Tithing

So I’ve been educating myself on the issue of tithing… I’ve always known the word, but never knew what it actually entailed… The word “tithing” comes from an Old English word, teogopa, or a “tenth”. It’s essentially a voluntary levy or tax, which is nowadays paid by Jews and certain Christians to their religious organizations. I actually never knew this until the last year, despite having been exposed to church and various religions for many years, so I thought I’d explore a bit more about it. Read on if you want to learn more about its origins and arguments for and against… oh, and this one’s from a Christian perspective…

Back in the old days, tithing was in the form of agricultural products. It is mentioned only in the Old Testament, and hence is rejected by many of the Christian faith, with some support from within certain denominations.

The Old Testament references on tithing include:
- In Numbers & Deuteronomy, there is mention of tithing of food or livestock to the tribe of Levi in order to support Israelite priests
- Leviticus notes that a tithe of everything from the land belongs to the Lord and is holy to the Lord (though Leviticus does not note who the tithe should be paid to)
- Malachi notes that the tithe should be brought into God’s house

Interestingly enough, the tithing was only required on agricultural products, which exempted carpenters, metalworkers, bankers, or money earned on other money.

The New Testament refers to tithing in Matthew, where Jesus mentions tithing when speaking to the Pharisees, but many have pointed out this was in the capacity as a Jew. The other mention of tithing is in Hebrews Chapter 7, where talking about how Abraham paid a tithe to the priest, Melchizedek, and how Jesus, like Melchizedek is a new priest, and that under each new priest the “former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless” This phrasing and lack of other mention of tithing in the New Testament seem to indicate the support that tithing was a practice of followers of the old Levitical (Jewish) priesthood, and that the new priest (Jesus & Christianity) would set that aside. Others do not interpret it that way, arguing that Jesus never clearly disavows tithing, and hence, it is still the Lord’s will.

As noted in Wikipedia:
In recent years, tithing has been taught in Christian circles as a form of "stewardship" that God requires of Christians. The primary argument is that God has never formally "abolished" the tithe, and thus Christians should pay the tithe (usually calculated at 10 percent of all gross income from all sources), usually to the local congregation (though some teach that a part of the tithe can go to other Christian ministries, so long as total giving is at least 10 percent). Some holding to prosperity theology doctrines go even further, teaching that God will bless those who tithe and curse those who do not.
Opponents argue that the only Biblical references to the tithe occurred (or referenced events that occurred) during the period of Mosaic Law, applicable only to Jews. They further argue that Jesus taught He came to "fulfill" the Law, which they believe occurred at His crucifixion, and therefore Christians are no longer obligated to pay a minimum amount, but should give only as God specifically directs them to do (which may be more or less than 10 percent).
So what conclusions can you draw from this? Clearly the debate is interesting… I personally cannot see tithing as being a requirement based on the literature in the Bible, and based on the arguments above, but I think each person can draw their own conclusions. I personally would support the latter… You should give only as God specifically directs them to do… if that is 10, 20, 50%, so be it… if it’s 0%, then that’s fine too. I just don’t see why there would be a mandated amount… I don’t think it should be a matter of %, but a matter of what you feel you should give… as noted in an article on www.floridawitnessbaptist.com, “It’s imperative to understand that tithing is not a law but, rather, an indicator of a desire to be obedient to all of God’s laws. Giving always should come from the heart. And, because the tithe’s purpose is to be an individual or family testimony of God’s ownership, it was never intended that everyone should give the same amount or even in the same way but that each should give bountifully and cheerfully (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)”.

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