Jesus rarely spoke about tithing. When Jesus did mention tithing, he wasn’t to demand obedience from non-Hebrews. According to Luke 11:42 and Matthew 23:23, Jesus’ references to tithes are only used to challenge the religious leaders of his day. Essentially, Jesus rebuked their hypocrisy in paying tithes while neglecting more important matters, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Let’s explore more on the topic of Jesus and tithing.
Table of Contents
- Here’s What Jesus Says About Tithes
- Rightly Dividing the Word
- Not a Commandment to Tithe
- Life Under the Law
- One Gospel, Different Versions
- Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees
- Summary
- Outsmart the False Teachers
Here’s What Jesus Says About Tithes
So, what does Jesus say about tithing? According to the Bible, Jesus only mentioned the word tithe three times. Jesus references tithes in the following verses:
Matthew 23:23-24
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel (KJV).
Luke 11:42
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone (KJV).
Luke 18:9-14
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (KJV).
Rightly Dividing the Word
These passages must be placed in context. Some Christians believe these passages prove that Jesus commanded Christians to tithe. However, when we rightly divide the word and understand what Jesus was saying in the context of the scriptures, we find that this is not true.
Not a Commandment to Tithe
Jesus never commands anyone to tithe. God had already established the tithe command for ancient Israel through Moses and the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses). According to the Bible, tithing was part of the Law practiced among ancient Hebrew people – not Gentiles (non-Hebrews).
Life Under the Law
Jesus, like the scribes and Pharisees, lived under the Mosaic Law. The New Testament had not been established when Jesus walked the earth. Jesus observed the Mosaic Law as an ancient Jewish person because it was the covenant God established with ancient Israel.
When Jesus references tithes, he is not speaking to a Gentile (non-Hebrew) audience because Gentiles were not required to tithe under the Mosaic Law.
One Gospel, Different Versions
Third, the Gospels are four versions of the same Jesus story. If you notice, Matthew 23:23-24 and Luke 11:42 are two versions of the same quote. So, technically, Jesus only mentions tithes twice in the Gospels.
In the Gospels, Jesus addresses the scribes and/or Pharisees who must pay tithes according to the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses). In the verses, Jesus scolds the scribes and Pharisees for paying tithes while neglecting the more important issues such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
As far as Jesus was concerned, the tithe was one of the least important commandments of the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses). Keep in mind, beloved, that when Jesus mentions tithes, he refers only to tithing as practiced under the Mosaic Law).
Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees
Finally, in Luke 18:9-14 Jesus shares a parable. In this parable, when Jesus mentions tithes, he speaks as a Pharisee would. He is expressing the thoughts, beliefs, and words of the Pharisees.
The Pharisees thought they were better than others because they knew the Mosaic Law inside and out and followed all the commandments of the Mosaic Law. Therefore, Jesus is exposing the religious self-righteousness and hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
Summary
The Bible only cites three references of Jesus mentioning tithes, and two are two versions of the same quote. Furthermore, Jesus only mentions tithes about the Mosaic Law (Law of Moses or Jewish law).
The focal point of Jesus’ message in these verses is not tithing. The verses illustrate how critical Jesus was of religious legalism, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy.
What Jesus was teaching in these verses is that following religious laws, rituals, and traditions is not the same as knowing God and having an intimate relationship with God. He was also encouraging humility. He was making it clear that practicing religious laws, rituals, or traditions does not make a person better than someone who does not do those things.
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