Pastor John,
While reading in acts chapter 4 I had a question.
When the people sold their possessions and brought it to the disciples, where they still required by the law of Moses to bring their tithes to the priest from selling what they had?
I was thinking yes but wanted to make sure.
Steven
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Hi Steven,
The answer depends on the price the sellers received for the property they sold. If they made a profit, then yes, they were required to bring the tithe to the priest.
The law required tithes to be paid on all “increase”, and in the matter of selling property, the “increase” would be profit, if any, that was made.
Thanks for the question.
Pastor John
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Pastor John,
Let me ask this question, sort of along the same lines.
After the new testament started in acts 2, were the people still required to take that 10% to the Levitical priest s or the apostles ( taking tithes to a man of God) . It reads like they were taking it all to the disciples. Was there a certain point or place that it changed over?
Steven
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Good question, Steven.
Yes, there was certainly a point at which it was unacceptable for Jewish believers to take their tithes and offerings to the Levitical priests. That time was probably after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, in 70 AD. There was no more temple worship after that point.
It was never right for Gentile\ believers to take their tithes to the Levitical priests. On the contrary, Paul commended Gentile believers for giving him their financial support.
At the same time, Paul would not have allowed Jewish believers to support him. Their tithes and offerings were for the priests under the law, or, over time, transferred to Peter and the other apostles of Christ. Paul encouraged Gentile believers to send offerings to the persecuted Jewish community living in Palestine before the Romans destroyed Jerusalem , and I am sure that it was acceptable to God for them to do that.
The story of the ten lepers that Jesus healed can help us understand this situation. Jesus told the ten lepers to go offer the sacrifice for their cleansing that Moses commanded in the law. They all left, and were healed as they were on their way to the priest. One of the ten, when he saw that he was healed, disobeyed Jesus and the law, and did not continue on to the priest. Instead, he turned around to, as Jesus said it, give glory to God. That is an amazing story because it shows that God was pleased with that cleansed leper putting Jesus ahead of the law! That being the case, it also has to be true that after Pentecost, God was pleased with His people honoring ministers of Christ ahead of the law, which includes honoring them with their tithes and offerings ahead of the Levitical priests. That transfer of honor probably took place gradually, as more and more Jews, especially the priests, rejected the gospel, and more and more Gentiles received him. But when the Romans destroyed the temple and the city in 70 AD, there really was nothing left for them to support with their tithes and offering but ministers of Christ.
Hope that helps.
Pastor John
Here is the story of the ten lepers, from Luke 17:
12. As he entered into a certain village, ten leprous men, who stood at a distance, met him,
13. and they raised a cry, saying, ‘Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us!’
14. And when he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And it came to pass, as they were going away, that they were cleansed.
15. Now, one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
16. and he fell on his face at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.
17. Then Jesus answered and said, ‘Weren’t there ten who were cleansed? So, where are the nine?
18. Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?’
19. Then, he said to him, ‘Get up, and go. Your faith has made you whole.’”