TITHES

(Deuteronomy 14.22-29)
A friend and I talked about tithing the other night. Not so much the legitimacy of it, nor the value, but the actual practice. I’d like to share with you (and him) some of my findings. “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” Traditionally, this would be enough information for a homily about the religious duty of parishioners to support their spiritual authorities. What is often left unsaid, however, is what follows. “Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God… so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.” Notice the implied “you” in the command “eat.” The Lord continues, “But if that place [the temple] is too distant… then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink [beer], or anything you wish.” What should you do with your tithe then? Give it to the priests? No! “Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord.” You eat it with the priests and you use the tithe to feed the “the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns.” And yet this isn’t preached today though it comes from the same Law used to promote the tithing practice. Why is that?
(Malachi 3.6-10)
If you search the web concerning the tithe, you will invariably encounter those who support it and those who oppose it with all of the passages I’m sharing with you now, to include the infamous Malachi curse and blessing: “‘Will a man rob God…? ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ‘Bring the whole tithe…. Test me in this… and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing.” But what is often left concealed is the fact that God was speaking to the priests, not directly to the parishioners. “And now this admonition is for you, O priests…. I will curse your blessings” (2.1-2). If you read the whole of Malachi’s prophecy, you will see that God basically fired the priests and gave one final sign, “I am going to send you Elijah the prophet” (4.5). As the instructional passage in Deuteronomy 14.22-29 teaches, the tithe was shared by the giver and the priests, but it was the priest’s responsibility to ensure its holiness. In Malachi, we find that the priests were offering defective animals and providing wayward instructions to those who sought their guidance. The tithe wasn’t working because the people and the priests corrupted it. It was time for a change to the old covenant—the sacrifice, the tithe, the priesthood, and the duty of those who called themselves God’s children.

(Matthew 23.23-24)
If you asked, “Where is ‘tithing’ in the Gospels found,” you’d likely discover this one passage in Matthew which mentions it as one of the less “important” or “weighty” matters of the law that ought not to be neglected, but neither should it become “heavy loads that are hard to carry” and that “they [the Pharisees] themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move” (Mt 23.4,5). However, though it is apparent that no one “tithed” to Jesus, there is still an example that should be noticed: “These women were helping to support them [Jesus and His disciples] out of their own means” (Luke 8.3). When Jesus encountered the rich young ruler, He did not ask him to support His ministry but instead challenged him to give it all “to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven” (Luk 18.24-30). After this, Peter said to Jesus that he had given up everything to follow Him. Our Lord promised that he would receive much more “in the age to come.”
Jesus didn’t talk about tithing because it was an old covenant practice which encouraged the “laity,” or the spiritually lax, to pay the “clergy,” or spiritually commissioned, to have a relationship with God for the benefit of the entire congregation. But what He did talk about was giving…
(Hebrews 10.8-10)
Jesus warns us that we cannot serve both God and money, for where we place our treasure, be that upon temporal sustenance or heavenly reward, is where our heart will lead us (Mat 6.19-24). Therefore, Jesus provides a “way out” so that we can stand up under the temptation of temporal treasure hunting. “He [Jesus] said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You [God] did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first [covenant] to establish the second [covenant].” Jesus is not only the sacrifice for our sins, but He is also the Priest for whom those tithes and offerings were meant to sustain.
The problem isn’t that people tithe or give to the clergy, but that they believe their tithe or offering fulfills their ministerial obligation. “I give money to the pastor so that he can make disciples of me and my fellow congregation.” Some Christians are convinced that God is pleased with their tenth when Jesus makes it obvious that He demands far more (Luke 9.23). So what should “tithing” look like in the new covenant?
(1Corinthians 9.9-15)
“Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way [as this old covenant practice], the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” As long as a ministry follows the old covenant wineskin of segregated clergy and laity or holy edifications and “unholy” homes, then the old “wine” offering is not only necessary, but required. If someone provides you eternal sustenance, should you not willingly offer to meet their temporal needs? Too many Christians today offer attendance as their “tithe” to God. Too many others offer their “tithe” rather than their life to God. How many are willing to follow Paul’s example?
Paul continues, “But I have not used any of these rights…. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast…. That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge…. I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” He told the Ephesians, “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions” (Acts 20.33-35) and the Thessalonians: “You ought to follow our example…. We worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow” (2Thes 3.7-9).
For more on tithing, check out these websites: http://www.bibleinsight.com/tithing.html; http://www.tithing.org/; http://www.nomoretithing.org/; http://www.christianitytoday.com/tc/2007/004/7.14.html (Lifechurch.tv); http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/01/sunday/main3896728.shtml; http://www.navpress.com/EPubs/DisplayArticle/1/1.88.8.html.