Consider the verse Matthew 23:23, where Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Let’s break that verse down even further:
Jesus affirmed that the scribes and Pharisees should not neglect the tithe. Jesus’ argument is that their tithing was legalistic and that their hearts were hard.
Beyond Jesus’ affirmation of the tithe in Matthew 23, the Talmud (which is essentially the commentary for Jewish Rabbis) speaks clearly to this issue. It forbids those who tithe from sitting down to eat a meal with anyone who did not tithe. And we know that the Pharisees ate at the same table with Jesus from time to time. So, it seems that Jesus tithed.
Additional New Testament Evidence
Before we leave the Gospels, consider one other fact. As Jesus was demonstrating what the Kingdom of God was like, he never lowered the standards of the law. In fact, he always raised the bar. Adultery is not just a physical act, but it is lust in your heart (if you didn’t notice, the bar just went up). Murder is not just a physical act, but it is also defined by hate in the depth of your being. (I never wanted to be a murderer, but according to the standard of grace...)
Under the law of grace, the standard of the law is always raised. So, why would Jesus take the standard of the tithe and lower the bar? It just doesn’t add up. That’s what one U.S. President calls “fuzzy math.”
As for Paul, did you know that he actually affirms the validity of the tithe to the early church in Corinth? In 1 Corinthians 9:13 he says, “Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?” In other words, he is asking the Corinthians if they are ignorant of the practice of tithing. The tithe is what provided for those “employed in the temple service.”
In that passage, Paul continues his thoughts by saying, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (v. 14). Since he draws attention to the way it was done in the Old Testament model without rebuking it, he must be advocating for the presence of the tithe in the church. If you think that is a stretch, consider this: Paul continually spoke against the ceremonial aspects of the law throughout his letters (holy days, feasts, cleanliness of meats, circumcision, etc.), but he never once presents an argument against the tithe.
Further, Paul indicates that even though New Covenant believers are not bound by the law, the law still has value. Romans 7 shows us that the problem was never the law. “The law is spiritual” (Romans 7:14), but our problem is sin.
So, the value of the law for New Covenant believers is that it points us to the truth. It serves as a guide for us while we grow in faith and love. Therefore, the eternal principal of tithing is still as valid for us today as it was for the people of Israel.
In most states, there is a mandatory seat belt law. You must wear a seat belt if you are occupying an automobile. However, if this law was repealed, I can guarantee you that my family would keep wearing seat belts. The principle would not be negated because the law was repealed. The same is true with the tithe.
