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Tithing in the New Testament There are three passages in the New Testament that make a direct reference

to tithing: Mathew 23:23; Luke 18:9-14; Hebrew7:1-10. We will attempt to see if the passages have tithing as her primary subject and command tithing for New Covenant Believers Tithing in the Gospels Jesus and Tithing Another argument for tithing is said to be found in Mt. 23:23, and Luke 18:9-14. There are two passages in the New Testament where some thought that Jesus is promoting Tithing. We will attempt to demonstrate below that: none of these passages has Tithing as their primary subject, and none of these passages commands tithing for new covenant. Matthew 23:23 Many in the church believe that by acknowledging the obligation of the Jews to tithe here Jesus is teaching that tithing is also obligatory for New Testament Christians. Tithing is not even the issue though Jesus was rebuking Scribes and Pharisees who were subject to the law and obligated to tithe. The issue Jesus was addressing was not their tithes, but their neglect of justice, mercy and faithfulness toward others. To practice these was more important than being sticklers for the smallest detail of tithing). (Mt 23:24-33This is what Jesus was really leading up to in Mt 23, which precludes V23 from being used to teach that Jesus was sanctioning tithing for New Testament Christians. It should be noted at the very outset that Jesus never condemned tithing nor commanded that Pharisees, Scribes, or Disciples begin or cease tithing. However, several insights can be gleaned from the present verse. First, while Jesus considered Tithing as separate from it. Craig wrote: The fact that tithing was a less central aspect of the law does not nullify the fact that it was part of the law.[1] Hence it would be unwarranted to conclude on this basis alone that the tithing requirement is not important in the New Covenant and Christians may safely ignore it. Walter has to say: The last part of verse indicates that the scribe and the Pharisees were supposed to tithe. It was proper for them to do so, since tithing should have been done. This verse is the only one in the New Testament that could promote tithing[2] Jesus does not prohibit tithing He condemns the wrong attitude and motive of those who were tithing. Nevertheless, the practice of tithing for the church cannot be deduced from this verse, since the command was given to the Scribes and Pharisees who were still under the Old covenant. In Mathew 23: 2 -12, Jesus is addressing the crowds and his disciples (cf. Mathew 23:1). His address changed at verse 13 to the scribes and Pharisees, on whom he pronounces seven woes. Mathew 23:23 is specifically addressed to those two groups. According to France, in both Mathew 23 verses 3 and 23, the statement expressing approval of the Scribes teaching serve as one side of the side. In Mathew 23:23, Jesus is in effect saying, you may follow their teaching if you like, but dont imitate their behaviour. In Mathew 23:23, the importance of Jesus word is, you may observe their Tithing rule if you wish, but dont let this distract you from the weightier maters of the law[3] Blomberg properly concluded that, whether (tithing) continues to be required in the era of the New covenant must be determined on the basis of other passage of the Scripture.[4] Luke 18:14 In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about a tax collector, and Pharisee. Carson correctly viewed this as a two- point parable Jesus main point is not tithing or stewardship, but humility:

He who humbles himself will be exalted... in this parable, Jesus again does not prohibit tithing. However, the one justified the tax collector, is never said to have tithed. It should be in appropriate to attempt to draw any more conclusions concerning tithing from this parable[5]. However in this parable, the one justified is not the tither, but the Tax collector who never said to have tithed. It would be inappropriate to attempt to draw any more conclusions concerning tithing from this parable. Carson further holds that: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16), not all OT scripture is applicable to Christians as members of the body of Christ. There is a question that one must always ask when considering an OT practice: "Does the New Testament either endorse and continue, or modify, or abolish this OT practice?" For example, the NT sets aside the "clean/unclean" food regulations of the OT (Mark 7; Acts chapters 10 and 11). Some of the laws of justice have been abolished. For example, we are not to stone disobedient children or adulterers today. Has the command to tithe been continued into the NT, or has it been modified or set aside?[6] As a response to the foregoing question, Carson said: Nowhere does the New Testament require Christians to tithe in the age of grace but the NT reiterates some aspects associated with tithing. For example, those who minister are entitled to financial support (1 Corinthians 9:14); the poor and needy should be cared for (1 Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 2:10); and those who give can trust God to supply their needs (Philippians 4:19). The NT directs that taxes be paid to the state (Romans 13:6-7), which replaced Israel's theocracy.[7] Compulsory tithing under the law in the Old Testament does not translate to giving under grace in the New Testament. The New Testament does not compel Christians, but rather invites them to give generously in response to the needs of others, and as an expression of their love for God. Conclusion Christ gave many discourses and parables with respect to monetary matters and financial stewardship, yet never once did he indicate that: Either He or His apostles were to be recipients of the Levitical Tithe in the future. The Levitical Tithe was obligatory for the Christians. The New Testament Church He was building would be supported or finance by Tithes. It is important to note that Jesus taught as One in the old dispensation of Law, prior to his crucifixion, and not in the new dispensation of grace. He did not say that tithing was unimportant. However, the Jewish scribes had wrongly expanded the items required to be tithed to include even the smallest of garden herbs. Remember that these Pharisees were respected religious leaders. He does not condemn tithing, but he condemns the ridiculous scrupulous tithing of a few garden herbs at the expense of the more important moral principles of the law righteousness, mercy and faithfulness. Nowhere does the New Testament specifically command tithing as a regulation for the church. Neither Jesus nor his disciples taught the necessity of tithing; nor can we find any statement that they did tithe. Jesus paid the temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27), but we do not read of him paying his tithe. In the New Testament churches, giving was voluntary for the aid of the poor and for full-time ministry, though Paul the tentmaker often preferred to be selfsupporting. Tithing in the Rest of the New Testament (Hebrews 7:110) Those who hold that tithing is obligatory for New Testament Christians also use Heb. 7: 1-10 to teach that, as Abraham was the antecedent of all New Testament Christians and paid a tithe to

Melchizedek, it is mandatory upon all New Testament Christians to tithe. They contend that Abraham was the representative tithe payer of all his seed to come, which Christians are (CP Galatians 3:29). But, when kept in the context of the whole of Chapter 7 it is plain to see that tithing, as being obligatory for New Testament Christians, is not being taught in v. 1-10 at all. Melchizedek is the subject, not Jesus, and tithing is mentioned only in the context of demonstrating the superiority of Melchizedek over Abraham and Levi in the first place and the superiority of Christs eternal priesthood over the temporary Levitical priesthood in the second place, which makes the New Covenant superior to the Old. That was the theme of Hebrew 7, not tithing. Tithing is only incidental to proving that the New Covenant, of which Jesus is the mediator, is by far superior to the Old Covenant, and it cannot be made to mean anything else (CP Heb. 7:19, 22-28; 8:6-13; 9:11-15). It is learnt in these scriptures that the Old Covenant has been made obsolete in Christ and done way with in its entirety. That was how God designed it: the Old Covenant was only temporary; the New Covenant under Christ is everlasting. The clear teaching in all these scriptures is that the Old Covenant, which includes the law on tithing, has been completely abolished in Christ and has no relevance for New Testament Christians. Yet those who stand for tithing argue that the tithe itself was not abolished, because it was established by Abraham four hundred and thirty years prior to the law when he tithed to Melchizedek in Gen 14:18-20, which we looked at earlier, and therefore it should be carried on by New Testament Christians. They use Galatians 3:17-18 as their proof text. Let us see what it says, but also in context (CP Galatians 3:13-18). This scripture cannot be used to teach that Abrahams tithe to Melchizedek should be continued. This has nothing to do with tithing, or Melchizedek. It is about the Covenant God made with Abraham. The writer of Hebrews is using the analogy of Gods Covenant with Abraham, and a legal agreement made between humans, to show that once the parties to it ratify an agreement, it stands forever it cannot be annulled or voided. What Paul is teaching here is that the blessings God promised Abraham stand forever too. They were not affected by the law in any way (cf. Gen 12:1-3, with Ro 4; 1-25). This is the Covenant God made with Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until the seed of Abraham Christ came to inherit the promise, and distribute the blessings to all who receive Him by faith as saviour. Everyone in Christ, regardless of nationality or sex, is the seed of Abraham and heir of Gods Covenant promise. It is patently obvious from the scriptures studied thus far that none of them can be legitimately used to promote tithing as a New Testament Christian obligation. As stated at the outset of this study, there is no defining scripture anywhere in the bible to validate any teaching that it is incumbent upon New Testament Christians to tithe. As also stated previously, compulsory tithing under the law in the Old Testament does not translate to giving under grace in the New Testament. New Testament giving is centred entirety around stewardship Christians giving of themselves completely to the work of God which includes their time, their finances, and their material possession.

[1] Craig L. Blomberg, Interpreting the Parables (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1990), 58.

[2] Walter C. Kaiser Jr., The Law as Gods Gracious Guidance for Promoting Holiness, ed. Wayne Strickland (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 195. [3] R. T. France, Mathew: Evangelist and Teacher (Grand Rapids: Academician, 1989), 194.

[4] Blomberg, Neither Poverty or Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possession, 136.

[5] Donald A. Carson, Luke in Expositors Bible Commentary, vol. 8, 981. [6] D. A. Carson Are Christians Required to Tithe? Christianity Today (November 15, 1999): 137.

[7] Ibid.

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