When you
come to a subject like tithing, I think it is important to see that there are
two extremes to avoid. The first is the temptation to conclude that tithing is
not for this age, so that I feel no obligation to give, and can keep as much
money for myself as possible. The other is to use the tithing texts to make
people feel obliged to give more, and to feel guilty if they don’t. Preachers
are usually the guilty ones with respect to the latter. The sad reality is that
in most churches, at least half of those who attend give nothing —that’s right,
nothing—at all to the Lord’s work.
In
the King James Version, “tithing” (“tithe,” “tithes,” “tithing”) occurs 40
times in the Bible, 32 times in the Old Testament, and 8 times in the New. In
the New Testament, 5 of the 8 occurrences are found in Hebrews 7:5-9, which are referring to
the “tithe” of Abraham to Melchizedek in the Old Testament. Two of the
remaining 3 occurrences occur in Luke. In Luke 11:42 we find a parallel
text to the one remaining text (Matthew 23:23). Here, Jesus accuses the Pharisees of tithing in the small,
inexpensive, things (mint, dill, cummin), but neglecting the weightier matters.
Thus, Jesus does not condemn tithing, but says that there are more important
matters. (One could point out that at this point Jesus was still talking as One
in the old dispensation, and not the new.) In Luke 18:12 we see the
self-righteous Pharisee, boasting about his tithing as a proof (in his mind) of
his righteousness. So far as I can find in the New Testament, neither Jesus or
any of His apostles taught the necessity of tithing. Neither can we find any
statement that they did tithe—that they practiced tithing. Jesus did pay the
temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27), but we do not read of
Him paying His tithe.
The
question one always must ask when dealing with Old Testament practices and
commands is this: “Does the New Testament (1) embrace and continue, or (2)
modify, or (3) do away with this Old Testament practice? The New Testament
surely set aside the “clean/unclean” food regulations of the Old Testament (Mark 7; Acts 10-11). By and large, the Ten
Commandments have been carried over into the New Testament. Those laws which
pertained to the administration of justice have (at least some of them) been
modified. It is no longer our duty or obligation to stone disobedient children.
The state/government does administrate justice, which may even include capital
punishment (this is debated by some, but lets leave it at this for the moment).
Certainly we are not to stone adulterers today, though we are to “hand them
over to Satan” (1 Cor. 5) for the destruction of
their flesh. So, the question must be, where does tithing fit into this scheme?
Has it been brought over into the New Testament age, or has it been set aside,
or modified?
I
would have to say that the whole tithing system cannot be brought over, in a the New Covenant. The Concept of tithing is from the Old Covenant.However you can tithe if you purpose in your heart to do so. We should pray and ask God what we should do. I believer Apostle Paul told us in 2 Cor 9:6-8. Give as we purpose in our heart. Just wanted to provoke you to thinking. God Bless Dr. E areskridge6840@att.net. Merry Christmas and Happy Blessed New Year.
