Is Tithing the Same as Giving?

Matthew 23:23 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye give pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone (KJV- emphasis mine).”

The reason that the word “give” is not included in this verse above is because the Old Testament tithe was a command, an ordinance or a “rule” under the Law of Moses. In contrast, the principle of grace “giving” is found in Genesis 14:20, which is under God’s grace before the Law.

Genesis 14:20 – “And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he paid gave him tithes of all (KJV - emphasis mine).”

Please allow me to elaborate. In other words, tithing is not giving and giving is not tithing. Tithing is tithing and giving is giving. The difference is that in Genesis 14, Abram freely “gave” Melchezidek his spoils of war, which we can equate with monetary gain [property he stole and did not previously own as his very own]. May I re-emphasize that Abram was every wealthy BEFORE he was blessed by Melchezidek and his financial blessing was not a result of the “giving” of his voluntary Tenth (tithe). As a matter of fact, Abram kept nothing from his victory of war against his enemies.

Just to recap on our understanding, we must realize that the “tithe” is not money. It never was and never will be.

Tithe is Agricultural

Leviticus 27:30 – “all the tithe of the land”

Leviticus 27:32 – “the tithe of the herd”

Rules for Eating the Tithe

Deuteronomy 12:17 - “the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock”

Deuteronomy 14:22 – “tithe all the increase of thy seed”

Deuteronomy 14:23 – “the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks”

Deuteronomy 14:28 – “the tithe of thine increase [from the land]”

Tithes to Priests

2 Chronicles 31:5 – “the tithe of all things [the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field]”

2 Chronicles 31:6 – “the tithe of oxen and sheep”

2 Chronicles 31:6 - “the tithe of holy things [whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree” …it is holy unto the LORD- Lev. 27:30.]”

Nehemiah 10:37 – “the tithes of our ground”

Nehemiah 10:37 – “the tithes…of our tillage”

Nehemiah 12:44 – “the tithes…out of the fields”

Nehemiah 13:12 – “the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil”

Priests’ failure to Tithe […”even this whole nation”]

Malachi 3:8 – “all the tithes…may be meat in my house”

Tithing is Nothing to Boast About

Matthew 23:23 – “tithe of mint and anise and cummin”

Luke 11:42 – “tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs”

Thus, now that we know that the tithe is of agriculture and cattle origin, tithing is food and as we all know food must be eaten by the possessor…in the presence of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 14:23 – “thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God”

Deuteronomy 26:12 – “they may eat within thy gates, and be filled”

Who is “they” supposed to receive and eat the tithe besides the possessor?

Deuteronomy 26:12 – “the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow”

How often is this tithing supposed to be done?

Deuteronomy 26:12 – “all the tithes of thine [the possessor] increase the third year, which is the year of tithing”

The Israelite farmer or cattle owner tithed every year and every third year, not every Sunday morning or every week with an on-going income or money. The “tithe” under the Law was food, agriculture and cattle or flocks in the Land of Israel. To disobey the Law, was punishable as a crime against God Himself. Not even the idea of tithing itself is giving; it was a mandate, something that Israel must do! How can a “tither” be a “cheerful giver” without the privilege of choice?

The “giving” of the “tenth” from Abram was a free choice; it was voluntary, at a random event, with monetary gain, once! This is “grace giving” not tithing. The two are not even in the same category!