There have been a lot of false teachings about giving, and the Bible warns us about false teachers who seek to get rich by exploiting others. So, when someone talks about giving, it can make people a bit uncomfortable.
I know the feeling. I’ve seen the abuse and manipulation that takes place in certain ministries, especially those teaching the prosperity gospel, and it really disturbs me. However, we can’t abandon giving altogether simply because certain people have misused it. We need to learn the Biblical truth about giving.
It’s popular in many churches to teach that you must tithe 10% of your paycheck, but is that really what the Bible teaches? Money was not typically used for tithes, except for the situation when your journey is too far to carry your tithe to the Feasts, and in that case, you were allowed to take money so that you can buy what you need to eat at the Feast.
“But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the TITHE, or if the place where the Lord your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the Lord your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the Lord your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.”
– Deuteronomy 14:24-26
This is speaking about the tithe that’s used for the celebration of the Biblical Feasts such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. This money was used to buy whatever food and drink you wanted to celebrate the Feast with. This tithe was specifically for you and your family to eat during the Feasts.
The rest of the examples we see in Scripture about tithing have to do with providing food for the Levites and the poor. So, the first thing we need to point out is that the Biblical tithe was a tenth of your produce, grain, and fruit.
“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.”
– Leviticus 27:30
This is the tithe of the land, and we see from other verses that it can include grain, wine, olive oil, and various other crops. We see this type of tithe mentioned in the New Testament as well.
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe MINT and RUE and all manner of HERBS, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
– Luke 11:42
We see here that the Pharisees were giving tithes from their herb gardens.
The next type we see in Scripture is the tithe of the herd and the flock.
“And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord.”
– Leviticus 27:32
Notice that it’s the tenth animal that you tithe, which means if you only have 9 cows or sheep, you don’t give a tithe of your animals. You were instructed to give a whole animal as the tithe, not a fraction of an animal. That’s why the tenth animal was given as a tithe. The Bible also says if you want to redeem your tithe, meaning if you want to keep it for yourself, you can buy it, but you have to pay an extra fifth of its value.
“If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it.”
– Leviticus 27:31
This means if you want to keep your animals or produce, then you can buy them back, but the monetary value would be 15%, not 10% because you add a fifth to its value.
The tithes were given to the Levites as their inheritance because they were not given a land inheritance. These tithes were regarded as wages for the work they did in the Tabernacle.
“Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.”
– Numbers 18:21
The reason for this was that the Levites didn’t have any land, so they couldn’t grow their own food or raise their own animals. The purpose of the tithe was to provide food for the Levites. However, even the Levites were required to give a tenth of the tithe from their portion to the Lord.
“Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave-offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe.”
– Numbers 18:26
The Bible also speaks about tithes being given to the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.
“At the end of every third year, you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.”
– Deuteronomy 14:28-29
In the third year, this special tithe was given from the increase of the land. This was given to provide for the sojourners, the orphans, and the widows, as well as the Levites. Again, these are people who would have trouble providing for themselves, so God made provisions for them.
The Biblical tithe was part of the Temple service and was given to provide the Levites and the poor with food. Tithing was a type of sacrifice that was offered to God to support the ministry in the Temple.
However, the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, and we have no Levites to give our tithes to. On top of that, we aren’t even living in the promised land. So, is tithing even a commandment that we can keep? If we’re only trying to keep the letter of the law, then no. But what about the spirit of the law?
The purpose of the tithe was to provide for those serving in the Temple, for the poor, the widows, and the orphans. The principle of tithing has to do with providing for those in need, and those in ministry. I don’t know if we should call it a tithe, and I don’t know if we should hold to a strict 10% model, but I do believe we should be giving to those in need. We may not have a Temple or Levites, but we do have poor, widows, and orphans. So, we can give to provide for their needs. Likewise, we still have people serving in ministry who need financial support as well.
Paul makes this same application when he compares the Levites with those who preach the gospel.
“Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”
– 1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Paul said that God has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. This means preachers shouldn’t be seeking income from other sources. They are expected to live from what is provided to them through the ministry. Therefore, they should be provided for by that ministry. Those who labor in teaching the Word of God are worthy of their wages.
“For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.’”
– 1 Timothy 5:18
Again, I’m not saying we need to give a tithe to those in ministry, but I am saying the principle of giving to support ministry is Biblical. God uses some people to preach, teach, and evangelize, but He also uses people to financially support those preachers and teachers. This is God’s design and plan for how ministry is funded. Paul explains this is a principle found in the Torah.
“Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?”
– 1 Corinthians 9:8-11
If you find spiritual value from a teacher or ministry, you should give to support that ministry, because “those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” and “the laborer is worthy of his wages.” But we should also be giving to help the poor, the widows, and the orphans. The principle we learn from tithing is to share some of what we have with those in need. The Bible says if you have the ability to help others and you refuse to do so, then you don’t love God.
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
– 1 John 3:17
This is something we all need to think about because if we are unwilling to help others, that means we don’t really love God. Giving to those in need is an expression of loving God and loving our neighbor.
Here are a few things you can do. If you know a widow who is struggling, do what you can to help her. You can also find an organization that helps orphans and support them, or you could adopt an orphan. If there are ministries that you believe in, then send them financial aid. Get involved in things like this to share the love of God and help the kingdom grow. And when you give, remember that God loves a cheerful giver.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
– 2 Corinthians 9:7
I hope this teaching has helped to clear up the subject of tithing and has given you a new perspective on the principle of giving to support those in ministry.
