Template:Early Church tithe: Difference between revisions
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In [[Deuteronomy 12]]:19 <Ref>[[Deuteronomy 12]]:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the [[Levite]] as long as thou livest upon the earth. </Ref> we are told not to forsake the [[Levite]] ever. But is it the Levites or the position they hold in a free society. | In [[Deuteronomy 12]]:19 <Ref>[[Deuteronomy 12]]:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the [[Levite]] as long as thou livest upon the earth. </Ref> we are told not to forsake the [[Levite]] ever. But is it the Levites or the position they hold in a free society. | ||
" "Since, therefore, '''these things have been made manifest''' before unto us, and since we have looked into the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do everything in order, whatsoever the Lord hath commanded us to do at the appointed seasons, and to perform the offerings and liturgies.... 40:5 '''For to the High Priest were assigned special services, and to the priests a special place hath been appointed; and on the [[Levites]] special duties are imposed.'''" CLEMENT OF ROME, First Epistle. Composed between AD 80 and AD 140, and ranked with Didache as one of the earliest—if not the earliest—of extant Christian documents outside the canonical New Testament. | |||
"That people which was called of old the people of God was divided into twelve tribes, and over and above the other tribes it had the levitical order, which itself again carried on the service of God in various priestly and levitical suborders. In the same manner, it appears to me that the whole people of Christ, when we regard it in the aspect of the hidden man of the heart, that people which is called "Jew inwardly," and is circumcised in the spirit, has in a more mystic way the characteristics of the tribes. This may be more plainly gathered from John in his Apocalypse, though the other prophets also do not by any means conceal the state of matters from those who have the faculty of hearing them." Origen. Commentary on John, Book I,. HOW CHRISTIANS ARE THE SPIRITUAL ISRAEL. | |||
We also see in the "Excerpts of Theodotus" preserved in the writings of ''Clement of Alexandria'' " And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- '''in former [[tithe]]s with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." '''"<Ref>23. "As through the body the Lord spake and healed, so also formerly by the prophets, and now by the apostles and teachers. For the Church is the minister of the Lord's power. Thence He then assumed humanity, that by it He might minister to the Father's will. And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- '''in former [[tithe]]s with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." ''' [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/theodotus.html "Excerpts of Theodotus"] preserved in the writings of ''Clement of Alexandria''.</Ref> | We also see in the "Excerpts of Theodotus" preserved in the writings of ''Clement of Alexandria'' " And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- '''in former [[tithe]]s with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." '''"<Ref>23. "As through the body the Lord spake and healed, so also formerly by the prophets, and now by the apostles and teachers. For the Church is the minister of the Lord's power. Thence He then assumed humanity, that by it He might minister to the Father's will. And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- '''in former [[tithe]]s with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." ''' [http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/theodotus.html "Excerpts of Theodotus"] preserved in the writings of ''Clement of Alexandria''.</Ref> | ||
Revision as of 01:19, 1 February 2017
Early Church tithe
Christ said he would take the kingdom from the Pharisees, which included many Levites, said it was his pleasure to appoint it to His little flock. We see him appoint that kingdom to the apostles but we are evidently suppose to believe that Jesus took away the precept of contributing to the minister to support them.
Where is the reference in the text where Jesus says the people seeking righteousness do not have to contribute to these new appointed ministers of His kingdom?
Where does Jesus say the people do not need to tithe any more?
Why do these new called out ministers of Christ not need to be supported by the congregation's regular freewill offerings like the Levites?
Jesus requires that his ministers to come out of the world. Like the Levites they are to have no personal inheritance or private estate. They owned all things in common as a bond servant of Christ like the Levites who belonged to God. They were to be separate from the people like the Levites and certainly from the world. But some how people think you do not have to support these ministers who took the Levites place.
The apostles were working in the Temple built by Herod and daily distributing bread and meat into the homes of the needy.[1] After all this is what James calls Pure Religion. When we see that this daily ministration was not reaching the Greeks they needed to appoint Seven Men like what was done in the Old Testament.
There are those who preach that tithing was not a part of the New Testament but the same who promote that idea also send their congregations to the men who call themselves benefactors but exercises authority one over the other contrary to the instructions of Christ.
Tithing existed before the Levites and afterwards and even in other ultures.
Early Church authors talk about the mission of the Levites being transferred to the apostles.
- "Bishops, presbyters(Elder) and deacons occupy in the church the same positions as those which were occupied by Aaron, his sons, and the Levites in the temple." Jerome, Ep. 146
In Deuteronomy 12:19 [2] we are told not to forsake the Levite ever. But is it the Levites or the position they hold in a free society.
" "Since, therefore, these things have been made manifest before unto us, and since we have looked into the depths of the divine knowledge, we ought to do everything in order, whatsoever the Lord hath commanded us to do at the appointed seasons, and to perform the offerings and liturgies.... 40:5 For to the High Priest were assigned special services, and to the priests a special place hath been appointed; and on the Levites special duties are imposed." CLEMENT OF ROME, First Epistle. Composed between AD 80 and AD 140, and ranked with Didache as one of the earliest—if not the earliest—of extant Christian documents outside the canonical New Testament.
"That people which was called of old the people of God was divided into twelve tribes, and over and above the other tribes it had the levitical order, which itself again carried on the service of God in various priestly and levitical suborders. In the same manner, it appears to me that the whole people of Christ, when we regard it in the aspect of the hidden man of the heart, that people which is called "Jew inwardly," and is circumcised in the spirit, has in a more mystic way the characteristics of the tribes. This may be more plainly gathered from John in his Apocalypse, though the other prophets also do not by any means conceal the state of matters from those who have the faculty of hearing them." Origen. Commentary on John, Book I,. HOW CHRISTIANS ARE THE SPIRITUAL ISRAEL.
We also see in the "Excerpts of Theodotus" preserved in the writings of Clement of Alexandria " And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- in former tithes with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." "[3]
Paul the Apostle was clear about the ministers were to eat of the altar which was given to God. This of course would include only preachers who conformed to what Christ's requirements for His ministers was.
- "Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?" 1 Corinthians 9:13
We do see the Greek word for tithing in the New Testament numerous times.
The word dekate [4] meaning a tenth appears 4 times and dekatoo [5] which appears twice, all in Hebrews 7. Nowhere does the text suggest that tithing is done away with but that it was transferred from Aaron and the Levites to an order of Melchizedek who was the Righteous King of Peace, Jesus and his appointed ministers of the kingdom.
We also see the word apodekatoo [6] which also appears in Hebrews 7:5. It is a verb which had to do with both giving and receiving. It appears in Matthew 23 and Luke 11:42. None of these verses suggests that Jesus is discontinuing the practice of tithing but that along with tithing we should also attend to he "weightier matters".
In Luke 18:12 does not even hint that there was a problem with tithing but but only bragging or exalting yourself in the process.
- ↑ Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
- ↑ Deuteronomy 12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
- ↑ 23. "As through the body the Lord spake and healed, so also formerly by the prophets, and now by the apostles and teachers. For the Church is the minister of the Lord's power. Thence He then assumed humanity, that by it He might minister to the Father's will. And at all times, the God who loves humanity invests Himself with man for the salvation of men, -- in former tithes with the prophets, and now with the Church. For it is fitting that like should minister to like, in order to a like salvation." "Excerpts of Theodotus" preserved in the writings of Clement of Alexandria.
- ↑ 1181 ~δεκάτη~ dekate \@dek-at’-ay\@ feminine of 1182; ; adj AV-tithe 2, tenth part 1, tenth 1; 4 1) a tenth part of anything, a tithe 1a) the tenth party of booty taken from an enemy 1b) the tithes of fruits of the earth and of flocks, which by the law of Moses were presented to the Levites in the congregation of Israel
- ↑ 1183 ~δεκατόω~ dekatoo \@dek-at-o’-o\@ from 1181; ; v AV-receive tithes 1, pay tithes 1; 2 1) to exact or receive the tenth part 2) to pay tithes
- ↑ 586 ~ἀποδεκατόω~ apodekatoo \@ap-od-ek-at-o’-o\@ from 575 and 1183; ; v AV-pay tithe 1, tithe 1, give tithe 1, take tithe 1; 4 1) to give, pay a tithe of anything 2) to exact receive a tenth from anyone