The Tithe is only for Jews and Messianic Jews, no for Christians

There has been a very big abuse, with the idea of tithing, in congregations or kehilat. In part it is due to ignorance of the text of the Torah. Tithing is part of the Law of Moses, so the tithe is for the Jews and Messianic Jews, not Christians.

We will explain in detail what is the meaning of tithe, offering, and sedaka in a congregation.

The word tithing in Hebrew is Maser (Strong H4643), appearing 27 times in the text. The other word in Hebrew is Asar (Strong H6237), that appears 7 times in the text.

LAW OF TITHING

          Deuteronomy 14: 22-29 “tithe (Asar H6237), the whole grain product that comes forth from your field, every year.

And you shall eat before Yahweh your Elohim in the place which he shall choose, to put his name there, the tithe of your grain, your wine and your oil, and the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, so you learn to fear YHWH your Elohim, everyday. And if the way is so long that you can not take it, being you away from  the place that YHWH your Elohim shall choose to set his name there, when Yahweh your Elohim has blessed you, then it will sell, and keep the money in your hand, and unto the place which Yahweh your Elohim shall choose; and you give the money for whatever you want, by oxen or sheep, for wine, cider, or anything your heart desires; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and rejoice, you and your family.And you do not forsake the Levite that is within thy gates; he has no part nor inheritance with you.

    At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe (Maser H4643) of thine increase the same year, and lay it up within thy gates. And the Levite, who has no part nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, the fatherless and the widow who live in your towns shall eat and be satisfied; to YHWH your God may bless thee in all the work who make your hands. “

THE LAW OF TITHING IS SIMPLE AND STATES THAT:

A-All farmers, herdsmen, ranchers or oil manufacturers decimated.

B-They will give 10% of the yearly crop.

C- Every family will eat the tithing before the temple of Elohim with joy and gladness.

D-Every three years the tithe will be shared with the Levite, the stranger, the widow and the orphan and family will eat before the temple of God with joy and gladness.

E-If you are away from the temple, the harvest will be sold, they will come to the temple and buy food for the cost of money received, and eat as a family, before the temple of Elohim with joy and gladness.

As you can see,  tithe is to eat as a family, in the temple, or tabernacle, not to keep it in the kehila. In addition, if you or your kehila believes that the Law of Moses was abolished (as some believe), then you not required to tithe.

NOTE: The tithe is only for Jews and Messianic Jews, not for Christians.

But if you are Jewish, or Messianic, then you share the food you bring, or bring the corresponding money, and buy all the necessary food for everyone.

MISREPRESENTED OR CONFLICTING TEXTS 

• The only text that talks about something, what Christian groups to speak, is Genesis 28: 11-22, where Jacob, in gratitude to God, decides to give 10% of everything perceived gain, to the Eternal.
• A big mistake is to think that Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:20, when in fact, gave 10% of the goods that he and Lot had lost and regained.
• The Levites in Numbers 18:21, they receive part of the tithes, to devote full time to his ministry: “And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for his ministry , because they serve in the tabernacle of meeting. “But it was not all.
• Many claim that the form of giving, in the Renewed Covenant, is to sell everything and give it to the Church, but that only made with the apostles:

          Acts 2:44-45  “And all the believers were echad and had all things common. And they sold possessions and goods and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need. “.  (Do you like to do that and leave your family without a sustent?). 

• In several places, it speaks, that kehila, giving to help others, or they did every week, that was a DONATION by the difficulties that arose in Jerusalem, it was not a mandate, forever (read carefully ):

          1 Corinthians 16:1-3  “And about the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the congregations of Galatia, so you do also. After the first of the Sabbaths, let each of you put aside and keep in his house whatever he can afford, that there not be collections then when I come.  And when I arrive, whomever you select I will send through these epistles, to carry your DONATION (grace) to Jerusalem.
.

• The same applies, in 2 Corinthians 9, it was the generosity, for the donation, to bring to Jerusalem, and people have made in a very spiritual law:

         

          2 Corinthians  9:5-7  “Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brothers, that they go forward to you and arrange beforehand your promised blessing, this to be ready, that you might have it ready as a blessing and not as if it was forced on you.  But remember this: the one sowing sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one sowing generously will also reap generously. Each one as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for YHWH loves a cheerful giver.“.

• Also it states that in Malachi 3.10, we are robbing God in tithes and offerings, but that is false. Read Malachi 3: 1 to 3:10, and realize that it is condemning the Levites in Malachi 3: 3 and:

Malachi 3: 5-7 “I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a witness against the sorcerers, and adulterers, against those who swear falsely, and the defrauding in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and that turn aside the stranger, and fear not me (they did not complied with the tithing as said it in the biblical text), says YHWH of hosts YHWH Because I change not. therefore you sons of Jacob, are not destroyed , from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them”.

If you are not Jewish, or Messianic, you can give offering to your congregation, which you see fit, to help their brethren in their kehila.

But if you are Jewish, or Messianic you bring to the kehilat, tithes (for all eating at the end of service), as well as their offerings (to the temple), and sedaka (help the needy or works of righteousness).

NOTE: Only the offering is given to the Pastor (Ro’eh) or Rabbi, for the maintenance of the temple, everything else is returned to the people in the congregation, or kehilat in food and aid.

WHAT DOES PAUL SAID ABOUT THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL:

           1 Corinthians 9:3-8, 11-15

“Against those who accuse me, this is my defense (and in that time, someone like always, defamed, or gossiping):

            Have we no right to eat and drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister wife, as well as other apostles (celibacy was not used)

and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? Say I these things as a man? Does not this also the law? …. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap from you things? (key ministries to help with offerings, not tithes)

           If others partake of this right over you, are not we rather? But we have not used this right, but endure all things, lest we should hinder, the gospel of Christ. (Paul decided to work on their own, had a touring company and was paying for their own expenses, without help from others)

          Do you not know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar, from the altar are partakers? (Naturally under the Law)  

         So too, the Lord ordained, that those who preach the gospel to live from the gospel.(Ordained Yeshua Ha Mashiaj). 

        But, none of these I took advantage, neither have I written this to be so done to me; because I’d rather die than have anyone fade, this boasting (Clearly, Paul did not want, they speak against him).

NOTE: Paul shows us, as ministries were built: Pastor, or Ro’eh states on their own work, or company, or support from others, that willingness, come together to help him. Read in 1 Timothy:

          1 Timothy 3:8  “Likewise, deacons are to be pure, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy of ill gain”

In the New Covenant in Matthew 23:23, Yeshua establishes tithing, to those who believe in the Law (no christians) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin, and you have left aside the weightier matters of the Torah judgment, and mercy, and faith. And these things were necessary for you to have done, and these things you should not have forgotten.(tithing)”.

Blessings to those who follow the right thing with regard to the word of Elohim:

          Joshua 1:8 “This book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, and you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you shall be on guard to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall prosper your way, and then you shall act wisely”.

(NOTE: This applies only to the Jews and Messianic Jews that comply with the Law)

Ro’eh Yosef Ben Marques 2015