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A Biblical and Theological Analysis of Tithing

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A Biblical and Theological Analysis of Tithing A BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TITHING: TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF GIVING IN THE NEW COVENANT ERA A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, North Carolina In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by David A. Croteau December 2005 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © 2005 David A. Croteau This Dissertation was prepared and presented to the Faculty as a part of the requirements for the Master of Theology degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina. All rights and privileges normally reserved by the author as copyright holder are waived for the Seminary. The Seminary Library may catalog, display, and use this Thesis in all normal ways such materials are used, for reference and for other purposes, including electronic and other means of preservation and circulation, including on-line computer access and other means by which library materials are or in the future may be made available to researchers and library users. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TITHING: TOWARD A THEOLOGY OF GIVING IN THE NEW COVENANT ERA The members of the Committee approve the doctoral dissertation of David A. Croteau Dr. Andreas Kostenberger Major Professor Dr. David Beck Dr. David Jones Dr. Craig Blomberg Dr. Craig Blomberg Distinguished Professor of New Testament Denver Seminary Dr. Andreas Kostenberger Director ofPh.D.lTh.M. Studies / 7 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To my wife, Ann, and my children, Danielle and D.J.: Thanks for your encouragement and patience with me through these years. Ann, your spirit of giving is a blessing to all who encounter you. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... xii ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 Preliminary Hermeneutical Considerations ................................................. 1 State of Research .......................................................................................... 6 Tithing from the Ante-Nicene Period to the Tithing Renewal.. ................... 8 The Tithing RenewaL ................................................................................. 24 Background of the Tithing Renewal in American ......................... 24 Advocates ofthe Tithing Renewal.. ............................................... 28 Christians are Obligated to Tithe ................................................... 36 Cautious Advocates of Tithing ..................................................... .44 Ambiguous or Inconclusive Discussions on Tithing .................... .47 Negative Voices on Tithing .......................................................... .49 Theses and Dissertations on Tithing .............................................. 58 Theological Systems and Tithing ................................................... 61 Conclusion ................................................................................................. 68 v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2. TITHING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ......................................................... 69 Tithing Prior to the Mosaic Law ................................................................ 69 Abel: Genesis 4:3-7 ....................................................................... 70 Abraham: Genesis 14: 18-20 .......................................................... 74 Jacob: Genesis 28: 13-22................................................................ 78 Summary of Abel, Abraham, and Jacob ........................................ 82 Other Pre-Mosaic Practices and Tithing ............................ 83 Tithing in the Mosaic Law ......................................................................... 89 A General Introduction: Leviticus 27:30-33 ................................. 90 The Levitical Tithe: Numbers 18:20-24 ........................................ 93 The Priestly Tithe: Numbers 18:25-28 .......................................... 94 The Festival Tithe: Deuteronomy 12:17-19; 14:22-27 ................. 95 The Charity Tithe: Deuteronomy 14:28-29 ................................... 97 Conclusion on Tithing in the Mosaic Law ..................................... 98 Mosaic Law and Pre-Sinai Tithing Compared ......................................... 103 Abraham's Tithe and the Mosaic Law ......................................... 103 Jacob's Tithe and the Mosaic Law ............................................... 106 Conclusions .................................................................................. l 08 Tithing in the Old Testament Historical and Prophetic Books ................ 109 2 Chronicles 31: 5-6 ..................................................................... 109 Amos 4: 1--4 .................................................................................. 11 0 Nehemiah 10: 37-39; 13 :5, 12 ...................................................... 112 vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Malachi 3:6-12 ............................................................................ 115 Conclusions .................................................................................. 122 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 122 3. TITHING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ...................................................... 124 Tithing in the Gospels .............................................................................. 124 Matthew 23:23 (par. Luke 11 :42) ................................................ 124 Luke 18:9-14 ............................................................................... 127 Tithing in the Rest of the New Testament ............................................... 128 Hebrews 7:1-10 ........................................................................... 128 Literary Context ............................................................... 128 Exposition ........................................................................ 129 Should Tithing Continue? ............................................... .133 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................ 136 Does the New Testament Reference the "Concept" of Tithing? .............. 137 "The Things That Are God's": Matthew 22:15-22 .................... 138 First Corinthians 9: 13-14 ............................................................ 140 First Corinthians 16:1-4 .............................................................. 147 Second Corinthians 8: 8 ................................................................ 148 Second Corinthians 9:7 ................................................................ 148 Galatians 6:6: On Paying Teachers and the Argument from Silence ................................................................................. 149 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 152 vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4. TITHING, LAW AND GOSPEL, AND SYSTEMATIC ISSUES ................ 153 Theological Conclusions and the Law-Gospel Dilemma......................... 154 The Relationship between the Church and IsraeL ....................... 154 Dispensationalism: Israel and the Church ........................ 155 Those Favoring Continuity: TCT and NTCT ................. .157 The Structure of the Mosaic Law ................................................. 159 Those Holding to the Unity of the Mosaic Law ............... 160 Those Holding to the Tripartite Structure of the Mosaic Law ............................................................ 161 Mixed Company: Progressive Dispensationalism ........... 163 The Purpose of the Mosaic Law .................................................. 165 Continuity and the Purpose of the Mosaic Law ............... 165 Dispensationalism, Discontinuity, and the Purpose of the Mosaic Law ............................................................ 166 Summary and Conclusions ........................................................... 169 Theological Systems and Tithing ............................................................. 170 Dispensationalism and Tithing .................................................... 171 What Dispensationalists Say ............................................ 171 What Dispensationalists Should Say ............................... 175 Critique ............................................................................ 176 Theonomy and Tithing ................................................................. 177 What Theonomists Say ...................................................
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