THE FALSE CLAIM; "Hebrews 7:8 is instructing a Christian to tithe ten percent of their income to a church or minister."
THE VERSE; Hebrews 7:8 - "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."
THE COMMENTARY AND CLARIFICATION of Hebrews 7:8 is found in Hebrews 7:9 - "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham."
Note; "And as I may so say" ... the writer of the Book of Hebrews is telling us that he is about to make a clarifying comment or commentary of what he wrote in Hebrews 7:8.
The commentary on Hebrews 7:8 is as follows...
>>> From Hebrews 7:8 ... "And here men that die receive tithes" (...which received was under the law of Moses [citation A]);
> The commentary and clarification in Hebrews 7:9 ... "And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes"
>>> From Hebrews 7:8 ... "but there he 'receiveth them,' of whom it is witnessed that he liveth."
> The commentary and clarification in Hebrews 7:9 ... they [Levites] "payed tithes in Abraham." (...to an eternal priesthood, once and for all time proving the superiority of that eternal priesthood of Melchisedec; [citation B], [citation C], citation D])
CONCLUSION;
Hebrews 7:8 and Hebrews 7:9 make NO CLAIM that New Testament Christians are required to hand over ten percent of their income to anyone, or that the New Testament church should tithe as Abraham did to Melchisedec.
In order for the New Testament church to fulfill Hebrews 7:8 as "tithers" they would have to be a LEVITE (under the Law of Moses; [citation A]) in the loins of Abraham, and pay tithes through Abraham to Melchisedec. No New Testament Christian can do so. The church would also have to be tasked by God to prove the superiority of the Melchisedec Priesthood by tithing; the church has no such task required of it.
OTHER SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES CITED;
[A]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:"
[B]Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."
[C]Hebrews 7:15-16 - "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."
[D]Hebrews 8:6 - "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."
NOTE;
Hebrews 8:6 states that we have a better covenant, that fact was ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME proven by Abraham, with the Levites in his loins tithing to Melchisedec; Hebrews 7:7 - "And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." The "better" is a reference to Melchisedec who represents the better (or superior) covenant, The New Testament; 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."
No further tithing to Melchisedec, or to anyone else is required to establish the fact of the superior New Covenant. Hebrews 7:8 is not a call for "Christian tithing." Hebrews 7:8-9 is simply stating (in keeping with the entire 7th chapter Hebrews) the superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood which will live forever having the power of endless life.
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