Jesus Didn’t Tithe—And Nor Should You (Part 2)

In my last blog, we uncovered a few not-so-little truths:

• Biblical tithing was agricultural: Tithing was for farmers only. Jesus wasn’t sowing barley fields; He was sanding down tables. No crops, no tithe. And His disciples? Fishermen and a tax collector. Again, no tithe. Unless, of course, someone tried to tithe with fish. Imagine Peter slapping dead mackerels into the synagogue offering box. Instant fishy situation.
• The tithe was strictly produce-based: No cash, credit cards, or crypto accepted. No goats required (No kidding LOL).
• The “tithe” wasn’t even 10%. It had three components: The Levitical Tithe, the Festival Tithe, and the Social Welfare Tithe, adding up to an average of around 17% annually, and sometimes more, depending on the year. And every seven years they were required to give absolutely nothing!
• Almsgiving and voluntary offerings by Jesus’ day, had become the main giving practices, especially in the bustling urban centres. Almsgiving (Tzedakah) was seen as more spiritually significant than tithing (see Tobit 4:7-11 if you’re feeling adventurous—it’s in the Jewish sacred intertestamental writings). Giving was all voluntary. Yep, nobody was standing over people with a heavenly calculator, ensuring they hit exactly 10%. Some would have given more, some less. 

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The first Christians were Jewish. They grew up with The Law, the Torah—613 commandments, covering everything from sacrifices to skin conditions. Their entire relationship with God was shaped by this Law.

Spoiler alert: The apostles didn’t pass around offering baskets with a ‘Tithes’ sticker on them. So where did the church get tithing from?

Jesus, as we know,, established a new covenant, which left the early believers asking:
“Wait… so do we still follow The Law? Or is this like an ‘update your terms and conditions’ situation?”

In the Book of Acts, we get front-row seats to these debates. They figured out that The Law no longer defined their covenant with God. The result? Tithing wasn’t required.

Acts 2:44–45; Acts 4:32–35
Early Christians didn’t practice agricultural tithing. We see no evidence that the 12 disciples and Paul tried to introduce it. But we do see that they:

• Shared everything in common (yes, everything).
• Sold property and possessions to support those in need.

Was this a formal tithe? Nope. It was radical generosity, inspired by the Holy Spirit. No “10% rule.” Just people giving because they wanted to.

Paul’s Teachings: Cheerful Givers, Not Reluctant Tithers

Notice what’s missing? Any mention of tithing.

Paul wasn’t shy about instructions. If tithing were mandatory, he’d have said so… probably in all caps.

So, if the early church wasn’t tithing, how did we end up with “pass the plate” Sundays and sermons that make you feel like God’s accountant is watching? Let’s rewind the historical tape.

If the early church was thriving without tithing, how did we end up with offering baskets and tithe envelopes? Looking back through history we can observe a shift:

1st–3rd Century: The Free-Spirited Church

• There was no formal tithe in the records of the church.
• There is no argument that they gave but their giving was sacrificial.
• Church leaders like Justin Martyr and Tertullian talked about offerings to support the poor, widows, orphans, and clergy but never as a legal obligation. Very few Church Fathers advocated tithing (Only one from what I can tell). Most didn’t. 

4th Century: Enter Constantine (and the First “Church Tax”)
After Constantine’s conversion, Christianity became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

While there’s no conclusive evidence that Constantine himself mandated tithing, his fusion of church and state laid the groundwork for institutional practices like tithing to emerge.

As the church grew in wealth and influence, it began to adopt financial structures that mirrored Roman taxation systems, turning voluntary giving into obligatory contributions to support clergy and church operations.

But here’s the kicker: It wasn’t biblical tithing. It was more like a Roman tax system with a spiritual makeover. And it kept the cogs of the religious emerging system turning.

Medieval Period: Tithing Goes Full Bureaucratic

• By the 8th century, tithing was mandatory in many Christian nations.
• Charlemagne (because, of course, it had to be a guy named Charlemagne) made tithing law in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Suddenly, everyone had to tithe, not just farmers. Business profits, wages, your grandma’s knitting sales… you name it.

This wasn’t the cheerful, voluntary giving Paul talked about. It was “pay up or else.”

Now, some folks will say:
“But tithing existed before the Law! Look at Abel, Abraham, and Jacob!”
Let’s unpack that.

Abel:
There’s zero proof that Abel tithed. Some argue that the Greek Septuagint translation of Genesis 4:7 hints at tithing. But—plot twist— it doesn’t. No mention of tithing. No hidden codes. Abel brought an offering, not a tithe. Case closed.

Abraham:
Others point out that Abraham gave a tenth to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). He did. But here’s the thing:

• It was from war spoils, not his personal income.
• He did it once—not annually, monthly, or weekly.
• There’s no command from God to do it. Abraham just… did it.
• Giving 10% from war spoils? That’s less like divine obedience and more like tipping your barista after a strong espresso. Thanks, Melchizedek—great service!

Jacob:
Jacob promised to tithe in Genesis 28:22:“If God blesses me, I’ll give Him a tenth.”

• It was a vow, not a command.
• He didn’t fulfill it for at least 20 years (so much for timely giving).
• And when he did, it was a one-time thing (that’s not very consistent).

So, were these guys tithing in the way modern churches teach? Nope. Not even close. Their tithes were one offs. Neither were commanded by God to do this.

Interestingly, historical scholars note that tithing wasn’t unique to Israel. In the ancient Near East, including Babylon, it was common to give a tenth of one’s goods as a form of tribute to rulers or as offerings to deities.

Abraham, having come from Ur in Mesopotamia, likely reflected cultural customs familiar to him when he gave a tenth to Melchizedek. This wasn’t a divine command but more of a cultural practice. Similarly, Jacob’s vow to tithe aligns with practices common in the region, where people made vows to gods in exchange for blessings.

If you want to dig deeper, do some searching online for information on “the Code of Hammurabi” which was a record from the time which shows tax-like obligations, similar to tithing, often tied to temple worship or support of religious institutions.

Let’s land the plane (or, for biblical accuracy, park the donkey):

• Tithing Was Never a Universal Command: It was agricultural, for farmers only. No crops? No tithe. Jesus didn’t tithe, and neither did His disciples.
• The Early Church Didn’t Tithe: They gave radically, but not because of a rule. They sold stuff, shared everything, and gave freely—not under obligation.
• Tithing Became Law Later:  Thank the medieval church, where giving went from ‘joyful generosity’ to ‘mandatory membership fees.’
• Abel, Abraham, and Jacob Weren’t Tithing as We Know It: They gave offerings or made vows. No divine command. No recurring payments. Definitely no tithe calculators.

If your giving feels like paying a spiritual subscription fee, maybe it’s time to hit the “UNSUBSCRIBE” button.

Generosity isn’t about percentages, it’s about the heart. The New Testament invites us to give:

• Freely (no guilt-trips attached),
• Cheerfully (because joy beats obligation every time), and
• Generously (because love overflows, not because the church’s light bill is due).

No divine tax brackets. No heavenly auditors. Just Spirit-led, joyful giving.
And what if you want to continue giving 10%… Well that’s entirely up to you. God doesn’t mind either way. If that’s what you settle on, and you have peace in your heart, then that is great.

If we’re no longer under obligation to tithe, does that mean we just give wherever we want? We’ll explore that soon.