Malachi 3:10 2%, not 100%, to the Temple

Russ,
I've been viewing your site a few times this last week. I won't comment until I read what you have said on this site first. Another site is similar to yours. http://www.sheepcomics.com/strips/percent/percent.htm

MA

 

Dr. Russ,

The discussion of the 24 courses is very interesting and I was not aware of this aspect or administration of the temple ministers until now when you pointed it out. It is well worth more review. It strikes me that there is much assumption about what the Bible states regarding the tithe due to what people have continually heard about it. When a topic is taught over and over again with the same general thrust, people take for granted that that is all there is about the subject and neglect to research it for themselves. The points you make underscore this.

What we see in the adminstration of the tithe is a system that was taylored for a specific context. It was strictly to provide food for the Levites because they had no land to farm themselves. A tenth of that tithe was forwarded to the temple storehouse to feed the Levites and Priests on duty, if I am not mistaken. A close look such as this reveals that things are not what they have appeared to be on the surface with the popular teaching.

I have to maintain that even at a higher level the translation of the tithe from the OT to the New Covenant does not make sense because the reasoning does not stand. For example, Abraham tithed so we must tithe. When the story is examined, it is clear that Abraham did not tithe of his own posessions. He tithed from the goods he recovered for the King of Sodom after going on a rescue mission to save Lot. Abraham made it emphatically clear that for him this was no conquest and the goods belonged to the King of Sodom, not him. So, this begs the question: Why did Abraham give away 10% of the King of Sodom's property? There is evidently something else going on here. Abraham through the course of his life is not recorded as tithing anything from his own possessions and certainly not money.

The second high level examination pertains to Malachi: Will a man rob God? This can in no way be connected to Abraham. It can only be examined in the context of the law as it pertains to the tithe. The law regarding the tithe consisted only of perishables. Food. One can examine the OT and find there is much talk about money. But money is never mentioned with regard to the tithe. This must be because the tithe was never intended to be income for the Levites and Priests. It was to sustain them for their activies and to make up for the lack of land to farm themselves.

What then stands is 2Cor 9:6 stating that each should give as one determines and cheerfully. This is a new order where the old order could not apply. Now everything would be determined and lead by the spirit.

This is both liberating and demanding. It is liberating in that God has set no "requirement". It is demanding in that it requires the believer to honestly, before God, determine how he/she can affectively support the Lord's work.

The letter kills but the spirit gives life.

 

Although I won't be able to study the material you present until spring break, it's a facinating subject - also one that has been greatly abused. I have been continually bothered the way most preach about tithes. When one questions what comes out of the pulpit, one is treated as an unbeliever way too much. I for one will not accept everything a pastor says simply because he is a pastor. Blindly accepting what the pastor says is not proper submission - although it's taught that way in many churches. We are called to live to a higher standard than the OT Law. We are to follow the Spirit and He will direct us in what we should do. It's not about a list of do's and don'ts. It's about getting close enough to God to see what He wants and then doing that. Jesus said "I do what I see my Father doing and I say what I hear my Father saying." (my paraphrase) We should do no less than Jesus - after all, we are told to imitate Him.

The pharisees basically gave God the leftovers out of their abundance because of obligation. The widow, whom Jesus commended, gave all she had because she wanted to - even though she had very little. What a great example for us today.

 

Reviewing 2Cor 8-9 I read it as a discussion about giving and giving according to ones means. 8 talks about the Macedonians giving out of their poverty but still giving generously. They are cited as an example to the Corinthians. This giving termed a service to the saints (v4...). In verse 10 (chpt 8) Paul offers advise to the Corinthians about their giving. They are asked to do as they had previously done - giving with a desire to do so, and that they should do so according to their means.

This review for me is proving quite enlightening. V12 continues by saying if there is willingness a gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. V13 seems to indicate that Corinth is well off at the moment and their gift will help others in need. This may be where the focus of giving to the poor may come in (insight welcome here). I am getting to my point... In essence we have a situation of giving to the saints (workers) for the work of the saints.

In Chpt 9 again is stated the service to the saints and the idea of giving generously. Up to this point everything is in the real context of what Paul is writing about, the giving for a specific service to the saints. In 9:6 a change in focus occurs and now Paul states a principal for giving period that applies to the current situation and all situations to come. This is announce by- Remember this. He then continues: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. EACH MAN should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheeful giver.

If this is not a statement of NT principal I don't know what is. One must assume that during this whole discourse Paul is aware of what tithe is. Yet under the inspiriation of the Holy Spirit it is not mention at all. In fact, all instruction regarding giving in the NT is void of any instruction to tithe. This must be because the paradigm has changed and the new order of things an extention of the old order of things, but a completely new covenant.

Instead of a temple in one place, with only a designated blood line to minister in it, churches are going to sprout up all over the place. They were to be supported by the giving of the believers in much the way we see in the 2Cor. The tithe did not provide income for the priests and levites only food. The church would simply not work this way. It is now lead by the spirit.

One can institute the law of tithing if one wishes, but that would mix old covenant ordinance with new covenant liberty. The two do not work together as I see it.

Incidently, the whole NT does not really command anything of the saints other than to love one another and to love God. We are taught about the sinful nature and given examples of its works. We are encouraged to live life by the spirit and are given teaching about what that is and principals to live by defining what is and is not living by the spirit. The teaching of tithing contradicts all of this.

Any and all comments/corrections are welcome.