EXPLAINING TITHING IN THE BIBLE
Josimar Salum
Tithing in the Old Testament was the financial and economic means of supporting the service (ministry) of priests, or the Levitical priesthood.
The contributions were not only 10%. They reached at least 33%, especially in the time of the kings when the Jews had to pay taxes in addition to supporting the temple cult. We can show this on another occasion.
Tithes and offerings in the Old Testament (OT) were a set of contributions that exceeded 10% because there were deliveries of firstborn animals, cereals, special contributions during festivals, double contributions in special years, etc.
TITHING WAS REGULATED BY THE MOSAIC LAW
It is taught that tithing is not of the law, in reference to the promise of Abraham and Jacob before the Law of Moses. But it is! Jesus said it is!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy and faith. But you ought to have done these without neglecting the others.” Matthew 23:23
Let’s see:
“And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Genesis 14:20
Of everything, but what does it means everything?
“When Abram heard that his father had been taken prisoner, he summoned the demons and eighteen trained men born in his house, and pursued the enemies as far as Dan.
They attacked them by night in groups and defeated them, chasing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. He recovered all his possessions and brought back his relative Lot with all his possessions, along with the women and the rest of the captives.
When Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who had allied with him, the king of Sodom came to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King's Valley.
Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth! And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” So Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:14-20
There is no other reference to Abram giving him a tithe (Hebrew: maaser) more than once, and in fact he gave Melchizedek a tithe of EVERYTHING he had gained from the spoils of the war he had won; in fact, he kept nothing except the reimbursement of the costs of his enterprise. Check out the chapter in reference.
“This Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
First, his name means “King of righteousness”; then, “King of Salem,” which means “King of peace.”
Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, made like the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.” Hebrews 7:1-3
The second time the word tithe appears in the Bible, it refers to a promise that Jacob made to God.
““Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey that I am taking, and will provide me with food and clothing, and will bring me back safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God. And this stone that I have set up today as a pillar will serve as God’s temple; and of all that you give me I will surely give a tenth to you.”” Genesis 28:20-22
So different from what is taught today that in order to be blessed you need to bring your tithes. If you tithe, you are blessed, if you don’t tithe, you are not.
What can we say about the millions and millions of wicked people who do not make any financial contribution to God’s work or to anything else who are tremendously blessed financially? Is this not a fact.
On the contrary, statistically around 70 to 80% of faithful tithers in “churches” are oppressed by debt, that is, although they are faithful tithers, they are not “blessed” with financial prosperity and are in debt.
Being a tither has not been a guarantee of financial blessing in practice if considered only as an act separate from other measures that need to be taken.
Supporting evangelical worship (temple, pastors, etc.) is not a bad thing, however, the biblical tithe ceased completely with the Old Covenant. We will see this later.
WHAT THE PROPHET MALACHI REALLY TEACHES
Let us see what the Bible says in Malachi, which is commonly used to defend the giving of tithes and offerings.
First of all, Malachi was written to the priests of Israel and not only to Israel:
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the fear due me?” the Lord of hosts asks you, priests. “You are the ones who despise my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we despised your name?’
“By bringing unclean food to my altar!
“And yet you ask, ‘How have we dishonored you?’ ”
“By calling the Lord’s table contemptible. “When you bring blind animals to sacrifice, you see no evil. When it comes to offering crippled and sick animals as offerings, they also see no harm in it.
Try offering them as gifts to the governor! Will he be pleased with you? Will he listen to you?” asks the Lord Almighty. “And now, priests, try to appease God so that he will have compassion on us!
Will he listen to you with such offerings?” asks the Lord Almighty. “Oh, that one of you would shut the doors of the temple! Then you would not light fire on my altar in vain. I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will not accept your offerings.
For from the east to the west my name is great among the nations. In every place incense is burned and pure offerings are brought to my name, because my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 1:6-11
Offerings were not exclusive to the Jews and their priests in Jerusalem. God is saying that this was already happening in other nations. But the priests of the temple were being rejected by Him for the reasons you read above.
In Malachi chapter 2, God continues to address the priests and denounces their unfaithfulness, and especially to all of Judah, for having been unfaithful to the wife of their youth.
Marriage is a unique and exclusive union between one man and one woman for life. For this reason, God abhors repudiation (divorce).
““And now this warning is for you, O priests.
“For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and from his mouth all people wait for instruction in the Law, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
Judah has been unfaithful. An abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; Judah has dishonored the sanctuary that the Lord loves; men have married women who worship foreign gods.
There is another thing that you do: You fill the altar of the Lord with tears; you weep and groan because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure.
And yet you ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is a witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have not kept your promise of faithfulness, even though she was your companion, the wife of your marriage covenant.
Did not the Lord make you one? In body and in spirit they belong to him. And why one? Because he desired holy offspring. Therefore be careful not to let anyone be unfaithful to the wife of his youth.”
Malachi 2:1, 7, 11, 13-15
“I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and I hate a man who covers himself with violence as with clothing,” says the Lord Almighty. Therefore be wise; do not be unfaithful.”Malachi 2:16
In chapter 3 God then announces his clear position on financial and economic matters to the people:
““I will come to you with judgment. I will quickly testify against sorcerers, adulterers, false swearers, and those who oppress workers in their wages, who oppress orphans and widows, who deprive foreigners of their rights, and who have no respect for me,” declares the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 3:5
He speaks of the relationship with exploited workers and the cause of orphans and widows.
And he goes on to speak openly about the temple, his house.
“Since the days of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not obeyed them.
Return to me, and I will return to you,” declares the Lord Almighty.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return?’
“Can a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. And yet you ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.
You are under a great curse because you are robbing me; the whole nation is robbing me.
Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house.
Test me,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room to store it.
I will keep pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not lose their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty.
“Then all the nations will call you blessed, for your land will be a delight,” says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi 3:7-12
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STOREHOUSE?
What happened to this temple?
“Some of his disciples were talking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God.
But Jesus said, “As for what you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; “They will all be thrown down.” Luke 21:5-6
With the destruction of the temple, all contributions to the support of the Levitical priesthood are no longer viable. The temple was destroyed.
“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks split.” Matthew 27:51
OFFERINGS IN THE NEW COVENANT
The New Covenant, and this is in Hebrews 7 that so many use to defend the perpetuation of tithes, established the end of the Levitical priesthood:
“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people.
And he did this once for all when he offered himself. For the Law appoints men who have weaknesses as high priests, but the oath that came after the Law appoints the Son perfect forever.” Hebrews 7:27-28
In the New Covenant, with Jesus, what are the instructions?
“As Jesus was leaving, a man ran up to him and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not give false testimony, You shall not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’”
And he said, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said.
“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”” Mark 10:17-21
Jesus did not tell him to sell everything he had and give it to the temple. Jesus told him to give it to the poor. And if he gave it all, there would be nothing left to give to the temple.
There is no reference in the New Testament to Jesus’ disciples practicing tithing, especially since there were no temples or church structures to support them.
“The multitude of those who believed were of one mind and one heart. No one considered anything he owned as his own, but they shared everything they had.
“For those who owned land or houses sold them and brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” Acts 4:32, 34-35
“Therefore I commend you to the Lord and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified... you yourselves know that these hands were used for my own needs and for those who were with me.
In everything I have shown you that by working like this you must help those in need, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus himself: It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:32, 34-35
THE PRINCIPLE OF PERSONAL ECONOMIC SUPPORT
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which you received from us.
For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, for we never behaved ourselves disorderly among you, nor did we eat bread at anyone’s expense.
On the contrary, we worked with labor and toil, night and day, so as not to be a burden to any of you.
Not because we do not have the right to do so, but because we wanted to set ourselves an example for you to follow.
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither should he eat.
For we hear that there are some among you who walk disorderly, not working, but who do not eat. but they are busybodies in other people's affairs.
But we command and exhort such people in the Lord Jesus Christ that they work quietly and eat their own bread. And you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
“Let him who has been stealing steal no more; but let him labor, working with his own hands what is good, that he may have something to give to those in need.” Ephesians 4:28
REGARDING THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL EXCLUSIVELY
Paul, however, clearly taught that those who preach the gospel exclusively can live off the gospel, in these terms:
“Do we not have the right to eat and drink?
Or do I and Barnabas alone have no right to refrain from working?
Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not eat the milk of the flock?
Do I speak this as a man, or does not the law also say so? For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it for the sake of oxen that God cares? Or is it for our sakes that he says this? It is certainly written for our sakes.
For he who plows must do so in hope; he who treads out the grain must do so in hope, and he who treads out the grain in hope that he will receive his share.
If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
If others share in this right over you, do we not have more?
Yet we do not use this right; on the contrary, we endure everything, so as not to hinder the gospel of Christ.
Do you not know that those who serve in the temple get their food? And those who serve at the altar get their living from the altar?
So also the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. But I have used none of these things myself, and I do not write this so that it should be done to me.
For it would be better for me to die rather than let anyone take away my boasting. If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am under compulsion. For woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” 1 Corinthians 9:4, 6-16
NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING: THERE IS NO TITHING IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
Tithing as practiced today, while a good practice, has no support in the New Testament. The New Testament teaching on these matters is this:
“I have no need to write to you about this assistance to the saints.
I recognize your willingness to help, and I have already shown the Macedonians how proud I am of you, telling them that for the past year you in Achaia have been ready to give; and your dedication has motivated many.
However, I am sending the brothers so that our boasting of you in this regard may not be in vain, but that you may be prepared, as I said you would be, so that if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, will not be put to shame because of the great confidence we had.
Therefore I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and complete the preparations for the gift you promised. Then it will be ready as a generous offering, not as something given out of stinginess.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his goods to the needy; his righteousness endures forever.”
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread to the eater will also supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Your ministerial service is not only meeting the needs of God’s people but also overflowing in many expressions of gratitude to God.
Through this evidence of ministerial service, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity in sharing your possessions with them and with everyone else.
And in their prayers for you, they will be filled with love for you because of the surpassing grace that God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 NIV
So let’s consider the following:
In 2 Corinthians chapter 9, sowing and reaping are a principle of the New Covenant.
As a principle, the contribution can be greater than the tithe, that is, greater than ten percent, as it is understood today.
The contribution can be greater than the tithe, because anyone contributes according to what they have set their mind to.
And they do so according to their faith and never out of greed, but also with joy they can contribute less than 10%, according to what they set their mind to, not with regret or obligation, that is, through a person establishing the value of their offering.
THERE ARE NO TITHES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
There is not a single mention that the disciples, neither Jews nor Gentiles, “gave” their tithes in their meetings, that is, in the church.
So the disciple of Jesus can sow sparingly or sow abundantly, but always according to what he purposes in his heart.
He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6).
As a principle, the sowing of God’s people is totally and exclusively related, that is, the resources harvested have these objectives:
1 - Assistance to the saints;
2 - Distribution and donation of goods to those in need;
3 - Supplying the needs of God’s people;
4 - Sharing goods with others.
Any other application of the seed outside of these terms is unbiblical. Not doing these principles should means to rob God!
In the context of Philippians 3:13-14, Paul considered all things to be loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.
“All things” refers to both the religious things he enjoyed in Judaism and all other things related to his life, including riches!
It is for the sake of Jesus that Paul suffered the loss of all things.
Paul considered all things to be rubbish—from the Greek “skubala” which
means “human excrement.” Excuse me, please don’t be offended by my writing this expression here, but that is literally what “rubbish” means in the original text.
How can someone give up everything they have to follow Jesus and then seek from God the same things they gave up?
How can someone try to bargain with God by giving Him gifts so that
he may be blessed materially for their own benefit?
In that text, what is the goal that Paul refers to when he says that he presses on and forgets the things (those things) that are behind?
To know Jesus, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, and to be conformed to His death. (Philippians 3:10).
What is the reward that we will receive by pressing on toward the goal because of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross?
To know Christ, to suffer for Christ and to be conformed to His death and, finally, the resurrection of the dead.
To conclude, I would like to state the following:
Iniquity is everything that opposes equity, equivalence or equality.
Having established this concept, I affirm that it is an iniquity within an evangelical church for a pastor to earn 10, 20, 30 times more than another in the "ministry", because the church is not a business and a worker of God is not compensated based on his class or level, but with a salary.
Salary, in the Scriptures, has to do with sustenance, because he who preaches the Gospel must live off the Gospel and not be enriched by the Gospel.
“If anyone teaches any other doctrine, and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine that accords with godliness, he is conceited, and knows nothing, but is carried away by controversies and quarrels of words, from which come envy, strife, blasphemies, evil suspicions, and disputes of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain (profit);
From such turn away.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
But having food and clothing, let us be therewith content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful desires that drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for some have wandered from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:3-11)
Finally, there is nothing you or I need to do to be more blessed than we are. Absolutely nothing. Although there is a blessed and powerful divine law of sowing and reaping that we need to heed:
“Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and increase your seed sown and will increase the harvest of your righteousness,” 2 Corinthians 9:10
In life, God gives us seed and bread. In life, we need to ask God for wisdom to discern what is seed and what is bread.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32
#ASONE
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