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Biblical-historical Concept of Tithing

Introduction

At the very outset it should be noted that a comprehensive discussion of the Tithe in the Bibleand Church history should be incomplete without placing this practice in the context of Israeliteworship of Yahweh. While Tithing was part of worship at large, we will limit our discussion on thepassage that explicitly refer to Tithing recognizing the overall context in which Tithing took place

Tithing in the Old Testament

The history of the tithe in ancient Israel is in some aspects obscure and it is difficult to reconstructexactly its history. For example, the relationship between tithes and first fruits remains uncertain.Sometimes first fruits and tithes appear to be the same (Deuteronomy 26: 1-14), but at other timesthey appear to be separate (Nehemiah 12:44). More importantly, scholars have vigorouslydebated whether there were two tithes or even three. This continuing scholarly debate is notcompletely resolved.

"Reconstructing a clear picture of the nature and function of tithing in biblical times is extremely

difficult due to the conflicting accounts concerning tithes in the biblical tradition and the problemsin identifying the dates and provenance.

Thus the apparent discrepancy between the laws in Leviticus and Deuteronomy is harmonized inJewish tradition by considering the tithes as three different tithes, which are named the FirstTithe, the Second Tithe, and the Poor Tithe, which is called also the Third Tithe. According to thisexplanation, after the tithe (the First Tithe) was given to the Levites (of which they had to give thetithe to the priests), a Second Tithe of the remaining nine-tenths had to be set apart andconsumed in Jerusalem. Those who lived far from Jerusalem could change this Second Titheinto money with the addition of a fifth part of its value. Only food, drink or ointment could bebought for the money (compare Deuteronomy 14:26). The tithe of cattle belonged to the Second

Tithe, and was to be used for the feast in Jerusalem. In the third year the Second Tithe was to begiven entirely to the Levites and the poor. But according to Josephus, the first century Jewishhistorian, the "Poor Tithe" was actually a third one; the priests and the Levites, if landowners,were also obliged to give the Poor Tithe.

Thus questions remain: Were there three tithes in this third year, or is the third tithe only thesecond under a different name? Did Samuel forewarn that Israel's kings would appropriate, as amandatory royal tax, the three years' poor man's tithe? (1 Samuel 8:15, 17). Or was the king'stithe over and above the other tithes?

Tithing Prior to Mosaic Law

The practice of giving a tenth of one's income or property as an offering to a god, or to a king, wasan ancient custom among many nations of the ancient Near East. The first mention of tithing inthe Bible occurs in Genesis chapter 14 so Abram practiced tithing before the Law of Moses madeit compulsory. There is no indication that Abram was told to tithe by Melchizedek. Note that the"everything" (v 20) in question did not belong to Abram. He gave Melchizedek a tenth of thespoils of war, i.e. a tenth of other people's property, not the produce of his own land. This was nothis usual source of income as he was not a warlord. It was a once only voluntary event whosepurpose is not explained. It was probably a representative act of thanksgiving to God on behalf ofthose people who had been miraculously rescued from a life of slavery. It was an isolatedincident. This was the only time that he ever tithed according to Scripture.

Three set of texts ( Gen.4:4,14:20-24, 28:13-15) have been taken today for the applicability in theNew covenant era, surrounding the practice of Abel, Abraham, and Jacob the question thatpresent themselves are as follows, first, do these texts demonstrate the practice of Tithing beforethe law? Second, would the practice of tithing prior to the giving of the Law necessitate that the

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practice continues? Finally, is there anything parallel to Tithing that was practiced prior to thegiven law and that was incorporated into the law which may serve as a point of comparison? OurContention in the present section is that: the texts that discuss tithing prior to the Mosaic Law donot portray tithing, as systematic, continual practice, but as an occasional form of giving.

Abraham and Tithing

The first mention of the word "tithe" was when Abram meets Melchizedek, the King of Salem or

King of Righteousness, who brought out bread and wine (a type of Christs body and blood?). Hewas the priest of the Most High God. He blessed Abram by God Most High, possessor and makerof heaven and earth. Melchizedeks priesthood has no beginning or end (Heb. 7:1).

Speculation has it that Melchizedek could have been a Theophany, an appearance of Christ onearth in bodily form, or possibly a highly respected human king[1]. Abram responds byvolunteering a tithe of the spoils of battle, vowing not to take anything for himself (Gen. 14: 20-24). It is crucial to remember that this took place about 2100 BC, long before the Leviticalpriesthood was established in Moses time about 1500 BC. few factors are present which argueagainst this being a reference to systematic (continuity) Tithing.

First, the offering in Genesis 14:20 were made to Melchizedek, Priest. If Abraham was tithingconsistently, who received the other Tithe? Did Melchizedek engage in an itinerant Ministry andcollect tithe on behalf of God?

Secondly, the same verse stated that Abraham gave a tenth of what he recovered. Heb.7:4 referto Abraham giving a tenth of the spoil, not continuous giving a tenth of all his possessions forthe rest of his life. The present passage does not indicate that Abraham continually gave a tenthof his increase. Stuart stated that: the modifying Phrase he recovered also suggests that thiswas a onetime action rather than a continual pattern[2]

Thirdly, some have argued that Abraham was following the Mosaic Law prior to it being given, as

it were. However, according to Numbers31:27-29, people were commanded to set apart one outof every five hundred (of the spoil) as the Lords share and to give to the Priest as an offering tothe Lord, Hence the amount for spoil won in victory stipulated in the mosaic law is different fromwhat Abraham actually offered Melchizedek in Genesis 14. For this reason the argument that

Abraham in Genesis 14 gave to Melchizedek a tithe in accordance with the Mosaic Law isinvalid. To sum up, then, Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek; but the Mosaic Lawgives a different computation of what is required in victory. For this reason the present passageprovides no evidence that Abraham continuously tithed. Davis maintains that: since noelaboration is giving concerning Abrahams gift, tithing must have been a common practice[3]However, if the fact tithing was common among other nations around that time, no explanationwould have been needed. Abraham was never commanded to give a tenth on a regular basis,

and there is no evidence that Abraham ever tithed again. His giving of a tithe to Melchizedekshould therefore be considered a voluntary action.

Jacob and Tithing

Jacob stopped for the night on his way to Haran (Genesis 28:13-15) to give Jacob the land onwhich he had lain down to rest; that his offspring would be great in number, that his descendantswould bless the families of the Earth; that God would stay with Jacob; that God would keep Jacobsafe in his journey and that God would bring him back to the land on which he had lain down torest. In closing God reassured Jacob that these things would happen and that he would not leavehim. Jacob, however, responds in fear erecting an altar and naming the place Bethel

Jacobs vow is very revealing in that it is a conditional vow. If God does what he asked, then hewould do the following. The conditions placed upon God in Genesis 28:20-22 are as follows; ifGod stay with Jacob, if God will keep him safe on his current journey; if God wil l provide him withfood, and clothes; and if he returns home. God had already promised to fulfil three of these four

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conditions, and the fulfilment of the fourth seems to be assumed. The then part of Jacobs vowincludes: Yahweh will be his God; the Pillar will be Gods house, and he will give tenth of all thatGod gives him.

The case of Jacob, likewise, will be shown not to support the claim that the Tithe is a continuedrelevance. Rather than providing support for the existence of systematic tithing prior to the givingof a law. The evidence in the present passage point points in the opposite direction. In Genesis28:12, Jacob promised to give god a tithe. Walter wrote that: in the context, however, it appears

that Jacobs vow show his lack of trust in Gods word[4]

Did Jacob fulfil his vow? Nowhere in Genesis is Jacob ever recorded as giving this Tithe to God.Murray says: No details are given as to why Jacob specified a Tenth, nor how the Tithe wouldbe giving[5] David also hold that: It appears more likely that Jacob, with his vow to tithe, waseither following of Abraham or borrowing a practice from the surrounding pagan Nation.[6]

Conclusion

The evidence from the period prior to the Mosaic Law suggests that no system of tithing was inplace. No command to tithe is recorded, and thus the evidence that any systematic tithing existed

prior to the giving of the law as scarce is non existing.

[1] Neal Marshall, Christian Giving South Carolina Biblical Viewpoint Journal, vol. 1 (April1974): 28-29.

[2] Stuart Murray, Beyond Tithing(Carlisle England: Paternoster Press, 2002), 608.

[3] David A. Croteau,Anchor Bible Dictionary(1992),18

[4] Walter Brueggemans, Genesis: Bible Commentary For Teaching And Preaching(IBC: AtlantaJohn Knox, 1982), 246.

[5] Murray, Beyond Tithing, 96.

[6] Croteau,Anchor Bible Dictionary, 87.