Matthew 23:23-24 (Hypocrisy)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!" (Matthew 23:23-24).
Have you ever skimmed over a passage of Scripture only to be taken back by it as if you never read it before? Matthew 23:23-24 is a prime example because Jesus takes a concept most Christians are aware of (tithing) but adds a dimension which transcends our preconceived notions.
Leviticus 27:30 begins our understanding of what Scripture defines regarding tithing: "Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord." God directly addresses the discipline of giving back to Himself a portion of the monetary blessings He has bestowed on us, specifically the first fruits of our labor (Deuteronomy 26:1-4).
This is critical for it provides earthly provisions which are necessary to support the local church, just as it did for the priests and Levites of the nation Israel. Scripture also defines that the minimum value of a tithe is considered a tenth of the total allotted (Leviticus 27:32), although one should not feel limited to give only that amount.
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (1 Corinthians 9:6-7).
The issue of tithing is paramount to the Christian faith. If we think about it, God grants us incredible grace and mercy by providing for all our needs to which we should not worry or stress about in the slightest. Jesus specifically addressed this point in Matthew 6:27.
"And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"
The beauty of Christ's message is the “cause and effect” principle of trusting God's promises while applying His absolute truth in our lives according to His will.
"Therefore do not be anxious saying, 'What shall we eat?' or ' What shall we drink' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:31-33).
Tithing is simply a measure of our obedience (and attitude as well) that God's sufficiency is far greater than what we desire. By applying the principle of tithing in our lives, we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He blesses our obedience beyond measure.
What then is the critical takeaway of Matthew 23:23-24? Tithing is an important discipline which cannot be ignored nor neglected, but Jesus reminds us that tithing is far and away a heart issue which supersedes observance to religious law.
Keep in mind, Jesus does not minimize the necessity of tithing but elevates the importance of tithing from a thankful heart. In other words, the scribes and Pharisees tithed out of religious obligation, and we are wise not to make the same mistake.
James 1:22 states this plainly: "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." If we focus on parts of Scripture while neglecting its exegetical entirety, we can easily fall victim to Jesus' admonition to the scribes and Pharisees. For no verse of God's Word is devalued by another, because "all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
The context of Matthew 23:23-24 is striking because it drives a stake into our hearts. For tithing is not merely a Scriptural law Jesus uses to make a finer point, but a concept which can be broadened to expand our understanding of sacrifical giving as a whole.
For instance, if we begin to offer our lives (and not just our monetary possessions) to God as a tithe offering, remembering that we submit our first-fruits (which can include our time, resources, attention, services, thoughts, and attitudes), we will begin to comprehend how the Holy Spirit speaks conviction to our hearts.
It is as if the Lord is saying, "You obediently apply My Word (i.e. tithe) on specific issues which are passionate to your heart, but you fail to recognize how you are neglecting the truth of My Word." Deuteronomy 15:7-11 is a perfect illustration of Christ's point.
"If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’"
Therefore, we should not only give a tenth of our monetary possessions to the church as a tithe offering, but also meet the needs of others as God wills and to bless others sacrificially.
Note though that helping others in need should not supersede or replace our tithe obligations, lest we diminish God's Word against itself. Both are equally important and must be applied daily.
We cannot allow our hearts and minds to be weighed down by frustration and hopelessness because we continually fall short of the mark. God promises immeasurable blessings for those who do His will, and He will meet us in the valley if we humble ourselves and submit to His sovereign authority.
Look no further that Malachi 3:6-12 as an example of God's incredible grace and mercy to those who trust Him and fulfill His commands.
"For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 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 the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts."
God challenges us to put His faithfulness to the test. The real question is whether we will tithe our first fruits with thankful hearts or grumble and complain about having to tithe at all?
Keep in mind, the Lord does not promise earthly riches in exchange for trust and obedience, but "a peace of God which surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). Thus, the decision is ours to choose whether we will obey His commands or fall victim to His solemn warning: "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many" (Matthew 7:13).
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 4, 2009 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
