Does the Bible call us to tithe or is tithing a cash grab for churches?
Show Notes
Verses used to justify modern day tithing
Malachi 8-10
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask.“ By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. 9 You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. 10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.
Matthew 23:23
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.
Origin of tithing
- Levitical Tithe
- The Festival Tithe
- Welfare Tithe
Levitical Tithe
Levites
- Aaron became the first Levitical Priest and his role along with his relatives were to maintain service the Temple.
- They were also responsible for receiving the consecrated items dedicated to God, from the people of Israel.
- Everything that was not consumed by fire at the altar the priests were able to keep.
- All of this laid out in Numbers 18:8-20.
- Numbers 18:21-24 - God tells Aaron that he will not have an inheritance in the land of Israel and in return for the work of the Levites will receive a tenth of everything from Israel.
Numbers 18:20
20 The Lord told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
Numbers 18:21
Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting
Numbers 18:24
24 For I have given them the tenth that the Israelites present to the Lord as a contribution for their inheritance. That is why I told them that they would not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.”
Festival Tithe
- There was a general tithe that was taken up annually that was classified as holy to the Lord. This was taken up as an agricultural. Each year the Israelites would make their way to the designated sanctuary and fellowship together; eating a certain portion of their tithe.
- This is an agriculture tithe
Leviticus 27:30-34
30 “Every tenth of the land’s produce, grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. 31 If a man decides to redeem any part of this tenth, he must add a fifth to its value. 32 Every tenth animal from the herd or flock, which passes under the shepherd’s rod, will be holy to the Lord. 33 He is not to inspect whether it is good or bad, and he is not to make a substitution for it. But if he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute will be holy; they cannot be redeemed.” 34 These are the commands the Lord gave Moses for the Israelites on Mount Sinai.
Deuteronomy 14:22-23 (Festival)
Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields. 23 You are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, in the presence of the Lord your God at the place where he chooses to have his name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 14:24-27
24 But if the distance is too great for you to carry it, since the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you and since the Lord your God has blessed you, 25 then exchange it for silver, take the silver in your hand, and go to the place the Lord your God chooses. 26 You may spend the silver on anything you want: cattle, sheep, goats, wine, beer, or anything you desire. You are to feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice with your family. 27 Do not neglect the Levite within your city gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.
Welfare Tithe
- This tithe was taken up every three years and was based on all of their produce.
- Main purpose was to act as a welfare tithe; taken up and divided amongst the towns. It helped those who were poor but it also covered the Levites and the priests who served the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 28-29
28 “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your city gates. 29 Then the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow within your city gates may come, eat, and be satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
Jesus and tithing
Matthew 23:23
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.
- Jesus isn't commanding tithing; He is merely calling out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and even more, He is mentioning produce. Not money.
Jesus redeems
- Those in Jesus aren't under curses; that's the whole point of being in Jesus.
- Jesus redeems us from the curse of the law
Galatians 3:13
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
Sacrificial Giving
- 2 Cor 9 calls to not give under compulsion (offering vs tithing) // Paul who was bragging on the Corinthians generosity; asking the church to prepare the gift they had promised.
2 Corinthians 9:1-8
Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians, “Achaia has been ready since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said. 4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.
6 The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.
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