Jesus supported his ministry with occupational skills and free will offerings. However, he never collected tithes. This biblical fact may shock tithe advocates who insist God needs 10% of a Christian’s income.
Table of Contents
- Watch the Video
- The Word of God
- A Ministry Without Tithes
- Where Did Jesus Work?
- The Skills of the Disciples
- The Rich Give to Jesus
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recap
- Outsmart the False Teachers
Watch the Video
The Word of God
Jesus was clear about the mission of his ministry. His primary assignment was to preach the good news. What was this good news? The kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15). Jesus’ ministry started in Galilee and extended to Jerusalem.
How did he spread this message?
One, Jesus taught the multitude in public spaces and the synagogues ( John 6:22-59, Mark 1:21-28, ). Two, he selected and taught 12 disciples about the kingdom message (Luke 6:12-16). In the process, he trained them to go out and spread the gospel. Finally, Jesus recruited 70 (or 72) more disciples to preach the gospel of the Kingdom (Luke 10:1).
Like Jesus, the disciples traveled. They often stayed in the homes of strangers (Luke 10:5-9). So, they relied heavily on the hospitality of others. By today’s standards, Jesus’ ministry was bootstrapped. However, his ministry still required financial resources.
Did Jesus get paid for preaching?
How did Jesus get the money he needed?
First, let’s examine this question: how did Jesus finance his ministry?
A Ministry Without Tithes
Jesus didn’t support his ministry with tithes. Keep in mind Jesus lived under the Mosaic Law. The New Testament didn’t exist during his ministry. As a Hebrew, Jesus followed the Law. According to this Law, it was illegal for him to collect tithes.
God reserved tithes for the tribe of Levi (Numbers 18:24). Jesus was from the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:1-6). The Levites received tithes in place of land inheritance. All the tribes of Israel received land except the Levites (Numbers 18:20).
Additionally, the tithe (crops and herds) was compensation for the Levite’s service to the Temple. Since Jesus was not a Levite, he could not receive tithes.
How did Jesus Jesus’s ministry thrive without tithes?
Well, keep reading…
Where Did Jesus Work?
Let’s be clear. The Bible doesn’t say whether Jesus Christ ministered full-time. What we do know is that he was a carpenter by trade. It was a Hebrew custom that required all males to learn a craft. Typically, sons learned their father’s occupation. Therefore, it’s likely Jesus learned carpentry from his father, Joseph, who was a carpenter.
It stands to reason Jesus supported himself by working as a carpenter. Once Jesus began ministry, did he give up carpentry to minister full-time? Well, Scripture doesn’t say. We do know the 12 walked away from their trades to follow Jesus. So, Jesus may have stopped working to minister.
It’s also possible that he continued working his trade.
We see an example of this with the Apostle Paul. He continued working as a tentmaker while spreading the gospel. He supported himself primarily with his tentmaker wages. On occasion, he received free will offerings. With Paul, we see a blueprint of an apostle who held a job while spreading the gospel.
It’s plausible Jesus juggled his profession and his ministry. But again, the Bible doesn’t address this issue one way or the other. Jesus earned a living as a carpenter. We can only speculate whether he used his wages to fund his ministry.
The Skills of the Disciples
Support for Jesus’ ministry wasn’t limited to money. Keep in mind the 12 disciples left their jobs to follow Jesus. For example, Andrew and Peter were fishermen (Matthew 4:18-22) and business owners.
Thomas and Nathaniel (Bartholomew) may have also been fishermen. Matthew was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 5:27). Judas was the ministry’s treasurer. There’s speculation that he may have worked as an accountant or bookkeeper. The Gospels don’t specify the professions of the other disciples.
Again, they left their careers behind. So, how did they support Jesus’ ministry? They brought their skills. For example, the disciples’ ability to catch fish was valuable. This helped ensure Jesus and his other followers had food to it. They could always feed themselves if their funds got low (Luke 5:6).
The Rich Give to Jesus
Jesus had wealthy donors. These individuals provided financial support and other resources. The Bible mentions a few of these individuals. They include Joanna, Susanna, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. Also, Mary Magdalene may have given money to the ministry.
Joanna and Susanna
Joanna was married to Chuza, who served as Herod’s house manager. Another woman mentioned is Susana. Both women supported Jesus with their means (Luke 8:2-3). According to the Amplified Bible, “contributing to their support out of their private means [as was the custom for a rabbi’s disciple].”
Joseph of Arimathea
He was a man of wealth and stature. According to the Amplified Bible, he was “a prominent and respected member of the Council [Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court] (Mark 15:43).” He was also a disciple of Jesus. After Jesus’s crucifixion, Joseph took care of the burial arrangements. He even buried Jesus in the tomb he had reserved for his use.
Nicodemus
Like Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus was a wealthy, well-known figure in Hebrew society. He was a Pharisee who served as a member of the Sanhedrin (John 3:1). He assisted Joseph with Jesus’ burial. He anointed Jesus’s body with an oil mixture of myrrh and aloe (John 19:39). They wrapped Jesus’ body in linen and spices according to the Hebrew burial custom (John 19:40).
Mary Magdalene
Mary was a devout follower of Jesus. She came from the town of Magdala. At this time in history, Magdala had a thriving fishing industry. It’s speculated that Mary was a wealthy woman. Because of this, she could travel freely with Jesus — and contribute financially to his ministry.
Again, these are the individuals the Bible specifically mentions by name. Many others helped fund the ministry of Jesus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Old Was Jesus When He Started His Ministry?
Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry, according to Luke 3:23: “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.” This is also supported by the fact that priests were ordained to their ministry at thirty in the Old Testament (Numbers 4:3). So, Jesus likely followed this tradition when he began his public ministry.
Did Jesus Say to Pay Taxes?
Jesus did say to pay taxes when He responded to the Pharisees and Herodians who attempted to trap Him by asking whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. He said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21, ESV).
This implies that Christians should obey earthly authorities and pay taxes while prioritizing their relationship with God. The apostle Paul also reinforces this instruction in Romans 13:1-7 by instructing Christians to obey governing rules and pay taxes. Even in ancient biblical times, the Hebrew Israelites weren’t exempt from paying taxes to the Roman government. So, that means even Jesus paid taxes.
In the Scriptures, the people of Israel often disliked and despised tax collectors (Luke 18:10-14). They were considered collaborators with the Roman authorities, who were seen as oppressive and occupying forces. Tax collectors were often viewed as corrupt and greedy individuals who collected more than required and kept the extra for themselves, which placed a tax burden on the people.
Additionally, the temple tax was a mandatory tax paid by Hebrew men over 20 in ancient Hebrew society to support the upkeep of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The tax was typically a half-shekel, and failure to pay it could result in being excluded from worship at the Temple. During the time of Jesus, the tax was still in place and collected annually by the priests.
In Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus and his disciples were asked whether they paid the tax, and Jesus instructed Peter to find a coin in a fish’s mouth to pay it for both of them. This story suggests that Jesus and his disciples did pay the temple tax.
Why Did Jesus Die For Us?
Christians believe that Jesus died to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity and to reconcile us with God. John 3:16-17 says that God gave His only Son to save the world. Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 that Christ died for us out of God’s love despite our sinful nature. Jesus Himself explained in Mark 10:45 that He came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. In summary, Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins and to reconcile us with God, and through faith in Him, we can receive eternal life.
Recap
Jesus financed his ministry from various resources. However, none of the resources included tithing. Under the Mosaic Law, it was illegal for him to receive tithes (Numbers 18:24). Jesus may have used his carpentry wages to support himself during his ministry. However, the Bible doesn’t address whether Jesus worked as a carpenter while spreading the gospel.
His disciples provided valuable skills to his ministry. Several were fishermen by trade, such as Peter and Andrew (Matthew 4:18-22). Even though they left their careers to follow Jesus, they still supported the ministry. For example, they caught fish that kept them fed (Luke 5:6). Additionally, the disciples benefited from the hospitality of the homes they visited (Luke 10:5-9).
Finally, Jesus had wealthy men and women who contributed to his ministry. The Bible specifically mentions individuals such as Joanna, Susanna (Luke 8:2-3), Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43), and Nicodemus (John 19:39). According to the Amplified Bible, it was customary for disciples to give resources to their rabbis. So, Jesus likely received free will offerings (and other resources) from many followers.
Outsmart the False Teachers
If you want to discover more tithe facts, I encourage you to get a copy of The Tithing Hoax. This book provides in-depth information on how to give the RIGHT way. It also offers helpful tips based on Scripture.
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Thanks for reading, and be blessed!
