Tithing is a perplexing issue for churches that proclaim that the Old Testament covenants have been done away and superseded by the New Testament. This is because there is not a single command in the New Testament to pay tithes to the church. Regardless of this fact, many preachers suggest that tithing equals blessing and those who withhold gifts will be under a curse. Verses on this subject are often taken out of context and used against believers to persuade them to give more. What does the Bible really say in regards to tithing?
Tithing is an Old Testament idea that first appears in the book of Genesis. Abraham is visited by a priest named Melkizadek in Genesis 14. As an act of servitude and respect, Abraham gives Melkizadek ten percent of all his belongings. This is the one and only time that Abraham is seen giving a tithe. Years later, as the tabernacle camp was set up, the Israelites were commanded to bring the first fruits of their harvest and livestock to the priests. This ongoing tithe was accompanied by an annual tithe of 10% in Deuteronomy 14:22 to the Levites. An additional 20% gift to the poor every third year is actually mentioned in Deuteronomy 14:28! These tithes and offerings supported the priesthood, the work of the tabernacle, and provided a type of "welfare" system for the needy. Deuteronomy 14:25 gives instructions for converting harvest into money, which could be used in developing civilizations. Overall, the combined tithes of those living during Biblical times were close to 24% of their harvest or income.
At the time of the Savior, tithing to the Levitical Priesthood was a well established practice. In Matthew 23:23, the Messiah rebukes a group of leaders who tithed properly but didn't show mercy to their fellow man. The followers of the Apostles met regularly on the first day of the week to collect an offering for those who spread the Gospel. (They wouldn't carry money on the seventh day Sabbath as buying or selling on this day is forbidden in Nehemiah 13:9.) When the Temple was destroyed in 70AD the giving of sacrifices and tithes stopped for the Jewish people.
Later, as Roman Catholicism spread, tithing was similar to a tax. The doctrine of giving 10% to the church was canonized at the Synod of Macon in 585AD and the Council of Trent provided punishment of excommunication if anyone withheld a tithe. During the seventh and eighth centuries, the church increased it's ownership of land in Europe. The ten percent rental fee for land was transferred from the secular world of business to the Christian realm. Such actions ensured the Roman church collected it's tithes from the poor and the rich. In 1285, tithing was sanctioned by English statute law which led to mandatory tithes being collected by secular governments for hundreds of years. Today, tithing is obligatory of church members and leaders. The offering plate is passed at most services as the church is considered the "storehouse." The church's modern plea to give 10% does not stem from Biblical precepts but from tainted tithing history.
If the Law of Moses has passed away, then tithing has been abolished as well. Those who suggest the abolishment of the Mosaic Law and still teach tithing, are continuing the errors of history and possibly deceiving their followers for financial gain. Perhaps during these times of economic woe, Christians will reconsider this subject and either accept the Law of Moses or reject the principle of the tithe.
