REPLY TO TITHING COMMENTS BY FR. JAMES FARFAGLIA

REPLY TO TITHING COMMENTS BY FR. JAMES FARFAGLIA, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS

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JF: Tithing, then, is not an option for the true disciple of the Lord. Tithing is a command.

Kelly: The last three Roman Catholic dictionaries have stated that tithing was not a New Covenant doctrine. And the good priest has not quoted any document from Vatican II which might change those decisions.

JF: “Honor Yahweh with what goods you have and with the first-fruits of all your returns; then your barns will be filled with wheat, your vats overflowing with new wine” (Proverbs 3: 9-10).

Kelly: Firstfruits and tithes are not the same thing in the Bible. Firstfruits were very small token offerings per Deu 26:1-4 and Neh 10:35-37a. Tithes were tenth-fruits of food from inside Israel only after the harvest was complete per Lev 27:30-34 and Neh 19:37b.

JF: “All tithes of the land, levied on the produce of the earth or the fruits of trees, belong to Yahweh; they are consecrated to Yahweh” (Leviticus 27: 30).

Kelly: The text very clearly states that tithes were only FOOD from inside God’s holy land of Israel. True biblical holy tithes could not come from what man increased or from outside Israel.

JF: “Bring the full tithes and dues to the storehouse so that there may be food in my house, and then see if I do not open the flood gates of heaven for you and pour out blessing for you in abundance” (Malachi 3: 10).

Kelly: This text is greatly abused. The ordinary people normally brought their tithes to the (48/13) Levitical cities were it was needed for food per Neh 10:37b and common sense. Since normally only the Levites and priests were commanded to bring the tithes to the Temple, then Malachi 3:10 only makes sense if the text refers to them. And, again, Malachi 3:10 proves that tithes were only food. Concerning the storehouse, the NT church was never called a storehouse and it had no legal buildings for almost 300 years. The OT Temple was replaced by the NT priesthood of all believers per 1 Peter 2:9-10.