Rethinking Tithing (Part 5)

This is the fifth and final part of a series titled “Rethinking Tithing.” In this part, we will look at three Scripture verses that are used to justify the practice of tithing in the present New Testament church. This list is by no means exhaustive; I have picked them because they are the most commonly used in charismatic churches to justify tithing.

Context is king

As we examine these three verses, what will immediately come to our attention is that the interpretation of these verses is glaringly out of context. It is important to carefully consider the historical and cultural context in which these verses were written in order to fully understand their intended meaning. Simply taking them at face value without context, as is the norm in charismatic churches, can lead to misinterpretation and misapplication.

Context refers to the circumstances or background in which something occurs or exists. In any form of communication, whether written or spoken, the context plays a vital role in determining the meaning and significance of the message. When something is taken out of context, it can lead to a range of negative consequences, including misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and conflict. John Henrik Clarke once said, “If the context of the words is not correct, then the words become a lie.”

Taking something out of context means using a statement, phrase, or idea without considering the larger context in which it was originally presented. It is the act of isolating a specific part of a larger message and using it to support a particular point of view, while ignoring the intended meaning or message of the original context.

 “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you” – Deuteronomy 4:2 (NIV).

One of the primary reasons why it is essential to keep to the context is that it allows for accurate interpretation so that “when you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble” – Proverbs 4:12 (NIV). Every message or communication is influenced by its surrounding circumstances, such as the speaker’s intention, the audience, and the cultural context. When a message is taken out of context, these essential elements are missing, and personal ideas can be injected into the text. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy NEVER HAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE HUMAN WILL, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” – 2 Peter 1:20-21 (NIV).

“Tithing” verses

Verse one: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” – Matthew 23:23-24 (NIV).

In this text, Jesus is speaking directly to the Pharisees and religious leaders who were considered experts on Jewish law and tradition. He criticizes them for their obsession with minor details of the law, such as tithing herbs like mint, dill, and cumin, while neglecting the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Advocates of tithing say that Jesus’ words “You should have practiced the latter [practicing justice, mercy and faithfulness] without neglecting the former [practicing tithing]” are a validation on His part of the practice of tithing in the New Testament Church. According to this argument, Jesus said we should not neglect tithing. But we need to examine the context of this text to get the proper picture.

At this point in time, the Old Covenant was still in effect since Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. This insight helps us understand why Jesus kept pointing the Jews to the Law of Moses instead of the principles of the new covenant. For example, in Mark 10, a man approached Jesus with the question “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” – Mark 10:17 (NIV). Jesus’ response was not like Paul’s and Silas’ response to a similar question where they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” – Acts 16:31 (NIV). Instead, Jesus in His response made reference to the Old Covenant: “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother” – Mark 10:19 (NIV).

What did Jesus hope to achieve with His references to the Old Covenant? Well, the Old Covenant was meant to point the Jews to a Saviour Who would come and avail eternal salvation to all. Paul writes, “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” – Colossians 2:17 (NIV). The laws and regulations in the Old Covenant were given to point the Jews towards the coming Messiah. Elsewhere Jesus said to the Jews: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” – John 5:39-40 (NIV). So, by making references to the Mosaic Law, Jesus was actually pointing the Jews to Himself. He saw Himself as the fulfillment of the Law and wanted the Jews to recognize Him as such. Throughout His ministry, He demonstrated that His teachings aligned with the spirit of the Law and urged people to embrace Him as the fulfillment of their religious practices.

The main point Jesus is making in Matthew 23:23–24 is not the requirement to tithe. He was exposing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees in their meticulous observance of the smallest outward, observable actions required by the Law, while neglecting the more important inward matters also addressed by the Law; matters of justice, humility, and righteousness.

Verse two: “Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people —that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises” – Hebrews 7:4-6 (NIV).

This text makes reference to an account recorded in Genesis 14. In this narration, we meet two figures in the Old Testament, Melchizedek and Abraham, who share a unique relationship. Melchizedek was a priest and king of Salem, while Abraham is the patriarch of Israel and father of the Jewish nation. It is noteworthy that Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, a unique combination in the ancient world. Abraham had just defeated a group of kings who had taken his nephew Lot captive. On his way back from battle, he was met by Melchizedek who brought him bread and wine and blessed him in the name of God Most High. Abraham then gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had acquired in battle.

Advocates of tithing often point to the example of Abraham tithing to Melchizedek in the Old Testament as evidence that tithing is a practice that should continue in the church today. They argue that this act demonstrated Abraham’s faithfulness and obedience to God, and that it established a precedent for tithing in the future. They teach that tithing should be followed by people of all generations as it is a truth that predates the Mosaic Law as illustrated in the Abraham-Melchizedek story.

Again, we need to examine the context of these verses so as to accurately determine what is being communicated. From Chapter 4 onwards, the writer of the book of Hebrews discusses the significance of Jesus as a High Priest and the superiority of the new covenant established through His sacrifice.

In Chapter 7, the writer of Hebrews uses the example of Abraham tithing to Melchizedek to illustrate the superiority of Jesus as our High Priest relative to the priests of the Old Testament. Melchizedek, who was both a priest and a king, was superior to Abraham who was the father of the Israelite nation and their patriarch. Jesus, Who is both a Priest and a King like Melchizedek, is similarly superior to all the priests of the Old Testament because He is eternal. The message here is that Jesus is the ultimate High Priest Who has the power to intercede on our behalf and bring us into a right relationship with God. In this way, Jesus is superior to the Old Testament priests and is “therefore able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” – Hebrews 7:25 (NIV).

And so, by examining the context, we see that the chapter is focused on the superiority of Jesus as a High Priest in comparison to the priests of the Old Testament. While the passage does mention Abraham tithing to Melchizedek, it does not provide an argumentative basis for modern-day tithing practices in the church.

Moreover, it is important to note that Abraham gave his tithe to Melchizedek as a voluntary sign of thanks. His action was not in obedience to any requirement of the law or any commandment. It was a voluntary act of thanksgiving in recognition of Melchizedek’s role as a priest of God. Additionally, Abraham did not tithe to Melchizedek from his income, but from the spoils of war. The tithing of spoils of war was a common practice in ancient times where it was seen as a way to honour the divine and seek blessings for future battles.

Verse three: “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – your whole nation – because you are robbing me” – Malachi 3:8-9 (NIV).

This passage has been used by many pastors and religious leaders to guilt their congregations into giving more money to the church. They claim that failure to tithe or give generously to the church is a sin and that those who do not give enough are robbing God and are subject to His curse.

The book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and is believed to have been written around 400 BC. The book contains a message of rebuke and correction from God to the Israelites. The people had fallen into complacency and were no longer following God’s commands. The priests had become corrupt and were not leading the people in righteousness. Malachi challenges the people to return to God and to live according to His ways. He addresses issues such as neglecting the temple, intermarriage with pagan nations, dishonesty in business dealings, and the withholding of tithes and offerings.

The old covenant, which was established between God and the people of Israel, is no longer applicable to the Church. This is because the Church is founded on the new covenant established through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The old covenant ritual laws that demand tithing, dietary restrictions, and sacrifices are no longer necessary for Christians to follow in order to receive salvation and enjoy a relationship with God. For more on this, please read Part One of this series. 

The guilt tool

In churches today, guilt has proven to be an effective tool of manipulation where tithing is concerned. Through the use of passages such as Malachi 3:8–9, pastors induce guilt as a tactic to gain control and influence the behaviour of their congregants for their own benefit.

While this advances them financially, cash-strapped congregants end up feeling guilty about their failure to tithe. They begin to see themselves as inherently bad or unworthy of forgiveness. They end up doubting their salvation and feeling lost in their faith. I mean, what could possibly be worse than taking a cut from the Almighty? It’s not like God has any other means of acquiring wealth, right? Sarcasm aside, Christians who fail to tithe struggle with feelings of isolation and separation from God and their local congregation. There are cases of Christians who suffer a loss of faith and carry a feeling of spiritual emptiness as a result.

If you are such a person, you need to understand that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has made you legally perfect. He bore the punishment for your sins and reconciled you with God, allowing you to be seen as righteous and pure in God’s eyes. You are in your depressed situation because you have sought justification before God by observing the Law, in particular the law of tithing. The true Gospel points you to Jesus because “through him [Jesus] everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses” – Acts 13:39 (NIV).

It is by entirely trusting Jesus as our Saviour that we can experience fullness of freedom from the yoke of bondage to the law of tithing. As believers, we can rest assured that our salvation and acceptance before God are secure, and we can confidently approach God knowing that Jesus’ sacrifice has made us legally perfect. The writer of Hebrews says, “For by one sacrifice he [Jesus] has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” – Hebrews 10:14 (NIV). The Hebrews writer continues to say, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” – Hebrews 10:22 (NIV). This leaves no room for guilt for the believing saint. This truth allows you to fully enjoy your walk with God without any guilt or negative emotions. The payment for your full redemption has already been made. You are now free! “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” – Galatians 5:1 (NIV).

Conclusion

It is vitally important that we do not twist God’s word to propagate a false narrative. As believers, we are called to be ambassadors of the truth and to represent God’s character and message accurately. We must take care to study and understand the context of Scripture, to interpret it accurately, and to apply it appropriately to our lives. We must also guard against the temptation to use Scripture to promote our own agenda or to justify our actions. We should seek to align ourselves with God’s will and purpose, and to reflect His truth and love to the world around us. By doing so, we can be effective witnesses of His grace and mercy and fulfill our calling as followers of Jesus Christ.