TITHING A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO GIVING

TITHING A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO GIVING
By Kent Secor

MODERN CHURCH TITHING

Many churches today teach tithing as God's program for giving to the local church. Pastors and preachers preach on this Biblical subject as God's means to support the local church and the main means that God blesses the believer in return.

Warning is given regarding “robbing God...of tithes” and that believers are to “bring all the tithes in to the storehouse” which they say is the local church. Prayers are offered that God would accept the tithes and offerings collected by the ushers (collection plate passers extrodainare).

Tithing is regarded as one of the major practices for a righteous man in Christ Jesus. A man or family that does not tithe may be held in low regard by the pastor and leadership. Many church's leadership, when considering one for a position in their church, will judge their spirituality on the basis of their tithing record.

Much of modern church fund raising is to establish the tithing of each member, so the church leadership can establish the operating and salary budget.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Tithing is clearly taught under Mosaic Law for the support of the tribe of Levi.

Is tithing really God's way to support the local church ministry? Is the Christian really under God's judgement if they do not give a tenth of their gross income to the local church? What does the Bible teach about tithing and Christian giving? I think we must ask if tithing is a giving practice taught in the NT? Does the history of the early church demonstrate a practice of tithing or another form of giving? Does the writings of the ante-Nicene Church Fathers support the practice of tithing or another form of giving?

In this study I will consider all the scriptures in the Bible regarding tithing and giving in an effort to answer these questions. I pray the fainting heart does not grow weary in the length that this study may take, as I intend this study to be a fairly exhaustive one, for the sake of those who need the details of all things, to come to an understanding of the truth.

I will break this down into sections by the Biblical and historical references according to the following outline.

A. Tithing

1. Pre Mosaic examples.

2. Mosaic Law and regulations

3. The writings of the Prophets

4. NT teaching

5. Writings of the Ante-Nicene Church Fathers.


A. THITHING

INTRODUCTION

The Hebrew for the word translated tithe is defined by Brown-Driver-Brigg's Hebrew Definitions as;

H4643

ma‛ăśêr / ma‛ăśar / ma‛aśrâh
BDB Definition:
1) tithe, tenth part
1a) tenth part
1b) tithe, payment of a tenth part
Part of Speech: noun masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from H6240
Same Word by TWOT Number: 1711h

So the Hebrew word just means a tenth, no special religious significance is attached to this word out side of the context of the Law of Moses, and certain Biblical references. In other words tithe is not a spiritual term.

The Greek word translated tithe in the KJV is defined by Thayer's Greek Definintions (e-sword) as;

G586

apodekatoō
Thayer Definition:
1) to give, pay a tithe of anything
2) to exact receive a tenth from anyone
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G575 and G1183

Neither does the Greek word, apodekatoo have a religious meaning, except in the context of certain Biblical texts.

MY THESIS
My thesis regarding tithing is that it was a temple tax of one tenth of each families grains, vegetables, fruits, and herds for the support of the tribe of Levi during the Tabernacle/Temple period and was not practiced or taught by the whole of the NT church or the early Ante-Nicene church.
(Ante-, means before in Latin. Ante-Nicene refers to the time period before the council of church leaders in Nicea in the mid 300's , convened by the Roman Emporer Constantine, to quiet disturbances caused by differing factions in the church within the Roman Empire.)
My thesis is that the practice of tithing was borrowed from Judaism along with other practices of the Temple service, like the priest class of believer, the church building or Temple (Cathedral), the altar, and the liturgy of the synagogue, in the forming of the institution of the Roman Catholic Church.
I will show that the Mosaic tithe was a Temple tax, extracted for the purpose of supporting the Temple workers and priests, who were of the tribe of Levi. That the tribe of Levi were not given land as an inheritance, instead they were given the tithes of the other eleven tribes of Israel for their lively hood.
I will also show that giving to help those in need, without a limit set to the amount, is a practice taught throughout the Bible, both OT and NT.
That the NT teaches this charitable giving to those in need rather than a tax for the support of the church workers. That the main way local church workers were supported was by maintaining their own trade, after the practice of the Rabbis. That the NT and Ante-Nicene practice was to support itinerant workers while they were staying in their city and to travel to the next city.

1. PRE MOSAIC REFERENCES

References: Tithing: Gen. 14:17-20; 28:10-22

Abram pays a tithe to Melchizedek, priest of God

Gen 14:17-20 (e-sword) Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (LTHB)

“And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from smiting Chedorlaomer and the kings which were with him, to the valley of Shaveh, it being the valley of the king.

And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God.

And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and earth;
and blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him a tithe of all.“ (my underlining)

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testement (K&D) tells us;

“Melchizedek brings bread and wine from Salem “to supply the exhausted warriors with food and drink, but more especially as a mark of gratitude to Abram, who had conquered for them peace, freedom, and prosperity” (Delitzsch). This gratitude he expresses, as a priest of the supreme God, in the words, “Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, the founder of heaven and earth; and blessed be God, the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” The form of the blessing is poetical, two parallel members with words peculiar to poetry, ... without the article is a proper name for the supreme God, the God over all (cf. Exo_18:11), who is pointed out as the only true God by the additional clause, “founder of the heaven and the earth.” ... This priestly reception Abram reciprocated by giving him the tenth of all, i.e., of the whole of the booty taken from the enemy. Giving the tenth was a practical acknowledgment of the divine priesthood of Melchizedek; for the tenth was, according to the general custom, the offering presented to the Deity. Abram also acknowledged the God of Melchizedek as the true God;“


This scripture shows Abram tithing to Melchizedek. This paying a tenth to a priest of God may have been a very common practice in that time, though it is not mentioned of in scripture before this event.

(Some teach today that Melchizedek is the pre-incarnate Christ, yet no where in scripture is the Messiah referred to as Melchizedek. Messiah is compared to Melchizedek in a few verses. Psa 110:4; Heb 5:6, Heb 5:10, Heb 6:20, Heb 7:1, Heb 7:3, Heb 7:10-22 (e-sword, Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge, TSK). But Messiah and Melchizedek are never said to be one and the same.)

Gen. 28:10-22, (e-sword) LTHB

Jacob vows tithe to God: makes a deal

“And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba and went toward Haran.

And he came on a place and stayed the night there, for the sun had gone. And he took stones of the place and placed them at his head; and he lay down in that place.

And he dreamed. And, behold, a ladder was placed on the earth, its top reaching to the heavens. And, behold, the angels of God were going up and going down on it! And, behold, Jehovah stood above it and said, I am Jehovah the God of your father Abraham, and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying, I will give it to you and to your seed. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your Seed.

And, behold, I will be with you and will guard you in every place in which you may go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not forsake you until I have surely done that which I have spoken to you.

And Jacob awakened from his sleep, and said, Surely Jehovah is in this place, and I did not know. And he was afraid, and said, How fearful is this place! This is nothing except the house of God, and this is the door to Heaven.

And Jacob started up early in the morning and took the stone which he had placed at his head, and he placed it as a pillar; and he poured oil on the top of it. And he called the name of that place, The House of God. And yet the name of the city was at first Luz.

And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God is with me and keeps me in this way which I am going, and gives to me bread to eat and clothing to wear, and I return in peace to the house of my father, then Jehovah shall be my God, and this stone which I have placed as a memorial pillar shall become the house of God; and all which You shall give to me, I will tithe the tenth to You.“ (my underlining)

K&D tells us;

"Lastly, Jacob made a vow: that if God would give him the promised protection on his journey, and bring him back in safety to his father's house, Jehovah should be his God ... the stone which he had set up should be a house of God, and Jehovah should receive a tenth of all that He gave to him. It is to be noticed here, that Elohim is used in the protasis instead of Jehovah, as constituting the essence of the vow: if Jehovah, who had appeared to him, proved Himself to be God by fulfilling His promise, then he would acknowledge and worship Him as his God, by making the stone thus set up into a house of God, i.e., a place of sacrifice, and by tithing all his possessions. With regard to the fulfilment of this vow, we learn from Gen 35:7 that Jacob built an altar, and probably also dedicated the tenth to God, i.e., offered it to Jehovah; or, as some have supposed, applied it partly to the erection and preservation of the altar, and partly to burnt and thank-offerings combined with sacrificial meals, according to the analogy of Deu 14:28-29 (cf. Gen 31:54; Gen 46:1)." (my underlining)

This reference shows Jacob for the wheeler and dealer he was. He plays lets make a deal with God. Really I think this was just his way of expressing his faith in God's providence and protection. Jacob is directly honest with God. He is sure that God is real, he just had a dream that convinced him of that. He is not yet sure if God will be with him as He was with his fathers, Abraham and Isaac. He is facing a long journey with no sure idea as to the outcome. So this statement from Jacob is one expressing his faith in the God of his fathers.

These make up the only references to tithing before the Mosaic Law was given to the nation of Israel.

We see Abram following what seems to be a normal way to honor God, by giving tithes to a priest and Jacob promising to give God a tithe if God protects and provides for him in his journeys.


2. MOSAIC REGULATIONS: Part 1

References: Lev 27:30-33; Num 18:18-31; Num 28:26-31; Deu 12:5-25

TITHE IS HOLY TO JEHOVAH

Leviticus 27:30-33 (e-sword) LTHB

"And all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, shall be Jehovah's; it is holy to Jehovah. And if a man really redeems any of his tithes, he shall add its fifth to it.

And all the tithe of the herd and of the flock, all that passes under the rod, a tenth shall be holy to Jehovah; he shall not search whether it is good or bad, nor shall he change it. And if he at all changes it, then it shall be that it and its substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed."

This is the first instruction under the Law given to Israel regarding tithing. Every part of the harvest was to be tithed, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and from all the herds and flocks. The tenth was "holy to Jehovah" and was to be given without consideration for the goodness of it. So the man could not cull out the bad of the herd and present those animals for their tithe, but neither were they to be the best 10% either. It was to be according to a random counting of the herds, as they passed under the rod."

For the tithe to be "holy to Jehovah", means that 10% was to be set aside for the purpose that Jehovah intends it for. The word "holy" means to be set apart for the Lord's use. This carries the weight of a vow for all of Israel to Jehovah. This places greater importance upon it than just a regular tax, it is "set apart" holy to Jehovah. As we shall see it is set apart for the purpose of the support of the tribe of Levi who were the chosen tabernacle/temple workers and priests.

TITHE BELONGS TO THE LEVITES FOR THEIR INHERITTANCE

Numbers 18:18-31, e-sword, LTHB

"And their flesh shall be yours, as the breast of the wave offering, and as the right leg; it shall be yours. (19) All the heave offerings of the holy things which the sons of Israel shall lift up to Jehovah, I have given to you and to your sons, and to your daughters with you, by a never ending statute, a covenant of salt, it shall be forever before Jehovah to you and to your seed with you.

(20) And Jehovah said to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

(21) And, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel to the sons of Levi for an inheritance, in return for their service which they are serving, the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. (22) And the sons of Israel shall not come near to the tabernacle of the congregation any more, lest they bear sin, and die. (23) But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a never ending statute throughout your generations, that in the midst of the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance; (24) but the tithes of the sons of Israel which they shall lift up to Jehovah, a heave offering, I have given to the Levites for inheritance; therefore I have said to them, They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.

(25) And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying, (26) And you shall say to the Levites; and you shall speak to them, When you take the tithe from the sons of Israel, which I have given to you from them, for your inheritance, then you shall lift from it a heave offering of Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe. (27) And your heave offering shall be counted to you as grain from the threshing floor, and as fullness from the winepress.

(28) So you also shall lift up the heave offering of Jehovah from all your tithes which you receive from the sons of Israel. And you shall give from it the heave offering of Jehovah to Aaron the priest. (29) You shall lift up the whole heave offering of Jehovah out of all your gifts, out of all its fat, its holy part, out of it. (30) And you shall say to them, When you lift up its fat out of it, then it shall be counted to the Levites as increase of a threshing floor, and as increase of a winepress.

(31) And you shall eat it in every place, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation."

This passage shows who receives the tithe, that is "holy to Jehovah". It is given to the tribe of Levi who were chosen, from the twelve tribes, to be the workers in the Tabernacle (later the Temple). This establishes the tithe as a yearly tax to support the work of the Tabernacle.

The Levites were not given an inheritance of land, instead they were given twelve cities, one in each of the twelve tribal lands of Israel, the eleven other tribes with the tribe of Joseph making two. The tithe of all of Israel was their means of support.

FIRST FRUITS AND BURNT OFFERING

Num 28:26-31, e-sword, LTHB

"(26)And in the day of the firstfruits, as you offer a new food offering to Jehovah in your Feast of Weeks, you shall have a holy gathering; you shall do no work of service; (27) and you shall offer a burnt offering for a soothing fragrance to Jehovah: two bulls, sons of the herd, one ram, seven lambs, sons of a year (28) and their food offering, flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts to the one bull, two tenth parts to the one ram, (29) one tenth part to the one lamb, for the seven lambs; (30) one kid of the goats to atone for you. (31) You shall offer them besides the continual burnt offering and its food offering and drink offerings; they shall be ones without blemish for you."

This chapter deals with the Law regarding burnt offerings.

In this passage is the Law we see the start of the tithe, the firstfruits or harvest offering, also called the Feast of Weeks. This annual feast includes a burnt offering. Remember the tithe of Israel was paid out of the harvests, in which they had an early and late harvest, as well as out of the yearlings of the flocks and herds. In this passage we see the offering of the first of the early harvest.

TITHE TO BE BROUGHT TO THE TEMPLE ONLY

Deu 12:5-25, e-sword, LTHB

"(5) But you shall seek to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all your tribes; for you shall seek His dwelling, to put His name there. And you shall go there. (6) And you shall bring your burnt offerings there, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offering, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock.

(7) And you shall eat there before Jehovah your God, and shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, with which Jehovah your God has blessed you. (8) You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, each doing all that is right in his own eyes. (9) For you have not come to the rest and to the inheritance which Jehovah your God is giving to you. (10) And you shall cross over the Jordan, and shall live in the land which Jehovah your God is causing you to inherit. And He shall give you rest from all your enemies all around; and you shall live securely.

(11) And it shall be the place which Jehovah your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, there you shall bring all that I am commanding you, your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice freewill offerings which you vow to Jehovah. (12) And you shall rejoice before Jehovah your God, you and your sons, and your daughters, and your male slaves, and your female slaves, and the Levite within your gates because he has no portion or inheritance with you.

(13) Take heed to yourself that you not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; (14) but in the place which Jehovah shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command.

(15) Only with all the desire of your soul you shall sacrifice and shall eat flesh within all your gates according to the blessing of Jehovah your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean one may eat of it, as of the gazelle and as of the hart. (16) Only, you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it as water on the earth.

(17) You are not able to eat the tithe of your grain within your gates, and of your new wine, and your oil, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock, and any of your vows which you vow, and your freewill offering, and the heave offering of your hand. (18) But you shall eat it before Jehovah your God in the place which Jehovah your God shall choose, you and your son, and your daughter, and your male slave, and your female slave, and the Levite who is within your gates. And you shall rejoice before Jehovah your God in all that you put your hand to.

(19) Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live on the land. (20) Then Jehovah your God shall enlarge your border, as He has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh, because your soul desires to eat flesh, you may eat flesh according to all the desire of your soul.

(21) If the place which Jehovah your God shall choose to put His name there is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock which Jehovah has given you, as I have commanded you; and you shall eat within your gates according to all the desire of your soul. (22) Only, as the gazelle and the hart are eaten, so you shall eat of it; the unclean and the clean may eat of it alike. (23) Only, be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh; (24) You shall not eat it; you shall pour it on the earth as water. (25) You shall not eat it in order that it may be well with you and with your sons after you, when you do that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah."

This chapter is a general repeat of the Law regarding offerings of all sorts; "your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice freewill offerings which you vow to Jehovah. " The Law is that they all are to be presented to Jehovah in the place He would chose when they came into the promised land, which was Jerusalem.

Notice verse 7; " And you shall eat there before Jehovah your God, and shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households, with which Jehovah your God has blessed you. "

Many of the offerings involved a family feast in which all the household were to eat of, including slaves of other nations, these were to be eaten only in the Temple. One of the reasons the temple courts were so large were to hold these feasts in.

Verse 17,18 shows us that the tithe was also feasted upon, a restriction was placed upon only eating it in the Temple.

The tithe as we have already seen is set apart, holy to Jehovah for the purpose of supporting the Levites, yet we see here that the tithe also was a component of a family feast eaten in the temple. This may mean that the tithe itself was eaten, or that a feast was included with the trip to the temple (the place God will chose in the land) to present the family tithe. The wording here leads me to think that part of the tithe was eaten by the family in the temple in Jerusalem.

Conclusion

We saw in the Pre-Mosaic scriptures that tithing was a common idea for presenting offerings to God and were presented to God's agents, priests.

In the Mosaic scriptures the tithe was "holy to Jehovah" and was to be paid of all the harvest of the fields and trees, and of all the herds and flocks, with discriminating between good and bad of the animals.

The tithe was given to the tribe of Levi for their support, as they were the workers in the Tabernacle.

2. MOSAIC REGULATIONS: Part 2

References: Deu 14:22-29; Ex 23:10-11; Deu 26:12-15

In part 1, we saw that the tithe or 10% harvest offering was to be brought to the place that God would tell them, once they entered into the promised land. We know that to be Jerusalem and the mount of Moriah, where the Temple of Solomon was built.

The tithe was to be paid from all the vegetable, grain and fruit harvest and of all the herds and flocks, and was to be used as a family feast at the Temple. The overall purpose of the tithe was the support of the Levites, who were the tabernacle/temple workers.

This tithe passage of the Law gives more detail to what Moses said earlier in this address, in chapter 12

EATING THE TITHE

Deu 14:22-29 LITV

"(22)Tithing you shall tithe all the increase of your seed that the field yields year by year. (23) And you shall eat before Jehovah your God in the place which He shall choose to cause His name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Jehovah your God all your days.

(24) And if the way is too long for you, so that you cannot carry it, because the place is too far from you which Jehovah your God shall choose to set His name there, when Jehovah your God shall bless you; (25) Then you shall give it for silver, and bind up the silver in your hand. And you shall go to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose.

(26) And you shall pay the silver for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for fermented drink, or for whatever your soul desires. And you shall eat there before Jehovah your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. (27) And you shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you.

(28) At the end of three years, even the same year, you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase, and shall lay it up within your gates. (29) And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the alien, and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates shall come and shall eat and be satisfied; so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."

Tithing was done year by year and taken to Jerusalem and the temple ("the place God will show you"). The tithe was paid from "your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock".

Allowance was made for those living too far from the temple and having to travel to pay their tithe. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were to buy " whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for fermented drink, or for whatever your soul desires."

The third year was different, they were to lay up their tithe in their own gates, the gates of their cities, instead of bringing it to the temple. From there the Levites, the homeless (alien), the orphans (fatherless) and widows were to partake of it.

Notice the blessing on keeping this practice, "so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."
Notice that they were instructed to "eat the tithe".

What does this mean, to eat your tithe? I thought the rule was that the tithe went to the Levites. Let's look at what the translator's commentary, Keil and Delitzsch, says,

K&D, e-sword

"Deu 14:22-23 -

As the Israelites were to sanctify their food, on the one hand, positively by abstinence from everything unclean, so were they, on the other hand, to do so negatively by delivering the tithes and firstlings at the place where the Lord would cause His name to dwell, and by holding festal meals on the occasion, and rejoicing there before Jehovah their God.

This law is introduced with the general precept, “Thou shalt tithe all the produce of thy seed which groweth out of the field year by year” ,which recalls the earlier laws concerning the tithe (Lev 27:30, and Num 18:21, Num 18:26.), without repeating them one by one, for the purpose of linking on the injunction to celebrate sacrificial meals at the sanctuary from the tithes and firstlings. Moses had already directed (Deu 12:6.) that all the sacrificial meals should take place at the sanctuary, and had then alluded to the sacrificial meals to be prepared from the tithes, though only causally, because he intended to speak of them more fully afterwards. This he does here, and includes the firstlings also, inasmuch as the presentation of them was generally associated with that of the tithes, though only causally, as he intends to revert to the firstlings again, which he does in Deu 15:19.

The connection between the tithes of the fruits of the ground and the firstlings of the cattle which were devoted to the sacrificial meals, and the tithes and first-fruits which were to be delivered to the Levites and priests, we have already discussed at Deut 12. The sacrificial meals were to be held before the Lord, in the place where He caused His name to dwell (see at Deu 12:5), that Israel might learn to fear Jehovah its God always; ... For the fear of the Lord is not merely a feeling of dependence upon Him, but also includes the notion of divine blessedness, which is the predominant idea here, as the sacrificial meals were to furnish the occasion and object of the rejoicing before the Lord. The true meaning therefore is, that Israel might rejoice with holy reverence in the fellowship of its God."

Most of the sacrificial offerings had celebration sacrificial feasts attached to them. If we read through the Law regarding the sacrifices we see that part is burned on the altar, the blood is poured out at the altar, the priest gets a leg, and the family feasts on the rest of it. Here we see that the tithe offering was similar. Part of the tithe was eaten in a harvest feast to the Lord.

This rule about the third year is mostly ignored in the modern churches teaching about tithing. They teach that all the tithe goes to the church house (storehouse) for the support of the pastoral staff (Levites) and maintenance of the church house (temple). Yet God, here directs that part of the tithe is eaten in a feast, each and every year, and on the third year, the storehouse (temple) does not get the tithe instead it stays with the family and is offered at the city gates, for all to partake on. Again a feast was enjoined, a harvest feast in their own city. Levites, aliens, orphans, widows were all to eat their fill at these feasts.

Keil and Delitzsch tells us this about the third year tithe.

K&D, e-sword

"Deu 14:28-29 -

Every third year, on the other hand, they were to separate the whole of the tithe from the year's produce (“bring forth,” sc., from the granary), and leaven it in their gates (i.e., their towns), and feed the Levites, the strangers, and the widows and orphans with it.

They were not to take it to the sanctuary, therefore; but according to Deu 26:12., after bringing it out, were to make confession to the Lord of what they had done, and pray for His blessing. “At the end of three years:” i.e., when the third year, namely the civil year, which closed with the harvest (see at Exo 23:16), had come to an end.

This regulation as to the time was founded upon the observance of the sabbatical year, as we may see from Deu 15:1, where the seventh year is no other than the sabbatical year. Twice, therefore, within the period of a sabbatical year, namely in the third and sixth years, the tithe set apart for a sacrificial meal was not to be eaten at the sanctuary, but to be used in the different towns of the land in providing festal meals for those who had no possessions, viz., the Levites, strangers, widows, and orphans.

Consequently this tithe cannot properly be called the “third tithe,” as it is by many of the Rabbins, but rather the “poor tithe,” as it was simply in the way of applying it that it differed from the “second” (see Hottinger, de decimies, exerc. viii. pp. 182ff., and my Archäol. i. p. 339). As an encouragement to carry out these instructions, Moses closes in Deu 14:29 with an allusion to the divine blessing which would follow their observance."

This third year tithe took place twice in the Sabbatical year cycle, the seventh year was the Sabbath year and the fields were to lie fallow, allowing anything to grow wild, without a true harvest, and allowing anyone to pick what they wanted to. We find this reference in Ex, 23;

Exo 23:10-11 , e-sword,LTHB

"And you shall sow your land six years, and you shall gather its produce. (11) And the seventh year you shall let it rest and let it alone, and the needy of your people shall eat. And what they leave, the animals of the field shall eat. So you shall do to your vineyard, to your oliveyard."

Interesting to me that those who hold up the Sabbath day law, (which are related in the next two verses), do not likewise hold up the Sabbath year law.

The reason for the Sabbath year is the same as for the third year tithe, that "the needy of your people shall eat. "

THIRD YEAR TITHE PRAYER

Deu 26:12-15, e-sword, LTHB

"(12) When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the orphan, and the widow, that they may eat inside your gates, and be filled, (13) then you shall say before Jehovah your God, I have consumed the devoted things from the house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the alien, to the orphan, and to the widow, according to all Your command which You have commanded me. I have not transgressed Your commands, and I have not forgotten. (14) I have not eaten of it in my mourning; nor have I put any of it away for uncleanness; nor have I given of it for the dead. I have listened to the voice of Jehovah my God. I have done according to all that You have commanded me. (15) Look down from Your holy habitation, from Heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land which You have given to us, as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."


That is all the direct references to tithing in the Law, 6 passages. Other references you might check out are those for the harvest feast and offerings, which is a synonyms term.

3. TITHING IN THE PROPHETS

PART 1: TITHING IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL

References: 2Ch 31:5-12; Neh 10:35-38; Neh 12:44, Neh 13:5, Neh 13:12

KING HEZIKIAH REINSTITUTES TEMPLE PRACTICE

2Ch 31:5-12, e-sword, LTHB

"(5)And as the word spread, the sons of Israel brought abundantly the firstfruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and the tithe of all; they brought very much. (6) And the sons of Israel and Judah, those living in the cities of Judah, also they tithed of the herd and the flock, even a tithe of the holy things that were sanctified to Jehovah their God, were brought in. And they gave heaps of heaps.

(7) They began to lay the foundation of the heaps in the third month, and in the seventh month they finished. (8) And Hezekiah and the leaders came in and saw the heaps, and blessed Jehovah and His people Israel. (9) And Hezekiah asked the priests and the Levites about the heaps.

(10) And Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, spoke to him and said, From the beginning of the bringing of the heave offering to the house of Jehovah, it was eaten, and it satisfied, and abundance was left; for Jehovah has blessed His people, and this abundance is left. (11) And Hezekiah ordered them to build rooms in the house of Jehovah; and they prepared, (12) and they brought in the heave offering, and the tithes, and the holy things, faithfully. And over them was a leader, the Levite Cononiah, and his second brother, Shimei;"

In this reference to tithing in the historical writings about Israel, we see King Hezikiah re-instituting the Temple practice. In this case the tithes.

REINSTITUTION OF TEMPLE PRACTICE AFTER THE BABYLONIAN EXILE

Neh 10:35-38, e-sword, LTHB

"(35)also to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of Jehovah; (36) also to bring the first-born of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the Law; and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God.

(37) And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all kinds of trees, of wine, and of oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; and they, the Levites, might have the tithes in all the cities we worked. (38) And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites, tithing the Levites; and the Levites shall bring up the tithes of the tithes to the house of our God to the rooms, into the treasure house."

Here Nehemiah is reporting how after the Babylonian exile, Israel reestablished the temple practice, in this case, tithing, firstfruits offerings.

NEHEMIAH REPORTS ABOUT THE TREASURY FOR THE OFFERINGS

Neh 12:44, e-sword, LTHB

"(44)And at that day some were chosen over the rooms for the treasuries, for the offerings for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather to them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the Law for the priests and the Levites. For Judah rejoiced for the priests, and for the Levites who waited."

An interesting part of this chapter helps explain where the Levites' tithe went.

Neh 12:47, e-sword, LTHB

"... And they set the holy things apart for the Levites; and the Levites set them apart for the sons of Aaron."

Israel tithed to the Temple for the Levites. The Levites tithed to the support of the priests, sons of Aaron.

Neh 13:5,e-sword, LTHB

"(5)(and he had prepared for himself a large room and there before they were giving the food offering, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the offerings of the priests)."

Neh 13:12, e-sword, LTHB

"(12)Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, and the new wine, and the oil, into the treasuries."


These passages show that tithing was always part of the temple practice. When the temple was not functioning, because of Israel's rebellion and neglect of the temple or during the exile, there was no tithe offering collected.

3.TITHING IN THE PROPHETS

References: Amo 4:4; Mal 3:8-10

ISRAEL'S TRANSGRESSIONS: TEMPLE ABANDONED

Amos 4:4-6, e-sword, LTHB

"(4) Come into Bethel and transgress; multiply transgressing at Gilgal. And bring your sacrifices for the morning, your tithes for three days; (5) and offer a sacrifice of a thanksgiving offering that is leavened. And cry out, call out the voluntary offerings! For so you love to do, sons of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah.

(6) And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in your places; and you have not returned to Me, declares Jehovah."

Israel is in rebellion in this period. They have abandoned the temple in Jerusalem, and are gathering at Bethel and Gilgal. Here God refers to tithing with the other acts of transgression that Israel is doing.

ISRAEL'S TRANSGRESSIONS: ROBBING GOD OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Mal 3:6-12, e-sword, LTHB

"(6) For I, Jehovah, change not. Because of this, you sons of Jacob are not destroyed. (7) From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says Jehovah of Hosts. But you say, In what shall we return?

(8) Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, In what have we robbed You? In the tithe and the offering! (9) You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the nation, all of it.

(10) Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. And test Me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, whether I will not open the windows of the heavens for you and pour out a blessing until there is no sufficiency of room to store it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for you, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground against you; nor shall your vine miscarry against you in the field, says Jehovah of Hosts. (12) And all nations shall call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land, says Jehovah of Hosts."

Again we see that Israel is transgressing against the law. They are failing to bring all of the tithes and offerings into the temple. The Levites do not have their food portions, there are no stores to distribute to the poor and needy.

CONCLUSION

In the Prophets we see corrective words given to Israel from God, during times of their transgressing of the law of the temple practice.

The Mosaic law is very clear that the tithe, ten percent, of the all harvests and yearlings of the flocks and herds, were to be brought to the Temple in Jerusalem for the support of the Levites. The Levites were the one chosen tribe from the twelve tribes of Israel, to serve in the tabernacle/temple. The Levites were not given an inheritance of land, instead God instituted the tithe to be their portion. The Levites gave a tithe of their portions, which went to the sons of Aaron, the priests, for their support.

The tithe or harvest offering, was also a feast time. The tithe was to be eaten in the temple courts.

Every third year the tithe was to be kept in the local city, placed in the city gates, and distributed there to the local Levites and needy, alien homeless, widows and orphans. A harvest feast was also eaten of this tithe.

Every seventh year there was no tithe offering, as there was no harvest. Being a Sabbath Year, the land was to not be worked but left fallow, allowing a volunteer crop to rise and all the needy to glean what they wanted from it.

God equates Israel not following the law regarding tithes and offerings as robbing Him.

So the Mosaic law of the tithe was to support the Levites and provide for the poor, or what we call welfare. This tax was exacted upon all of Israel, and administered by the Levites.

4. TITHING IN THE NEW TESTEMENT

References: Mat 23:23; Luk 11:42; Luk 18:12; Rom 15:15-16; Heb 7:1-14

JESUS CONDEMNING THE PRACTICES OF THE PHARISEES

Mat 23:23-24, e-sword, LTHB

"(23)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and you have left aside the weightier matters of the Law: judgment, and mercy, and faith. It was right to do these, and not to have left those aside. (24) Blind guides, straining out the gnat, but swallowing the camel!"

Luk 11:42, e-sword, LTHB

"But woe to you, Pharisees, for you pay tithes of the mint, and the rue, and every plant, and pass by the judgment and the love of God. It was right to do these things, but not to leave aside those."

Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for their self righteous practices, in this case being very exact in keeping the tithe law, but neglecting right judgement or justice, mercy and faith. The emphasis in this passage is the Pharisee's transgressions of the law, while they are seemingly keeping the law with scrupulous conscientiousness.

THE TWO MEN PRAYING

Luk 18:10-14 LITV

"(10)Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.
(11) The Pharisee was standing, praying these things to himself: God, I thank You that I am not as the rest of men, rapacious, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice on the sabbath; I tithe all things, as many as I get.

(13) And standing at a distance, the tax collector would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner!

(14) I say to you, This one went down to his house having been justified, rather than that one. For everyone exalting himself will be humbled. And the one humbling himself will be exalted."

Jesus again compares the self righteous attitude of the Pharisees, in this case to a tax collector, who were considered the lowest of the low as they worked for Rome collecting taxes. The Pharisees considered certain men and women sinners on the basis of their class or jobs. Tax collectors could never be righteous in the view of the Pharisees.

Jesus says the tax collector was "justified" while the Pharisee was not.

PAUL'S TITHE OFFERING OF THE NATIONS

Rom 15:15-16 LITV

"(15)But I wrote to you more boldly, brothers, as reminding you in part, because of the grace given to me by God, (16) for me to be a minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, sacredly ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

Paul here is using the illustration of the priest making offerings at the altar in the temple, with his gospel work as a minister of Jesus Christ to the nations.

The offering in mind here is the harvest or tithe offering.

CHRIST A PRIEST AFTER MELCHIZEDEK

Heb 7:1-14, e-sword, CEV

"(1)Melchizedek was both king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He was the one who went out and gave Abraham his blessing, when Abraham returned from killing the kings. (2) Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything he had. The meaning of the name Melchizedek is "King of Justice." But since Salem means "peace," he is also "King of Peace."

(3) We are not told that he had a father or mother or ancestors or beginning or end. He is like the Son of God and will be a priest forever. (4) Notice how great Melchizedek is! Our famous ancestor Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had taken from his enemies.

(5) The Law teaches that even Abraham's descendants must give a tenth of what they possess. And they are to give this to their own relatives, who are the descendants of Levi and are priests. (6) Although Melchizedek wasn't a descendant of Levi, Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had been given God's promise.

(7) Everyone agrees that a person who gives a blessing is greater than the one who receives the blessing. (8) Priests are given a tenth of what people earn. But all priests die, except Melchizedek, and the Scriptures teach that he is alive. (9) Levi's descendants are now the ones who receive a tenth from people. We could even say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, Levi also gave him a tenth. (10) This is because Levi was born later into the family of Abraham, who gave a tenth to Melchizedek.

(11) Even though the Law of Moses says that the priests must be descendants of Levi, those priests cannot make anyone perfect. So there needs to be a priest like Melchizedek, rather than one from the priestly family of Aaron. (12) And when the rules for selecting a priest are changed, the Law must also be changed.

(13) The person we are talking about is our Lord, who came from a tribe that had never had anyone to serve as a priest at the altar. (14) Everyone knows he came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never said that priests would come from that tribe."

The writer of Hebrews is building an argument for the righteous priesthood of Jesus Christ who was of the tribe of Judah in both his blood lines (as accounted by men, his father, Joseph and mother, Mary). Only those of Levi and of Aaron could be priests according to the Law. So to justify Jesus's priesthood, the writer uses Melchizedek as an example of an eternal priesthood.

Since Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, Melechizedek was a right priest of God. Since Melcizedek blessed Abraham, Melchizedek was Abraham's superior. Since Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, Jesus is a superior priest to those of the tribe of Levi.

This is the purpose of this passage.

CONCLUSION

My thesis is that tithing is a part of the Old Testement law, a temple tax, for the purpose of supporting the Levites and priesthood, and the needy in Israel.

As I have shown the tithe of the law is different from the tithe that most churches teach today.

The law of the tithe was a harvest offering, with a feast meal. The tithe was to be taken only to the Temple, when Israel was in rebellion, God condemned them for taking the tithe elsewhere or not paying it in full.

The tithe was for the support of the tribe of Levi, who were the temple workers and priests (sons of Aaron). Also the tithe was used as a welfare fund for the homeless alien, the widows and orphans. Part of the tithe was eaten as a harvest feast to the Lord.

Never was the tithe called to be used for the maintenance of the temple, that was a different offering exacted upon each male of Israel, annually.

Every third year the tithe was not taken to the temple but was kept in the local city, delivered to the city gates to be distributed there to the Levites, alien homeless, widows and orphans, along with a harvest feast.

Every seventh year there was no tithe as there was no harvest.

5. TITHING IN THE WRITINGS OF THE ANTE-NICENE FATHERS

Looking now at the writings of the early church writers, whom some call the Early Church Fathers (and by such are these writings published), we find only six references to tithing. Four of them are using Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees as an illustration of self rigtheousness, only these two deal with their attitude towards the tithe and giving.

TEACHING TO THE SHARING OF ALL POSSESSIONS, NOT TITHING

Iraneaus, Book 4, Chapter 13, Pg. 949

"3. And for this reason did the Lord, instead of that [commandment],
“Thou shalt not commit adultery,” forbid even concupiscence; and instead
of that which runs thus, “Thou shalt not kill,” He prohibited anger; and
instead of the law enjoining the giving of tithes, [He told us] to share all
our possessions with the poor;"

Iraneaus here compares the giving of tithes to Jesus instruction to give all of one's possessions to the poor.

TEACHING COMPARING JEWISH TITHING WITH CHRISTIAN GIVING

Iraneaus, Book 4, Chapter 18, Pg. 964

"2. And the class of oblations in general has not been set aside; for there
were both oblations there [among the Jews], and there are oblations here
[among the Christians]. Sacrifices there were among the people; sacrifices
there are, too, in the Church: but the species alone has been changed,
inasmuch as the offering is now made, not by slaves, but by freemen. For
the Lord is [ever] one and the same; but the character of a servile oblation
is peculiar [to itself], as is also that of freemen, in order that, by the very
oblations, the indication of liberty may be set forth. For with Him there is
nothing purposeless, nor without signification, nor without design. And
for this reason they (the Jews) had indeed the tithes of their goods
consecrated to Him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their
possessions for the Lord’s purposes, bestowing joyfully and freely not
the less valuable portions of their property, since they have the hope of
better things [hereafter]; as that poor widow acted who cast all her living
into the treasury of God."

Iraneaus here compares the Jews giving tithes, with Christians setting aside all their possessions for the Lord's purposes, because of the hope of better things hereafter.

These references show that the early church did not teach tithing. Instead they taught stewardship of all possessions, setting aside all possessions for the Lord's purposes.

The lack of even mention of tithing, let alone the lack of teaching to tithe. shows in it's silence, that the whole of the church did not teach this Old Testement temple practice.

References

Ante-Nicene Fathers, The Master Christian Library, Ages Software Version 8, 2000

Bible, using the Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, from the free e-sword service.

Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge (I expanded each reference to show the context of the tithe reference)

Tithe, Tithes, Tithing:

Gen 14:20, Gen 28:22; Lev 27:30-32; Num 18:21-24; Num 28:26-31; Deu 12:5, Deu 12:6, Deu 12:17, Deu 14:22, Deu 14:23; Deu 14:28; Deu 26:12 2Ch 31:5, 2Ch 31:6, 2Ch 31:12; Neh 10:37, Neh 10:38, Neh 12:44, Neh 13:5, Neh 13:12; Amo 4:4; Mal 3:8-10; Mat 23:23; Luk 18:12; Luk 11:42, Luk 18:12; Rom 15:16; Heb 7:4-9

Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testement (K&D), e-sword, a Hebrew Bible translator's commentary.

Thayer's Greek Definintions, e-sword, Greek Dictionary

Brown-Driver-Brigg's Hebrew Definitions, e-sword, Hebrew dictionary

NT Assembly Life, Part 2

NT Assembly Life, Part 2
By Kent Secor

THE ETERNAL PURPOSES OF GOD

Let us now look at Ephesians. This letter was written with an overview of God's purposes in the earth. There doesn't seem to be any gross errors that Paul was dealing with in this letter. Remember Paul was able to stay for 3 years with the Ephesians’ assembly before the idol makers had him run out of town. So he was able to lay the foundations of Christ very well with them. Here he is writing to strengthen the foundation of Christ. This letter contains Paul's discussion regarding the eternal purposes of God.

Let's look at Paul's opening statement, Ephesians 1:3-10 (NIV) emphasis mine;
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace the he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."

One of the important messages in this letter from Paul is that our life is Christ centered. Too much of the teaching in the churches today, in my opinion, is man centered. It's too much about how we get saved, and even the heart of this discussion is man centered, how we are to meet.

The most important thing in our lives in Christ is Christ.

Look at the main subject in Paul's statement:

"...in Christ....he chose ....in him...in his sight...he predestined.....his sons.......his pleasure and will...praise of his glorious grace....he has freely given.....In him,.....his blood.....grace he lavished ......he made known.....his will.....his good pleasure....he purposed in Christ....."

Paul is clearly talking about a Christ/God centered topic here. And that brings me to my main topic here, let me state it this way; It's all about Him, it's not about us, we just get to enjoy His work in the earth. Do you get that? Our salvation is not about us, it's about God using us to display his grace to the universe, it's for “the praise of his glorious grace“, we get to enjoy the results of his salvation work. But we are really the work that shows his grace. The man centered teaching of easy believism, (come to Jesus, he will give you love, peace, and joy) makes it seem that God is doing all this for our benefit alone, this produces converts who continue to seek God for what He will give to them, continued love, peace and joy.

The truth is we are saved for a demonstration of His grace and we continue to show His grace as we grow in grace, as it says “we grow from grace to grace.”

This life in Christ is all about “His good pleasure”, as it says, “He is at work in us both to will and do His good pleasure.”

Another point here, which is an expression of the eternal purposes of God;

“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.”

Do you see here what the purpose of God is? The mystery that the prophets of old only saw in part and didn't understand, because it was to be fulfilled in Jesus long after their time on earth was over. A mystery that was only revealed after the Holy Spirit was poured out upon all flesh and the NT prophets were given the full revelation of Christ to come. Jesus and the future kingdom, when all the kingdoms, that of Heaven and those of earth will be brought under the one head, the one King, Jesus the Anointed One.

Again, I repeat, this whole life, the whole of creation is about God, and Jesus. Jesus is the Rightful Ruler of all of creation.

So within assembly life, while we are loving one another, and working our salvation out with fear and trembling, we need to keep always in mind, Jesus, is our Lord and King, He is our Head.

I will not quote the whole of the letter to the Ephesians, let me just give you the points relevant to this discussion, ones which I hope will bring this letter into better focus for us.

(Side Note:The NT letters were not written with chapters and verses, these are very modern additions. When studying them we need to keep them in context, to take sentences/ verses out of context can easily change the apparent meaning of them. These letters were written to be read as a whole. Please read the whole of Ephesians to see the context of the verses I will quote.)

Eph 1:11, 12 (NIV)
"In him, we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory."

Do you see here, it is all according to His plan for the praise of His glory?

Eph 1:22, 23 (NIV)
"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church (assembly, Greek: ecclesia), which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

Christ is over all, all things are placed under his feet, He is the head of all things for us his assembly, His body. He fills everything. The emphasis here is Jesus, not the assemblies.Him, not us.

Eph2:4-7 (NIV)
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you were saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."


Again the subject here is God, “his great love....who is rich in mercy....God raised....seated us...he might show...in Christ Jesus”

We are the recipients of this work, “His great love for us....God...made us alive with Christ....God raised us up with Christ.....He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Did you get that? We are HIS workmanship, as Paul says in a following verse.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Do you see what Paul is saying here, it's not about us; we are the workmanship that God is using to display the riches of His grace and love. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “we are the clay, you are the potter.” Is 64:8

Another thing I'd like to point out here, in the teaching of the easy believism, this verse is often not given with the preceding ones, we hear Eph. 2:8,9 quoted all the time, I'm sure you can quote them verbatim. But when you read it in context you see that salvation by grace through faith in Christ is not the end in itself but rather just the start, we are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” these good works are what God had purposed for us to do from the foundation of the world. We are born again, saved to the praise of God's grace, we live, “do good works” for the same reason, to be to the praise of God's glorious grace. Brethren, if you do good works for some heavenly reward, you are not yet in a mature view of things. Remember, even the crowns we are given, as rewards, we will cast down at our Lord's feet, to the praise of His glorious grace.

Ephesians 2:15, 16 (NIV)
"...His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, and in this new body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility."

Here is a view of God's workmanship in us; he took of two peoples, two men, Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised, and made one man, the Body of Christ, one people, one group of believers, in Christ Jesus.

We are part of God's eternal purposes.

Ephesians 3:10, 11 (NIV)
"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

God's eternal purposes are accomplished in Jesus, his work on the cross, his death and resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father; His headship over the assembly, his body.

On this foundation of the accomplished work of Christ, the bringing peace to the peoples of the earth by bringing together two men into one, the body of Christ, all for His glory alone, for His eternal purposes, Paul now shares important ideas regarding assembly life.

Ephesians 4:1-16 (NIV)
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.....But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.....

...It was he who gave some to be apostles (emissaries), some to be prophets (spokesmen of God's word), some to be evangelists (proclaimers of the Good News), some to be pastors (overseers) and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

First let me point out the emphasis I see here. Paul is discussing how the body grows and functions, and the goal of the body is to “grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”

There is no other goal in the assembly then to grow up into Christ and demonstrate his life in our communities, our assemblies. Every other work of our assemblies comes from this.

Second, the so-called five fold ministry, the elder's functions in the assembly are not an end to themselves, they are merely servants, their purpose is “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”, they are not “THE MINISTERS” as is often the case in modern Christianity, no, the whole of the assembly, every person are ministers.

One illustration I use to describe this idea is a King's house. Within the King's large house (Imagine the Queen of England's Castle, Buckingham Palace, in London), there are many areas of concern, the kitchens, the bedrooms and chambers, the main hall, the outer walls and guards needed. Each area has it's steward over it, he manages the affairs of the servants in that given area, over the whole household is the chief steward, Yet the stewards are still servants of the Queen (King), their charge is to make sure the other servants in their oversight have what they need to perform their duties. This includes training in how to fulfill their duties as well as the supplies to do them.

I see these five areas of functioning elders in the body of Christ in this way, they are mature believers, trained, tried, and trusted servants who function as emissaries, prophets, proclaimers of the Good News, overseers, and teachers. They do these functions and disciple others in doing them. Their charge is to “prepare God's people for works of service.”

See also how the body is built up, by doing the works of service. The body is not built up by teaching only, but by being instructed and then doing the works of service. Too many today think that our charge is to teach only, but there is so much empty teaching. Teaching about the minutia of doctrine and little real teaching about how to live practical Godly lives in Christ Jesus.

It is vitally important that our teaching has the goal of preparing God's people to do the works of service. It must be practical, how to live stuff, how to love, how to serve.

It is the whole body functioning doing “works of service” that produces the “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It is not by teaching alone, education is part of the process, but it is as the body applies the teaching, practices the teaching that the maturing process happens.

If we teach only we will have fellowships of infant believers, it takes doing to really learn.

For example, in taking an automobile driving course, was it enough to just read a book or hear a lecture about how to drive? Or did the real education come by sitting behind the wheel of a car with another mature driver beside you to instruct you in the real world, on the road, how to drive?

In my trade, as an electrician, part of my duties is to train new people in the trade. Part of this is the National Electric Code, which governs and details the practices of our trade, telling us what to do to prevent fires and injury to people. But if all I did was lecture my young apprentice in the Code, he would never really become an electrician. An electrician does know the NEC, but he also knows how to install electrical components to make lights come on and motors work. The goal is not to know the NEC, but to understand the NEC so as to do better, safer electrical work.

So, I model the proper way to do the work, make sure my young charge has the correct tools and knows how to use them. I show him how to do a part of the work, and then let him do it. I come back and check it out and correct him as needed, as he learns one part I give him more to do. While teaching him how to do the work, I discuss the why of what we are doing. How electricity works, why the NEC states we should do it one way and not another. I share stories of what happens when someone does not follow proper and safe procedures.

In short I disciple him in the trade. This to me is what the Body of Christ has been called to do and why I see just having lectures (sermons) as being weak and faulty. Only as my fellow electrician can “do” his work is my company (body) made stronger. If my apprentice does not do his work, no matter how much I teach him, would I be wise to keep him in my employ? Will the Lord be wise to keep in His household those servants who refuse to do their work, even though well taught? And if the problem is that the elders are not properly discipling (training) them, who do you think the King will hold responsible?

Back to Ephesians...

The main emphasis I see here, after the whole of the body being built up into the Head, Jesus, is that the body grows by functioning:

“...to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up”

“...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

“As each part does its work,“ as each one of us does our work, whatever that is according to the grace of God given to us, as each one of us functions we build ourselves up in love.

It's not a matter of having proper doctrines; the proper teaching prepares the body to function, to do good works, to serve one another, to love one another. In this way the whole local community of believers (I am speaking here of the fellowship you belong to, not some universal body of believers, but the ones you see all the time and can actually, and practically love in real works), is built up in “unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Maturity comes by the whole body functioning, not teaching only.

What does this have to do with our meetings? The goal of our corporate life is to build one another up in Christ. The whole of creation is about Jesus. In determining what the NT Assembly practice was we first must realize that they met to encourage one another and build one another up in Christ, to trust him more, to love one another in real acts of service to one another.


PAUL'S TRADITION OF ASSEMBLY MEETINGS

1 Corinthians 11-14

In this passage we see Paul dealing with the tradition that he taught the new assemblies.

In many towns and cities he was only there for a short time period, in others he was able to stay for a longer time period. It all depended on the attitudes of the local population.

Paul had founded the assembly in Corinth. During his absence and further travels and work, some in the Corinthian assembly turned from the ways he had taught and started doing some things wrong. Let me quote the note in my study Bible regarding the situation in Corinth.

"Paul received information from several sources concerning the conditions existing in the church at Corinth. Some members of the household of Chloe had informed him of the factions that had developed in the church (1:11). There were three individuals - Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus - who had come to Paul in Ephesus to make some contribution to his ministry (16:17), but whether these were the ones from Chloe's household we do not know.

Some of those who had come had brought disturbing information concerning moral irregularities in the church (chs.5-6). Immorality had plagued the Corinthian assembly almost from the beginning. From 5:9-10 it is apparent that Paul had written previously concerning moral laxness. He had urged believers “not to associate with sexually immoral people” (5:9). Because of misunderstanding he now finds it necessary to clarify his instructions (5:10-11) and to urge immediate and drastic action (5:3-5, 13).

Other Corinthian visitors had brought a letter from the church that requested counsel on several subjects (see 7:1; cf. 8:1; 12:1; 16:1).

It is clear that, although the church was gifted (see 1:4-7), it was immature and unspiritual (3:1-4). Paul's purposes for writing were: (1) to instruct and restore the church in its areas of weakness, correcting erroneous practices such as divisions (1:10-4:21), immorality (5; 6:12-20), litigation in pagan courts (6:1-8) and abuse of the Lord's supper (11:17-34); (2) to correct false teaching concerning the resurrection (15); and (3) to give instruction concerning the offering for poverty stricken believers in Jerusalem (16:1-4)." (NIV Study Bible, Zondervan)

Some questions arise as to the reason for this letter. Why did the assembly of Corinth write Paul to address these issues? Was not Jerusalem, where the twelve were, the center of the church? Wouldn't Peter or the elder James, be better ones to write to with these questions? Why Paul?

This assembly in Corinth had been founded by Paul; it was under his ministry, as an emissary, that they came to know Christ. He had laid the foundation of Christ, taught them about Him and led them to having a relationship with Him. Within his work of emissary, whose work is to “lay the foundation which is Christ”, he is now called upon to shore up the foundations of this assembly.

Paul had the relationship with them; he was to most of them a spiritual father in the faith, as he had led them to saving faith in Christ. It only makes sense that they would turn to the one who they respected as their father in the faith for these questions. They didn't know Peter, James, John or the others. Some of these other emissaries may have traveled through Corinth, yet they turn to Paul, their spiritual father in the faith.

We must keep in mind that this is a corrective letter. Paul does not lay out all the traditions he had taught them, those foundational teachings were already taught them, in person. Here we see Paul correcting the practice out of the traditions he taught them previously. They knew what to do, how to act, how to meet. They were just doing some things wrong and needed correction.

After dealing with other issues, in Chapter 11, Paul turns to the traditions he taught them.

1 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV)
"I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you."

This word in the NIV here; teachings; in the Greek is, paradosis, (Strong's number 3862).

Thayer tells us it means; "a giving over, giving up

1. the act of giving up, the surrender: of cities

2. a giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing, i.e. tradition by instruction, narrative, precept, etc.....objectively, what is delivered, the substance of the teaching: so Paul's teaching....particular injunctions of Paul's instruction,..."

We see here that this teaching established a tradition, which Paul says they were keeping, and keeping well. There was no need here at this time to teach them the traditions all over again. They only needed some points corrected in their practice of them. It is important as we look at this passage that we keep this in mind.

The elements (if you will) of this tradition of meeting is hidden in the corrective wording of this passage. Let us look at the elements of this tradition in outline.

1. Men and Women in the Meeting

2. The Lord's Supper: Agape feast

3. Spiritual Gifts

4. Body Life

5. Love Above All

6. Edify the Body

7. Instruct and Encourage

These are the main subjects of this letter and main elements of the tradition Paul taught them, by looking at these passages we can see what the NT Assembly Practice in meeting was.

1. Men and Women in the Meeting:

1 Corinthian 11:3-16
"Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head - it is just as though her head were shaved....."

Now I don't want to turn this into men vs. women issue, as I don't see that in the context at all. What is being presented here is that there is a special relationship between a husband and wife. When I studied this passage out I didn't come away with the idea that all women in an assembly meeting must wear some kind of head covering, instead I saw that the wife represents the union with her husband and there is a certain propriety involved while in a group. As I have never been married I don't suppose to have any great insight to this union, of the two becoming one, within the marriage union of husband and wife.

What elements of the assembly meeting are mentioned here? They are prayer and prophesying.

I think this term; prophesying needs some defining. The Greek is propheetuo (Strong's number, 4395). KJV translates as, prophesied; or (shall or did) prophesy; (that) prophesieth.

Thayers tells us it means:

"...to prophesy, i.e. to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspiration; to predict...

b....with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining to esp. to the kingdom of God...

c. to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation...

d. to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or in praise of the divine counsels...
...or under the like prompting, to teach, refute, reprove, admonish, comfort others

e. to act as a prophet, discharge the prophetic office..."

This would be distinguished from just being a teacher, and is not like our modern idea of a preacher. As we see in Thayer's definition of the Greek word, it always involves divine inspiration. So it is not just a matter of teaching or preaching the word of God, it involves more than just the intellect. There is an element of revelation in it.

In the meeting of the assembly we see here two of the things they did together, prayer and prophesying. And both men and women prayed and prophesied. The issue here deals with husband and wife and the wife showing proper honor to her husband.

Some today think that this is teaching that all women must wear a head covering while in a meeting. If a woman does not wear a head covering she is thought to not be in proper submission to the men in the group. Also in these churches they believe that all women are to remain silent in meeting, an idea I will deal with presently as it falls in context. In this context we see women praying and prophesying along with men in the same meetings.

As to this idea of head coverings, I've studied out what this head covering was to the Corinthian culture and the cultures of the NT times in general, what I found was, it was a veil that was worn over the head and fell to the hem of the woman's skirt, much like some Muslim women must wear today in Muslim countries. It was never a little doily worn on the head, or a bonnet like the Amish or Mennonite married women wear, nor any kind of hat. Yet this is what the “head covering” churches practice.

I'd like to address another important idea in forming teachings. It is not a good idea to form a hard fast teaching with only one scripture passage to back it up. This is one of those one passage doctrines that have become a point of schism in the Body of Christ. The Brethren (who practice this women's head covering doctrine), call it a point of distinction. I see it as a sin against Christ, as Paul refers to the schisms in Corinth at the beginning of this letter.

It takes the context of the whole revelation of God to form a proper teaching. And at times the historical and cultural context is necessary to understand the context of the written records we have of God's revelation. This is just such a case.

The head covering in societies that practice it means to show the submission of the woman to a man, the father or husband. The point in Muslim society is to protect the beauty of the woman for their husband, although they also teach that woman is a sinful, dirty sex, able to entice a righteous man from the path of Islam (Righteousness). Therefor the woman must be veiled to keep her sinful beauty and enticements from the gaze of men.

Seems to me if the Muslim men were so righteous they could look on a beautiful woman and see the beauty the Creator made in them and glorify Him who made them so beautiful. To be so easily tempted by simple beauty shows the wickedness and unregenerate nature of their hearts.

This practice is a very cultural one; I do not see where in our society that a woman wearing a hat means she is in submission to her husband. We in this society do wear wedding rings to show we are in a committed marriage relationship, other cultures do not, and in fact this custom is based on pagan practices. We could make it a matter of doctrine that every wife must have a wedding ring on to show she is showing due honor to her husband. In some countries the bride wears a nose ring, some wear a dowry head piece or necklace made of gold coins, these all denote a married woman in other cultures.

In the culture of the NT it was the wearing of the veil in public, which included the meetings of the assemblies.

Again the elements of the NT Assembly meeting here is prayer and prophesying by the men and the women.

THE LORD'S SUPPER

2. The Lord's Supper: an Agape Feast.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34; (the Lord's Table: 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1)

Two passages here deal with the practice of keeping the Lord's Supper or the Lord's Table or Agape Feast, as the NT and early Assemblies termed it.

This is all based on the last supper our Lord ate with his students on the night he was betrayed.

This last supper was a Passover supper, the normal yearly remembrance feast that all Israel celebrated, in which the sacrificed lamb was eaten in remembrance of the Lord's salvation of the first born of Israel from the last plague on Egypt and their deliverance from Egypt.

During this ritualized meal, the Lord departed from the normal liturgy, during the cup of redemption, he referred to it as, “my blood of the covenant, shed for you” and the last unleavened bread eaten in the meal, the Afrikomen, the desert, he said, “...this is my body broken for you”. Of this meal, this cup, this bread, he said two things, that as often as they ate these they were to eat it, they were to do so in remembrance of Him, and He would not eat this again until He ate it with them in His kingdom.

Matthew 26: 26-30 (NIV)
...“Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.”

When they had sung a hymn, they departed out to the Mount of Olives.

Luke 22: 14:-22 (NIV)
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. ...”


These passages form the basis for the tradition of the Lord's Supper that Paul taught as well as the other emissaries, Peter, John, James, Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Silas, and the others. It was not a Passover remembrance ritual meal. It was based on it, but the celebration, the remembrance, was of the sacrifice of Christ, the deliverance from the slave bonds of sin, the defeating of the great enemies, Satan, sin and death, by Christ Jesus. Also it was a looking forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb yet to come at the establishing of His Kingdom reign upon the earth.

Let's look now at the passages under consideration. The Corinthian letter is the only one to deal directly with this topic in such detail. Paul does not give the whole tradition again, just gives correction in how they were keeping it.

1 Corinthians 10:14 - 11:1 (NIV)
"Therefore, my dear friends flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the body of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's Table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

“Everything is permissible“- but not everything is beneficial. ”Everything is permissible“- but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.”....

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jew, Greeks or the church of God - even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. "

The elements of the Lord's Supper Paul mentioned here are:

1) Cup of Thanksgiving.
2) Breaking of the One Loaf or Breaking Bread.

These are major elements in the Passover (Seder) observance, used to illustrate the grace God showed Israel in their deliverance. In the Lord's Supper, it illustrates, “a participation in the blood of Christ“and”a participation in the body of Christ“.

Paul says the fact that they used one loaf signified that they all belonged to one body. It showed their unity in Christ.

Paul compares the Lord's Table to the table of demons. Corinth was a major center of commerce. It was at the cross roads of shipping, at the bottom of the peninsula of Greece. Lots of merchandise was off loaded on the west coast and transported by mule trains and carts across the land to be loaded again in ships at the docks of Corinth. This made Corinth a very cosmopolitan city, with temples to all the major gods.

Part of all pagan worship was the sacrificing of animals for sin offerings and fellowship offerings to please and appease the gods, and to beseech them for their favors. Drink offerings of wine, offerings of oil, flour and grains were also given, much as we see in the offerings proscribed for Israel. These provided for the care and up keep of the priests of the temples, and part of the offerings were eaten in feast unto the god, the idol. This too we see in the sacrificial offerings of Israel. They ate in honor of the Lord Yahweh, God.

Paul is addressing the habit of some in Corinth, who though they were saved and in the assembly of Christ, still were going to the temples of the idols to offer sacrifices there and eat a feast to the idols. There were also major feast days when certain gods were honored by the whole town, or at least large segments of them.

Paul is teaching that you can not honor demons and Christ. If you are trusting in Christ for your salvation, why are you going to the demons, or idols? What could be your reason? Are you seeking to hedge your bet? Just make sure? Give the idol a little offering and maybe the seas will be more favorable? Perhaps they were concerned with being cut off from their families and community, a very real concern, as to much of Roman society the Christians were atheists and treasons.

Today we do not have idols we make sacrifices to, at least not so much in America or Europe. But there are some who still do such things. Santeria is a big animist religion from the Caribbean islands, that some in America practice. And around the world there are those who do such things.

Back to the discussion at hand. The tradition Paul gave them included keeping the Lord's Supper or Lord's Table. It involved a meal, with the “cup of thanksgiving” and “breaking of bread”. These represented their participation in the Body of Christ, their unity in Christ alone.

Another basis of this feast was the covenant meal of “blood covenant” which was practiced throughout the region in their day. I will address this later in another article.

The Lord's Supper, Part 2

1Corinthians 11:17-34 (NIV)
"In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.

When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!"

Let me break in here and make a couple of comments.

First, Paul here is discussing a normal meeting “...for your meetings.....when you come together as a church....When you come together ...”

What they did when they met was to eat a dinner, “When you come together....Lord's Supper you eat.” We know it was a full meal because of the descriptions Paul uses of “One remains hungry, another gets drunk.” You do not go hungry from a ritual meal of a piece of bread (or small soup cracker). Nor do you get drunk from a sip of wine (or shot glass of grape juice). This had to be a full meal. We see in the descriptions of the early Church Fathers, that this was always a full meal, with enough for the poor among them to take some home. This was a part of the welfare system. We see this in the ministrations towards the widows of the first assembly in Jerusalem, where table servants (translation of the Greek word deaconi) would distribute the widows’ portions to them.

Second was the emphasis of the correction here. Paul is chiding them for “despising the church of God, and humiliating those who have nothing...” Is this the unity of the one loaf and one cup Paul just discussed?

Let's continue with the passage:

1Corinthians 11:23-26
"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

In a concise way Paul gives the tradition that he learned from Jesus himself. This is the basic idea of the believer's celebration meal, Jesus' sacrifice for the sins of all men.

Let's continue;

1Corinthians 11:27-34
"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we are to judges ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.

When I come I will give further directions."

Paul says “therefore” referring to the preceding idea of the bread and cup being a remembrance of the Lord's death. “...in an unworthy manner...” and “...sinning against the body and blood of the Lord,” are ideas that are bandied about much, and given numerous interpretations.

In context it is referring to the body of Christ, the fellowship of believers gathered for the shared meal. “...do you despise the church of God, and humiliate those who have nothing?...when you gather to eat, wait for each other....” Some in Corinth were eating before all could eat and drinking to drunkenness before all could share in the wine.

I've read how many in the Gentile assemblies were slaves and so could not leave their master's house until given leave to. Many would be living on meager portions and would look forward to a share in the Agape Feast; in fact they would need their share to survive the coming week. Those who were freemen could arrive early and probably provided most of the food and wine. Some of them would be eating as soon as they arrived, while the poor slaves arrived late, with little left for them to eat. This in context is what Paul was discussing to correct.

In this passage we see again that they met to eat, the central part of their meetings was the feast, the Lord's Supper as Paul called it.

Spiritual Gifts and love

1Corinthians 12:1-14:40

Paul continues his discussion of the Corinthians' meeting with further correction of their errors. Again I point out that this is corrective and we can see the tradition of what Paul taught them to practice by seeing the elements he was discussing. I'm not going to deal with the gifts themselves here as that is meat for another discussion.

What I see here is that the Holy Spirit operated gifts through the members of the assembly when they were gathered.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given, for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of the one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."

What I see here is that “each one” had a manifestation of the Spirit, as Paul said in verses 4 and 5, there are different kinds of gifts and service but all by the same Spirit and Lord.

Paul next in dealing further with the idea of the gifts being given for the “common good“ builds up the comparison of the assembly of believers to a physical body.

1Corinthians 12:12-31
"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say.........As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

.....there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; of one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.......eagerly desire the greater gifts."

I only quoted the parts I wish to address here in trying to see the basic practice of a NT assembly meeting. This I see as Paul's main emphasis here, that the assembly takes the same care for each other as your bodies' parts care for the others. If you hit your thumb with a hammer, does only your thumb hurt? Does the rest of your body just stand there and do nothing? I know mine jumps and hollers with the thumbs pain, and I might utter a word or two that I have to apologize for saying and repent of.

The assembly was to see each one as being important, each one's gift was needed by the whole, and each one was to function in the meeting.

As to gifts that operated in the NT assembly meetings, Paul lists these;

"...message of wisdom....message of knowledge...faith...gifts of healing....miraculous powers...prophecy....distinguishing of spirits...speaking in different kinds of tongues...interpretation of tongues..."

Paul lists different parts of the assembly as;

"...apostles...prophets...teachers...workers of miracles...gifts of healing...those able to helper others....gifts of administration...those speaking different kinds of tongues."

Paul now gives the guiding principle above all the others; the highest element in an assembly meeting is loving one another, which again is a statement of the command of Jesus.

This was to be the character of their assembly meetings, dealing with one another in love, expressing love towards one another. Being ...patient...kind...not envying...not boasting....not proud...not rude...not self-seeking...not easily angered...keeping no record of wrongs...not delighting in evil...rejoicing with the truth...protecting...trusting...hoping...preserving...towards each one. (Reference from 1 Corinthians 13)

In Chapter 14 Paul continues his discussion to “eagerly desire the greater gifts”, by comparing tongues with prophecy. His stated goal here was that things be done “...so that the church may be edified.” There for he says to “...eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” Again the goal is to build each other up in love.

Paul gives us a very clear picture of what a NT assembly meeting was like in a short passage;

1Corinthians 14:26
"What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."

The tradition Paul taught the assemblies to hold to in their gatherings, in their meetings was an open participatory sharing. Everyone came to share something. It was open with little to no format; none is mentioned in the whole of the NT. We can not assume by the silence of any mention of a liturgy that they held to none, many of the early believers were Jewish and familiar with synagogue practice which enjoined a liturgy, so some assemblies may have followed some liturgy. Paul never mentions one, in any of his letters. Because of this I assume that this was left up to the individual assemblies to practice according to their culture, and not of serious consideration.

Conclusion

In conclusion what I see of NT Assembly practice involved a daily, loving of one another in real acts of service, supplying the needs of each other, in fulfillment of the commandment of Christ, to love one another.

They met to share a meal, in which the leftovers where taken home by all who had needs. They had open participatory sharing times in which the Holy Spirit would operate among them with gifts. They all came to share something, a song, a revelation, a teaching, whatever. And they came to build each other up by encouraging each other in the Lord.

In outline I would present it this way;

NT Assembly Practice

1. Assembly made up of believers in Christ only.

2. Loving one another is the main goal and character.

3. Functioned as an extended family.

4. Met weekly to share a common meal, Lord's Supper, (Agape Feast).

5. Had open, participatory times of sharing at their, Lord's Supper/Agape Feasts.


Now the questions for us to consider is, what does this have to do with us today?