Jesus’ Thoughts on the Tithe Matthew 23:23

Wouldn’t it be great to have Jesus’ thoughts on the tithe? Thankfully, His thoughts on the tithe can be obtained by analyzing His words about this subject, which are recorded in the Bible.

Matthew 23:23 reads, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye 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)

In this passage, Jesus is talking to men that were well off, if not rich. This makes us wonder why Jesus said it was okay for them to tithe spices. Shouldn’t Jesus have told them to tithe cash money from their riches?

Jesus was not confused about what a tithe is, and He clearly identifies the tithe as being edible and not a form of currency. Therefore, Jesus knows that the tithe is edible, even when the person who is tithing is rich. But then why were these rich men tithing spices and herbs?

You could only tithe something that you grew from the Promised Land. The scribes and the Pharisees were not about to give up their prestigious careers and take on farming. To tithe, all they had to do was plant an herb garden and bring 10% of the spices to the Temple.

God established an edible tithe. In the past, there were no refrigerators or cans to preserve foods. Although we have many ways of preserving food in our modern age (which the world would never have dreamed of during the Bible era), many pastors insist on demanding a cash tithe!

Alas, just as the scribes and Pharisees in the time of Jesus, today’s ministers have forgotten the more important things of our faith, which are Honesty in God’s Word, Respect for the sacred things of God, and Love for those whom God has placed in our care.

Ministers Playing the Word Game Ephesians 4:14

Ministers play the word game by changing the Word and throwing the focus on something else. One way that ministers play this word game is by claiming that tithes are not a part of the Law of Moses. The discussion of the Law and Tithes is simply double talk that takes the focus away from the tithe being food.

If someone wants to keep the Law, they should do so by tithing the food that the Law demands, because the Law is a matter of faith. Believers honor their faith, and others should respect it, even if it is a mixture of the Law and Grace.

We can choose to follow the Law or Grace in accordance to our faith. However, removing the word “food” and adding the word currency in Malachi 3:10 is not a matter of faith. Rather, it is a matter of theft! We must ask ourselves, why would someone remove the word “food” in Malachi 3:10 and add the word currency? The only answer I can come up with is the love of money.

This is why learning God’s Word is so important. Ephesians 4:14 reads, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”

What is a tithe? Malachi 3:10

Malachi 3:10: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the LORD Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

In this Scripture, God has given us a clear and informative interpretation of what tithes are. He uses the words “storehouse” and “food” to identify what He is “being robbed of.” Nowhere in this verse does God use the words “money,” “cash,” “gold,” “silver,” or any other form of currency in order to describe or define tithes!

I am completely aware of the argument which alleges that there was no actual currency at the time, and therefore, the people, being farmers, used food as a form of currency. We are going to learn just how big of a lie that allegation is in just a moment, but before we do, we must understand that whoever dares to add or take anything from God’s Word is doing the equivalent of picking a fight with the Almighty. “God will add to him the plagues described in this book and God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city.” Revelation 22:18b and 19b

It’s okay for us to view history as a source for understanding God’s Word. However, this is not a valid option when the part of history that we are talking about is already found in the Bible. If the availability of currency has already been recorded in God’s Word, which we will get to in a moment, then we should accept it. Getting out of God’s Word and viewing what is obvious in our own minds is leaning on our own understanding.

The Bible teaches in Malachi 3:10 that God’s tithe was food. Therefore, we should honor His Word, because it also clearly states that there was plenty of monetary currency available to have a cash-tithe if He wanted it that way. For instance, here’s the proof that currency was so well known and used during the time of Abraham that it even fluctuated. Genesis 23:16b: “four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.”

Here’s the proof that trade, which goes hand in hand with currency, had been an ancient business even during the Bible era. 1st Chronicles 4:22b and 23a: “These records are from ancient times. They were the potters.” There is also proof that merchants and traders were abundant enough to be considered a source of monetary revenue for kings. 2nd Chronicles 9:14a: “not including the revenues brought in by merchants and traders.”

The following explanation also proves that hundreds of thousands of Israelites did have access to and used currency. According to Deuteronomy 14:24-26, the Israelites that lived far from God’s chosen place of sacrifice would change their tithe into silver, so they could travel lighter and once at the place of sacrifice they were to use the silver to buy their tithe back. According to Exodus 12:37, 600,000 men followed Moses out of Egypt to go and settle the Promised Land. A conservative percentage of those that lived too far from the place of Sacrifice to carry their tithe would be about 50% or 300,000 men. From the start, 300,000 men were following God’s orders to use currency and this number would grow with each passing year. God gave 300,000 of His children the command to use currency to travel. Therefore, the Bible teaches that currency was abundant and available. Knowing this should make us suspicious of anyone who looks towards “history” and claims there was no currency.

These are just a few biblical examples of the abundance of a monetary currency. There are many more to be found, like the one in Exodus 30:11-16, in which every male, which was over 600,000, needed to be atoned for with money! Sounds unbelievable? Read Exodus 38:26 and see that 603,550 men participated in the census and paid the half shekel!

The Purpose of this Study

Many years ago, a man said “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” Luke 4:18-19

We at the Church of Honesty, Respect & Love believe in this man. We believe that He is King of kings and Lord of lords, and that He has instructed us to imitate Him. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and to release the oppressed, that all may enjoy the year of the Lord’s favor.

This study is not intended to start a conflict. This study is not meant for quarrelling or starting a holy war, although reformation can lead to these things. We at the Church of Honesty, Respect & Love make it our goal to deal honestly, respectfully, and lovingly with all people, as our name implies.

There are many dishonest men and women that have the appearance of godliness and use it to exploit their followers. The reality is that that’s their prerogative, and it is not our business. We are not judges, and we are not the spiritual police. We believe that vengeance belongs only to the Almighty, and that He will deal with “those who defraud laborers of their wages” (Malachi 3:5) in His own time and way.

Therefore, we “avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.” Titus 3:9

If God’s truth causes someone to get out of line by being rude, loud, arrogant or hostile while we are teaching God’s truth, the lesson will end. We will simply turn around and walk away because people that exhibit these characteristics are not oppressed. To those that are oppressed, we pray this study on the biblical truth of the tithe will help you to “come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” 2nd Corinthians 6:17a

Again I say to you that “there are those that have a form of godliness but deny its power. Have nothing to do with them.” 2nd Timothy 3:5

What God Wants

Dear Reader, there are many things that God does and does not want us to do. Some of these things go without saying. For instance, although the Word says, “thou shall not kill,” we really don’t need a Bible verse to understand that God does not want us to kill one another.

Therefore, some of the things that God wants are more obvious than others. But there is one thing for certain, which is that when we obey God and do what He wants, He is pleased. The same is true for any of us. When others do as we want, we are glad that they do so. When we go to Church and love one another, God is glad because He wants us to do these things.

I urge you to honor our Lord today by doing something else that He wants us to do; to learn of Him. God wants us to have knowledge of Him, and to know Him through the study of Scripture.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV), “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

This is the first of many communications to come concerning the cash-tithe deception. I pray that you will take full advantage of this privilege. Open your heart and mind to God’s Word, and the knowledge of His Word (the truth) will set you free.

Rev. Amós Ortiz