Tithing Remarks

From Cherry Brandstater:

Since tithing was given as a law to Israel it certainly predated "the church." It was never given as a way to sustain "the church." There is no template for tithing in the early church. Nothing suggests that such a formula persisted into the Christian community. Instead, there was a much more inclusive and personal mechanism developed whereby members of the church had an accoutability to each other. They no longer saw their belongings as their own but pooled their resources so that all were cared for equitably.

It was much like the difference in the Sabbath given to Israel and the Sabbatismos (Heb 4) given to The Church. For Israel it was one in seven. In The Church it was "today" - seven out of seven. Every day was now a day of rest from our works toward salvation.

With respect to tithing Israel was required to tithe one in ten. In Christianity - why just one in ten? We are redeemed. We are sons and daughters in the kingdom. We no longer owe a tax - we own the business along with our older brother, Jesus. It's not one in ten as if we owed a tax. It's everything we have, everything we own, all that we are. We are joint heirs of the kingdom. We jointly own the kingdom with Christ. Everything we own is His already and everything He owns He has already given to us in the Son.

We need a renewing of the mind. We need to come up higher and give up the slave mentality of taxpayers. Jesus opened a way into the Holy of Holies by which we may come into the immediate presence of the Father and join in His councils. Until we see that one in seven and one in ten respresents the mindset of a slave we have not yet grasped the height, depth and beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

From Hazel Holland:

Amen! A number of years ago I chose "releasingcaptives" as my email address because I believe God wants to release His captive children from the mindset of slavery.

As long as we continue to keep one day in seven and give one tenth of our income to God, we still have the mindset of a slave child.

We still haven't fully understood that as God's sons and daughters we may daily enter into the "rest" that He has already provided! The only thing left for us to do is to enjoy sweet fellowship with Him through the Spirit. Then from this position of "resting" in His grace, He will show us the "work" that He has prepared in advance for us to do. But this "work" is not like what we are used to performing under the Old Covenant...

Since we have been bought with a price, everything that we own and have are already His. And we have everything when we have Christ!

Could it be that God's Spirit is confronting us with the truth that since Jesus already fulfilled the Old Covenant law, including the law of "tithing", we may now freely give of ourselves to others as we are led by the Spirit to give?

...I believe the story of the widow's mite is an example of how God desires that we give everything to Him in the new covenant reality.

From Ramone Romero:

Yes, the widow's mite is a picture of God's economy -- He doesn't want an amount of money or even money at all: He wants our hearts! God can take one penny given in faith & love and do more with that than a billion dollars given without them. God's economy is in faith & heart. These are the "currency" of the Kingdom, and are the means by which He wants us to live and spread the word of His good news.

"Posting Bail"

By Ramone Romero - March 8th, 2011

Many pastors use Malachi 3:8-10 to say that we are "robbing God" if we are not tithing & giving offerings to the church. This immediately places us under guilt and accusation (and under the law) because we are told that we have not paid God, but we *should have* been paying Him all along, so in fact we have been *robbing* Him.

Our giving then is not only obligatory, but more than that it is giving to basically pay a debt that we are supposed to have been *neglecting* up to now. For the Christian, tithing is then indirectly presented as a way we are supposed to pay God back for what He has done for us.

And further, particularly in charismatic churches, if we have problems or sicknesses or financial difficulties (etc.), then it is because we have not been paying tithe. We are in prison, so to speak, and have not been paying God the money to stay out of prison.

This picture illustrates how using Malachi 3:8-10 today to teach Christian tithing is no different that traditional pagan religions. Tithe had a purpose under the Old Covenant law--to shadow and point to the coming Messiah, and also to teach the people the strictness of the law (i.e., to reveal sin). These purposes have been fulfilled in Christ. So to teach now--even indirectly--in the age of the New Covenant that God needs to be paid off with "tithe" so we can stay out of "being cursed" (in jail) proclaims that God is pagan and demands to be approached as such.

"Not Included!"

Read the writing on the batteries

By Ramone Romero - February 10, 2010

Recently as I was taking a bath, God began speaking to me about the "power source" of most churches not being included in the New Covenant. We know that the gospel speaks of the freedom of the Spirit and about giving love freely. However we wonder how in the world this good news will be "financed", and have felt like it was a sort of "batteries not included" situation. The way that the church did it in the book of Acts doesn't seem secure enough or safe enough for us. So we've reached back to the Old Covenant to find the "tithe" batteries so that we can power our churches and keep them running.

For a Spirit-led study on the subject of "tithing" in Christianity, please read my spiritual mum's booklet at this blog: Transformed By Truth

When I showed this picture to Hazel, she had this to say:

While looking at your picture right now I'm getting that many church leaders see the tithe as their life insurance policy that everyone in the church must get plugged into, just in case depending on the promises of God in the new covenant gospel doesn't pan out materially speaking... Without the "tithe power" church leaders are afraid that they will cease to function as a church. They're afraid they will have to close the doors, and that their material livelihoods, and their lavish lifestyles will be at stake...

The "sheep" are the "tithe power" that pay for the shepherds lavish lifestyles, and keep the church life going. Those "batteries" are constantly needing to be replaced and recharged... so low in some churches that they can no longer function as they did before and are having to close down shop and lay-off workers.

Since many church leaders can no longer hear God's voice in these matters, they use their own voice (as the voice of God) to spiritually abuse the sheep that are under their care, fleecing them, even sacrificing some for their own selfish means. Many have not been a shepherd to the sheep under their care, but have behaved more like a ravenous wolf, devouring the weak sheep so that they can no longer walk, but have to be carried.

The sheep are being made weak by not being taught how to discern God's heart for themselves through the power of the Spirit, but are always having to depend upon someone else (a leader or anointed person) telling them what to do, and what to think, and how much to give. Pretty much like our government's welfare system. It's a "Big Brother will take care of you if you do what I say" kind of thing, instead of teaching people to rely on God's Word for themselves, and letting them know that they can each hear God's voice for themselves and don't need to come to another "anointed" leader to be told what to do in these matters.

In fact, it's God’s heart that many churches do close their doors because they are a great hindrance to the work of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. They are not plugged into God's power source, the Holy Spirit of Truth, but are relying on themselves for power. Man's power supply quickly runs low, but God's doesn't. Moreover, since the church building isn't the church, but believers in the body of Christ are, God is preparing the hearts of more and more believers to start more and more house churches. I believe that these little "islands of power" will replace more and more of the organized churches that have become dead wood, because they have fallen away from the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

I believe that even the bad economy is working to God's advantage to achieve His ultimate purposes in releasing His children from spiritual bondage to man-made doctrines and traditions in many churches. Although much has been hidden up until now, God is bringing everything out into the light... everything that can be shaken will be shaken. Only our sure foundation, Jesus Christ, will remain. As long as we are found in Him, and plugged into Him through His Spirit, we will remain also.

I was surprised to read Hazel's reply because the "dead wood" thing she said explains why I was impressed to make the church building wooden!

The "storm" with lightning striking is God's discipline coming to "knock out" the ungodly power source. His storm is not meant to hit us, but rather our dependence on flesh and the old covenant.

But, the more we try to 'protect' this power source, the more we ourselves risk getting struck by lightning! He wants to knock out the false power source, not us, and replace it with Him Himself -- the Holy Spirit of freedom and life! He's calling us to willingly repent and so detach ourselves from flesh, old covenant and feeding off the lives of our spiritual children, otherwise He will have to "strike us" (or flatten us) in order to fix things.

I need to pray:

Lord, You know all things and You know our hearts. Often we know we're stretching things when we try to find "tithe" in the New Covenant. But then we go further in to convince ourselves, and we want the congregation to be convinced, too. God, so often we've quieted that little voice in our heads that said, "Hey, this doesn't quite fit the context"... and that little voice was You, Lord.

Forgive us, Father, in Jesus' name. Forgive us for trying to extract support from the sheep when You meant them to give willingly. Forgive us also because when we have reached back to the Law for the support of its tithe command, we cut out "the poor" that You meant to benefit from tithing in ancient Israel, and we said tithe was meant to support our church institution instead of being given to the needy (ancient Israel was commanded to give a significant portion of it directly to the needy).

Forgive us, Father, because when we preach to people about "giving", it only rarely if ever means "giving to the needy". The whole topic of "giving" in church is reserved almost exclusively for giving "to the church"--to the building, pastors, leaders and ministry projects.

Lord, please enable Your children to see the truth and to take the daring leap of faith to allow Your people to provide for leaders and ministries freely without being under compulsion. Teach us the greater blessings in store for us when we live by the Spirit alone instead of by the letter of the Old Covenant Law. Please open our eyes and convict us, Holy Spirit, and please do so before it becomes time for You to discipline us, in Jesus' name, amen.

"Already Paid"

By Ramone Romero - February 11, 2010

All of our debts have been paid by Christ's blood at the cross. No more offerings or tithes must be made to secure His presence, His blessings, or removal of curses from us. When Jesus said, "It is finished", the "it" included tithing. Our debt is paid in full and we are no longer "robbing God". Our flesh need not be given because His flesh has fulfilled the requirements of the Law once and for all! Our only ongoing debt is to love one another as He has loved us. And now with His arm securely around us, He longs for us to walk with Him, secure in His love and favor. His Spirit (who lives in us because our bodies are His temple) will show us who needs His love today, and in what way.

"Forgotten"

By Ramone Romero - June 26, 2009

Not long ago I was watching TV and came upon a show (some kind of drama) in which a group of homeless men were having a party together, singing songs in what would otherwise be depressing circumstances. The drama seemed to be about a man doing a video documentary, who had bought drinks and food for the homeless men so that they could have the party. As I watched, I was suddenly moved deep in my heart and spirit by the sight of the homeless men enjoying the meal and singing songs.

I began to see a picture of a man sleeping on the street, forgotten. As I looked at it, wondered and focused on the picture more in my spirit (and as I began to draw it), I knew that it was Jesus.

"I was hungry... I was thirsty... I was a stranger...
I needed clothes... I was sick... I was in prison..."

Have we forgotten You, Lord? Have we rejoiced in Your salvation, Your anointing, in prosperity, in song and feast, in health and wholeness, and left You outside?

Worksheet VII - Some Final Questions For Further Reflection

Can the gospel be financed just by grace, heart and Spirit alone—without the Law?

Could we simply be afraid that we might lose some of our churches and ministries if we told people the truth about tithing not being required under the New Covenant?

Is it possible that clinging to the Old Covenant law of tithing might actually be veiling our eyes to greater, more abundant blessings in the Spirit when Christians become released from the letter of the Law?

Would it be unlike God to someday discipline churches the hard way?
...so that we all could give freely from the heart alone instead of from under compulsion?
...so that we all could know our blessing is secure in Christ’s all-sufficient sacrifice alone?
...so that the poor of the earth could “reap” from free and loving Christian hearts?

Just as God challenged the people of Israel to “Test Me in this” when they were not obeying the commands of His Mosaic covenant with them, is it possible that today God is calling to us, challenging us to “Test Me in this”—to test Him in letting people be free to give without compulsion, from grace and Spirit alone without the letter of the Law? Is it possible that God is challenging us to let the tithes and offerings of the Old Covenant be fulfilled completely in Jesus Christ, and to simply spend ourselves on behalf of the poor and needy instead?

Worksheet VI - Did Abraham & Jacob Tithe?

50. Does Scripture say if Abraham ever gave 10% to Melchizadek more than once in his life?
Circle answer: YES or NO

51. Did Abraham give 10% of his regular income? (Hebrews 7:14, Genesis 14:11-12, 15-20)
Circle answer: YES or NO
(If "NO", then it was 10% of _________________)

52. What did Abraham do with the other 90%? (Genesis 14:21-24)
_____________________________________________

53. So does the story of Abraham support Christians "tithing" 10% of their regular income every month to the church?
Circle answer: YES or NO

54. Was Jacob commanded or asked to give God 10% of his earnings? (Genesis 28:20-22)
Circle answer: YES or NO

55. Did God promise to give His blessings before or after Jacob promised to give 10% of his earnings to God? (Genesis 28:10-22)
Circle answer: BEFORE or AFTER

56. What conditions did Jacob demand from God when he promised to give his 10%? (Genesis 28:20-22)
_____________________________________________

57. Do you think we should put conditions on God like that today? (Matthew 4:7)
Circle answer: YES or NO

58. Jacob promised 10% to God, but who did Jacob give it to?
_____________________________________________

59. Is the story of Jacob a good model for "Christian tithing" to the church?
Circle answer: YES or NO

60. Did the blessings of Abraham or Jacob depend the "tenths" they gave?
Circle answer: YES or NO


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - VI

Jacob promised his “tenth” immediately after God showed him a dream which pointed to Jesus Christ (John 1:51). The story of Abraham giving his “tenth” to Melchizadek was also ultimately used to point the Jewish people to Jesus Christ as our all-sufficient High Priest. Is it possible that God put tithing in the Law of Moses to remind Israel of Abraham & Jacob’s “tenths” so that He could later point to His Son Jesus as the fulfillment of Melchizadek and the fulfillment of Jacob’s dream and God’s promises to him?

The Law—including the law of tithing—came 430 years after Abraham according to Galatians 3:17. Just like the early church, both Abraham and Jacob were blessed simply because they believed in God and trusted in His promise to protect and prosper them. If they all were so abundantly blessed without a law of tithing, but only gave freely from the heart, could we also let go of tithing and yet find abundant blessings and provision? Is it possible that we don’t trust God’s grace alone to protect and prosper our churches and ministries?

Is it possible that teaching/requiring the Old Covenant tithing law is hindering Christians’ growth in living by the Spirit and learning to give from the heart?

Worksheet V - Giving in the New Testament

V.a – "GIVING" IN 2 CORINTHIANS 8–9

37. Who was the money intended for in 2nd Corinthians 8-9? (8:4, 8:14, 9:1, 9:9, 9:12)
_____________________________________________

38. Did Paul say that the money was for ministers, the ministry of the word, church building maintenance or even for the church's ministries?
Circle answer: YES or NO

39. How often did Paul ask the Corinthians to "give" like this? (8:10)
_____________________________________________

40a. Is "tithe" or a required minimum percent of income mentioned in these chapters?
Circle answer: YES or NO

40b. Was there a command to give this gift? (8:8, 9:7)
Circle answer: YES or NO

40c. Was there a curse if the gift was not given?
Circle answer: YES or NO

41. Why was Paul comfortable urging them so strongly to give? (9:5)
_____________________________________________

42. The word "generously" or "bountifully" in 9:6 can literally be translated "blessing" (εύλογία). Since this gift was given to help people in need (8:14, 9:12), could it be possible that the "reaping" in 9:6 refers to the recipients (the people in need) reaping blessings from the Corinthians' gift instead of the Corinthians getting back blessings for themselves?

43. Who were the believers directed to look at as their ultimate example of "giving"? (8:9)
(And did He give "money"?) _____________________________________________


V.b – JESUS CHRIST’S TEACHING ABOUT "GIVING"

44. In His most direct teaching about "giving", who did Jesus talk about giving to? (Matthew 6:1-4)
_____________________________________________

45. What kinds of blessings did Jesus promise that we would "reap" because of our giving? (Mark 10:21)
_____________________________________________

46. Jesus promised to take care of us and meet our needs so that we could give to whom? (Luke 12:22-33)
_____________________________________________

47. Did Jesus teach that it's better to "have more" so that we can "give more"? (Luke 21:1-4)
Circle answer: YES or NO

48. What is the context of Luke 6:38 about? (Luke 6:27-37)
_____________________________________________

49a. Why did Jesus say that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" in Acts 20:35?
(Luke 6:27-36, Romans 5:6-8) _____________________________________________

49b. In Acts 20:35 what did Paul say about who we give to, and the motivation for giving?
_____________________________________________


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - V

If Christ and the apostles meant "giving to the needy" when they preached about "giving" and when they asked for donations, could God be upset that we've changed the meaning of "giving" today to mean "giving to church buildings and staff"?

God loved the poor and needy so much that He commanded ancient Israel to give them tithes, and although the apostles did not collect "tithe" for themselves, every year they collected freewill donations for the needy and continually reminded one another to help the poor (Galatians 2:10). So who do you think God longs for us to give to more than anyone else?

Doesn’t that make you want to go and do likewise?

Worksheet IV - The Early Church

32. How did the early church run its finances? (Acts 2:44-47)
_____________________________________________

33. When money was given to the apostles, what did the apostles do with it? (Acts 4:35)
_____________________________________________

34. Could Christians keep their money if they wanted to? (Acts 5:4)
Circle answer: YES or NO

35. Was the early church blessed by giving this way? (Acts 4:32-35)
Circle answer: YES or NO

36. How did the early Christians "tithe" during the first 37 years of Christianity when the literal temple was still standing in Jerusalem, when literal Levites & priests were still taking care of it and offering sacrifices there, and when many Jewish Christians continued to zealously observe the Law of Moses (Acts 21:20)?

Circle the best answer:
a. Early Christians gave 20% tithe: 10% to the Levites and another 10% to the church.
b. Early Christians gave half and half tithes: 5% to Levites and 5% to the church.
c. Early Christians (even Acts 21:20 ones) gave only to the church and nothing to the Levites.
d. Early Christians did not give any tithes to the church, but Jewish Christians may have continued to give tithes to the Levites, the priests and the poor.


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - IV

Did you know the Catholic Encyclopedia states that the early church did not tithe but gave freely instead, and that tithing became necessary later on to support the expanding institutions of the church? [5]

Did you know that when the church later re-instituted tithe, it was only then that it began to include all sources of income instead of just the Law's prescription of crops and livestock? [6]

Did you know that the earliest records of Christian "tithing" are from 567 and 585 A.D? [5]

Was the early church "robbing God" and were they "cursed" because they did not tithe?

Did God withhold overflowing blessings from the early church because they did not tithe?

If the early church did not tithe, should Christians be required to tithe today?

If the apostles did not need tithe to preach the word of God to the nations, why do we?

*******

Footnotes & References

[5] http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14741b.htm (retrieved March 2, 2010)

[6] Encyclopedia Britannica 1963, volume 2, page 253, 'TITHES'

Worksheet III - In Christ and the New Covenant

III.a – FULFILLMENT IN JESUS

21. What was the purpose of the Law? (Galatians 3:24-25)
_____________________________________________

22. What was the purpose of the offerings (sacrifices)? (see #13)
_____________________________________________

23. Who did the priests represent? (Hebrews 4:15, 9:11-15, 10:11-14)
_____________________________________________

24. When Christ came, what happened to the Law which necessitated priests & offerings? (Hebrews 7:18-19, Romans 10:4, Ephesians 2:14-15)
_____________________________________________

25. Without priests and offerings, what remains for us to do from the Law? (Romans 13:8-10, James 1:27, 2:5, 2:8)
_____________________________________________

26. What happened to the curse of disobeying the Law which commanded tithing? (Galatians 3:13)
_____________________________________________


III.b – THE NEW COVENANT 'PRIESTS' AND 'TEMPLE'

27. Who are 'priests' in the New Covenant? (1 Peter 2:5-9, Revelation 1:6, 5:10)
_____________________________________________

28. Who alone could approach God in the Old Covenant? (Numbers 3:10)
_____________________________________________

29. Who can approach God in the New Covenant? (Hebrews 10:19-22)
_____________________________________________

30. In the New Covenant:
a. What is God's "building"? (1 Corinthians 3:9) __________________
b. What is God's "temple"? (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) __________________
c. What is the "temple" of God the Holy Spirit? (1 Corinthians 6:19) __________________
d. What is "God's house"? (Hebrews 3:6) __________________

31. Where does God dwell now? Where can He be found?
a. (Acts 7:48-50) _____________________________________________
b. (John 14:16-17, 14:23) _____________________________________________
c. (Ephesians 3:17) _____________________________________________
d. (John 4:20-24) _____________________________________________
e. (Matthew 18:20) _____________________________________________
f. (Luke 17:20-21) _____________________________________________


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - III

According to Scripture, do "Levites" and "priests" represent church leaders today? [3] [4]

According to Scripture, does the "Temple" represent "the church building"?

So are Christians "under a curse" if they do not give tithes to churches and pastors?

Do we miss God's blessings if we do not tithe? (See Colossians 2:9-10 and Ephesians 1:3)

*******

Footnotes & References

[3] It should be noted that the general leader of the church was called an "elder" (πρεσβύτερος) in the New Testament, a position which already existed in Judaism separately from Levites and priests (compare the existence of Jewish elders distinct from priests in Mark 15:1 & Acts 23:14 with the position of Christian elders in Acts 14:23, Acts 15 and Acts 20:17).

[4] Readers may notice that I have not addressed the passage from 1st Corinthians 9 in this study. There are several reasons for this. Firstly the passage does not mention tithe. Secondly, we are accustomed to looking at 1 Cor. 9 through the lens of our modern tradition of "Christian Tithing", but once the picture of tithing in the New Testament is investigated it becomes clear that the 1 Cor. 9 passage cannot refer to tithing, since the early church did not have "paid clergy" or "church buildings", etc. (It should also be noted that Paul was not the "pastor", regular "leader" or church "staff" in Corinth!) The way in which we utilize the 1 Cor. 9 passage to support our modern tradition thus removes Paul's words from their context and attaches meaning to them that did not exist in his day, suggesting that he advocated support for a system that did not yet exist, and would not exist for another several hundred years.

Worksheet II - "Tithes and Offerings" in the Book of Malachi

8. What was the main message of Malachi to the people and priests of Israel? (Malachi 4:4) _____________________________________________

9. Was Israel obeying the Law very well? What were they doing?
a. (Malachi 1:8) ______________________________
b. (Malachi 2:9) ______________________________
c. (Malachi 2:11) ______________________________
d. (Malachi 3:5) ______________________________
e. (Malachi 3:8) ______________________________

10. In Malachi 3:8, does "offerings" mean "voluntary gifts of money"?
Circle answer: YES or NO (see Leviticus 1-7)
(If "NO", then "offerings" means _______________________)

11. In Malachi's time, what kinds of offerings were the priests & people giving? (Malachi 1:8, 1:13)
_____________________________________________

12. So what did "robbing God of offerings" mean? _______________________________________

13. What were those offerings supposed to represent to Israel and to the world? (1 Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12-14, 23, 26, 10:11-14) _____________________________

14. What does "all of the tithes" (or "the whole tithe") mean in 3:10?
a. (Deuteronomy 14:22) _____________________________________________
b. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 & 26:12) _____________________________________________

15. Malachi 3:10 mentions bringing all the tithes into the "storehouse", and which tithe was specifically commanded to be stored? (Deuteronomy 14:28)
Circle the correct answer:
THE YEARLY TITHE or THE THIRD YEAR TITHE

16. What was promised to Israel if they gave the third year tithe? (Deuteronomy 26:12-15, Malachi 3:10-12)
_____________________________________________

17. Who was meant to benefit from the tithe in the third year? (Deuteronomy 14:28-29, 26:12)
_____________________________________________

18. What was being done to those people in Malachi’s time? (Malachi 3:5)
_____________________________________________

19. So what could "robbing God of tithes" mean? (See #17-18 and Matthew 25:42-45)
_____________________________________________

20. So why was Israel "under a curse" (or "cursed with a curse") in Malachi’s time? (See #11-13 and #18-19)
_____________________________________________


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - II

Tithes provided firstly for the Levites who took care of the Temple and its offerings (the sacrifices)—all of which pointed to Jesus the coming Messiah. Now that the Messiah has come and fulfilled those offerings, is it possible to "rob" God of tithes and offerings anymore?

Does Christian tithing include "all the tithes"? Do we "tithe" to the needy as the Law said to?

Worksheet I - From the Law of Moses

1. Who was tithe for? (Numbers 18:20-21)
_____________________________________________

2. What were the Levites' jobs? (Numbers 3:5-10) _____________________________________________

3. Tithe was 10% of what? (Leviticus 27:30,32)
a. __________________
b. __________________

4. So did carpenters, craftsmen, midwives, weavers, servants & blacksmiths tithe? Circle answer: YES or NO

5. If tithe was converted to money, how much was added to it? (Leviticus 27:31)
_____________________________________________

6. How often did the Israelites practice tithing?
a. (Deuteronomy 14:22) ____________________
b. (Deuteronomy 14:28) ____________________

7. What was done with the tithe?
a. (Numbers 18:31) ______________________________
b. (Deuteronomy 14:22-26) ______________________________
c. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) ______________________________


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION - I

Did you know that Jewish synagogues & rabbis do not receive tithes? [1]

Did you know that Orthodox Jews in Israel who choose to tithe give it only to charity? [2]

Since Orthodox Jews give their tithes only to charity and not to synagogues, does it look good if Christians use tithe primarily to support their own church buildings and staff?

Since tithe in the Law strictly commanded the Israelites to remember and support the needy, which do you think is more in the spirit of the original tithe command—Jews tithing to charity or Christians tithing to the church?

If the Jewish faith does not need to be financed by "tithe" in order to survive, does the Christian gospel need to be financed by "tithe" in order to survive?

Do you think "Christian tithing" helps to show Jews that Jesus Christ is the Messiah?

*******

Footnotes & References

[1] http://www.jewfaq.org/shul.htm, http://www.jewfaq.org/rabbi.htm (retrieved March 2, 2010)

[2] http://www.myjewishlearning.com/israel/Jewish_Thought/Biblical_and_Rabbinic/In_the_Bible/Rights_and_Obligations/Tithing.shtml (retrieved February 26, 2010)

Classical Rabbinical literature actually divides the different types of tithes into at least four categories: Maaser Rishon (the "first tithe" – yearly produce given to Levites), Teruma Gedola or Termat HaMaaser (the best 1% of the produce separated from Maaser Rishon, given to the priests), Maaser Sheni (the "second tithe" – taking 10% of produce to Jerusalem to consume there every year except the third year), Maaser Ani (the "poor tithe" in the third year). Orthodox Jews typically practice all the tithes, redeeming the produce from all of the tithes for money and discarding everything (because there is no temple) except for the poor tithe, which is usually given to charity. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org, retrieved March 9, 2010)

Essentially the Rabbinical view seems to look at each major mention of "tithe" in the Mosaic Law as if each is a separate and specific tithe apart from the others. Yet after prayerfully looking at the Scriptures, I believe that primarily God intended two tithes – one to the Levites and one to the poor. I base that view primarily on the recurring, overlapping themes and recipients in the tithe passages and on how often they were commanded to be given. However, in this study I have not focused on the obviously debatable number of tithes except to establish that (1) there was more than one tithe, (2) none of the tithes were primarily "money", and (3) that their primary purpose was to support the temple and the poor.