Posted on 09/07/2015 9:54:29 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
An Israeli rabbi who recently authored a book on charity has argued that the Bible actually calls on people to give 20 percent in charity rather than a 10 percent tithe.
Shneor Cohen, a 27-year-old ordained rabbi, has argued that a commonly cited justification for giving 10 percent may actually be 20 percent.
"Cohen, an ordained rabbi, said that the sages of the Talmud pointed to Deuteronomy 14:22, which states: 'Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.' The verse is often cited as the biblical basis for tithing one's income," reported The Blaze.
"However, in the original Hebrew of the Torah, the first two words of the verse, 'aser t'aser,' meaning 'set aside a tenth,' are nearly identical and share the same root as the number 10. This has been interpreted by some to suggest 10 plus 10."
Samuel Lamerson, PhD, president of Knox Theological Seminary and professor of New Testament, takes issue with this interpretation.
In an interview with The Christian Post, the Knox Seminary leader explained that Cohen was "using a particular kind of Jewish exegesis to come to his conclusions."
"Christians, in general, do not depend upon the Mishna or the Talmud for an understanding of the text," said Lamerson.
"This is not an uncommon method for Jewish interpreters but the method used to come to a 20 percent tithe would never be used by Evangelical Christians."
Lamerson also told CP the "Hebrew word for tithe is essentially one that can mean 'one tenth,'" but also that "there is some disagreement about whether or not the tithe is still in force."
"In answer to the claim that it is not, most will simply say that one tenth is a guideline that we have and thus unless there is a better guide this should still guide the giver," continued Lamerson.
"It should be stated that one should not give in a grudging manner, but, as the Apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians, in a cheerful way."
As church membership is on the decline in the United States, churches have seen much discussion emerge about giving.
In 2008, a book titled Passing the Plate noted that "few American Christians donate generously to religious and charitable causes."
"Far from the 10 percent of one's income that tithing requires, American Christians' financial giving typically amounts, by some measures, to less than 1 percent of annual earnings. And a startling one out of five self-identified Christians gives nothing at all," continued the book's Amazon description.
William Willimon, a former United Methodist Church bishop and professor at Duke Divinity School, told CP that because of the trends noted by Passing the Plate and others, the debate over the actual amount of the Old Testament tithe seemed "moot."
"I find that interesting, however, for most American Christians the discussion is sort of moot or theoretical because a very, very small percentage of American Christians give at the level of 10 percent," said Willimon.
"[Passing the Plate] basically showed what pastors have suspected, that our giving rates to the church are in real decline."
Willimon also told CP that he believed it was "worthy to be troubled that Christians are so far off the mark" when it comes to giving.
"I believe they should give more than they are giving," added Willimon. "I've heard expressions like 'I'll give 'til it hurts,' I haven't been around that many Christians who do that."
You miss the point. Abraham tithed 10% one time from the spoils of war. Period. There is not another reference anywhere in the Old Testament to Abraham ever giving anything else to the temple, high priest, or even to God monthly, yearly, or as a % of his income. Abraham pre-dated the Mosaic law and Mosaic tithe. Abraham was still known as Abram when he gave this one-time gift and was not even in covenant with God at that point (that came later with the name change).
The fact that Christian pastors/organizations have pulled this one time event that occurred prior to the Old Covenant out of the bible to apply to the New Covenant Church is disturbing. Read it for yourself with an open mind and see where the application is for the church today.
Old Covenant giving is not even applicable to Christians as it is preached today. Those with herds and farms gave a tithe of food to the storehouse to provide for the Levites (who were not granted land and administered the temple) and the festival of the temple. Even then they did not give regularly. Read it yourself.
Beware of any church that tells you to tithe - especially those who falsely preach that you will be blessed 10-fold. We have already been blessed by the gift of Christ beyond measure - that is our salvation - not how much we claim or don’t claim on our tax returns.
If we are going to use Abraham as an example we should be sacrificing animals to God. There are numerous references to that beyond his one time tithe of the spoils of war. The 10% tithe is a false doctrine promoted by pastors and churches. The next argument is usually.... well you might be right, but 10% is a good and reasonable number because x, y, and z. While I wholeheartedly believe that it reflects the heart of Christ for me to give of my worldly income to help others and spread the gospel, I wholeheartedly disagree with anyone putting a number on it that is used to make Christians give out of guilt. Jesus removed our guilt and removed us from the Old Testament law.
What right does any person who follows Christ have to put his sister or brother back under the law? They might as well proclaim that Christ got it wrong.
It’s not perfect, but I think this man got it right and backs it up with scripture -
http://www.truthforfree.com/the-truth-about-tithing/
The Bible tells us to call no man “Rabbi.” (Matthew 23:8)
The tithe was to maintain the levitical priesthood whose duty was to perform carnal ordinances. That’s over.
“He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:9b,10)
I am stunned how many Christians think the tithe is biblical. They fail to understand the gift of Jesus and place themselves under a law that does not apply to them. Even worse, it is part of a law that Christ died to remove us from. What does it say about the corporate church and professional clergy who have promoted such a falsehood?
If we truly have the heart of Christ our giving is from our hearts and not out of a false compulsion.
Really? So I can buy my way there? Whoda thunk?
I went to the music store but they didn’t have the Money to give me two tickeckts to Paradise.
Tithe means “tenth”.
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