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As with any debate that involves money youll find strong views for and against tithing. If you type tithe tithes or tithing into a search engine you quickly begin to get the impression that there are at least one or two former tithe payers out there who arent happy bunnies and youd be forgiven for thinking that theyre probably not going to give you the most balanced view of this rather emotive subject. Then on the other hand theres the protithing lobby. Equally sincere yet equally polarised not least because arguably most theologians who defend the doctrine of mandatory tithing today are salaried because it. Not exactly the most independent perspective you might argue. One things for certain they cant both be right.
The only way to get a balanced view of the subject is to objectively research both sides of the argument. Here are a few pointers to get you underway but dont stop here. Take a long hard look at other sources about tithing both for and against it and then judge for yourself.
Under the Old Covenant offerings were required from all households (Deuteronomy 16:16). Tithing though was instituted under the written Torah (or law of Moses) and was offered for the benefit of the Levites serving in the administration of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. (Leviticus 27:3032 Deuteronomy 12:17 Deuteronomy 14:2328 Nehemiah 10:37 Nehemiah 12:44 Matthew 23:23 Luke 11:42). Tithes have always been Gods first (Leviticus 27:3032 Malechi 3:810) and then the Levites.
So far these points arent up for debate. However tithe funded churches today take these arguments two steps further. The first step is to argue: since there is no longer a Temple but were doing Gods work today tithes should be given to us instead.
The second step is to say that actually tithing isnt just on agricultural increase its on all forms of income. More on that in just a minute.
There are two things that are interesting about the argument that since the Temple has been suspended tithes should be collected by churches.
Firstly try to find a scripture that supports that view. For example try to find a scripture that says something like: Now that the Temple has been destroyed tithes should be paid to the church or even Now that the Temple has been destroyed tithes should be paid directly to synagogues
Youll be looking for a long time.
Youd also have to be forgiven for asking: if tithing is to be continued after the dissolution of the Temple then surely Jews would be funding synagogues with tithes. However the fact is that (on the whole) they dare not because scripture gives them no authority to do so. For more information about this Google Chapter three of Ernest Martins online book The Tithing Dilemma. It is well understood in Jewish circles that although Rabbis who teach in synagogues can be from any tribe scriptural authority allows tithes to only be accepted by Levites in the context of a Temple administration.
Other reasons for mandating tithing today in Christian churches include the arguments that Jacob tithed (Genesis 28:2022) and on more than one occasion Abraham tithed (Genesis 14:1724 & Hebrews 7:110
1 For this Melchizedek king of Salem priest of the Most High God who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all first being translated king of righteousness and then also king of Salem meaning king of peace 3 without father without mother without genealogy having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like the Son of God remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law that is from their brethren though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes but there he receives them of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi who receives tithes paid tithes through Abraham so to speak 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
NKJV
and because they did so before the Old Covenant tithing rules in Leviticus were established tithing is clearly not just an Old Covenant ordinance and its not just on agricultural produce. Therefore tithing cant be done away just because the Temple no longer exists and furthermore; all forms of income should be tithed on.
The counter arguments to this are firstly that Jacobs promise to tithe was conditional (Genesis 28:2022). Read it for yourself. He said hed tithe if he was blessed (not if he wasnt). It certainly doesnt seem to be the mandated form of tithing that most tithe funded churches require today.
Furthermore if Abrahams tithe on the spoils of the battle with the Kings was because tithing was universally mandated before Leviticus on all forms of income then why in Numbers 31:2530 did God make completely different arrangements for the spoils the Israelites gained after their battle with the Midianites
Numbers 31:2531 And the LORD spoke to Moses saying: 26 Count up the plunder that was takenof man and beastyou and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 and divide the plunder into two parts between those who took part in the war who went out to battle and all the congregation. 28 And levy a tribute for the LORD on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons the cattle the donkeys and the sheep; 29 take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the LORD. 30 And from the children of Israels half you shall take one of every fifty drawn from the persons the cattle the donkeys and the sheep from all the livestock and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD. 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses. NKJV
Did God suspend tithing on just that one occasion without explanation Arguably not: more probably tithing was commanded only on agricultural increase to Levites within the administrative framework of the Tabernacle or Temple.
Interesting too isnt it that Abraham didnt keep ANY of the spoils from the battle for himself What sort of increase was that exactly OK yes of course if he did consider it his increase he could do anything he liked with it even give it all away but isnt it more likely that Abraham simply gave o