Tithing: a Biblical Principle for the Sustenance of Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia
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Concordia Seminary - Saint Louis Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary Master of Art Theology Thesis Concordia Seminary Scholarship 8-1-2016 Tithing: A Biblical Principle for the Sustenance of Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia Simon Dapaye Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.csl.edu/ma_th Part of the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Dapaye, Simon, "Tithing: A Biblical Principle for the Sustenance of Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia" (2016). Master of Art Theology Thesis. 84. https://scholar.csl.edu/ma_th/84 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Concordia Seminary Scholarship at Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Art Theology Thesis by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Resources from Concordia Seminary. For more information, please contact [email protected]. TITHING: A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE FOR THE SUSTENANCE OF PASTOR OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF LIBERIA. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Department of Exegetical Theology In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts By Simon Tenyen Dapaye August 2016 Approved by Dr. Jeffrey Kloha Advisor Dr. Andrew H. Bartelt Reader Dr. William W. Schumacher Reader © 2016 by Simon Tenyen Dapaye. All rights reserved. I dedicate this work of mine to the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit who has been the author and finisher of my entire educational journey, without whom, I would not have made it thus far. To my late father, Rev. Paul Saleh Dapaye I, who saw through the eyes of faith the call of the Lord upon my life and for which he sowed almost half of his teacher’s salary to get me through high school. To my widow mother, Hannah D. Dapaye, who kept me through the trying times, and to my darling wife Sandra L. Dapaye, for faithfully keeping me in her prayers and lavishing me with all of the necessary support I needed through this journey. To you all I owe this dedication. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... ix ABBREVIATIONS ....................................................................................................................... x ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION TO TITHING: A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF PASTORS ..................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................... 8 OFFICE OF THE PRIEST & LEVITES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT .............................. 8 THE CALL OF THE PRIEST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT .............................................. 8 The Call and Duties of the Levites .............................................................................. 9 EXEGETICAL STUDY OF OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS ................................................ 11 Numbers 18:21–32..................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 11 Historical/ Narrative Analysis .......................................................................... 11 Literary Analysis .............................................................................................. 12 Translation of Numbers 18:21–32 .................................................................... 15 Textual Analysis ............................................................................................... 17 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 22 MALACHI 3:6–12 .............................................................................................................. 23 Introduction................................................................................................................ 23 The Exile .......................................................................................................... 23 Restoration ........................................................................................................ 24 The Economic Situation of Judah upon her Return .......................................... 25 Literary Analysis ....................................................................................................... 25 v Translation and notes ................................................................................................. 27 Textual Analysis ........................................................................................................ 28 Count 1: Apostasy ............................................................................................ 29 Count 2: Robbery-Through Tithes and Offerings ............................................ 30 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 34 THE NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE OF THE PRIEST AND LEVITES IN LIGHT OF TITHE-GIVING ........................................................................................................... 35 Matthew 23:23–24 ..................................................................................................... 35 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 35 Historical /Narrative Analysis .......................................................................... 35 Translation ........................................................................................................ 37 Meaning and Implication .................................................................................. 38 Hebrews 7:1–10 ......................................................................................................... 40 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 40 Meaning and Analysis ...................................................................................... 41 Office of the Minister, Overseer in the New Testament ............................................ 45 Duties of Pastors and Ministers in the New Testament ............................................. 46 Provision for Pastors/Ministers in the New Testament ............................................. 50 Matthew 10:1–15 ....................................................................................................... 52 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 52 Translation and Notes ....................................................................................... 52 Meaning ............................................................................................................ 54 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 58 1 Corinthians 9:1–18.................................................................................................. 59 vi Introduction ...................................................................................................... 59 Translation and Notes ....................................................................................... 60 Textual Analysis and Meaning ......................................................................... 62 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 74 2 Corinthians 8:1–6.................................................................................................... 75 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 75 Historical/ Narrative Analysis .......................................................................... 76 Translation and Notes ....................................................................................... 76 Textual Analysis and Meaning ......................................................................... 77 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 79 Galatians 6:1–10 ........................................................................................................ 80 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 80 Translation and Notes ....................................................................................... 80 Textual Analysis and Meaning ......................................................................... 81 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 84 THE NEW TESTAMENT PARADIGM OF GIVING ...................................................... 85 General Giving in the New Testament ...................................................................... 86 Giving: In the Ministry of the Apostles ............................................................ 87 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................