Jesus Spoke of Tithing in the New Testament?

Jesus Spoke of Tithing in the New Testament?

No, He didn't; while on earth He never mentioned tithing even once in the New Testament, not a single word.

Tithing teachers love to refer to Matthew 23:23 (also Luke 11:42) as "proof text" that Jesus not only spoke about tithing in the New Testament, but, as they falsely claim; "validated tithing, and commanded tithing for New Testament Christians." They tell us "tithing is in the New Testament, Jesus commanded tithing, therefore a Christian should tithe." Nothing could be further from the truth.

Neither Matthew 23:23 or Luke 11:42 are in the New Testament; if by "New Testament" you are referring to the New Covenant era we are now in and will be forever.

When Jesus spoke His words in Matthew 23:23 or Luke 11:42, He had not gone to the cross yet, He was operating under the Law of Moses, and the New Covenant was not yet established or in force. Also, Jesus spoke Matthew 23:23 or Luke 11:42 to Jews who were still at that time under the Law of Moses and were, if growing fruits, vegetables or raising live stock on the promise land, required to tithe on them.

Jesus was not commanding New Testament Christians to tithe in Matthew 23:23 or Luke 11:42. To claim so is taking scripture completely out of proper context, the proper Covenant, and applying it to the wrong group of people in the wrong covenant era. The tithing Jesus was referring to was a commandment to the Children of Israel under the Old Covenant.

ORGANIZING THE BIBLE

Over the last few hundred years the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, have been organized into what we call the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament," with the Old Testament ending with The Book of Malachi and the New Testament beginning with The Gospel of Matthew. Sadly, most people do not realize that the majority of the Gospels, the records and events inside the Gospels, take place during the Old Covenant era, including Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42.

The Gospels, all four, can in fact be broken up into two parts; chapters and verses before Jesus' death on the cross (Old Testament period), and chapters and verses after Jesus' death on the cross (New Testament period). Where Jesus' death on the cross is the demarcation line between the end of the Old Covenant (including the Law of Moses which was the Covenant with the Nation of Israel) and the beginning of the New Covenant. The Gospels are placed in their complete condition in what we call "the New Testament" as a method of organization of the Bible. Men decided to place the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in their entirety (all chapters and verses) into what we call "The New Testament" set of scriptures.

If I were to break the Gospels into two parts, based on the Old and New Covenant sections, they would be organized like this...

>> MATTHEW;

Gospel of Matthew, Old Covenant period; Matthew 1:1 to Matthew 27:50 (Jesus' death).
Gospel of Matthew, New Covenant period; Matthew 27:51 to Matthew 28:20.

>> MARK;

Gospel of Mark, Old Covenant period; Mark 1:1 to Mark 15:37 (Jesus' death).
Gospel of Mark, New Covenant period; Mark 15:38 to Mark 16:20.

>> LUKE;

Gospel of Luke, Old Covenant period; Luke 1:1 to Luke 23:46 (Jesus' death).
Gospel of Luke, New Covenant period; Luke 23:47 to Luke 24:53.

>> JOHN;

Gospel of John, Old Covenant period; John 1:1 to John 19:30 (Jesus' death).
Gospel of John, New Covenant period; John 19:31 to John 21:25.

>> Why the demarcation lines in the Gospels placed where I placed them, where Jesus' death is recorded in each Gospel? This is why...

HIGH PRIEST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ESTABLISHED IN THE LAW OF MOSES

The high priest was the supreme spiritual leader of the Israelites, the Nation of Israel. The office of the high priest was hereditary and was descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses, of the Levite tribe (see: Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:7). The high priest had to be “whole” physically (without any physical defects) and holy in his personal conduct (see: Leviticus 21:6-8).

Under the Old Covenant only the High Priest was permitted to enter the Temple Holy of Holies. He could only do so once a year (the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, which is the holiest day of the Jewish year) and only after proper ceremonial activity was successfully completed, and after required sacrifices were offered up to God. If any of these requirements were not properly completed he was dead upon entering the Holy of Holies. God would not tolerate sin in His Holy presence. If the High Priest’s sins were not atoned for properly, he would die in the presence of the shekinah - the glory of God that filled the Holy of Holies.

The high priest had to offer a sin offering not only for the sins of the whole congregation (the Nation of Israel), but also for himself (see: Leviticus 4:3-21). 

The Holy of Holies was entered into once a year by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of sacrificial animals (a bull offered as atonement for the Priest and his household, and a goat offered as atonement for the people) and offer incense upon the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat which sat on top of the ark in the First Temple (the Second Temple had no ark and the blood was sprinkled where the Ark would have been and the incense was put on the Brazen Altar of incense). The animal was sacrificed and the blood was carried into the most holy place. The golden censers were also found in the Most Holy Place.

In Leviticus 16:2 it says...

"And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat." The mercy seat was inside the Holy of Holies.

Anyone entering the Holy of Holies without being the right person (the High Priest) on the proper day (the Day of Atonement) would die in God's presence. Between the outside and inside of the Holy of Holies there was a thick veil covering the entrance.

At the moment Jesus died on the cross...

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;" - Matthew 27:50-51

...the veil that was torn in two in the temple was the veil over the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Why was it torn in two the moment Jesus died on the cross? Because the sins of mankind were paid for in total, and now anyone could enter the Holy of Holies and stand face to face with God with their sins forgiven and cleansed by Jesus' blood shed in His death.

That could ONLY happen under the New Covenant paid for by Jesus' shed blood and death on the cross. At the moment of Jesus' death the New Covenant was established and came into power, later to be revealed and detailed from the Book of Acts to the Book of Revelation.

The Word of God tells us...

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures," - 1 Corinthians 15:3

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" - 1 Peter 3:18

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." - Romans 5:10

"For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." - Hebrews 9:15

"Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." - 1 Peter 1:18-19

How does the Bible express the significance of Jesus’ death as recorded in the Gospels? This is exactly what we find at the crucifixion of Jesus and the tearing of the temple "curtain" (or veil) immediately after his death. The tearing of the veil is described in all three Synoptic Gospels (see; Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45) and is God's way of saying that mankind can now approach Him in His holiest place and live.

In understanding the role of the High Priest, we can better comprehend the significance of Christ offering Himself for our sins once for all (see: Hebrews 9:26 and Hebrews 10:10-12). Through Christ’s sacrifice for us, we are sanctified and set apart for Him. 

CONCLUSION

Jesus has not commanded any New Testament Believer to tithe under the Old or New Covenants, He did not establish tithing in the New Covenant for anyone. That is the reason no Apostle ever taught tithing, asked for a tithe, rebuked any person or church for not tithing, or received a tithe themselves. Not one of them. The early church (i.e. Book of Acts) NEVER tithed. We have NO record of them doing so. In fact, concerning the law regarding tithing and the rest of the Law of Moses, the Apostles wrote...

"Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:" - Acts 15:24

Hebrews 7:18-19 says of the Law of Moses, including the commandment to tithe, which the writer of Hebrews tells us that the commandment is dis-annulled (ended), unprofitable and weak...

"For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." - Hebrews 7:18-19

Where was mankind under the New Covenant first given the calling to "draw nigh unto God"? The first place was the Holy of Holies immediately after Jesus' death on the cross. There was no longer to be a veil between mankind and God. By faith anyone could enter.

Additionally, it must be understood that Christians under the New Testament are not under the law...

"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." - Romans 6:14

"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." - Romans 7:6

>> Concerning Jesus' statement...

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." - Matthew 23:23

And, recorded in the Gospel of Luke...

"But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." - Luke 11:42

...both verses record Jesus' words BEFORE the New Covenant era began, BEFORE Jesus went to the cross, BEFORE he died on the cross, BEFORE the veil to the Holy of Holies was torn in two inviting all to enter in faith (no tithe required).


So, as you can see; When on earth, Jesus never mentioned tithing in the era of the New Covenant. When He was on earth it was the era of the Old Covenant. Jesus waited until the Book of Hebrews (Hebrews chapter seven) after His resurrection, where He, through the Holy Spirit, revealed how and why tithing was forever ended.

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