The 21st Century Tithe

My last post on The Proper Perspective stressed the role money plays in our relationship to God. We saw that 1) God owns everything and 2) He entrusts each of us with a portion of it to manage for Him.  Now let's talk about how we should manage the portion God has given to us.  We will start with how we should honor God financially as our Lord, provider, and Savior.  Yes, you guessed it, this article will explain tithing and its application to 21st century Christianity.

Before I begin, let me say that I am sure this post will find unfavorable reviews with some. No matter where you fall on the issue of tithing these days, there's sure to be a counter point that is sure they know the truth (to the exclusion of everyone else). So as I enter into this topic, let me say that this is what I understand based on scripture (as such I use verses from which I've developed my opinions). If you'd like to offer a different point of view in the comments below, I'd appreciate you quoting scripture as well as verification of your view.

Now, on to the post.

The word tithe means "a tenth" and biblically refers to a tenth of one's gain (income) that is given to the Lord.  The tithe was established long before the Law was given to Moses and Israel.  Abraham tithed in Genesis 14 (also see Hebrews 7:1-10) in order to recognize God's ownership of all his possessions and thank God for giving him (Abraham) victory in battle.  In response, God continued to bless Abraham.  The tithe was later (about 430 years later) included in the Old Testament Law revealed to Moses.

But does the tithe apply to Christians today or was it an Old Testament requirement abolished by Christ?  We've already established that the tithe was more than a legal requirement as it existed before the Law.  In addition, a search of the New Testament for an understanding of the tithe agrees that it is applicable for Christians today.  There are two primary reasons I believe this:

1. Christ endorsed the tithe.  (Do we need any other reason?)  Both in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 Jesus confirms the tithe as appropriate.  Luke 11:42 reads, "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.  You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." Note he says, "You should have practiced the latter."

2. Christ calls us to a higher responsibility.  The New Testament is filled with a higher calling than that in the Old Testament.  No longer are animal sacrifices necessary, but we are now to sacrifice our own lives and live for Christ, not ourselves.  No longer is "an eye for an eye" appropriate but we are to love our enemies and "turn the other cheek".  These are only two examples of heightened responsibilities Jesus taught His people.  As such, I can only conclude that the same holds true with the tithe.  While it used to be the requirement, it should now be the minimum.

The tithe represents the underlying foundation of the Christian financial principle that God owns everything (Psalm 24:1).  It pays tribute to God as the owner of all and thanks Him for our provision.  Furthermore, it demonstrates the joy we have in knowing Him and praises Him for sending His only Son to die for our sins.  It allows us to be part of bringing this joy into others' lives by furthering His work.  In short, God does not need our money, but He wants us to recognize Him as the owner of all that we have, the provider of our needs, and the Lord of our lives.  The tithe is one way we can give proper recognition. (Note that I am not addressing the issues of offerings -- giving above the tithe. We'll talk about that in a future post.)

For the handful of you who are still not convinced, I have one suggestion: test God.  Yes, that's right, test God -- and see if this is not true.  For this is the only area where God allows us to test Him.  Malachi 3:8-12 states, "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.  But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'  In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse -- the whole nation of you -- because you are robbing me.  Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.  Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and poor out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty.  "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty.

My personal challenge to you is to start tithing now. Do it for one year and then ask yourself, "Am I better off now than I was a year ago?"  I'll bet you will be.

Comments

[Ellen S]

The Gospels tell us the the disciples are blessed in their poverty, that storing up treasure on earth rather than in heaven is sinful, and that the wealthy will not easily pass into heaven. If it all belongs to God, why keep 90%? Increasing one's material net worth isn't a goal of Christian discipleship.

[FMF]

Ellen --

A few things:

1. Where (what book, chapter, and verse(s)) does the Bible say, "The disciples are blessed in their poverty"?

2. The poverty teaching is not scriptural just as the teaching that every Christian will be wealthy is not. I suggest you read Randy Alcorn's "Money, Possessions, and Eternity" for a good view on both of these.

3. Where (what book, chapter, and verse(s)) does the Bible say "that storing up treasure on earth rather than in heaven is sinful"? Matt 6:19-21 says not to store up treasures on earth but in heaven, but it doesn't say that being wealthy (or even financially set) on earth is a sin. What verse(s) do you have in mind?

4. "If it all belongs to God, why keep 90%?" Is this what you do?

The post is a discussion on tithing. We'll cover offerings (other giving) later. It all does belong to God and as such 100% is His -- and we are to manage it for Him. This does not mean giving 100% away, though it does mean that much more than 10% should be. I'll cover that in future posts.

5. What does much of this have to do with tithing (the subject of the post)?

6. "Increasing one's material net worth isn't a goal of Christian discipleship." I didn't say it was. But I can point to several verses that say if you commit yourself to applying the wisdom (financial and otherwise) of the Bible, you will have a material abundance. (For instance, read Proverbs.) Can you show me verses to the contrary?

FMF

[Barb]

Great post! If one reads the Word, I can't see how they wouldn't think that tithing is for today! God's Word hasn't changed, but many people have. Maybe the 'love of money' has made people think that it's better with them than going for God's cause. Me? I'd rather tithe my 10% and more, because I have great expectations that God is going to bless me in order to be able to give even more!

[Amber]

All I can say is, I'll never NOT tithe again.

I was at an all time low... making no less money with no more expenses and where I was once okay, I began to sink and sink deeply.

Someone asked if I tithed... and of course, I had given excuse after excuse for YEARS... How could I tithe when I can barely feed my kids.

But, beginning with my next paycheck, I did it anyway... first thing... (as in, write the check and consider it GONE).

You wouldn't believe the blessing since then... I've not worried about money at all since then... I always have enough. I found a better job making more money that gives me regular and fair raises.

I am making $4 per hour MORE that I was making less than two years ago.

And I remain faithful...

When I see those around me, refusing to tithe and sinking in their money woes, it breaks my heart to hear the excuses... "That's just not for me... great for you but not for me".

How can these principles apply to people at random? If they apply to one of us, they apply to all. Christ did not say, "I only want the tithe from the wealthy or from those who FEEL it's right for them." It is a command... and the only one he's told us to "test" him on.

[Brian]

How does the account in Genesis 14 show that the tithe was (routinely) practiced prior to the Law being established? It was a single event and Abraham was not recorded doing it at any other time.

I'm not sure I agree with point 1 since the beginning of that passage (vv 2-3) command us to do what the scribes and Pharisees tell us to do since they are seated in the chair of Moses. The rest of the passage is a critique of their faults (under the Law of Moses).

If point 2 were true, then our giving should be on the order of 19% or more since there were 2 or 3 tithes mentioned in the Law. I saw another figure that put the total at around 25% (but it included sacrifices too).

Where does the Bible show how other tradesmen rendered tithe? I can only find animals and other farm products mentioned (food/wine). I see no mention of fish being tithed for example. The only example that concerned money that I find was just to avoid transporting a large quantity of stuff large distances, but it was not given as money. Once at the site of the festival the money was used to buy whatever the person wanted for the feast.

I've been taught and practiced tithing for my entire adult life, but recently began reading the other viewpoint that essentially holds that we are subject to 2 Cor 9:6-7 which I believe is a higher standard.

[FMF]

Brian --

I think we're on the same page, but get there a different way. I agree that there is a higher calling for NT believers, but I see the tithe as 10% that's holy to the Lord and is paid to the local church. Above that, offerings should be given to help others, ministries, etc.

I could only cover so much in this one piece, so I focused on tithing. If you read the rest of what I've written on this subject as well as what I'll write in the future, I think you'll get a full sense of my thoughts.

Thanks for commenting.

[Tina]

My pastor gave some good messages on this topic, available at:
http://www.rivwarehouse.com/resources/messages/audio/proverbs/noelheikkinen_money.mp3
http://www.noelheikkinen.com/?p=1731

The first message is a good rundown of why I believe the tithe isn't for today (but "giving until you can feel it" is). Thought I'd share.

[Pastor Matt Acker]

Tithing is nothing more than training wheels for stewardship. Stewardship goes way beyond tithing. The type of back and forth that goes on between churches and the different styles of giving i.e. tithe or not tithe is nothing more than rhetoric. The fact is those that love God will contribute from the abundance of their relationship with Christ. The rest that give for what ever reason and of what ever amount is just money. I do understand people have to be instructed in righteousness and need to know God wants them to give. However if tithing is commanded by God could we then say if one does not tithe or in fact give they are not saved? God forbid nothing plus the finished work of Christ on the cross equals salvation.

I tell my parishners if someone wants to debate does God exist or not? Simply tell them, Just Die! Then you will believe. In other words we have already wasted too much time (my self included) on this foolish debate over hair splitting. Brothers and sisters we have souls to reach with the good news of the cross I encourage you to continue in your first Love of soul winning.

Yours,
In Christ Matt

[Epiphany]

I will state upfront that I do not believe that tithing applies to us in this day and time. When Jesus came, he brought us life more abundantely, without legalism. The new testament also speaks of not giving "out of obligation", which is what a majority of people do and what many pulpiteers preach. "You are obligated to give and God is obligated to bless you." I think that we are trading manipulation for true relation with God. I am in love with God. I do not need to be told what to give, how to give, nor how much to give. I have found that my giving is furthering the financial status of a preacher as opposed to furthering the spreading of the gospel. Perhaps, if we taught loving God for who He is and giving out of our love for Him to those that love Him enough to carry on His work, we would have no need to address the issue of tithing...but that would require far too much faith by church leaders who have their next Bentley payment due.

[Double-G (G²)]

AMAZING WEBSITE....SIMPLY AMAZING, and thank you so much for providing it, as well as seeking to keep it as Biblically Balanced as possible by hearing all sides, getting all the facts, and being more concerned with having life-changing TRUTH, as opposed to simply being Right. Definatey gotta hit up the site more often (and hopefully, I'll be able to as well....)

Blessings, Brah....

[Double-G (G²)]

Again, I'm not against tithing....I do so myself and think all believers should....

Instead of settling for 10 percent, we should note the command to give generously and radically, just as Jesus gave to us: loving God with all he had and loving his neighbor—even his enemies—as himself, just as Jesus did (Matthew 22:37-40; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 1 John 3:16-19). John the Baptist raises the standard of giving to 50 percent (Luke 3:11), and Jesus exhorts us to give 100 percent (Luke 21:1-4).

So the scarce mention of the tithe in the New Testament is evidence not that God expects less of us today, but that far more is possible. The tithe is still a helpful guideline insofar as it reminds us to give proportionally to the Lord as he blesses us, since he owns it all anyway.

But by New Testament standards, settling for 10 percent can be a recipe for condemnation from Jesus if we are neglected true generosity, just as it was for the tithing Pharisees (Matthew 23:23).

[Sani]

I believe and therefore I tithe and give. Tithing protects your assets from scamsters, gangsters, impromptu purchases, leakages in medical bills and so on and stretches the budget. Tithing is not giving; it is acknowledging the Giver. It legitimises your 90%. Offerings increases your income. We can never give more than we receive and we can never outgive. The giver is more blessed. America gives and America is blessed. Any nation that gives does not give has less. It has more. The 'problem' then is an idea for a book: "How to manage Abundance".

[Ray']

its my pleasure to also contribute to this teaching. its a subject i have been studying for the last over 3 months. over this period, i have studied several sources and out of the many i have studied, i personally stand convinced that TITHING IS NOT A COMMAND FOR CHRISTIANS but the DIFFERENT TYPES OF TITHEs were part of the ORDINANCES/ COMMANDMENTS that were given to the Israelites (many of which have been abandoned by the Christians- even those who believe in tithing). i give the following extracts to support my claim. May theSpirit of theLord guide you as you study the scriptures presented.
Bro Ray.

Extracts from www.layhands.com/
Compiled By Ray Mutinda

THE TITHE DEBATE
Introduction

Before we discuss tithing, we should first define what we mean by the word "tithe." The Greek and Hebrew words for "tithe" literally mean "tenth" (according to Strong's Dictionary), so the basic meaning of tithing involves giving 10% of something. Therefore, if I choose to give 10% of my paycheck to my church then I have given a "tithe" according to the most basic definition of that word. The New Testament tells us to give generously (as we will see later), and my 10% offering would certainly qualify as generous giving.

However, many churches teach that Christians must give 10% of their paychecks to their local church, otherwise they are robbing God and shutting off the flow of God's blessings. So when Christians talk about "tithing," they're usually referring to this idea that giving 10% of every paycheck to our local church is a Scriptural requirement or a Scriptural principle which Christians should be following.

There are differences of opinion among Christians about whether or not Christians must tithe. For a number of years I was a tither, and I defended tithing against the arguments that many people make against it. However, recently I began prayerfully re-evaluating this issue, and I no longer see tithing as a principle that Christians must follow.

ARGUMENTS FOR TITHING: Biblical Principles of Faithful Tithing

The following are some arguments fronted as principles to faithful giving
1. The Tithe is Holy. Lev. 27:30
2. The Tithe belongs to God. Lev. 27:30
3. We should put God first. Proverbs 3:9,10; Genesis 28:20-22
4. God will honor careful obedience with blessings. Deut. 28:1-14
5. Failure to tithe is robbery of God. Malachi 3:6-10
6. An honest tithe has three elements.
1. 10% — Genesis 28:22 (portion or percentage)
2. It must be returned to God’s storehouse — Mal. 3:10 (place)
3. It is to be used to support the ministry — Numbers 18:21 (purpose)
7. God’s Plan is best. Proverbs 3:5,6

“If all, both rich and poor, would bring their tithes into the storehouse, there would be a sufficient supply of means to release the cause from financial embarrassment and to nobly carry forward the missionary work in its various departments.”

“If all the tithes of our people flowed into the treasury of the Lord as they should, such blessings would be received that gifts and offerings for sacred purposes would be multiplied tenfold, and thus the channel between God and man would be kept open. The followers of Christ should not wait for thrilling missionary appeals to arouse them to action. If spiritually awake, they would hear in the income of every week, whether much or little, the voice of God and of conscience with authority demanding the tithes and offerings due the Lord.”

“It is part of your work to teach those whom you bring into the truth to bring the tithe into the storehouse as an acknowledgment of their dependence on God. They should be fully enlightened as to their duty to return to the Lord His own.” (Evangelism - 250)

Extracts from www. layhands.com

Passages on Tithing

In order to determine whether or not Christians must tithe, we obviously need to study what Scripture tells us about tithing. What makes our job easier is the fact that the Old Testament Law of Moses (with its commandments and regulations) was completely abolished and canceled at the cross:
Ephesians 2:13: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:14: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,"
Ephesians 2:15: "by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace"

Colossians 2:13: "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,"
Colossians 2:14: "having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."
For more proof that the Law of Moses was totally abolished at the cross, I invite you to see my article called Covenants, Dispensations, and the Ten Commandments. The Law of Moses contained a number of rules and regulations concerning tithing, but those rules and regulations have all been canceled in Christ. When we understand that the Law of Moses was canceled at the cross, which includes all of the forms of tithing that were in the Law, then we can set the Law aside. Later we will examine all of the tithing passages under the Law of Moses in order to gain a more complete understanding of tithing, and we will see that no Christians today are tithing in the way that it was done under the Law of Moses.

Scriptural support outside of the Law
So in order to prove or disprove tithing for Christians, we need to find our Scriptural support outside of the Law. Here is every passage on tithing before the Law of Moses was instituted and after the Law ended at the cross:
Genesis 14:17: "After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley)."
Genesis 14:18: "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,"
Genesis 14:19: "and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth."
Genesis 14:20: "And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."

Genesis 28:20: "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear"
Genesis 28:21: "so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God"
Genesis 28:22: "and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.""

Hebrews 6:20: "where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."
Hebrews 7:1: "This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,"
Hebrews 7:2: "and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means "king of righteousness"; then also, "king of Salem" means "king of peace.""
Hebrews 7:3: "Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever."
Hebrews 7:4: "Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!"
Hebrews 7:5: "Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people--that is, their brothers--even though their brothers are descended from Abraham."
Hebrews 7:6: "This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises."
Hebrews 7:7: "And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater."
Hebrews 7:8: "In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living."
Hebrews 7:9: "One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,"
Hebrews 7:10: "because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor."
Hebrews 7:11: "If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come--one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?"
Hebrews 7:12: "For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law."

These passages are the only places in the Bible where tithing is mentioned before the Law of Moses began or after it ended, so these are the only passages of Scripture on tithing which might have a bearing on Christians. Remember, Christians are not obligated to obey the rules and regulations in the Law of Moses because those commandments were totally abolished at the cross.

The first passage above (Genesis 14:17-20) shows a man named Abram tithing to a priest-king named Melchizedek (Abram's name was changed to Abraham in Genesis 17:5). Since Abraham is our spiritual "father" (Romans 4:9-17), and since he paid a tithe, this seems to imply that Christians should pay tithes as well. That was my reasoning when I was a tither, even though I knew that Christians are never commanded to tithe. Since there are references to tithing before the Law of Moses began (Genesis 14:17-20 and 28:20-22, above), and since there is a reference to Abraham's tithe after the cross (Hebrews 6:20-7:12, above), it seemed to me that I was able to justify tithing more than I could justify not tithing.

After prayerfully re-evaluating this issue, however, I found that Abraham's tithe has no bearing on Christian tithing, as we'll see in the next section.

Abraham and Melchizedek
Now let's examine Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek. First, who was Melchizedek? Some people believe that he was Noah's son Shem (for example, see these Google search results ). Some people believe that he was a pagan priest-king who did not worship the Lord (for a detailed discussion, see chapter 2 at Should the Church Teach Tithing? ). Some people believe that he was a priest who did worship the Lord (for example, see these Google search results ). Some people believe that he was an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ (for example, see these Google search results ). Some people believe that he was an angel (for example, see these Google search results ). Christians have offered various arguments to support their views concerning who Melchizedek was, but there really isn't a great amount of evidence in Scripture to prove much about him. As we examine Abraham's tithe, however, we'll see that we can disprove Christian tithing without knowing anything about Melchizedek.

Okay, let's look at Abraham's tithe again:
Genesis 14:17: "After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley)."
Genesis 14:18: "Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,"
Genesis 14:19: "and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth."
Genesis 14:20: "And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything."
Genesis 14:21: "The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods [spoils of war] for yourself.""
Genesis 14:22: "But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath"
Genesis 14:23: "that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'"
Genesis 14:24: "I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me--to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.""

1. Now, consider that there are no Scripture passages which say that God told Abraham to pay a tithe.
2. There are no Scripture passages which say that anybody at that time had the custom of tithing to God (the Law of Moses did not begin until four centuries later - see Galatians 3:16-17).
3. There are no Scripture passages which say that Abraham ever tithed before or after he tithed to Melchizedek.
4. There are no Scripture passages which prove that Abraham was tithing to God through Melchizedek (there is actually a different reason why Abraham tithed, as we'll see in a moment). Throughout the entire Old Testament, there is no Scriptural evidence concerning Abraham which justifies a doctrine of Christian tithing.

So now let's ask ourselves why Abraham paid a tithe.

Keep in mind that Abraham did not live in our 21st century Western society, but instead he lived in a different time period with different cultural norms, different attitudes, different customs, different behaviors, and so on.

The thing that changes our whole perspective on Abraham's tithe is the fact that throughout history there has been a common custom in many different lands and cultures in which people paid tithes from the "spoils of war," meaning the loot or the plunder that they won in battle. Here are some examples:
"In the same manner the Greeks too, the Carthaginians, and the Romans devoted a tenth portion of the spoils of war to their deities." (On the Acquisition of Territory and Property by Right of Conquest , emphasis added)

"The Greek League against Persia, founded in 481 vows a tenth of the spoils of war to the shrine (7:132), and this happens, after Salamis and Plataea." (Herodotus on Greek Religion , emphasis added)

"During the twelfth century, evidence points clearly to the growing significance of warfare in the life of the towns, especially in Portugal, Leon, Castile and Aragon. Precise indications of this development are demonstrated in the increasing concern demonstrated by the makers of the municipal charters in three areas closely related to booty. The first is the royal demand to collect the one-fifth tax on the spoils of war, a tax the Christian rulers inherited from the Muslim practice of laying aside a portion of the gains of the jihad for Allah." (Spoils and Compensations , emphasis added)

"For his courageous role in helping to take the Volscian town of Corioli, Caius Marcius, declining to accept one-tenth of the spoils, was named Coriolanus" (Roman Expansion to 133 BC , emphasis added)

"In the days of Abu Bakr much wealth came to the state on account of the spoils of war. The movable property won as booty on the battlefield was known as "Ghanimah". Four-fifth of the spoils of war was immediately distributed among the soldiers who had taken part in the battle. The remaining one-fifth went to the State. The State's one-fifth share was further divided into three parts. One part went to the family of the Holy Prophet, one part went to the Caliph, and one part was spent for welfare purposes." (Political, Social, Economic and Military Organization , emphasis added)

"TITHES, a form of taxation, secular and ecclesiastical, usually, as the name implies, consisting of one-tenth of a man's property or produce. The tax probably originated in a tribute levied by a conqueror or ruler upon his subjects, and perhaps the custom of dedicating a tenth of the spoils of war to the gods led to the religious extension of the term, the original offerings to deity being "firstfruits."
The custom was almost universal in antiquity; for Greece and Rome see Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyclopädie, iv. 2306, 2423; for Babylon, M. Jastrow, Religion of Babylonia and Assyria, p. 668; for China, J. Legge, Chinese Classics, i. 119; for Egypt, G. Maspero, Struggle of Nations, p. 312.f The general notion of tax or tribute often prevailed over that of "the tenth" part, so that in Dion Halicarnassus (i. 23) and Philo (Dc mutat. noin.~. 607) hirapxai and &thTat are synonymous, and in Mahommedan law the "tithe" is sometimes only -510th or ~f'eth." (1911 Encyclopedia , emphasis added)

"To maintain a warband a lord needed a constant supply of commodities to support the warriors and gold and silver to give out as gifts. There were two ways in which these could be obtained. If the warband were strong enough they could raid neighbouring regions and either force them to yield tribute or just carry off valuables. Cattle were a particular target of this activity, because of the relative ease of driving them from one area to another. Since raids would often lead to battles, another type of booty would be the wargear of vanquished opponents. The pillaging of the dead is frequently mentioned in poetry; Ongentheow's body is stripped of his sword and helmet (Beowulf line 2986) and a Viking warrior attacks Byrhtnoth with the intention of taking his sword, armour and rings (Battle of Maldon line 160). It is not clear how these spoils of war would be divided, but it is likely that the majority would have been distributed among the participants in the raid with a proportion being retained by the lord." (The Social Context of Warfare in Anglo-Saxon England , emphasis added)

"The inscription on the base reads: "The Messenians and Naupactians dedicated this to Olympian Zeus, a tithe from the spoils of war. Paionios of Mende made this, and was victor [in the competition] to make the akroteria for the temple"." (The Nike of Paionios , emphasis added)

"Through the spoils of war, Edward was able to refill the bankrupt treasury. Heavily ransomed prisoners, brought fortunes in gold coin to their noble captors--who, in turn, paid a handsome tithe to the King." (Edward III: King of Illusions , emphasis added)

"It was traditional to give the Byzantine Government a set percentage of the spoils of war." (Chapter III: Eastern Expansion , emphasis added)
So throughout history there has been a common custom in different time periods, different lands, different cultures, etc., in which people paid tithes from the spoils of war. In addition, Numbers 31:25-30 describes a "spoils of war tribute" to the Lord:
Numbers 31:25: "The LORD said to Moses,"
Numbers 31:26: ""You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured."
Numbers 31:27: "Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community."
Numbers 31:28: "From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats."
Numbers 31:29: "Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord's part."
Numbers 31:30: "From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord's tabernacle.""
So again, a "spoils of war" tithe was common among many different peoples, lands, cultures, and time periods. The 1911 Encyclopedia (quoted above, emphasis added) says that "The custom was almost universal in antiquity." So tithing on the spoils of war was practically a universal custom. With this in mind, go back and look at Genesis 14:17-24 again. Notice that Abraham defeated Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, and therefore the spoils of war belonged to Abraham. Next we see Abraham paying a tithe to a local king (Melchizedek) from the spoils of war. The Bible never says that Abraham had a custom of tithing to God, but instead the Bible shows Abraham paying a one-time "spoils of war" tithe to a local king (which was a common practice throughout history).

When I was a tither, I felt that Abraham had tithed on his "increase" (the plunder), just as Christians today are often taught to tithe on our "increase" (our paychecks). But notice in Genesis 14:21-23 (above) that Abraham did not accept any spoils of war for himself. This means that Abraham did not view these spoils of war as an "increase" for his personal wealth. So when Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizedek, Abraham was not trying to follow a principle of tithing on his increase!

Furthermore, Abraham became a wealthy man (see for example Genesis 13:2), yet we can't show any place in Scripture which says that he ever tithed on the "increase" as his wealth grew. I used to believe that it was appropriate for Christians to tithe on our "increase," but then I realized that I couldn't find anybody in the entire Bible who ever did such a thing (except under the Law of Moses, which has been canceled in Christ). Some people believe that "tithing on our increase" is a principle for Christians to follow, but there is absolutely no Scriptural support for this principle outside of the Law of Moses.

Was Abraham Ever Influenced by the Customs of His Day?

Some people argue that Abraham was a man of great faith in God, and therefore he would not have been influenced by people who did not worship the one true God. According to this argument, it is unlikely that Abraham would have followed the customs of his day by paying a "spoils of war" tithe. Rather, it is more likely that he was paying his tithe to God.

Certainly it's true that Abraham had great faith in God, but notice that this argument is based on an assumption about what Abraham would have done or would not have done. To see why this is a false assumption, let's look at some events in Abraham's life. First, Abraham (who was originally known as "Abram") received his calling from God in chapter 12 of the book of Genesis

Then Abraham and his wife Sarah (who was originally known as "Sarai") traveled to Egypt:
Genesis 12:10: "Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe."

At this point, Abraham was already a devout believer in God (Genesis 12:1-8, above), but watch what happened when he and his wife arrived in Egypt (Gen 12:11-19
Notice that Abraham was afraid for his life in Egypt because Sarah was so beautiful. Rather than trusting in God, Abraham deceived Pharaoh by saying that Sarah was his sister, which resulted in Sarah being taken to become Pharaoh's wife (Sarah actually was Abraham's step-sister (Genesis 20:12), but this doesn't change the fact that Abraham deceived Pharaoh). In this incident, Abraham was swayed by concerns for his personal safety (instead of trusting his life in God's hands) based on his knowledge of the local customs in Egypt where the will of Pharaoh was law.

1. As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, Abraham's deception "showed a reliance on worldly policy more than a trust in the promise." (verses 11-13, emphasis added). This commentary also says that "Eastern kings have for ages claimed the privilege of taking to their harem an unmarried woman whom they like. The father or brother may deplore the removal as a calamity, but the royal right is never resisted nor questioned." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary , verse 15, emphasis added). Abraham is not shown resisting this royal custom, and Sarah was taken to become Pharaoh's wife. Fortunately, God intervened! Notice in verse 16 (above) that Abraham's wealth increased, yet we don't see Abraham paying any tithes. In every case where Abraham's personal wealth increased in the Bible, Abraham is never shown tithing on his increase. There is no Scriptural evidence that Abraham ever had the custom of following such a principle.

2. Here's another example of Abraham being swayed by the customs of his day. God had promised Abraham that he would have a son, but Abraham assumed that one of his servants would become his heir according to the customs of the time:
Genesis 15:1: "After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.""
Genesis 15:2: "But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?""
Genesis 15:3: "And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.""
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, "According to the usage of nomadic tribes, his chief confidential servant, would be heir to his possessions and honors." (verse 3, emphasis added). Here we see Abraham intending to follow the customs of his day concerning an heir, and therefore it is erroneous to argue that Abraham would not have been influenced by the customs of his day.

3. After God specifically said that Abraham would have his own son, Abraham was persuaded by Sarah to take Hagar (Sarah's slave girl) as his wife according to the customs of the time:
Genesis 16:1: "Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar;"
Genesis 16:2: "so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said."
Genesis 16:3: "So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife."
Genesis 16:4: "He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress."
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, ""Wife" is here used to describe an inferior, though not degrading, relation, in countries where polygamy prevails. In the case of these female slaves, who are the personal property of his lady, being purchased before her marriage or given as a special present to her, no one can become the husband's secondary wife without her mistress consent or permission." (verse 3, emphasis added). Here we see Abraham following the local custom of polygamy, and therefore it is erroneous to argue that Abraham would not have been influenced by the customs of his day.

4. Here's another example of Abraham observing the customs of his time. When three "men" appeared to Abraham, we see him following the common hospitality customs:
Genesis 18:1-18 Abraham and the three visitors
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, "When the visitor is an ordinary person, the host merely rises; but if of superior rank, the custom is to advance a little towards the stranger, and after a very low bow, turn and lead him to the tent, putting an arm round his waist, or tapping him on the shoulder as they go, to assure him of welcome." (verse 2, emphasis added). This commentary also says that "The hospitalities offered are just of the kind that are necessary and most grateful, the refreshment of water, for feet exposed to dust and heat by the sandals, being still the first observed among the pastoral people of Hebron." (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary , verse 3, emphasis added). Here we see Abraham following local hospitality customs, and therefore it is erroneous to argue that Abraham would not have been influenced by the customs of his day.

5. Once again we see Abraham deceiving a local ruler- Abimelech king of Gerar by saying that Sarah was his sister:
So again Abraham was deceptive about his relationship with Sarah for fear of his life. Just as in Genesis 12:11-19 (above), Abraham is not shown resisting the local custom in which a ruler can choose whomever he desires, and Sarah was taken to become the king's wife. Fortunately, God intervened again! And once again we see Abraham's personal wealth increasing (Genesis 20:14-16, above) without any mention of his paying any form of tithes on his increase. There is no Scriptural evidence that Abraham ever had the custom of following such a principle.

6. When Sarah died, Abraham followed the common practice concerning mourning:
Genesis 23:1: "Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old."
Genesis 23:2: "She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her."
Genesis 23:3: "Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites."
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, "He came from his own tent to take his station at the door of Sarah's. The "mourning" describes his conformity to the customary usage of sitting on the ground for a time" (verse 2, emphasis added). Here we see Abraham following local mourning customs, and therefore it is erroneous to argue that Abraham would not have been influenced by the customs of his day.

7. When Abraham purchased a tomb for Sarah, he weighed out the price based on the weight which was current among the local merchants:
Genesis 23:16: "Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants."
As the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary puts it, "The practice of weighing money, which is often in lumps or rings, each stamped with their weight, is still common in many parts of the East; and every merchant at the gates or the bazaar has his scales at his girdle." (verse 16, emphasis added). Here we see Abraham following local customs, and therefore it is erroneous to argue that Abraham would not have been influenced by the customs of his day.

Some people claim that since Abraham was a man of great faith in God, he would not have been influenced by the customs of his day (such as paying a "spoils of war" tithe to a local king). However, this argument is based on a false assumption because the above examples show that Abraham did follow various customs of his day. In addition, even though we see Abraham's wealth increasing, we never see him tithing on his increase. The only time we see Abraham tithing is after he won the spoils of war in battle. We have seen that tithing on the spoils of war was practically a universal custom, and we have seen that Abraham followed various customs of his time. All of the evidence is consistent with Abraham paying a one-time "spoils of war" tithe, and there is no evidence that Abraham ever "tithed on his increase." Abraham's one-time tithe does not justify any form of ongoing tithing by Christians.
Again notice that there is no record that Abraham continued with the practice of tithing to Melchizedek. More so, Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Ishmail are not recorded as having ever tithed at all.

Jacob's Bargaining with God

We have now looked at two of the three passages which mention tithing outside of the Law of Moses, and we have seen that they have no bearing on Christian tithing. The only other passage is Genesis 28:20-22

Here we see Jacob promising to give a tenth of his possessions to God, but notice that this promise is conditional. Jacob tried to bargain with God by setting certain conditions in which God must first bless Jacob, which is hardly a good example for Christians to follow! There is no Scriptural evidence that God ever required or commanded Jacob to pay a tithe, nor is there any Scriptural evidence that God commanded anyone to pay any tithes before the Law of Moses began. There are no Scripture passages which say that anybody at that time had the custom of tithing to God (remember, the Law of Moses had not yet been instituted). There are no Scripture passages which say that Jacob ever tithed in any way either before or after he made this vow. There are no Scripture passages in the New Testament which use Jacob's vow as an example for Christian tithing. In other words, there is no Scriptural evidence at all concerning Jacob's vow which supports a doctrine of Christian tithing.

To summarize, these are the only passages in the entire Bible which mention tithing in any way either before the Law of Moses began or after it ended at the cross. As we have seen, none of these passages has any connection with a tithing doctrine for Christians. The Scriptural support just isn't there.

What Does Malachi 3:8-10 Really Mean?

Malachi 3:8: ""Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings."
Malachi 3:9: "You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me."
Malachi 3:10: "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

Notice that the above passage says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse" (Malachi 3:10, above). As we will see, this command has been misinterpreted by many Christians, and God was not actually saying what many people believe He was saying.

Recall that Malachi 3:10 was written during Old Testament times, and the original readers were all living under the Law of Moses. Therefore, in order to understand what God was really saying through the prophet Malachi we need to learn about all of the tithing commandments in the Law of Moses. We'll look at everything that the Law of Moses said concerning tithing, but keep in mind that we're simply trying to discover the original intent of Malachi 3:10. As we saw earlier, the Law of Moses was totally canceled at the cross, and therefore these tithing passages are not commands for Christians to follow.

Here is the first commandment in the Old Testament concerning tithing:
Leviticus 27:30: ""'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD."
Leviticus 27:31: "If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it."
Leviticus 27:32: "The entire tithe of the herd and flock --every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod-- will be holy to the LORD."

Notice in this passage that the Jews were specifically commanded to tithe from the land and from the flock. What we'll see is that the Israelites' tithes were always meant to be edible. People were never meant to tithe in the form of money, and verse 31 (above) specifically says that if an Israelite chose to redeem (buy back) any of his edible tithes then he must add 20% (one-fifth) to the value of his edible tithes after he had tithed from his produce (more on this later).

The above passage says that this tithe belonged to the Lord, and therefore scholars sometimes refer to this tithe as the "Lord's Tithe." There were other tithes as well, which scholars sometimes refer to as the "Festival Tithe" and the "Poor Tithe." For example:
"In the OT, the Lord's tithe (Lev. 27:30), the festival tithe (Deut. 12:10, 11), and the tithe for the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29), were all compulsory." (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates, p.403, emphasis added)

Now, recall that the Law of Moses was still active while Jesus was alive. It was canceled at the cross:
Ephesians 2:13: "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:14: "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,"
Ephesians 2:15: "by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace"

Colossians 2:13: "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,"
Colossians 2:14: "having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."
So the Law of Moses was still active while Jesus was alive, which is why He said to the Pharisees:
Matthew 23:23: ""Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

Notice that Jesus specifically described edible plants as an example of the Pharisees' tithes.

Tithes were never intended to be paid in the form of money because tithes were always meant to be eaten.

Now let's look at the next passage that we find in the Old Testament concerning tithing:
Numbers 18:20: "The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites."
Numbers 18:21: ""I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting."
Numbers 18:22: "From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die."
Numbers 18:23: "It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites."
Numbers 18:24: "Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.'""
Numbers 18:25: "The LORD said to Moses,"
Numbers 18:26: ""Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord's offering."
Numbers 18:27: "Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress."
Numbers 18:28: "In this way you also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord's portion to Aaron the priest."
Numbers 18:29: "You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'"
Numbers 18:30: ""Say to the Levites: 'When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress."
Numbers 18:31: "You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting."
Numbers 18:32: "By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.'""

The purpose of this tithe was to support the tribe of Levi (the Levites) with food, because the tithes from the other Israelite tribes were the Levites' inheritance in return for the work that they did while serving at the Tent of Meeting (verses 21 and 24). When the Levites received the Lord's Tithe from the rest of Israel, the Levites had to give a "tithe of the tithes" (a tenth of the Israelites' tithes) to Aaron the priest (verses 26 to 28). The tithe which was given to Aaron the priest was "reckoned" as if the Levites had tithed from the land (verses 27 and 30). In other words, when the Levites gave a tithe from all of the edible tithes which they received from the rest of the Israelites, the Levites' tithe was "reckoned to them" (verse 30) as if they had worked the ground themselves and then tithed from the produce of their land. In this way, the Levites were able to tithe something edible and avoid sinning (verse 32). After the Levites received the tithes from all of Israel and then presented the best 10% of those tithes to Aaron the priest, the Levites and their families ate the remaining 90% of the Lord's Tithe as their wages (verse 31). The tithes were never intended to be paid in the form of money, the tithes were always meant to be eaten.

Now let's look at another passage which describes the tithing laws:
Deuteronomy 12:17: "You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts."
Deuteronomy 12:18: "Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose --you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns-- and you are to rejoice before the LORD your God in everything you put your hand to."
Deuteronomy 12:19: "Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land."

Once again we see that the tithes were meant to be eaten, and God said that these tithes had to be eaten in the place where God would choose. Notice that it was the Israelites themselves who ate their own tithes (while not neglecting the Levites), and they all brought their edible tithes to the place where God dwelt in order to have a big feast. This is the "Festival Tithe."

The Festival Tithe is also described in the next passage, along with an interesting commandment:
Deuteronomy 14:22: "Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year."
Deuteronomy 14:23: "Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always."
Deuteronomy 14:24: "But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away),"
Deuteronomy 14:25: "then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose."
Deuteronomy 14:26: "Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice."
Deuteronomy 14:27: "And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own."
In Deuteronomy 14:22-23 (above) we can once again see that the tithes were commanded to be from the land and from the flock (because the tithes were always meant to be eaten), and once again we see that the Israelites were commanded to bring these tithes to the place where God would choose to dwell so that they could have a big feast and rejoice (verse 26). This is the "Festival Tithe." But notice the commandment in Deuteronomy 14:24-25 (above). If the place where God chose to dwell was too far for a family to carry their edible tithes then the family was allowed to convert their edible tithes into money. Doesn't this justify the modern Christian practice of paying tithes in the form of money? No, because verse 26 specifically says that when the Israelites reached the place where the Lord dwelt they must convert their money back into an edible form by buying food and drink, and then they must eat their tithes. The tithes were always meant to be eaten, and in this case the Israelites ate their own tithes (they did not put these tithes into "the storehouse of God"). This is completely different from the way that tithing is done today, even though modern tithers often say that the Old Testament tithes were "carried over" into the New Testament.

Here is another form of tithing that the Israelites were commanded to follow:
Deuteronomy 14:28: "At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns,"
Deuteronomy 14:29: "so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands."
This passage says that every three years the Israelites must take the edible tithes from that year's produce and store it in their towns so that the Levites, the aliens, the fatherless, and the widows could eat and be satisfied. This is the "Poor Tithe." Again, the tithes were always meant to be eaten, and notice in this passage that the aliens, the fatherless, and the widows did not need to pay any tithes (because they were the ones who were eating the Israelites' tithes). We can see that not everyone tithed in the Old Testament, yet modern tithers say that every Christian, rich or poor, needs to be tithing. The modern form of tithing bears no resemblance to God's purposes for tithing under the Law of Moses.

Recall that in the previous passage (Deuteronomy 14:22-27, above), the tithes needed to be eaten in the place where the Lord dwelt, so they were not meant to be stored anywhere. In the above passage (Deuteronomy 14:28-29), the tithes needed to be eaten in the towns where the food was grown, so they were not meant to be stored anywhere.
Notice that these passages create a problem with the usual interpretation of Malachi 3:10 because most modern tithers usually claim that 10% of our gross income must be paid to our local church (which they believe is "the storehouse of God"), based on Malachi 3:10. But this is an erroneous interpretation of Malachi 3:10 because the "Festival Tithe" was eaten by the Israelites (not placed into "the storehouse"), and the "Poor Tithe" was eaten in the towns where the food was grown (not placed into "the storehouse"), and 90% of the "Lord's Tithe" was eaten by the Levites wherever they wanted to eat it (not placed into "the storehouse"). The vast majority of the Israelites' tithes was never intended to be placed into "the storehouse of God." Therefore, God meant something different in Malachi 3:10 than what most modern tithers think that He meant, and we'll see exactly what He was talking about in a moment.

The next passage repeats the same commands as the previous passage:
Deuteronomy 26:12: "When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied."
Deuteronomy 26:13: "Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them."
Once again we see that every third year the Levites and the less fortunate were able to eat the Israelites' tithes (the "Poor Tithe"), and this was done in the towns where the food was grown. Again, the tithes were always meant to be eaten, and we can see that there was a special type of tithe every three years, and we can see that not everyone had to pay tithes. This is completely different from the way that tithing is done today, even though modern tithers often say that the Old Testament tithes were "carried over" into the New Testament.

The next passage confirms that the Israelites' tithes were eaten:
2 Chronicles 31:3-12: This passage says that the Israelites brought their tithes (all of which were edible) and piled them up in great heaps. When Hezekiah asked about the heaps, the chief priest said, "we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare." Again, the tithes which were commanded under the Old Covenant were always meant to be eaten.

The next passage shows the tithes which were brought to the storerooms of the treasury:
Nehemiah 10:37-38: According to this passage, when the Israelites returned to Israel after being in captivity in Babylon, they made a vow to begin tithing again in accordance with God's commandments. They said that they would bring a tithe of their crops to the Levites, who would collect the tithes in the towns where the crops were grown. As we saw earlier in Numbers 18:31, God had said that the "Lord's Tithe" must go to the Levites, and He told the Levites, "You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting." The Levites in each town collected the tithes from that town, and they and their families ate 90% of the tithes wherever they wanted to eat it. God had also said to the Levites, "When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord's offering" (Numbers 18:26). This is why Nehemiah 10:38 (above) says that when the Levites collected the tithes in the towns, they needed to take a tenth of those tithes to "the storerooms of the treasury" which were in the house of God. The Hebrew word for "the storerooms of the treasury" in the above passage is 'owtsar, which is the same Hebrew word used in "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse ['owtsar], that there may be food in my house" (Malachi 3:10).

So we are now in a position to determine what Malachi 3:8-10 actually means. Recall that Nehemiah 10:38 (above) tells us that the Levites must bring a tenth of the tithes up to "the storehouse" of God (for the priests to eat). With this in mind, let's look again at that passage in Malachi, starting in verse 6:
The above passage tells us that God does not change (verse 6). Therefore, we must not assume that God was making changes to the Old Testament tithing laws here. God told the priests and the nation of Israel to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and stop robbing Him. In other words, the proper tithes are not being placed into "the storehouse," God says, and therefore He is being robbed (verses 8-10). Notice that God told them to bring the "whole" tithe into the storehouse, which did not mean that all of the Israelites' tithes must be brought into the storehouse. It means that the whole portion for the priests (from the "Lord's Tithe") must be brought into the storehouse. Remember, we saw that 90% of the "Lord's Tithe" did not go into "the storehouse of God" because the Levites were meant to eat it anywhere they wanted to, and the "Festival Tithe" did not go into "the storehouse of God," and the "Poor Tithe" did not go into "the storehouse of God." Only the priests' portion, the best 10% from the "Lord's Tithe," was intended to go into "the storehouse" (in order to be eaten by the priests). So the "whole tithe" which belonged in the storehouse was not the full 10% that the Israelites paid as their tithes, it was only one-tenth of the 10% that the Israelites paid as their tithes (and only from the Lord's Tithe).

As we have seen, the vast majority of the Israelites' tithes were never intended to go into "the storehouse of God," and therefore the vast majority of the Israelites' tithes cannot be part of "the whole tithe" in Malachi 3:10. The only tithes which were meant to go into "the storehouse" were the priests' portions, and therefore Malachi 3:10 is saying that all of the priests' portions must be brought into "the storehouse" so that there may be food in God's house for the priests to eat. Most modern tithers have misinterpreted Malachi 3:8-10.

In order to be thorough, here are the remaining passages in the Bible which mention tithing:
Deuteronomy 12:5-7; 12:10-12; Nehemiah 12:43-47; Nehemiah 13:4-12; Amos 4:4; Luke 18:10-14

Sincere, well-meaning Christians sometimes claim that tithing was "carried over" from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant, but if we compare the modern form of tithing with the tithing commands under the Old Covenant then we can see that there is not a single person today who is tithing according to the tithing commands under the Old Covenant.

Christians sometimes use Malachi 3:8-10 to teach that all of our tithes (10% of our gross income) must be paid to our local church (the modern "storehouse of God"), which most Christian tithers pay in the form of money. Yet even if tithing was "carried over" from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant, notice that the modern form of tithing does not conform to the tithing commandments given by God.

Recall that when God commanded tithing, it was always meant to be from the land or from the flocks because it was always meant to be eaten. In fact, everyone didn't need to tithe (e.g. the poor), yet modern tithers say that every Christian must tithe, including the poor.

Even when the Israelites were allowed to convert their edible tithes into money in order to carry their tithes to the place where God dwelt, they were not allowed to give that money as their tithe. They needed to convert the money back into food and then eat their tithes.

We saw that the tribe of Levi was meant to be taken care of through the Israelites' tithes, and that the Levites ate 90% of the "Lord's Tithe" that they received. The best 10% from the "Lord's Tithe" went into "the storehouse of God" in order for the priests to eat it. Notice that this is a totally different method of tithing than the way in which Christians are tithing today.

In addition, we saw that there was a "Lord's Tithe," and there was a "Festival Tithe," and every three years there was a "Poor Tithe." If tithing was "carried over" from the Old Covenant into the New Covenant, as Christians sometimes claim, then why is it that pastors never collect a "Festival Tithe" or a "Poor Tithe"? And why is it that pastors urge the poor to tithe when the poor never tithed under the Old Covenant?

These things give the impression that perhaps pastors have not fully understood Old Covenant tithing, or perhaps they do not really believe that Old Covenant tithing was "carried over" into the New Covenant. If they truly believed that tithing was "carried over" into the Church Age then they would teach us to tithe according to all of the Old Covenant passages which we have examined (above). But pastors are teaching a form of "tithing" which is different from the way that anyone ever tithed throughout the Bible, which means that this modern form of tithing is a man-made invention because it is found nowhere in Scripture. Pastors are human and they make mistakes just like the rest of us, and no offense is intended here.

[Juan]

First of all, the actual Mosaic tithe was not 10 percent but 22-23 percent. That is because there were two annual tithes of 10 percent each and a third tithe every third year. The total averages out to 22-23 percent.

Second, the tithing itself was aimed strictly at the farming community, which most Jews were a member of at that time. They had to tithe from what was grown and what was raised such as flocks. Anyone else outside the field of farming would simply pay the annual half shekel at Passover.

Third, tithing was part of the Mosaic Law and therefore was only in force as long as the Mosaic Law was in force. The Mosaic Law came to an end when Messiah died on the cross.

Fourth, the biblical principle for today's giving is not based upon tithing but based upon giving as the Lord has prospered. From week to week the percentile might be different depending on the obligations we might have.

Fifth, the Bible nowhere says we are to give our entire offering (not tithe) to the local church. On the contrary, we are told that we should lay it in private deposit and strictly distribute our giving as necessary. The certain things we are required to support would include the local church, but that does not mean they get the entire amount of our offering. There are other ministries we are obligated to support such as whom we learn the Word from (Galatians 6), Jewish ministries (Romans 15:25-27), and others we give to as we are led to give. There is no need to feel guilty if somebody tries to get on your case for not tithing specifically to the church. The verses they use are verses that deal with the Mosaic Law. The storehouse was in the Temple Compound where the food was stored and not the church treasury.

[STEVE THE SHEPARD]

HI:

I READ MOST OF THE REPLIES AND SOME MIGHT STATED WHAT I AM ABOUT TO. I'VE BEEN CALLED TO HELP LEAD THE SHEEP BACK. THE THINGS YOU ALL NEED TO ASK BEFORE DEBATING IS

1.WHAT WAS THE PUPOSE OF THE TITHE UNDER THE LAW?
2.WHAT WAS A TITHE?

A LOT SAY A TENTH BUT THAT IS WRONG, THERE WAS A 10TH OF FOOD, 3% FOR TAXES, AND 10% OF WHAT THE PRIEST RECIEVED FROM THE LEVITES WERE TO BE BURNED AS AN OFFERING.

NOW WITH THOSE 2 THINGS IF TITHING EXIST THEN WHY ARE WE NOT BURNING A 10TH OF THE FOOD, GODD WORD NEVER CHANGES SO WHEN DID IT BECOME MONEY, THE ONLY MONEY WAS MITES WHEN THE OLD WIDOW GAVE AN OFFERING AND AN OFFERING IS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WAS REQUIRED. ALSO THEY HAD TO GIVE UP THEIR FIRST BORN - SO WHY WE ARE NOT GIVING UP OUR FIRST KID.

CLEARLY WE ARE NOT TO AND HERE IS WHY...........
TITHING WENT ON EVEN IN THE NEW TESTEMANT BECAUSE OF 1 REASON...DUHHH THE COVENANT (NEW) WASN'T SEALED YET UNTIL CHRIST DIED.
ALOT OF PEOPLE SAY WE ARE TO GIVE TO GOD BUT ASK YOURSELF THIS ....ARE U READY..?

WHY DID JESUS 1. MAKE US PRIEST? WELL BECAUSE THE PRIEST WERE ROBBING GOD THRU THEIR TITHES THAT THEY SUPPOSE TO GAVE TO THE POOR.

THATS RIGHT THE PURPOSE OF THE TITHE WAS TO RESTORE GOD'S PEOPLE BACK WITH HIM AND IT STATES IN HEBREWS 8TH CHAPT AND ON THAT JESUS MADE US PRIEST. SO THAT GOES ON TO MY NEXT QUESTION WHY DID HE MAKE US THE CHURCH AND PRIEST. THE PRIEST ALSO WERE MAKING THE CHURCHES OR SANCTUARIES GLAMOUROUS AND JESUS STATED THAT IN THE END DAYS WHICH WE ARE NOW THAT THESE BUILDINGS WILL NOT STAND NOW THIS WAS DEALING WITH THE OFFERING THAT THE WIDOW IN MARK.

THE OLD LAW REQUIRED US TO TITHE AND THIS IS WHAT CHANGED THE PREIST BECAME US SO IT'S OUR JOB TO GIVE. THEY SERVED AS MIDDLEMEN, THE 1ST TITHE WENT TO THE LEVITES THEN THE PRIEST THEN GOD , THEN THE POOR GOT THE REST SO THAT THEY WOULD COME TO GOD THANK HIM AND POSSIBLY BECOME CHRISTIANS THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE TITHE OF COURSE IT WAS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE BTU JESUS SAID THIS....

I WILL MAKE A NEW LAW BUT HE WILL NOT WRITE IT DOWN, THE OLD COVENANT LAW WAS WRITTEN DOWN..THE NEW ONE JESUS SAID IN HEBREWS WILL BE PUT ON YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS SO PASTORS, PREACHERS OR WHOEVER U ARE TITHING IS NOT A LAW BECAUSE IT SAYS IN HEBREWS UNDER THE NEW COVENANT THATWE ARE NOT TO TEACH OUR BRETHREN OR NIEGHBOR SO HOW ARE U TELLING THE CHURCH THAT TITHING IS THE LAW WHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST IS PERSONAL AND AS APPOINTED PRIEST WE ARE TO GIVE DIRECTLY TO THE POOR FROM WHAT GOD PUTS ON OUR HEART.

IT SAYS IN HEBREWS CHPT 8 AND ON THAT THE OLD COVENANT WASN'T WORKING SO THE NEW ONE MAKES IT OBSOLETE.

ALOT ASK THE QUESTION WHAT ABOUT THE COMMANDMENTS..WELL HERE IS YOUR ANSWER.......
JESUS WAS THE AND STILL IS THE NEW LAW AND WE ARE TO OBEY HIM, HE TAUGHT US EVERYTHING WE NEEDED TO KNOW..HE SPOKE ON DIVORCE , STEALING, FORNICATION, YOUR NIEGHBOR, THE SABBATH AND ON. DUH PEOPLE THATS SAYING THE COMMANDMENTS REMAIN BUT THE LAWS OF MOSES DOSN'T.

NOW HERE....... IF WE DO NOT SUPPOSE TO TEACH OUR BRETHREN AND NIEGHBOR THEN WHY ARE WE IN CHURCHES..THAT MEANS IF THERE IS NO CHURCH THEN THERE IS NO TITHE. THIS IS WHY GOD APPOINTED US THE CHURCH AND THE PRIEST SO WE CAN HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND BY US GIVING DIRECT TO THE POOR WITH US AS PRIEST WE NEED NO MIDDLEMAN SUCH AS CHURCH PASTORS BECAUSE THEY WASN'T DOING THEIR JOB THEN AND NOT NOW AND THIS IS WHY THE CHURCH IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY LIVING IN TRADITION AND THE OLD LAW.

IT'S LIKE SEX THAT AIN'T WORKING WITH YOUR HUBBY OR WIFE IF IT DOSN'T SATISFY HIM/HER THEN DO SOMETHING NEW IF THE NEW WORKS THEN WHY GO BACK TO THE OLD AND IF YOU DO...DUH SAME RESULTS THIS IS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY HOMELESS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT DOING WHAT JESUS SAID AND THATS TO GIVE AS PRIEST DIRECTLY TO THE POOR.
ALSO THE PLACE WHERE THE TITHES WERE TAKEN WAS TORN DOWN AND IF IT WAS THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TITHE? DUH. TITHES WERE TOOK TO CERTAIN PLACES NOT ALL TABERNACLES AND HOLY PLACES.

EXTRAS:WHY GOTO A CHURCH WHEN U ARE THE CHURCH. IN HEBREWS IT STATES THAT BUILDINGS, SANCTUARIES ARE JUST AN IMAGE OF WHATS IN HEAVEN AND THE COMMANDMENTS SAY NOT TO BUILD ANY ENGRAVEN IMAGE OF WHATS IN HEAVEN. GOD IS SEEKING A PERFECT CHURCH , WHICH HE CLEARLY STATES THAT WE ARE THE CHURCH!!!

READ NEH. CHAPTERS 10 VS HEBREWS CHAPT 8 AND ON ABOUT THE DUTIES OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD AND IN HEB THE NEW PRIESTHOOD.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND WOULD LIKE TO FELLOWSHIP OVER THE PHONE CALL ME AT 850-2972489. I NEED OTHERS TO HELP LEAD THIS FIGHT TO RESTORE GOD'S PEOPLE WITH HIM BECAUSE THEY HAVE GONE ASTRAY DUE TO TRADITION. OR EMAIL ME AT [email protected] CALL ME IMMEDIATELY!!!

[craigo]

Tithe to who or what ?? My local church ? My favorite mission organization ? What if my local church would rather build buildings than minister to the poor, hungry and homeless ? If you're gonna comment, brother, then address the whole issue..........lots of Christians think they're off the hook if they just put money in the plate at their church............ I disagree.........any type of 'distant charity' keeps a wall between us and the homeless - we should be downtown everyday personally passing out sandwiches, shoes and gloves - AT A MINIMUM

[FMF]

Craig --

I have commented -- you just need to read more. :-)

Check out my "The Bible and Money" category, read all the posts there, and see if those don't address the issues you bring up. It's here:

http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/the_bible_and_money/

[Steve]

I'm not sure how you reconcile the idea of tithing because of command or mandate from God with 2 Corinthians 9:7 “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully."

It sounds pretty clear to me from that passage that we aren't to give because a pastor is pressuring us to give, to avoid curses from God or to receive blessings in return. The NT doesn't support tithing ONLY free will giving.

Also, Malachi is part of the Old Covenant and, to my knowledge, is not quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing for us.

Malachi is very clear in addressing what the curses were for. The curses were for dishonest priests because they had stolen the best offerings from God (see Malachi In 1:6; 2:1 and 3:1-5). The “curse” of Malachi 3:9 is the curse of the Nation of Israel’s breaking of the Old Covenant. Malachi’s audience had recently re-committed themselves to fall under the blessings or curses of that Old Covenant Law. Voluntarily placing themselves under any one part of the Law, such as tithing, obligated them to keep all the Law perfectly. (see Deuteronomy 27:26 and Nehemiah 10:29).

In Malachi 3:10-11 the tithes mentioned are still referring to the food brought to the tabernacle NOT money (see also Lev. 27:30-33).

The assumption is made that Malachi is addressing everyone. The truth is that only landowners and herdsmen inside Israel were required to pay tithes not everyone. Others only paid free-will offerings.

“Storehouse” does not mean “treasury”. In Malachi’s time, the government was involved in collecting and redistributing the church funds. Storehouses were considered the property of the theocratic state which received political aid to collect its tithes. Storehouses held food and sacrificial animals which were used to provide food for the poor, fatherless, and orphan in the land. It had nothing to do with bringing money to pay the salary of the Pastor or church leaders or for up keep and expansion of the Church building.

To apply these "curses" to NT Christians as coercion for paying tithes is nothing short of manipulation.

[FMF]

Steve --

Read everything I've written on this subject, not just one post. But in summary:

1. The tithe was before the law, part of the law, and the minimum amount for Christians.

2. Regarding "not under the law": Jesus came to fulfill the law. Mt. 5:17

3. Tithing in the NT: Jesus endorsed the tithe in Luke 11:42.

[Benne Clark]

The comments alone gives me something to study in reference to tithing for the next 6 months... thanks! I always wanted to know the truth; not just what traditional religious leaders promote or what grandma said. Thanks again and I be back, but for now I have to printing to do :)

To Your Success,

Benne Clark