The tithe isn’t based on income. It’s a misconception that tithes should come from a person’s income. This is a false teaching that isn’t supported by Scripture. The Bible provides numerous examples of what constitutes the tithe; none include income.
Table of Contents
- Watch the Video
- Tithers in the Bible
- No Income in the Bible
- The Tithe of Abraham
- Tithes and the Law of Moses
- The Tithe of the Pharisees
- Recap
- Outsmart the False Teachers
Watch the Video
Tithers in the Bible
The Old Testament and the Gospels provide examples of tithing. The first introduction to tithing in the Old Testament is referred to as pre-law tithing. It’s called pre-law tithing because it occurred before establishing the Mosaic Law Covenant. An example is Abram’s (Abraham’s) tithe to King Melchizedek.
Under the Law of Moses, the Lord outlined several regulations related to the tithe. One, he defined what constituted a tithe (Leviticus 27:30, Leviticus 27:32). Two, he identified who had to pay tithes. Three, he stated who was authorized to receive tithes (Numbers 18:24).
Finally, the Lord stated how these tithes were to be used (Deuteronomy 12:11, Nehemiah 10:38). We learn that the biblical tithe was crops and animals from ancient Israel. Additionally, only farmers and herdsmen paid these tithes.
The Gospels reveal the Pharisees and scribes paid tithes. What’s interesting is that they were not farmers or herdsmen. They were the interpreters and teachers of the Mosaic Law. So, why did they pay tithes? They expanded the definition of the tithe to include spices and herbs from home gardens.
Was any of this income?
We must look closer at the tithes from Abram, the farmers, herdsmen, Pharisees, and scribes. Based on the Bible, we can determine whether the modern-day tithe of paying 10% of one’s income is biblical.
First, let’s look at the word income.
No Income in the Bible
It’s important that we first establish a working definition of income. According to the Blue Letter Bible, there is no Hebrew or Greek word for income in the King James Version of the Bible. The KJV never uses the word income.
The word income is used in newer versions of the Bible, such as the NIV and ESV. Income is used seven times collectively but never used concerning the tithe. With that said, let’s look at our contemporary understanding of income.
Income is “money that is earned from doing work or received from investments, according to Dictionary.Cambridge.org.
The Tithe of Abraham
Abram (Abraham) paid a tithe to King Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). Was this a tithe from his income? No. He tithed off the spoils of war. He gave 10% to King Melchizedek, and the other 90% was returned to the people whose possessions were stolen (Genesis 14:23-24). So, Abraham didn’t tithe from his wealth.
Tithes and the Law of Moses
Tithing was legalized under the Law of Moses. The 11 tribes of ancient Israel were obligated to pay tithes to the tribe of Levi. However, the farmers and herdsmen were the only individuals who had to pay tithes (crops and animals). The question is whether these tithes were income.
The answer is no.
The farmers and herdsmen lived off of the land. They did not receive compensation, wages, or income raising agricultural produce and livestock. Even if they did sell what they produced, the money earned wouldn’t be considered a tithe. The Lord did not accept tithes in the form of money.
The Tithe of the Pharisees
The Pharisees and scribes paid tithes (Matthew 23:23). They tithed spices and herbs. Was this income? No, it wasn’t.
Pharisees and scribes earned wages from a variety of skilled trades and occupations. For example, some scribes wrote documents for a living. Some Pharisees got paid to teach the Law of Moses. The most well-known Pharisee, the Apostle Paul, earned his living as a tentmaker (Acts 23:6, Acts 18:3).
The Pharisees and scribes paid tithes of spices and herbs – not money earned from their occupations.
Paying tithes from consumable goods is God’s original intent. The Pharisees and scribes expanded tithes to include home garden spices and herbs. However, they never redefined the tithe as income (money or wages). God always intended the tithe to be crops and livestock grown on the holy land of ancient Israel — never income.
Recap
Was the tithe based on a person’s income? No.
Income is defined as receiving payment in exchange for work. The tithers in the Bible didn’t tithe from their income.
Here are a few examples:
Abram (Abraham) paid a one-time tithe to King Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). The tithe came from the spoils of war, not his wealth.
Ancient Israel’s farmers and herdsmen paid tithes to the tribe of Levi. They lived off the land. They didn’t receive money for raising agricultural produce and animals. So what they gave the Levites and priests wasn’t income.
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