Shirl asked:
The old priests were eating the offerings (paid with animals). Due to their over indulgence, the priests gained huge amounts of weight, and health problems resulted – major one gout. Was the tithe or “one tenth” placed on them to solve their health problems…and NOT the congregation?
Today ministers insist on giving our tithe in currency only, did the original tithe include more than an offering of money or animals? Is helping someone, feeding someone, etc. considered a tithe as well? Are we doomed to hell for not being a “currency tither”?
Beatrice
The old priests were eating the offerings (paid with animals). Due to their over indulgence, the priests gained huge amounts of weight, and health problems resulted – major one gout. Was the tithe or “one tenth” placed on them to solve their health problems…and NOT the congregation?
Today ministers insist on giving our tithe in currency only, did the original tithe include more than an offering of money or animals? Is helping someone, feeding someone, etc. considered a tithe as well? Are we doomed to hell for not being a “currency tither”?
Beatrice
{ 6 comments }
I think I remember the original bibical concept of tithing, not being a payment to the clergy at all, but in fact a variety of charity!
that one tenth of a field (farming…) would be left un-harvested, and that homeless, transients, or whoever, could go and eat out of that section freely.
obviously due to changes in farming and such this is entirely impractical and somewhat meaningless now.
I’ve never heard of a jewish congregation taking any donation in such a manner, there might be a membership fee, and this would go towards maintenance of the facility and payment of various facility employees (office workers, custodians, the rabbi,ect.)
I can’t imagine any jewish group having any such donation plate type thing passed around like I’ve heard christian congregations having. and if anything even remotely like that were to occur, the money would all go to charity(tzedaka) not the synogogue.
God commanded Moses to write about it and make it a commandment on Mt. Sinai. Read Leviticus 27:30-34.
First, remember that there is no action that can get you into or keep you out of heaven, other than believing in Jesus as the Son of God.
Now, regarding the question:
They didn’t have money back then, at least not the way we do. Wealth was measured in livestock, among other things.
I give of both time and money, personally. There are 168 hours in a week, so 10% of those (16.8 hours) belong to God. After 3 hours at church on Sunday, that leaves roughly two hours per day that I give to God. This is time I spend in study, prayer, devotion, and ministry. This is in addition to the 10% of my income. God’s given me so much, I can give him back a tenth of what he has given me.
No one will be doomed to hell for tithing of their time and talents, but why wouldn’t you also want to give money back; after all it is a gift from G-d as well. I’d like to also remind you that not all ministers are the same, so please try to refrain from using generalized statements.
Originally, they were to put aside 10% of all their earnings to spend on themselves.
Where does it say in the Bible that the preists were being overindulgent and having health problems so tithe was expected of them? Leviticus clearly states it was meant to support the priesthood in their sanctuary services work. The Levites were not given land as the other tribes were so they had no other means of support.
The tithe is to be 10% of the increase – 10% of whatever you make. In Biblical times that included money, animals, food & I’m sure whatever else they might have gained.
Currency is our legal tender. So you’ve got an orchard? Sell the fruit and pay tithe in cash. The bank would expect their mortgage in cash, not apples. Why pile bushels of apples up in a church? What point would that make? Do apples pay the church bills? The ministers rent? Someone who does this is looking more to make life hard on a minister than following God’s injunction to support the ministry.
If a person has currency & does not tithe it, then what is the spirit that is controlling that person? Covetousness? That’s what will get the person condemned.
Helping someone, feeding them, etc would be an offering, not the tithe which is to support the ministry.
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