The Biblical tithe, re-examined

[mizpeh]

http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/14408-tithe

[Esaias]

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[Esaias]

Does ANYBODY have any insight into this topic, namely how many tithes were there under the law, when were they paid, etc? I have noticed there is a variety of differing opinions on this - even the Rabbis had some differing opinions (not that they are authoritative, but there it is).

[shazeep]

21Then, looking at him, Jesus loved himbf and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor,bg and you will have treasurebh in heaven.bi Then come,bj follow Me.”bk 22But he was stunnedbl at this demand, and he went away grieving,bm because he had many possessions.bn

Possessions and the Kingdom

23Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealthbo to enter the kingdom of God! ”bp 24But the disciples were astonished at His words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children,bq how hard it isbr to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a richbs person to enter the kingdom of God.”

26So they were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved? ”bt

27Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men it is impossible,bu but not with God, because all things are possible with God.”

28Peterbv began to tell Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.”

[shazeep]

which i guess doesn't help much if you are writing a history book, or trying to become a Jew...

[1ness]

The main purpose of the tithe was not to support the Levites but it was to provide the Israelites themselves with the feast for the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as the Feast of the Ingathering. See Exodus 23:16 and 34:22). It was Holiday pay! Two out of every three years the tithe was not given away but was eaten by the tither and his household in the keeping of the Feast and was to be enjoyed in the presence of God in Jerusalem. It was only in the third year the tithe was given away.

Deuteronomy 12:5-19. The tithes, along with the votive, freewill, first-fruits and heave offerings, were to be brought to Jerusalem and there eaten BY THE TITHER, and shared with others:

"...you shall eat them before the Lord your God...you and your son
and daughter and...your servants, and the Levite"

This is more clearly spelled out in Deuteronomy 14:22-27:

"You shall surely tithe..and you shall eat in the presence of the Lord
your God... the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil and the
the first-born of your herd and of your flock..."

And if you as the tither lived too far away from Jerusalem to transport your tithe there, you were to sell it, take the money to Jerusalem and there buy "whatever your heart desires" (this is stated twice in case you don't believe it the first time) and there "eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household" (verse 26). The Jewish household consisted of not only the children and the servants but was also extended to include the local Levites, widows, orphans and strangers. All were to partake and enjoy; verse 27 here particularly mentions including the Levites because they didn't have a harvest to celebrate in this way.

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles was a week long festival (plus an extra sabbath) when families were to leave the security of their homes, travel to Jerusalem, and live in temporary shelters (tabernacles or booths) made of "the foliage of beautiful trees". This part of the Feast was to remind all succeeding generations "that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt" (Lev 23:40 & 43). It was like a camping holiday. It was to be kept in the seventh month, "at the end of the (agricultural) year, when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field" (Ex 23:16), so the other part of the Feast was to celebrate the ingathering of the harvest:

"...you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter
and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and
the orphan and the widow who are in your towns (i.e. your neighbors).
Seven days you shall celebrate..(in Jerusalem), because the Lord your
God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands,
so that you shall be altogether joyful"
(Deut 16:14-15)

This first use of the tithe consisted of every household at harvest-end setting apart a tenth of all the produce of the year and taking it to Jerusalem to celebrate the goodness of God. the year's hard work was over, now they were to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor "in the presence of the Lord". No one was to be left looking on as an outsider; they were to include neighbors who had no harvest.

The Third Year

"At the end of the third year you shall bring out all the tithe of
your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your gates. and
the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance amoung you,
and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your gates,
shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God
may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."
Deut 14:18-19

Every third year the Levite, along with the alien, orphan and widow, received the whole tithe, not in Jerusalem at the Feast, but in the towns where they were living. This is restated in Deuteronomy 26:

"When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in
the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the
Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow that
they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

And you shall say before the Lord your God, "I have removed the
sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite
and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all Thy
commandments which Thou has commanded me' ..."
(vs 12 & 13)

[Scott Pitta]

Unless I am mistaken, Paul never mentions the tithe in any of his books. Nor is there any mention of the tithe in the book of Acts.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Unless I am mistaken, Paul never mentions the tithe in any of his books. Nor is there any mention of the tithe in the book of Acts.

We don't follow Paul, we follow the Bible. Paul didn't talk about transvestitism, either.

Paul, however, did mention and talk about tithing, in his epistle to the Hebrews. And yes, I am aware the modern experts don't accept that Paul wrote Hebrews, but then they don't believe Moses wrote the Pentateuch, either, so...

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by 1ness

The main purpose of the tithe was not to support the Levites but it was to provide the Israelites themselves with the feast for the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as the Feast of the Ingathering. See Exodus 23:16 and 34:22). It was Holiday pay! Two out of every three years the tithe was not given away but was eaten by the tither and his household in the keeping of the Feast and was to be enjoyed in the presence of God in Jerusalem. It was only in the third year the tithe was given away.

Deuteronomy 12:5-19. The tithes, along with the votive, freewill, first-fruits and heave offerings, were to be brought to Jerusalem and there eaten BY THE TITHER, and shared with others:

"...you shall eat them before the Lord your God...you and your son
and daughter and...your servants, and the Levite"

This is more clearly spelled out in Deuteronomy 14:22-27:

"You shall surely tithe..and you shall eat in the presence of the Lord
your God... the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil and the
the first-born of your herd and of your flock..."

And if you as the tither lived too far away from Jerusalem to transport your tithe there, you were to sell it, take the money to Jerusalem and there buy "whatever your heart desires" (this is stated twice in case you don't believe it the first time) and there "eat in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household" (verse 26). The Jewish household consisted of not only the children and the servants but was also extended to include the local Levites, widows, orphans and strangers. All were to partake and enjoy; verse 27 here particularly mentions including the Levites because they didn't have a harvest to celebrate in this way.

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles was a week long festival (plus an extra sabbath) when families were to leave the security of their homes, travel to Jerusalem, and live in temporary shelters (tabernacles or booths) made of "the foliage of beautiful trees". This part of the Feast was to remind all succeeding generations "that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt" (Lev 23:40 & 43). It was like a camping holiday. It was to be kept in the seventh month, "at the end of the (agricultural) year, when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field" (Ex 23:16), so the other part of the Feast was to celebrate the ingathering of the harvest:

"...you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter
and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and
the orphan and the widow who are in your towns (i.e. your neighbors).
Seven days you shall celebrate..(in Jerusalem), because the Lord your
God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands,
so that you shall be altogether joyful"
(Deut 16:14-15)

This first use of the tithe consisted of every household at harvest-end setting apart a tenth of all the produce of the year and taking it to Jerusalem to celebrate the goodness of God. the year's hard work was over, now they were to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor "in the presence of the Lord". No one was to be left looking on as an outsider; they were to include neighbors who had no harvest.

The Third Year

"At the end of the third year you shall bring out all the tithe of
your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your gates. and
the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance amoung you,
and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your gates,
shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God
may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."
Deut 14:18-19

Every third year the Levite, along with the alien, orphan and widow, received the whole tithe, not in Jerusalem at the Feast, but in the towns where they were living. This is restated in Deuteronomy 26:

"When you have finished tithing all the tithe of your increase in
the third year, the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the
Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan and to the widow that
they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.

And you shall say before the Lord your God, "I have removed the
sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite
and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all Thy
commandments which Thou has commanded me' ..."
(vs 12 & 13)

Thank you for the response. Is there any way to show that tithes were always paid at Tabernacles? What about the early harvest (Pentecost), would people just put aside the tithe from their crops from Pentecost and hold them until Tabernacles? Seems like that would result in a lot of lost tithes, becoming unedible, etc?

Also, if your herds are calving throughout the year, would you offer the firstlings when they were born (or shortly afterwards)? Or would you wait until Tabernacles?

Is there scripture which shows the tithes were paid AT Tabernacles?

I'm just trying to get a handle on what exactly the Bible teaches on this.

Also, about the 3 years thing... I have read several variations of how this is understood - a tithe paid every three years, a tithe paid every year in a three year cycle (three different tithes, one for each year, given for different purposes), a tithe paid only in 'the third year' from the Sabbatical year (actually, the second year of the new cycle, but counting the sabbatical year as the first year, then the next year, then the third year being able to provide the tithe for the Levites, poor, etc etc.

I included links to proponents of those systems, have you determined which one is correct? And why or why not they are correct or incorrect?

[shazeep]

Originally Posted by Esaias

And why or why not they are correct or incorrect?

i think they are correct for history books, but incorrect for the dispensation of Grace, as explained in Hebrews:

11If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the lawj), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?k 12For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. 13For the One these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. 14Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah,l and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

15And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16who did not become a priest based on a legal command concerning physicalm descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. 17For it has been testified:

You are a priest forever
in the order of Melchizedek.n, o

18So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitablep 19(for the law perfectedq nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.r

20None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, 21but He became a priest with an oath made by the One who said to Him:

The Lord has sworn,
and He will not change His mind,
You are a priest forever.s, t

22So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.u

23Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. 25Therefore, He is always able to savev those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercedew for them.

26For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.x 27He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do — first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself.y 28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son,z who has been perfectedaa forever.

So, who are you going to pay tithes to? What law are you seeking to obey, iow?