Gary,

Dear Gary,

Your Question / Comment(s): If tithing is not required in the New Testament, then why does Jesus say to the scribes and Pharisees, " Hypocrites, you give a tenth of your spices, mint, dill, and cummin...you should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former." This seems like Jesus is expecting them to tithe.

My Response: Thank you for your comment and question. I pray that you continue to study God’s word with a humble heart. I see you quote one of the Scriptures these gospel peddlers use to persuade those in their churches to give ten percent of their hard earn money to them. For they use Scriptures such as this one to put you in fear and under guilt, so you fearfully give your money to them fearing you will be cursed if you don’t pay them tithes. However, since you asked the question why Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees and Scribes? I see you are reading this Scripture with the assumption that if Jesus tell these scribes and Pharisees who are under the Old Covenant they should have not neglected the former, it means tithing is still commanded for Christians today. Yet, this is a faulty premise and interpretation seeing that when Jesus spoke these words the Old Covenant was still in place, and these scribes and Pharisees were commanded as Israelites to tithe for the upkeep of the Temple. This is something one must keep in mind when the Word of God, Christ live and walk this planet as Jesus. For Jesus’ parents and even Jesus Himself had to comply with the laws and regulations of the Old Covenant until His death on the cross (Matthew 8:4, Luke 2:21-24, 41-42, and Matthew 17:24-27). Remember the Old Covenant did not end until Christ was crucified on the cross. And this included the command to tithe to the sons of Levi, for it is written:

While Jesus was on this planet He was of the tribe of Judah, an Israelite and under the Old Covenant which God made with them. These are the instructions He gave His disciples.

Matthew 23:1-3… 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Now, if Jesus instructed His disciples to do what the scribes and Pharisees say here, then why in Acts 4 after Jesus’ death did Peter and John refuse to obey them when they instructed them not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus? Plus, no other disciples or the followers of Christ after His death obeyed the scribes and Pharisees. Why didn’t they obey the scribes and Pharisees? If Jesus had previous instructed them to do so because these scribes and Pharisees at that time set in Moses seat when He lived as Jesus on this planet? I point out these verses in Matthew 23 to you because I want you to understand that there are Scriptures that must be read for the time they are spoken only and not as spiritual instructions by Jesus for all Christians today. We should not read any thing more into them especially when other Scriptures clearly do not support our interpretations.

Also, after Jesus was crucified on the tree with His death also came the death of the Old Covenant, and all who answered the called of God to His Son Christ Jesus, God made a New Covenant with them as He had promise in Jeremiah 31:31-34.

Colossians 2:13-15… 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Here in Colossians 2 it is clearly shown that the Old Covenant was nailed to the cross as Christ took away it’s written code and regulations, which stood against us as Christians. So, the question is settled that the Old Covenant is done away with, and we as Christians are under the New Covenant with Christ Jesus as our Mediator and High Priest.

When we read Matthew 23:23-24 in context Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and not Christians, as we are not required to perform the rituals of the Old Covenant. For Jesus told the "leprosy" whom He had healed in Matthew 8:4, to go and offer the gift to the priest as Moses commanded. Because this was a requirement under the Old Covenant, to offer a gift as required by the Law of Moses. Question, do you see anyone claiming since Jesus told this man to offer a gift to the priest that we as Christians must offer gifts to a priest when we are healed? No! Therefore, if you are to believe that Jesus meant for Christians to tithe because He told the Scribes and Pharisees to not neglect tithing then what about this verse are we as Christians meant to offer the required gift to the priest for being healed?

Now, let us look at the verses as a whole you quoted:

Matthew 23:23-24… 23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. 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. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

It must be noted that Jesus is speaking to the scribes and Pharisees and not His followers. Jesus is admonishing them to stop putting more emphasis on paying money to the Levites, and put more emphasis on showing the qualities which makes a person a man or woman of God. And that is being merciful, faithful and being just in all matters towards our fellow human beings. Also, please note the word "practiced" used here. These scribes and Pharisees needed to "practice what they preach". These verses do not imply that anyone under the New Covenant should tithe nor do they say Christ expect Christians to tithe. I mean who would receive the tithes? Are you fully convinced that anyone who self-appoint himself as a minister is commanded by God to collect tithes from their brothers and sisters in Christ? If a Christian was commanded to tithe then to whom do the ministers tithe to? For if tithing was commanded then are not ministers Christians?

I am fully persuaded that Christians are not required to give any person a tenth of their income. My web site clearly shows that tithing is not required under the New Testament. Yes, you should help with the upkeep of your meeting place and other expenses of the place, if known. But you are not required to give away a tenth of your income to anyone. If the offerings of the members do not support a minister and the minister do not have another job to support himself then he or she (for there are some women who claim they are ministers in defiance of the law) should get a job. If you wish to give away your money to some self-appointed gospel peddler then that is your choice. But know this: that the giving of a tenth of your money to some self-appointed minister will not make you any more righteous than anyone who do not. God only gave the authority to the sons of Levi to collect tithes from the children of Israel and those who joined themselves to them, not the rest of the nations on this planet. Are you prepared to say God has a spiritual requirement of one nation and not others? Even when God commanded the sons of Levi to collect tithes it was only from males who had land to produce grain and / or livestock in excess of ten animals, no one else had to tithe neither were women required to tithe. Where is it in the Scriptures that these rules of tithing changed? Who made it a requirement for women to tithe? Or who made it a requirement for those without land or livestock to tithe. Who changed the requirements of tithing with grains and livestock to your income (money)? And there are many other logical questions if you are convince you should give some self-appointed minister 10% of your money.

For as the Holy Scripture say, if you want to be perfect then follow what Jesus said in Matthew 19, and give to the poor. For it is written:

Matthew 19:16-22… 16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 18 "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself." 20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

If you notice what the man asked Jesus then you will see that when the Holy Scriptures refer to commandments it do not necessary refer to the Ten Commandments. For the man asked, what good thing he must do to get eternal life? Now, notice Jesus' response to the man, which was to obey the commandments. If the man knew Jesus meant the Ten Commandments then we must ask why the man responded with, which ones? The answer is made clear by Jesus answer to the man's question, which ones? For Jesus responded by giving five commandments which are part of the Ten Commandments, and then one which is not, that is "love your neighbor as yourself." And when the man responded that he had kept all these commandments, Jesus responded with another commandment not a part of the Ten Commandments. That is, to "sell your possessions and give to the poor", upon hearing this commandment the young man went away sad because he was not willing to give his "great wealth" to the poor. So, I ask you how many ministers or so-called rich Christians speak of this commandment of Jesus? But I point these verses out so you will see that the word "commandments" do not just mean the Ten Commandments.

I hope this help clear up this matter. And I pray that God will bless you and your household. That you will continue to pray and study God’s word, and not fall into temptation. Also, you should remember these words of the Christ Jesus, our Savior in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:41- 46… 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

I exhort you to test all things accepting nothing without first testing it against the Holy Scriptures. If you want understanding pray for it, and fear God then God will provide what you are lacking, humble yourself and you will see God. Remember to esteem others to be better than your yourself (Philippians 2:1-8). I pray that God continue to guide and direct you in all that you do. Amen. Praise God.

In Christ love,

Ron Davis, minister of Christ