Tithing

[tdidymas]

The tithe was only things created by God, domestic animals and plants raised by farmers and others raising herbs, etc.
Jesus was a carpenter, he would not have paid a tithe. The Temple tax was actual money called shekels.

Jesus' temple tax was paid in drachma. Also, a farmer or rancher could redeem his tithe for monetary value plus 1/5, so his tithe would be a monetary amount of 120% of the value of his animals and produce.

One might speculate that because Joseph and Mary was given gold and other items of value, they could have had animals for awhile. But by the time of Jesus' ministry, they were likely too poor to pay tithes, and possibly were living hand-to-mouth on His carpentry work. Then at Jesus' crucifixion, Mary had to live with John because she had no home (most likely).

But Abraham paid a tenth of everything to Melchizedek. My point is that the term "tithe" is not being used as it was in the law of Moses. It's just a "rule of thumb."

 

[SkyWriting]

No. I don’t see anywhere in the scriptures where a gentile Christian is instructed to tithe. Give, yes. Regularly, yes. Make it a priority, yes. Be generous when there is a need, yes. Tithe, no. Christian giving is really well spelled out in the Bible. I mean, Paul ripped the Galatians for listening to the Judaizers and observing the sabbath etc… the modern day equivalent in today’s church would be for tithing. But that’s just my take.

Who did Jesus tithe to?

Jesus gave 100% of everything he had to His Father.
Specifically? It's none of my business. Tithing specifics are nobody else's business.
The purpose is to set one's own head straight. Not other people's.

 

[Redd5]

Jesus gave 100% of everything he had to His Father.
Specifically? It's none of my business. Tithing specifics are nobody else's business.
The purpose is to set one's own head straight. Not other people's.

well, unless you are making the case for tithing based on the fact that you think Jesus (a Jew under the law) did it. then I think it is up for discussion. I think if he had, well first of all, he was a jew under the law, so it still doesn't mean that a gentile would be doing it, but irregardless, if Jesus had tithed, it would be big news who he gave it to... I don't see anywhere in scripture where anything other than agricultural goods were ever tithed, so I don't think he was required to tithe.

 

[Redd5]

Jesus' temple tax was paid in drachma. Also, a farmer or rancher could redeem his tithe for monetary value plus 1/5, so his tithe would be a monetary amount of 120% of the value of his animals and produce.

One might speculate that because Joseph and Mary was given gold and other items of value, they could have had animals for awhile. But by the time of Jesus' ministry, they were likely too poor to pay tithes, and possibly were living hand-to-mouth on His carpentry work. Then at Jesus' crucifixion, Mary had to live with John because she had no home (most likely).

But Abraham paid a tenth of everything to Melchizedek. My point is that the term "tithe" is not being used as it was in the law of Moses. It's just a "rule of thumb."

that totally depends on what church you go to! some churches teach that if you do not tithe, you are cursed, you won't get healing, blah blah blah. which is probably why some people like myself can get touchy about the subject (my apologies if I am!)... but I have seen some bad bad bad teaching on tithing that would make your skin crawl.

 

[com7fy8]

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

Here are some scriptures about what God wanted tithing to be for, while Moses and the Jews were directed to tithe >

"'You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.'" (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)

For some while, I was told tithing was giving ten percent of my income to my church. Then I read this passage and I see how the tithe was to be eaten by the tither at the special location where the LORD told the Jews to meet. So, for me this was quite a surprise.

Also, I now think of how the Jews gave materials they had gotten from the Egyptians, for building the religious structures. Nowhere does the LORD say the tithe was for somehow financing the building of religious structures.

And here is something else >

"'But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.'" (Deuteronomy 14:24-26)

So, here God is saying the tither could sell the food for money, and take that money to the meeting place, then buy whatsoever the tither desired to eat at that assembly location. This, to say the least, was also a big surprise, since I always had understood the church got the tithe and it was used to pay the ministerial people and expenses of keeping the church building going.

But in my more recent church, the leaders meet and decide whom they understand God wants them to use money to help. So, the tithed incomes of members is used to help people, in this church.

"'You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you.'" (Deuteronomy 14:27)

To me, this means to give of the tithe food to Levites who were ministerial people and their families. And there were other commanded ways to use the tithe >

"'At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.'" (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)

So . . . the tithe each third year was used to feed widows, strangers, and ones who were fatherless. And it looks like the LORD desired for them to be welcome to eat until they were "satisfied". So, this was not some sort of welfare thing, where ones could stand over needy people and control what they ate and how much. And the tithe was used for this.

 

[Sketcher]

I am fascinated and a bit uneasy when I watch Christian channels where testimonies are given by people of how Jesus helped them - in particular about tithing.
Often stories are told by couples who were in terrible debt, they turned to church and say they felt they must tithe, give, in order to receive God's help. Then follows the inevitable success story of how once they began giving, their lives changed. They got job offers and were able to pay off huge debts.
Well, how? I think it is a bit much to encourage those who are struggling, to give money to church.

Do people here tithe regularly? Is it obligatory at your church?

The purpose of tithing is to give your money to the church, not to get Earthly blessings back from God. Some people may indeed have been blessed in this way, but if a church insists on giving a lot, and especially if the pastors have really nice suits, cars, watches and houses, I'm hesitant to call it a good church. Such people tend to get rich off of messages like that. They might trot out a couple here and a couple there who claim to have a story like this, but I don't know of a church where that is everyone who has been living faithfully and attending for 5+ years. Which means the people who have been living faithfully and attending and giving for years who are still financially struggling are being had. Not entirely unlike when a casino advertises the occasional winner.

I'm still all about tithing, though.

Tithing is very good to do in our culture of putting "me first" when it comes to spending. A greedy person will either spend irresponsibly, or save to buy the next big thing. Giving 10% of your income away throttles that. When you are faithful to give a certain percentage of money to one of God's worthy causes, you have to re-prioritize, and getting that next big thing isn't as important. It can show you what you really need as opposed to what you think you need. Some who are very well off may need to give more than 10% to achieve this; some who are poor may need to give less than 10%, with a goal of being able to give 10% after paying off some debts and/or increasing their income. The NT does not insist on a particular percentage, but it's a good, round figure to start at.

 

[RDKirk]

Right, tithing is a legal term and sometimes has Sinaitic Covenant entanglements. But the church typically uses the term in the simple sense, that it means "tenth." It's just a rule of thumb, and not a legal obligation, so it's not really tithing under the law of Moses.

Yes, in scripture tithing is a legal term. God explicitly defined the tithe: What is is, how it should be selected, how much it is, where it should be taken, how it should be given. It was necessary to tithe strictly according instructions, or not to tithe at all ("strange incense"). In fact, Jews today do not tithe...because they cannot do it according to the law.

Nowhere in scripture does God re-define tithing as anything else. If the apostles had intended to define the tithe in a different way, they would have said so in two or three witnesses.

Rather, the instructions of New Testament giving are this:

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” -- 2 Corinthians 8

 

[tdidymas]

that totally depends on what church you go to! some churches teach that if you do not tithe, you are cursed, you won't get healing, blah blah blah. which is probably why some people like myself can get touchy about the subject (my apologies if I am!)... but I have seen some bad bad bad teaching on tithing that would make your skin crawl.

That's my sentiment, too. I once confronted a pastor because he said "if you don't tithe, you curse yourself." Then his wife got up with a scowl on her face, said "Oooo, wasn't that good?" It made me want to puke. I told him that Paul taught grace in Colossians and quoted him a verse. But he then said "I like what you're saying, but in my 30 years experience, if I don't preach tithing, they won't do it." Just goes to show you how people are in bondage to law. I think many churches and many Christians are under that.

 

[SkyWriting]

well, unless you are making the case for tithing based on the fact that you think Jesus (a Jew under the law) did it. then I think it is up for discussion. I think if he had, well first of all, he was a jew under the law, so it still doesn't mean that a gentile would be doing it, but irregardless, if Jesus had tithed, it would be big news who he gave it to... I don't see anywhere in scripture where anything other than agricultural goods were ever tithed, so I don't think he was required to tithe.

He gave his life, so you are correct. He did not tithe.

 

[Hank77]

that totally depends on what church you go to! some churches teach that if you do not tithe, you are cursed, you won't get healing, blah blah blah. which is probably why some people like myself can get touchy about the subject (my apologies if I am!)... but I have seen some bad bad bad teaching on tithing that would make your skin crawl.

Teaching tithing from OT law is how the Prosperity Gospel works. That's how so many pastors and teachers get extremely wealthy off their parishioners.