tithing

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>Sis. Cherie wrote: . . . can someone tell me if Hebrews, chapters 7 and 8 should be cause for one to feel that tithe paying is now obsolete?

Sis Cherie:

A few people have responded to your question, and while they have had
some good things to say, it seems to me that they have skirted the real
issue.  I will open my response with a quote from a New Testament
Theology textbook.

	To this point, tithing has not been discussed in detail.  The New
Testament does not once introduce tithing into the grace of giving. 
Tithes are mentioned only three times in the New Testament: (1) in
censoring the Pharisees for neglect of justice, mercy, and faith while
giving meticulous care to the tithing of even garden produce (Matt.
23:23; Luke 11:42); (2) in the exposure of the proud Pharisee who
"prayed to himself," boasting that he fasted twice each week and tithed
all his possessions (Luke 18:12); and (3) in arguing for the superiority
of Melchizedek, and hence of Christ, to Levi (Heb. 7:6-9).
	It is clear that Jesus approved tithing as a part of the Temple system,
just as in principle and practice he supported the general practices of
the Temple and the synagogues.  But there is no indication that he
imposed any part of the Temple cultus on his followers.  Tithes were
chiefly produce, formerly eaten at the sanctuary by the one tithing and
later eaten by the priests.  Tithing as set forth in the Old Testament
could be carried out only in a religious system built around a system of
animal sacrifice.
	Many Christians find the tithe to be a fair and workable plan for
giving.  So long as it is not made to be a coercive or legalistic
system, it may prove to be a happy plan.  However, one may not validly
claim that tithing is taught in the New Testament.  It is recognized as
proper for Jewish observance (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42), but it is not
imposed upon Christians.  In fact, it is now impossible for Jews or
Christians to tithe in the Old Testament sense.  Tithing today only
faintly resembles the ancient ritual practice belonging to the
sacrifical system of the Jews.  Paul Stagg has summed it up:

	While much may be said for adopting the tithe voluntarily as a standard
for one's giving without rigidly imposing it upon others as a Christian
requirement, it is clear in adopting such a practice that one is not
carrying on the Old Testament practice.  At most one is doing something
only remotely analogous to the tithing practice of the Old Testament,
which was a tax to support the Temple and the priestly system, a social
and religious system which no longer exists.  Tithes were obligatory in
Judaism as a tax until the destruction of the Temple in A.D. but they
are not thus binding upon Christians.

	This is not to discredit tithing, but it is to clarify its relationship
to the New Testament.  It is to deny that the New Testament supports the
coerciveness, legalism, profit motive, and the bargaining which so often
characterize the tithing appeals today.  As a voluntary system, tithing
offers much; but it must be redeemed by grace if it is to be Christian. 
To plead that "it works" is only to adopt the pragmatic test of the
world.  Much "works" that is not Christian.  Tithing, if it is to be
congenial to New Testament theology, must be rooted in the grace and
love of God.

The above quote, which starts with the second paragraph and ends with
the above paragraph, is from:  Frank Stagg, "New Testament Theology'"
Broadman Press, Nashville 1962, 292-3.  He in turn quoted Paul Stagg,
but I was unable to reference that quote, since the quote was quoted by
someone else.

Unfortunately, I have to leave now to go to class.  There will be a part
2 where I will try to finish this dissertation.  However, this will give
you much to think about, but, there is yet much to be said.

Bro. Joe