| Money talks? A penny saved is a penny earned. Waste not, want not. How many times do you remember money in Scripture? Make a list. What does the Bible say about money? |
| Bulls and Bears 2 Kings 6:25 and 7:1f, 16 Real Estate 2 Samuel 24:24 1 Chronicles 21:25 Jeremiah 32:9 Genesis 37:28 Working the System Amos 8:5 2 Samuel 14:26 Proverbs 16:11 Ezekiel 45:12 1 Kings 10:17 Talents 2 Samuel 12:30 1 Kings 10:14f; 16:24 2 Kings 23:33 International Money Daniel 5:25, 26-28 Drachmas Nehemiah 7:70 |
Tithing
The first tithe can be traced back to Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20).
Three Tithes The Levitical, or sacred tithe The tithe of the feasts The tithe for the poor |
Read Deuteronomy 14:22-27.
The second tithe was dedicated to the good of man himself, for a vacation and specifically, a vacation with a religious purpose, such as going to camp meeting" (Deuteronomy 14:22-27). Read Deuteronomy 14:28, 29. The third tithe was for the neighbor. |
- Believers are no longer under the Mosaic covenant (Romans 6:14-15; 7:5–6; Galatians 3:15-4:7; 2 Corinthians 3:4-18.
- The examples of Abraham and Jacob are not normative patterns.
- Tithes were given to the Levites and priests, but there are no Levites and priests in the new covenant (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6, Hebrews 7).
- The tithe is tied to the land Israel received under the old covenant (Galatians 4:25, 26; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:1-22:5; Romans 4:13).
- If tithing is required today, how much should we give?
- When Jesus affirmed the tithe, it was before the dawn of the new covenant (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; Matthew 5:23-24; Galatians 4:4).
- Nowhere is tithing mentioned when commands to give generously are found in the New Testament (Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-37; 11:27-30; Galatians 2:10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15
Even though tithing isn’t required today, it does not follow that believers should hoard their possessions.
We are commanded to support those who preach the gospel (Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:6–14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18). And while we should enjoy the good things God gives us, we are also called to be generous to those in need (1 Timothy 6:17-19; 2 Corinthians 8f). Wealth can so easily become an idol, leading us to abandon the Lord.
In the New Testament
Talents Matthew 25:15ff | Denarii Matthew 20:2ff; 22:19-21 Mark 14:5 | Drachmas Matthew 17:27 | Farthing Luke 2:24 Matthew 10:31 |
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Lepton Mark 12:42 Luke 12:59 | Money Changers John 2:14-16 Matthew 21:12f | 30 Coins Matthew 26:15 Genesis 23:16 Exodus 21:32 |
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