TITHING

The tithe is manipulated and misused all over the world. Torah mentions three types of giving-

1. Temples tax. Half a shekel for everyone rich or poor. The Jewish Priests were exempted.  When tax collectors came to Yeshua, he asked them does a Prince gives taxes. Nevertheless, to fulfill all formalities he sent Peter with fishing rod. Peter caught a fish with a coin stuck in its mouth and gave it to the temple tax collectors. Exodus 30:13–16 . Matt. 17: 24-27 

2. Tithe: Tithe was not gold or silver or cash. It was food. Only those who were landowners gave tithe out of their produce. They gave animals, grains. first fruits, oil, wine etc.as tithe.  After slaughtering the animal and smearing the blood on the four horns of the altar and offering the head and the fat with the organs like liver and heart etc. the priests would waive the animal around on top of the altar of fire and gave it back to the devotee keeping one leg for himself. The devotee would then take the animal back to wherever they were camping in Jerusalem then cook it and share it with his family, as well as with widows, orphans and strangers (Gentile servants) and the Levites. They did this three times a year. Every third year they would give double tithe and the second tithe was celebrated within his own precinct with the same people. If they lived far away they would sell the tithe, bring the money to the temple and bought whatever food items they wished and after going through the formality of offering on the altar, they would eat their tithe. Malachi 3:10; Deut. 14:22-29; 16:16

Yeshua a carpenter and Peter a fisherman and Paul a tent maker did not tithe because, they had no land. They were considered too poor to tithe. We know Yeshua came from a poor family because his parents could afford to offer only turtle doves at his dedication. At his farewell speech to the elders of the Ephesian church told them that how with his own hands he earned money which he used for his own personal needs, his disciples needs and what was left, he gave it to the poor. He asked the Corinthian church to collect money for the famine affected families in Jerusalem. But that was just one time affair. Neither Yeshua or his disciples or Paul taught anyone to tithe. Yeshua in fact made fun of Pharisees saying you tithe your mint and anise but neglect the deeper things of the Scriptures. Matthew 23:23; Acts 20:34,35; 1Cor. 16:1-4

3. Freewill offering: There were collection boxes outside the temple where anyone could offer as much they liked. A widow that gave two mites and Yeshua commended her for giving 100% . Mark 12:41-44

These were but shadow of things to come. They were all transformed in the NT.

1. Temple tax can be used for maintenance of the house church like buying mats and things like that. Here in India we give to the local church for hatching, matching and dispatching, i.e. baptism of the baby, wedding in the church and burying the dead in the church cemetery.   

2. Tithing became breaking of bread from house to house like a potluck dinner where the well-off bring extra food to share with the poor and the newcomers. Eating full meal was an integral part of the gathering. In the traditional church this has been reduced to a wafer and a sip of wine. During his last meal, Yeshua fed his disciples with roast beef, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and wine. Abraham served God with roast beef and bread for lunch and discussed Sara’s pregnancy and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Acts 2:46-47; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:20-23; Exodus 12:8; Genesis 18:1

3. The Freewill Offering required that not just tithing but as much as you liked. In the OT they gave dutifully but in the NT we give cheerfully. However this was not to be given to the pastor controlled church but at the feet of apostles, was strictly given for reaping the harvest. Acts 4:34,35; 2 Cor. 9:6,7