One needs to prayerfully study his bible for you to know the truth about tithes.
As christians we struggle with some doctrines because we do not even understand Judaism in the first place.
Follow me in this exciting journey about tithe.

POINT #1::What is Tithe?
In God’s Word the Tithe was Always Only Food from Inside Israel!

The false teaching is that biblical tithes include ALL sources of income.

Use God’s Word to define “tithe” and not a secular dictionary! Using a complete Bible concordance you will discover that the definition used by tithe-advocates is wrong. In God’s Word “tithe” does not stand alone. Although money existed before tithing, the source of God's "tithe" over 1500 years was never money. It was the “tithe of food.”  True biblical tithes were always only food from the farms and herds of only Israelites who only lived inside God’s Holy Land, the national boundary of Israel. No tithes were accepted from defiled pagan lands. The “increase” was gathered from what God miraculously produced and not from man's craft or ability.If you have access to a Rabbi who knows the law more than your pastor,ask him who was qualified to pay tithe.And he will tell you that crafts men,carpenters  were not eligible to pay tithe.It was only produce of land and livestock that was accepted.I live in London and i have asked so many Rabbis and they said the same thing.

There are 16 verses from 11 chapters and 8 books from Leviticus 27 to Luke 11 which describe the contents of the tithe. And the contents never (I repeat), never included money, silver, gold or anything other than food from inside Israel! Yet the incorrect definition of "tithe" is the greatest error being preached about tithing today! (See Lev. 27:30, 32; Num. 18:27-28; Deut. 12:17; 14:22-23; 26:12; 2 Chron. 31:5-6; Neh. 10:37; 13:5; Mal. 3:10-11; Matt. 23:23; Luke 11: 42).


POINT #2: MONEY: Money Was an Essential but Non-Tithed Item

The false assumption is that food barter usually replaced money.

One argument to support non-food tithing is that money was not universally available and barter from food was used for most transactions.  This argument is neither biblical nor historical. Genesis alone contains “money” in 32 texts and the word occurs 44 times before the tithe is first mentioned in Leviticus 27. Gold is first mentioned in Genesis 2:12. The words "jewelry," "gold," "silver" and shekel also appear often from Genesis to Deuteronomy.

Many centuries before Israel entered Canaan and began tithing food from God’s Holy Land money was an essential everyday item. For example Abraham was very rich in silver and gold (Gen 13:2); money in the form of silver shekels paid for slaves (Gen 17:12+); Abimelech gave Abraham 1000 pieces of silver (Gen 20:16); Abraham paid 400 pieces of silver for land (Gen 23:9-16); Joseph was sold for silver pieces (Gen 37:28); slaves bought freedom (Ex 23:11). Court fines (Ex 21 all; 22 all), sanctuary dues (Ex 30:12+), vows (Lev 27:3-7), poll taxes (Num 3:47+), alcoholic drinks (Deu 14:26) and marriage dowries (Deu 22:29) included money.

Joseph gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver (Gen 45:22). According to Genesis 47:15-17 food was used for barter only after money had been spent. Banking and usury laws exist in Leviticus even before tithing. Therefore the argument that money was not prevalent enough for everyday use is false. Yet the tithe contents from Leviticus to Luke never include money from non-food products and trades.


POINT #3: GENESIS 14:20: Abraham’s Tithe to Melchizedek Reflected Free will giving and not a commandment
Abraham plundered his enemies(that captured sodom including Lot his brother) and returned with spoils of war.We do not know for sure what the spoils were but it included human captors,clothes,jewelries,gold etc.This spoils did not belong to him but it belonged to the King of Sodom.He gave from the spoils a tenth to thank God when he gave to Melchisedec.Now if he tithed from his possesions he wouldnt have returned the 90% to the rightful owner(King of Sodom).Abraham even said that 'he will not take anything from the King of Sodom lest he said that he made Abram rich'.Sometimes i wonder if pastors actually read this text well.What caused this reaction from Abram was because the King of Sodom told him to give back the people to him and keep everything to himself.This was the rightful owner  trying to reward Abram for his help in rescuing his people  back.But Abram refused to accept it.Now what baffles me is that we use this as an example of tithe.Funny.So if we were to pay tithe then we should tithe from what belongs to somebody else and not our possesion.This was a one time event and it was never recorded that Abram was commanded by God to tithe.

POINT #4: NO MINIMUM PRINCIPLE: Tithing Was Not a Minimum Requirement from All Old Covenant Israelites

The false teaching is that everybody was required to begin their giving level at ten per cent.

Only those Israelites who earned a livelihood from farming and herding inside Israel were required to tithe under the Mosaic Law. Their increase came from God’s hand. Those whose increase came from their own crafts and skills were not required to tithe products and money. The poor and needy who did not tithe and received from the tithe gave freewill offerings.


POINT #5: LEVITES(Servants to the priests): First-Tithes were Received by Servants to the Priests.

The false teaching is that Old Testament priests received all of the first tithe.


The "whole" tithe, the first tithe, did not go to the priests at all. It was not even the “best” tenth (Lev 27:33). According to Numbers 18:21-24 and Nehemiah 10:37b, it went to the servants of the priests, the Levites. And according to Numbers 18:25-28 and Nehemiah 10:38, the Levites gave the “best tenth of this tithe” (1%) which they received to the priests who ministered the sin sacrifices and served inside the holy places. Priests did not tithe.

It is also important to know that, in exchange for receiving these tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel (Num. 18:20-26; Deut. 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Eze. 44:28). Even if tithes were New Covenant they would first go to the ordinary workers who assist the preachers and maintain the buildings.


POINT #6: HOLY AND MOST HOLY: "It is Holy to the LORD" Does Not Make Tithing an Eternal Moral Principle.

The false teaching is that Leviticus 27:30-34 proves that the tithe is an "eternal moral principle" because "it is holy to the LORD."

The phrases “it is HOLY unto the LORD” and “it is MOST HOLY unto the LORD” are very common in Leviticus. However, almost every other use of these same two phrases in Leviticus has long ago been discarded by Christians. These phrases are used to describe all of the festivals, the sacrificial offerings, the clean food, the old covenant priests and the old covenant sanctuary. Especially read verses 28 and 29 in the same chapter.

While the “tithe of the tithe” (1%) which was given to the priests was the “best” of what the Levites received, the tithe which the Levites received was only “one tenth” and not the “best” (Lev. 27:33).


POINT #7: FIRST-FRUITS: First-fruits are Not the Same as Tithes



The false assumption is that tithes are first-fruits.

The first-fruit was a very small amount of the first crop harvest and the first-born was the  first offspring of animals. First-fruits could only come from inside Israel.

The first-fruit was small enough to fit into a hand-held basket (Deut. 26:1-10; Lev. 23:17; Num. 18:13-17; Neh. 12:44; 2 Chron 31:5a).

First-fruits and first-born offerings went directly to the Temple and were required to be totally consumed by ministering priests only inside the Temple (Neh. 10:35-37a; Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Deut. 18:4).

The whole Levitical tithe went first to the Levitical cities and portions went to the Temple to feed both Levites and priests who were ministering there in rotation (Neh. 10:37b-39; 12:27-29, 44-47; Num. 18:21-28; 2 Chron 31:5b). While the Levites ate only the tithe, the priests could also eat from the first-fruits, first-born offerings and other offerings.

POINT #8: FOUR TITHES: There are Four Different Tithes Described in the Bible.

The false teaching ignores all other tithes and focuses on an incorrect interpretation of the first religious tithe.

The first religious tithe, called the "Levitical tithe," had two parts. Again, the whole first tithe was given to the Levites who were only servants to the priests (Numb. 18:21-24; Neh. 10:37b). The Levites, in turn, gave one tenth of the whole tithe to the priests (Numb. 18:25-28; Neh. 10:38). According to Deuteronomy 12 and 14, the second religious tithe, called the "feast tithe," was eaten by worshipers in the streets of Jerusalem during the three yearly festivals (Deut. 12:1-19; 14:22-26). And, according to Deuteronomy 14 and 26, a third tithe, called the "poor tithe," was kept in the towns every third year to feed the poor (Deut. 14:28, 29; 26:12, 13). Also, according to First Samuel 8:14-17, the ruler collected the first and best ten per cent for political use. During Jesus’ time Rome collected the first ten per cent (10%) of most food and twenty per cent (20%) of fruit crops as its spoils of war. It is dishonest to single out the one religious tithe and ignore the other two important religious tithes.


POINT #9:  Jesus, Peter, Paul and the Poor Did Not Tithe

The false teaching is that everybody in the Old Testament was required to begin their giving to God at the ten per cent level.

The poor were not required to tithe at all! Neither did the tithe come from the results of man’s crafts, hands and skills. Only farmers and herdsmen gathered what God produced as tithe increase. Jesus was a carpenter; Paul was a tentmaker and Peter was a fisherman. None of these occupations qualified as tithe-payers because they did not farm or herd animals for a living. It is, therefore, incorrect to teach that everybody paid a required minimum of a tithe and, therefore, that New Covenant Christians should be required to at least begin at the same minimum as Old Covenant Israelites. This common false assumption is very often repeated and completely ignores the very plain definition of tithe as food gathered from farm increase or herd increase.

The widow’s mite is an example of free-will giving and is not an example of tithing. According to Edersheim none of the Temple’s chests were for tithes. The poor received money from those chests before leaving the temple.

It is also wrong to teach that the poor in Israel were required to pay tithes. In fact, they actually received tithes! Much of the second festival tithe and all of a special third-year tithe went to the poor! Many laws exempted the poor from abuse and expensive sacrifices which they could not afford (Lev. 14:21; 25:6, 25-28, 35, 36; 27:8; Deu. 12:1-19; 14:23, 28, 29; 15:7, 8, 11; 24:12, 14, 15, 19, 20; 26:11-13; Mal. 3:5; Matt. 12:1, 2; Mark 2:23, 24; Luke 2:22-24; 6:1, 2; 2 Cor. 8:12-14; 1 Tim. 5:8; Jas. 1:27).

POINT #10: TAXES: Tithes were Often Used as Political Taxes.

The false teaching is that tithes are never comparable to taxes or taxation.

In the Hebrew economy, the tithe was used in a totally different manner than it is preached today. Once again, those Levites who received the whole tithe were not even ministers or priests -- they were only servants to the priests! Numbers chapter 3 describes the Levites as carpenters, metal workers, leather-craftsmen and artists who maintained the small sanctuary. And, according to First Chronicles, chapters 23-26, during the time of King David and King Solomon the Levites were still skilled craftsmen who inspected and approved all work in the Temple: 24, 000 worked in the Temple as builders and supervisors; 6,000 were officials and judges; 4,000 were guards and 4,000 were musicians. As political representatives of the king, Levites used their tithe income to serve as officials, judges, tax collectors, treasurers, temple guards, musicians, bakers, singers and professional soldiers (1 Chron. 12:23, 26; 23:2-5; 26:29-32; 27:5). It is obvious why these examples of using biblical tithe-income are never used as examples in the church today.


Tithes never stimulated Old Covenant Levites or priests to establish a single mission outreach or encourage a single Gentile to become an Israelite (Ex. 23:32; 34:12, 15; Deut. 7:2). Old Covenant tithing was motivated and mandated by Law, not love. In fact, during most of Israel’s history the prophets were God’s primary spokesmen – and not the tithe-receiving Levites and priests. Tithing failed! See Hebrews 7:12-19.


POINT #11: MALACHI: Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!

The false teaching about tithes from Malachi 3 ignores important Bible facts.

A.  CONTEXT: Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).


B.  CONTEXT: In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27.

C. LAW: Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 600+ commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brought curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.



D. PRIEST-THIEVES: Beginning in 1:6 “you” in  Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).



E. LEVITICAL CITIES: . The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10 and they are not. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.



F.  24 Courses: The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3 and they are not. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.



G. Nehemiah 10:37b-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.



H.  STOREHOUSE: According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.



Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.



While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians.  Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.


POINT #12: MATTHEW 23:23: The New Covenant Does Not Teach Tithing.

The false teaching is that Jesus taught tithing in Matthew 23:23 which, they say, is clearly in the New Testament.

I always ask them this.The lepers who were healed by Jesus came to Thank him and he asked them to go and show themselves to the priests and perform some rituals  according to the law of moses.Jesus never condemned that aspect of Moses' law(Just like he never condemned tithing) but does that  mean  we should practise that because he never condemned it?

The New Covenant did not begin at the birth of Jesus, but at his death (Gal. 3:19, 24, 25; 4:4, 5). Tithing is not taught to the church after the cross! When Jesus discussed tithing in Matthew 23:23, “you” referred to “you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites” who had made the Law a burden.  Jesus endorsed and supported Old Covenant law until the cross (note “matters of the law” in 23:23). In Matthew 23:2 and 3 (the context of 23:23) Jesus told his Jewish followers to obey the scribes and Pharisees "because they sit in Moses’ seat." Yet He did not (and could not) command Gentiles whom He healed to present themselves to the priests and obey the Law of Moses (compare Matt. 5:23-24 and 8:4). And churches do not collect tithes from garden herbs as Jesus commanded.

There is not a single New Testament Bible text which teaches tithing after the cross – period! Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35 are not examples of tithing to support church leaders. According to 2:46 the Jewish Christians continued to worship in the Temple. And according to 2:44 and 4:33, 34 church leaders shared what they received equally with all church members. (This is not done today).


Finally Acts 21:20-25 proves that Jewish Christians were still zealously observing all of the Mosaic Law 30 years later –and that must include tithing—otherwise they would not have been allowed inside the Temple to worship. Therefore, any tithes collected by the early Jewish Christians were given to the Temple system and not to support the church.



POINT #13: PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS: Old Covenant Priests Were Replaced by All-Believer-Priests.

The false teaching is that New Covenant elders and pastors are continuing where the Old Covenant priests left off and are due the tithe.

Compare Exodus 19:5-6 with First Peter 2: 9-10. Before the incident of the golden calves, God had intended for every Israelite to become a priest and tithing would have never been enacted. Priests did not tithe but received one tenth of the first tithe (Num. 18:26-28; Neh. 10:37, 38).


The function and purpose of Old Covenant priests were replaced, not by elders and pastors, but by the priesthood of every believer. Like other ordinances of the Law, tithing was only a temporary shadow until Christ (Eph. 2:14-16; Col. 2:13-17; Heb. 7:18; 10:1). In the New Covenant every believer is a priest to God (1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 1:6; 5:10). And, as a priest, every believer offers sacrifices to God (Heb. 4:16; 10:19-22; 13:15, 16). Therefore, every ordinance which had previously applied to the old priesthood was blotted out at the cross. Since Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi, even He was disqualified. Thus the original temporary purpose of tithing no longer exists (Heb. 7:12-19; Gal. 3:19, 24-25; 2 Cor. 3:10-18)

Oga Chukvyl,

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To Tithe or Not to Tithe?
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