Tithe of mint

According to Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 23:13-33 "The scribes and Pharisees were enemies to the gospel of Christ". The scribes because as accountants and employees of the Corban of the Pharisees their jobs were in danger.

The Pharisees because they would be again entirely dependent upon Freewill offerings and charity rather than force as preached by John's Baptism.

He goes on to say "They were very busy to turn souls to be of their party. Not for the glory of God and the good of souls, but that they might have the credit and advantage of making converts. Gain being their godliness, by a thousand devices they made religion give way to their worldly interests."

This is actually true of Modern Christian preachers. They claim the credit of bringing souls to God but not to His way. God's way and the directives of Christ told us to Love one another through the practice of Pure Religion and not the Covetous Practices of men who call themselves Benefactors but exercise authority.

Matthew Henry continued "They were very strict and precise in smaller matters of the law, but careless and loose in weightier matters."

"We sometimes think, if we had lived when Christ was upon earth, that we should not have despised and rejected him, as men then did; yet Christ in his Spirit, in his word, in his ministers, is still no better treated."

If the people are hungry, thirsty, need clothing or shelter the Modern Christians and their pastors send their people to men who call themselves Benefactors but exercise authority one over the other in direct opposition to Christ. The Christian conflict with Rome was because Christians would not join such system of public social Welfare and they were willing to die rather than join such covetous systems.

The Modern Christians would want to crucify any one who told them their Religion was one of sin and making the word of God to none effect

"And it is just with God to give those up to their hearts' lusts, who obstinately persist in gratifying them. Christ gives men their true characters."

The Pulpit Commentary says that verses 23, 24. is dealing with the "Fifth woe - against scrupulosity in trifles and neglect of weighty duties" They suggest that "Practically, the law of tithe was enforced only in the case of the produce mentioned in Deuteronomy 14:23 - corn, wine, and oil - but the Pharisees, in their overstrained scrupulosity, applied the law of Leviticus 27:30 ("all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's") to the smallest pot herbs, even to their leaves and stalks."^[1]

These herbs had value and those who received them as a free offering or an imposed tax could sell them to dealers and exporters for a handsome some. When offerings that supported the government were Freewill offerings this was a way of the Levites obtaining the things they needed to serve the people but when they became taxes the ranks of the government employee grew and became fat with corruption.

The worst effect of this Socialist approach to the needs of society was that the people became weak and the Hue and cry that once guarded the safety of the community was no longer heard in the land.

Christ is merely repeating the principles of Micah 6:8, "What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (see also Hosea 12:6; Zechariah 7:9, 10).

The Pulpit Commentary go on to say:

"Worthless are all outward observances when the moral precepts are neglected. "Judgment" (τὴν κρίσιν) means acting equitably to one's neighbour, hurting nobody by word or deed; as in Jeremiah 5:1 a man is sought "that exerciseth justice.'" Such impartiality is specially enjoined in the Law (Deuteronomy 16:19, etc.). "Mercy," loving kindness in conduct, often taught in the Pentateuch, as in the case of the widow, the stranger, and the debtor, and very different from the feeling of those who "devour widows' houses." "Faith" may mean fidelity to promises: "He that sweareth unto his neighbour and disappointeth him not, though it were to his own hindrance" (Psalm 15:4); but it is more probably taken as that belief in God without which it is not possible to please him, and which should underlie and influence all moral action (Hebrews 11:6). These (ταῦτα)... the other (ἐκεῖνα). "These last" are judgment, mercy, and faith; these it was your duty to have done."

To truly be charitable requires wise and diligent choices marking not only the giving of a thing but doing it in a way that strengthens the poor, stewarding what God has given us with wise discretion and spiritual insight.

The gnat and the camel is a "proverbial expression to denote the inconsistency which would avoid the smallest ceremonial defilement, but would take no account of the gravest moral pollution." Today the Modern Christian is again entangled in the pollutions of the world^[2]

The Modern Christian is told about Jesus but not the whole truth of His teachings and what the Christian conflict consisted of. Subsequently the people are more dependent on their bruitish ministers who force the offerings of the people in the Socialist state. These rulers become like gods who strangle the life out of hard working people to provide the benefits of their World^[3] These Covetous practices makes the people Merchandise and curses their children with debt.

If the people will repent you will see them seeking to become the Benefactors who do not exercise authority. Their churches will become the center of all social welfare through the Perfect law of liberty by Fervent Charity according to The Way of Christ.

Versions

King James Bible
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,^[4] 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.

New International Version
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

New Living Translation
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.

English Standard Version
“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.

Berean Study Bible
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cummin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Berean Literal Bible
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and you have neglected the weightier things of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. It behooved you to do these, and not to be leaving aside those.

New American Standard Bible
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.

International Standard Version
"How terrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, and cummin, but have neglected the more important matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the things you should have practiced, without neglecting the others.

NET Bible
"Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law--justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, imposters! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin and you forsake the weighty things of the law: Justice, mercy and faith! It is necessary for you to do these things and you should not forsake them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"How horrible it will be for you, scribes and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give [God] one-tenth of your mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are the most important things in Moses' Teachings. You should have done these things without neglecting the others.

New American Standard 1977
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

Jubilee Bible 2000
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted that which is more important of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith; these were expedient for ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

King James 2000 Bible
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

American King James Version
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

American Standard Version
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and have left the weightier things of the law; judgment, and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone.

Darby Bible Translation
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and ye have left aside the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith: these ye ought to have done and not have left those aside.

English Revised Version
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to 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 ye ought to have done, and not to leave the others undone.

Weymouth New Testament
"Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have neglected the weightier requirements of the Law--just judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others undone.

World English Bible
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye give tithe of the mint, and the dill, and the cumin, and did neglect the weightier things of the Law -- the judgment, and the kindness, and the faith; these it behoved you to do, and those not to neglect.

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Footnotes

↑ "'Mint' (ἡδύοσμον). Of this well known plant several species grow in Palestine; it was one of the ingredients of the sauce of bitter herbs eaten at the Paschal feast (Exodus 12:8), and was hung up in the synagogue for its fragrance. "Anise" (ἄνηθον) is known to us as "dill," and is much used in medicine and for seasoning. "Cummin" (κύμινον) (Isaiah 28:25, 27), an umbelliferous plant, with seeds something like caraways, and used, like them, as a condiment and medicine."
↑ 2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
↑ Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
↑ Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary "cummin—In Luke (Lu 11:42) it is "and rue, and all manner of herbs." They grounded this practice on Le 27:30, which they interpreted rigidly. Our Lord purposely names the most trifling products of the earth as examples of what they punctiliously exacted the tenth of... and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.

[1] "'Mint' (ἡδύοσμον). Of this well known plant several species grow in Palestine; it was one of the ingredients of the sauce of bitter herbs eaten at the Paschal feast (Exodus 12:8), and was hung up in the synagogue for its fragrance. "Anise" (ἄνηθον) is known to us as "dill," and is much used in medicine and for seasoning. "Cummin" (κύμινον) (Isaiah 28:25, 27), an umbelliferous plant, with seeds something like caraways, and used, like them, as a condiment and medicine."

[2] 2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

[3] Acts 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

[4] Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary "cummin—In Luke (Lu 11:42) it is "and rue, and all manner of herbs." They grounded this practice on Le 27:30, which they interpreted rigidly. Our Lord purposely names the most trifling products of the earth as examples of what they punctiliously exacted the tenth of... and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.

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Tithe of mint

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