Wednesday, September 4, 2024

David A. Croteau on Malachi 3 not being a Binding Command to Pay Tithing in the Modern Era

  

ARGUMENT FROM MALACHI 3

 

One of the most well-known and oft-used arguments for this continuation of tithing is Malachi 3:6-12. Since Malachi 3 declares that withholding tithes is equivalent to robbing God, Christians should tithe. Malachi warns followers of God that withholding the paying of your tithe today will bring the curses mentioned in Malachi 3. Sometimes proponents of the Malachi 3 argument relate the withholding of tithes to the commandment against stealing.

 

Malachi 3:6 begins with a shift in the audience: rather than just addressing the priests, God is now addressing all of Israel Which tithe is Malachi 3 discussing? Most likely he has in mind the Levitical Tithe of Numbers 18:21, not the Festival Tithe of Deuteronomy 14:22-27, nor the Charity Tithe of Deuteronomy 14:28-29. The Festival Tithe was to be brought to Jerusalem and the people were to celebrate with the priests. Since the people were partakers in the feast, the tithe still belonged to the people. In contrast, the tithe in Malachi 3 was brought into the “storehouse,” which seems to be a reference to the Levitical Tithe since that was to be brought to Jerusalem.

 

God told the people that they were robbing him of “tithes and offerings.” The tithe that was meant for the support of the Levites and priests was not being given as commanded in the Law. The term “offerings” is often misunderstood, but it also referred to required contributions. These were used for the support of the temple staff.

 

The reference to the “storehouse” is another important aspect of this passage. The storehouse did not refer to “local churches,” but an actual building used by the Levites that they used to store what they received, including grains and livestock. 2 Chronicles 31:10-12 references the storehouse, but it was not necessarily part of the Mosaic Law; it was built onto the temple for storage purposes. That is what makes correlating the “storehouse” to “local churches” so problematic.

 

Several preachers have made deals with their congregations: start tithing and if God doesn’t bless you after a certain time period (sometimes three months, sometimes six months), the church will refund the money. This is based upon the offer to “test” God in Malachi 3. It’s important to note at least the following two points. First, this offer to test God occurs in the context of the Mosaic Covenant. The blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 are in full effect during Malachi 3. Second, the offer to test God is modified by “in this” (cf. NASB). The phrase “in this” refers to testing God in the current situation, not necessarily to test Him in all periods at all times. (The phrase “in this” could also refer to “in this matter,” that is, the matter of tithing. Cf. NET)

 

The rewards for Israelite obedience in giving their times and offerings were threefold. First, God would open the windows of heaven. This is a promise of rain. Second, God would prevent the devourer from ruining their crops. The devourer is a reference to locusts. Third, God would stop their vines from casting their fruit; rather they would have abundant crops. Some scholars have said that agrarian blessings are offered because they lived in an agrarian society. While it is true that Israelites was largely agrarian, they were not purely an agricultural society. They did deal in money and had other industries.

 

Malachi 3 was written to an audience (the Israelites) that was under the Mosaic Covenant and was therefore subject to the stipulations of that covenant (cf. Deuteronomy 28). The test was not stated in universal terms, but very specific terms. The Israelites were failing to pay the Levitical Tithe, which was required for the support of the Levites since they did not get an inheritance of land in Israel. The promised reward does not de facto carry over for New Covenant believers. The exact amount of an offering is perplexing, but it was just as required as the tithe. The offering was not a certain monetary amount, making it virtually non-transferable for believers in the New Covenant. (David A. Croteau, Tithing after the Cross: A Refutation of the Top Arguments for Tithing and New Paradigm for Giving [Critical Christian Issues 7; Gonzalez, Fla.: Energion Publications, 2013], 13-15)

 

 

 

 

To Support this Blog:

 

Paypal

Venmo

Amazon Wishlist

 

Blog Archive