The Principle of Excess
On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:2
As He May Prosper – Let’s set the record straight. The first and most important element of tithing is ownership. So, all tithing is based on the fact that God lends His goodness to us for our use. He owns it all. This is the basis of God’s requirement that ten percent of the yield be set aside for His purposes. And the overwhelming concern on God’s behalf is for the poor, the downtrodden, the widows, the orphans and the strangers among us. Paul assumes these facts in his directions to the Corinthian assembly. “On Saturday night, the first day of the week, set aside a tithe of your prosperity so that no extra collection for the poor in Jerusalem need be taken when I arrive.”
Pay close attention to Paul’s method of calculation. “As he may prosper” is the translation of ho ti ean euodotai Literally, this phrase is about traveling a good way or experiencing a successful journey. In other words, this is an idiom for having the good life. It is about the gain above what is required to live. It is not about the gross income. This is important. God doesn’t expect to exact a tithe from the necessities of your life. He isn’t the taxman. He cares that you take care of what you need to live. Whatever is extra becomes the source of your return for His goodness.
Think about the exquisite practical impact of such a plan. Would you derive a feeling of gratitude from a god who demanded that you give until it hurts? Some churches, especially when the “building campaign” is in full swing, use this tactic – but not God. He knows that if He were to demand a sacred “tax” on the resources you need in order to stay alive your “gift” would be given with resentment and anger. He would rather not have it. Gifts are a source of great blessing – for the one who receives and for the one who gives. When we give from our good journey, we acknowledge with gratitude the goodness God has poured on us – beyond what is required for us to live. Therefore, we can give joyfully and comfortably.
Of course, some are called to extraordinary generosity. They realize that what they need is far less than what they have. But the general principle does not demand such acts. The general principle leaves us with the decision about what we really need. And that, of course, is at the center of the true meaning of the tithe. This is one of those amazing cases where God doesn’t demand. He asks. The state of our hearts is likely to be revealed in the way that we respond to His request.
It’s worth noting a few other implications in Paul’s suggestion. First, this is a personal matter. “Let each one of you.” Every person decides the demarcation line between need and want. Every person is responsible for recognizing God’s goodness and responding appropriately. Husband and wife, families, parents and children are not represented as groups. This is all about each one alone.
Secondly, we should notice that the setting for this suggestion fits the context of a Jewish synagogue with Gentile members. After the Sabbath, it’s time to set aside some assets. Those assets are designated for the poor (an implication from Torah). They are collected by the rabbi (Paul) for distribution to others (not for the temple). Without the Jewish background, this is nothing more than a relief effort.
So, how does this apply today? Are we setting aside assets from the excess for assistance for the poor, or do we think we somehow fulfill that obligation by putting money into the mortgage of the church building? Do each of us come to terms with the line between need and want, or do we just allow the percentage game to set the line? Do we see that our excess is God’s goodness? Do we honor Him with material acknowledgment? Or did we think we traveled the good road on our own efforts?
Topical Index: tithe, excess, good road, 1 Corinthians 16:2
Not a bad way to look at the question of what is the tithe but I do wonder how practical it is given the enormous pressure placed on the modern man or woman to determine need. You may need to meet a mortgage payment so high that it leaves nothing to give…but did you need a five bedroom house in a ritzy neighbourhood? You might need to fill the car with fuel but maybe not as often if you don’t drive 70km to work and caught the train instead. You might have a $300 grocery bill but have a cartload of snack food. You probably get my point. It maybe why churches bring to their flock the discipline of setting aside 10% first.
In an ideal world your teaching might work but the reality of people’s inability to manage their budgets and decide what is truly need as opposed to want would more than likely lead to the poor, the widows and strangers missing altogether.
And as for a tithe being used for a building project. That is just not on. I was always taught tithes are for people Ministry, the poor etc) offerings for things. If the church don’t see the need for a building ie won’t give to it, then dont buy it.
I appreciate your points here, but the text makes it clear, it seems to me, that we have responsibility to make all the decisions that affect the outcome. For some of us, if we are unable to handle our assets properly, that might mean putting aside the tithe first. But the biblical assumption is that we make every financial decision based on stewardship of assets. So, we buy what we can really afford, considering the tithe as the outcome. We are to calculate for the whole picture with each decision. In this way, God teaches fiscal responsibility in the real world. It is a shame that the Church in general does not teach this view of asset management. By requiring the tithe first, it endorses financial laziness.
Thanks Skip I appreciate your thoughts. This is an area that intrigues me a little so please forgive the questioning further.
My understanding was that this giving was not the usual giving the church engaged in as a local congregation. It was for want of a better word “apostolic” giving where the individual churches gave what they could into Paul’s apostolic ministry. Paul did accumulate such gifts and distribute them to the needy as Philippians shows us and Gal 2:10 says was his apostolic ministry in part. The fact they were asked to put it aside each week out of their increase and their capacity to give is in my mind clear but it’s purpose seems to be different.
The justification for teaching on tithing in the church as I understand it is built around the principle of it being the manner in which Israel of ancient days honoured God by bringing the first part of their increase to Him. A practice commended by Yeshua when he referred to the Pharisees practice of tithing.
Putting our own needs first places us before God which would seem to run contrary to the Old Testament practice of honouoring God. Putting our own needs before the needs of the poor and calculating capacity to help from our excess just makes a lot of sense. Giving more than what you have will soon cause you to join the ranks of the poor yourself!
Do you see any difference and do you see the issue of honouring God first satisfied if we put our needs number one? If you can point me to further study on this topic I would be grateful too.
Steve
I am very blessed to belong to “an inside-out” church! Over half of the members of this church have been involved in some form of mission work. These people love Yeshua and live to serve. We purposefully live to give ourselves away. We live “inside-out.” If G-d blesses us- (and He is!) we are asking the question: how can I give this away? Our “mission” is as varied as our people. We even have a “mission” where we open up the church parking lot to skateboarders on Friday night. This may not “appeal” to you or me but in may be an “entry point” to someone who likes to skateboard. “I became all things to all men, that I might win some.” lol!- that reminds me of another point- to “win some” we must be “winsome.”
Yes, brother Skip (and brother Steve) the issue here is “stewardship.” All of life is a gift. (may I repeat?) ALL (sorry for the caps) of life is a gift. Every bit and every stitch of it. Your fingers, your toes, your heartbeat, your breath, your brain, your talents- need I go on? R.W. was right on this account- “it’s not about me!”- (or you, or her, or him..), but praise His name- it is about “us”. WE belong to Him!
We are under new ownership and new management. I belong to Yeshua. Lock, stock and barrel, the ALL of me. Body,soul, mind and spirit- and yes- whatever is in my wallet as well. The whole enchilada belongs to the ONE who sought me and “bought me” with His redeeming blood.
Yeshua does not want our 10%- He wants (and deserves) our 100%. “I surrender all” should be our constant “mantra”. “What will You have me to do?” – should always remain on our minds. We serve G-d by serving people. Not only giving our “money”, but giving ourselves away. This includes one of the most precious assets given unto us which is our “time”. Have you spent some “time” with someone in need? We can give a smile to a young child, we are able to give the love given unto us away to someone who needs love. We have been “given” so much, but we need to seek out ways to give it “all” away! Yes, brother Skip, we need to live lives of generosity. G-d so loved He gave! We also, in following the pattern of the Teacher, (and with the empowering enablement of His Ruach Hakodesh, need to “go about doing good.”
YHWH has already given a gift unto me early this morning. It is a gift called “today.” How will I steward this gift and use it “for the glory of G-d and the service of man”? Will I “let” this mind be in me which also was in Christ Jesus? Will I given to him who asks of me? If someone asks for prayer- will I pray? If I see a need or see a brother in need of food and am able to meet his need will I respond with a generous heart? We have so many opportunities! How may we also live “inside-out” lives and give ourselves away today?
For those of us who have done so- there is no better “feeling” than to know G-d has used you in His service. My prayer today is that He would “inhabit His habitation” and wear me like a suit of clothes. “Here am I- LORD send me” should be our daily prayer to our wonderful Abba.
Yes, G-d’s word says -simply and sublimely- “give- and it shall be given unto you..” “How may I serve you?”
In Rabbi Paul, Bruce Chilton follows these “offerings” taken by Paul, which were to be offered as sacrifices in the Temple (by James and the Jerusalem believers) for Gentile believers who were not allowed inside the Temple to offer sacrifices on their own. He also says that these offerings were not for the general poor, but the “poor” who had taken a Nazarite vow. Any truth to this?
I haven’t hear this before. My only question is about the evidence to support it. Perhaps Chilton is correct. What does he offer as proof of the claim?
I don’t have the book with me to check his references, biblio., but I felt pretty safe with his info since he and Neusner wrote “Judaism in the New Testament: Practices and Beliefs.” Also, his strong criticism of the Jesus Seminar and Jesus Project indicate his distaste for shoddy scholarship.
Greetings Dr. Moen
Ins’t it the first question about tithing, why it is 10 and not 5, not 12, not 23, etc? Why the amount chosen by Hashem is 10?
Thank you!!!
Yishmael- I came across this url in my search for the significance or symbolism of the number 10. Here is the URL.. hope this helps..
http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/10.html.
The word of G-d is one amazing book!
Thank you very much!!!
Hi Yishmael,
Have you ever seen the movie Pi?
It came out about 10 years ago, but didn’t make much sense to me.
Saw it again a couple of days ago and thought of you.
Thanks for the reference, Carl. I only have seen a small portion of that before. It is quite interesting.
http://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/10.html.
Hi Carl,
Great link, thanks for sharing!
Looks like Revelation will be coming in 3D 🙂
Revelation 1
The first or introductory section of the Apocalypse of Jesus Christ is specially marked by this great Divine seal stamped upon it in chapter 1.
•v. 1. This Revelation is:
– Divinely given,
– Divinely sent,
– Divinely signified.