Kenwytsma.com/2014/07/24-tithing
By Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Ken: 15% of what Jesus said was about money.
Russ: Only 2 texts involved tithing and one was
repeated in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 18:42. Jesus’ teaching on tithing was before
Calvary and was in the context of “matters of the law” (Mt 23:23). Jesus never
commanded His Gentle disciples to tithe; such would have been unlawful.
Ken: Martin Luther taught that one’s pocketbook must be
converted.
Russ: Luther opposed tithing. See his sermon of 1525 on
my web site, www.tithing-russkelly.com
(articles).
Ken: Point #1: The first portion of what we get belongs
to God.
Russ: Wytsma’s fundamental error is his wrong
definition of tithes as the first of our increase.
(1) True HOLY biblical tithes (as the word is used by
Moses, Malachi and Jesus) were always only food from inside God’s HOLY land
which God had miraculously increased. Although money was common even in
Genesis, money is never a tithed item in 16 texts which describe the “holy”
tithe. Tithes could not come from a) what man produced, b) non-Hebrews such as
Gentiles or c) outside of HOLY Israel.
(2) Firstfruits (1st) and tithes (10th) are
never the same in Scripture. The tithe could only be figured after the full
crop had been harvested or the entire herd increase had been counted.
Ken: Quotes Leviticus 27:30-33.
Russ: (1) These texts teach a) the tithe is only the 10th
and not the first, b) only food and c) included the defective clean animals
(27:33).
(2) 27:34 is not quoted. It limits the book of
Leviticus to Old Covenant Israel under the Law.
(3) It is wrong to simply define “tithe” as the
“tenth.” The context is the “HOLY tithe” as the words are used by Moses,
Malachi and Jesus. We would never refer to a specific war as simply “war.”
(4) Wytsma and tithe-teachers ignore the most
fundamental of all hermeneutics: “To whom was the text addressed?” It was only
addressed to Old Covenant Israel before Calvary.
Ken: Again quotes Leviticus 27:30-33 pointing out that
God said “the tithe is mine.”
Russ: (1) The tithe of the law was not a universal law
for every Hebrew. It only applied to Hebrews living inside the HOLY land of
Israel and only to those who earned their livelihood as either farmers or
herdsmen in food supply.
(2) The phrases “holy to the LORD” and “most holy to
the LORD” are very common in the book of Leviticus. Yet, the Christian Church
correctly discards the vast majority of things “holy” and “most holy” as ending
when the law ended. Since the “holy tithe” did not precede the Law, it also
ended when the law ended. Compare the sequence between Hebrews 7:5, 12, 18.
Ken: Quotes Exodus 23:19 and Deuteronomy 26:1-2 to
prove that the tithe was a first fruit.
Russ: The texts prove the opposite from what Wytsma
claims.
(1) Exod 23:19 commands Israel to bring “the first of
the firstfruits” to the temple. That
amounts to only a few grapes, apples, olives or even a handful of barley and
wheat. Such is very different from the tithe.
(2) Deut 26:1-2 (better 26:1-4) limits the first fruit
to that which would fit into a small hand basket. This is hardly a tithe of the
full harvest! In Nehemiah 10:35-37a the first fruit went to the priests who
were ministering at the temple (about 4% of the total) while 10:37b-38)
commands the full tithe to be brought to the Levitical cities (where 96% of the
priests and Levites were most of the tme).
Ken: (Cuts open a cantaloupe) The seeds represent the
tithe; nobody eats the seeds; they are holy to God.
Russ: The illustration makes no sense. The whole fruit,
including the seeds, was brought either as a first fruit offering or as a
tithe.
Ken: “Don’t put the tithe last; God said put the tithe
first!”
Russ: No texts! Nowhere did God say to put the tithe
first! The word means “tenth,” not “first.” Only being food, it could only be
reckoned AFTER the whole count had been completed. The modern church places words into God’s
mouth to make sure it gets the first 10% of one’s total income regardless of
whether medical bills, food, shelter and essentials are met! This is a modern
scandal which must stop!!!
Ken: Point #2: “Money is one of the ways we stay connected
to God.” Good stewardship brings spiritual blessings.
Russ: This does not authorize post-Calvary gospel
workers to bring tithing into the New Covenant church There must be a
CONSISTENT principle for bringing pre-Calvary teachings into the post-Calvary
church. The fundamental dispensational hermeneutic is: “That part of the Old
Covenant which applies to the New Covenant must be repeated after Calvary to
the Church in terms of grace and faith.”
Ken: Quotes Acts 20:35 which is a saying of Jesus “it
is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Russ: Read the context of Acts 20:35 in verses
29-34! Paul was reminding church elders
that he had not been paid money, food or clothing while in Ephesus for 3 years.
Paul was urging church elders to follow his example, get a regular job, and give to the needy in the assembly rather
than expecting the assembly to support himself and his associates.
Ken: Quotes Malachi 3:6-10. “Malachi speaks to our
culture.”
Russ: No. Malachi speaks to Old Covenant Israel under
over 600 commands of the Law. Malachi does not speak to the Church or Gentiles.
Malachi is addressed to Israel (1:1) and then specifically to its dishonest
thieving priests (1:6; 2:1) who had stolen the tithe (1:13, 14; 3:8-10; Neh
13:5). Beginning in 1:6 the “you” of Malachi refers to the priests. Nehemiah
13:5-10 is probably the context. The priests had emptied the storeroom of its
tithes (13:5) and the Levites, who then had nothing to eat, returned to their
fields in their Levitical cities. Nehemiah does not say that the priests had
nothing to eat (Neh 13:6-10).
Ken: Malachi 3:6-10 teaches that Israel was not
bringing the firstfruits to the temple.
Russ: Wrong. a) Firstfruits are not mentioned in
Malachi. b) Every priest in the nation was involved in stealing the tithes from
the Levites (Neh 13:5). See my website and book for an extended discussion of
Malachi 3 and Nehemiah 10 and 13.
Ken: God “repeatedly in Scripture” tells His people to
“test Him.”
Russ: Wrong. Most tithe-teachers correctly state that
Malachi 3:10 is the only text which specifically uses the word “test” in this
manner. However, in reality, each and every one of the over-600 commands was a
test of obedience. Compare Deuteronomy 28-30 and especially Galatians 3:10. It
is hermeneutically wrong to teach that tithing was a test while other more
important commands were not. God never did promise to bless tithe-payers who
sinned in other areas of the Law. The only way one could be blessed from
tithing was to keep all of the law (Deut 27:26; Gal 3:10).
Ken: Tithing was not part of the Law because tithing
preceded the Law.
Russ: Again, there is a great difference between the
words “tithe” and “holy tithe” as used by Moses, Malachi and Jesus. Sixteen
(16) Law texts describe the contents of the “holy tithe” as only food from
inside God’s HOLY land of Israel which only God had miraculously increased by
His hand.
Ken: “Abraham’s tithe preceded the Law (Gen 14:20).”
Russ: Yes, but Abram’s tithe was not the holy tithe
produced by God. The Bible does not say that Abram (not yet Abraham) tithed
pagan spoils of war because a) God commanded it or b) because he freely chose
to do so. There is a high probability that Abram tithed pagan spoils of war to
this local king-priests because long-standing Arab tradition demanded such!
Jacob’s tithe also came from pagan sources in Haran of Syria, an outpost of the
early Babylonian Empire. Neither Abram’s nor Jacob’s tithes met the biblical
definition of a “holy tithe” and neither would have been accepted by Moses,
Malachi or Jesus as a “holy tithe.”
Ken: Quotes Proverb 3:9.
Russ: This is a classic and common often-abused
Scripture used to attempt to make “first fruit” equal “tithe.” Proverb 3:9 is
not a discussion of tithing. In fact, it should be pointed out that, in the Old
Testament, even “first fruit” refers to “food” only from inside God’s holy
land. Tithes could not come from defiled unclean Gentiles or defiled unclean
Gentile land.
Ken: The “principle” of tithing is that “the first
portion is God’s.”
Russ: Wrong. That was the “principle” only for food
from inside holy Israel. It never applied to those to earned their livelihood
as non-food producers and those outside God’s holy land. It is amazing that no
texts are given to validate Wytsma’s assertions.
Ken: An objection is that tithes were not for preachers
per Numbers 18.
Russ: If Wytsma would read all of Numbers 18 (the
literal wording of the ordinance including tithing) he would discover that the
first full Old Covenant tithe did not go to the priests, but to their Levite
servants who did not minister the blood (Numb 18:21-24; Neh 10:37a). The
ministers (preachers) only received a tenth of the tenth (1%) per Numb
18:25-28; Neh 10:38). Also, in the New Covenant a) all believers are priests
and b) tithing is not taught as the means of support for gospel workers.
Ken: First Timothy 5:18 teaches that church elders (preachers)
are due “double honor” which means twice as much salary as is normal.
Russ: a) The context of First Timothy 5:1-17 is that of
DISCIPLINE and not salary. When one seeks to discipline a church leader, one
must exert “double honor” in caution.
b) If Paul were teaching tithing, he should have
clearly stated that the pastor should receive a “double tithe.”
c) First Timothy 5:1 is ignored in the “double salary”
explanation. “Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger
men as brethren.”
d) First Timothy 5:19-20 is also ignored in the “double
salary” explanation. “Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before
two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may
fear.”
Ken: The law of gleaning (the corners of a field and
that which is dropped) constitutes a tithe of the last 10%.
Russ: Wrong. a) The law of gleaning was in addition to
the 3rd 3rd-year tithe for the poor; it did not replace
it; it occurred every year! Wytsma should know this simple fact.
b) Where does Wytsma go with this idea? He does not
suggest a second tithe be given to the poor. And he ignores the real 2nd
yearly tithe which was eaten during the holy festivals.
Ken: The widow’s mite was a tithe.
Russ: Wrong. The widow’s mite was clearly a freewill
sacrificial offering. Alfred Edersheim proves that the temple had no
tithe-receptacle (because tithes were taken directly to the Levitical cities
(Neh 10:37-38). The widow placed her
contribution into the container for the poor and probably received more than
what she placed within upon existing the temple from the same container.
I invite Ken Wytsma to a public dialog on tithing. It
is past time for this remnant of the Law to be removed from Christian churches.
It is time for Christians to teach post-Calvary New Covenant stewardship
principles from post-Calvary New Covenant texts.
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
316 Aonia Rd
Washington, Ga 30673
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