THE NEW TESTAMENT AND TITHING VERSES; A SURVEY
Tithing in the New Testament, a command to tithe in the New Testament?
The words "Tithe," "Tithes," "Tithing," "Tither" as mentioned in the New Testament...
>>> TITHE;
> VERSE - Matthew 23:23 - "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."
> VERSE - Luke 11:42 - "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."
Note; In both Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their hypocritical tithing practices, Jesus confirms that God's tithe was to be agricultural only ("ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin"), Jesus confirms that commanded tithing (i.e., a command to tithe to Israel) was a matter of the Law of Moses and originates from the Law of Moses, Jesus does not command tithing which is of the Law to the New Testament church who are not under the Law of Moses (Romans 6:14-15). The tithing of the Pharisees addressed by Jesus in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 was CLEARLY tithing under the Law of Moses; they would not be tithing under any other example, conditions, command or Law.
It could be said ...But woe unto you who tithe based on Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42; WOE UNTO YOU!
Ref;
> Tithing is of the law; Hebrews 7:5, Malachi 3:7, Malachi 4:4, Numbers 18:21.
> New Testament Christians are not under the Law and have no command to tithe; Rom 6:14, Gal 5:13-14, Titus 2:11-15, Psalm 119:128-130, Eph 5:1, 1 John 3:1-3, Acts 15:24.
> Agricultural produce only from the Promise Land of Israel, never money; Over 30 times in 17 verses in the Bible the tithe is mandated and described as limited to agricultural items only; Lev. 27:30, 32, Num. 18:27, Num. 18:28, Deut. 12:17, Deut. 14:22, Deut. 14:23, Deut. 24:21, Deut. 26:12, 2 Chron. 31:5, 2 Chron. 31:6, Neh. 10:37, Neh. 13:5, Mal. 3:10, Matt. 23:23, Luke 11:42.
>>> TITHES;
> VERSE - Luke 18:12 - "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."
Note; The Law of Moses (or the New Testament) instructs NO ONE to "fast twice a week" or "pay tithes on all that I possess." Jesus was using a PARABLE to illustrate the proud bragging and false beliefs of people who are deceived by false doctrine, deceived by scriptural ignorance and are full of boasting pride (2 Timothy 3:13). Jesus DID NOT INSTRUCT that anyone should tithe in the manner as the person in His parable, and did not instruct New Testament Christians to "pay tithes on all that they possess." Nowhere does scripture include a requirement of "fasting twice a week" or "tithing on all that a person possesses." Tithing teachers often use Luke 18:12 as an excuse to promote a non-scriptural tithing claim of "tithe on your income." When they do so they are taking scripture out of context and are ignoring the WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD (the whole Bible) regarding a singular passage of scripture. Again; the Bible, New or Old Testament, does not require fasting twice a week, and does not require the tithing of all a person possesses.
Ref;
> The whole counsel of God is to be used to rightfully interpret scripture; Acts 17:11 - "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." "Test all things; hold fast what is good." - 1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalm 119:105, Hebrews 5:14 - "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
> Hebrews 7:5 - "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:"
Note; Hebrews 7:5 clearly states that the tithing God had commanded was based on the Law of Moses; "have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law," New Testament Christians are not under the Law of Moses (see; Romans 6:14-15) and have no command to tithe anything to anyone. Tithing teachers often refer to the tithing practiced by the Nation of Israel (I.e., Malachi 3:10) as an example for New Testament Christians to follow, yet the Bible reveals that their tithing practices were of the Law of Moses and consisted of, and was limited to agricultural items only, never money.
Additionally; NOWHERE in the New Testament are the tithing practices of the Law of Moses, ergo; the Israelites, cited as an example to follow for Christians, neither do we see any such tithing practices recorded in the early church of the Book of Acts or in the Epistles of the Apostles. There is NO New Testament scripture instructing Christians to tithe as the Jewish people of Israel did. Hence; "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. And; "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." - Galatians 3:10
> VERSE - Hebrews 7:6 - "But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises."
> VERSE - Hebrews 7:8 - "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he [receiveth them], of whom it is witnessed that he liveth." ("receiveth them" was added by KJV translators, and is not found in the original Greek text.)
> VERSE - Hebrews 7:9 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham."
NOTE: Hebrews 7:6 to 9 refers to the singular tithe of Abraham to Melchisedec from the spoils of war. Nowhere in the Old or New Testaments does scripture cite Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec as an example to be followed, not for the Jews of Israel, not for New Testament Christians.
Additionally; Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec, by having the Levites in his loins has already accomplished its goal of establishing the superiority of the Priesthood of the order of Melchisedec over the now discontinued inferior Priesthood of the Levites. There is no further tithing required to so do; Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." Hebrews 7:8 is a singular event and does not speak of Melchisedec continuing to receive tithes, and it is interesting to observe that "men who DIE" receive tithes; a reference to the death (ending of) of the Levite priesthood which could perfect and save no one;
Hebrews 7:16 - "Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."
Hebrews 7:11 - "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?"
Hebrews 7:19 - "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God."
Levi in the loins of Abraham paying tithe to Melchisedec;
Hebrews 7:5 - "And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:"
Hebrews 7:10 - "For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him."
There is much more that can be said concerning Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec, but suffice it to say that Abraham's tithe to Melchisedec does not stand as an example for the New Testament Christian to follow. Abraham tithed to Melchisedec...TO MELCHISEDEC, not to a pastor, church or your favorite ministry.
>>> TITHING;
Not mentioned, no scriptural reference.
>>> TITHER;
Not mentioned, no scriptural reference.
>> CONCLUSION;
Tithing, including monetary tithing (the tithing of money) is not a New Testament commandment or practice. The New Testament does not instruct Christians to tithe, tithing has been canceled and ended forever;
Hebrews 7:18-19 - "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."
___________________________________________________________________
Copyright 2024, Anthony Todd, All rights reserved. Permission to copy and distribute this article must be obtained in writing from Tithing Study Online.
Permission can be requested at: tithingstudyonline@gmail.com. Upon permission to do so, it is granted under the strict condition that no content of any article be removed or altered, and that all articles are to remain intact as is when used. You must include a notation that any article distributed originated from Tithing Study Online, and include our blog URL as: https://ExaminingTithingDeceptions.blogspot.com - Permission to copy for personal use only is hereby granted.
