7:1-10 Does this teach as some claim that the tithe Abraham paid to Melchisedec makes tithing obligatory for New Testament Christians?
7:1-10 Does this teach as some claim that the tithe Abraham paid to Melchisedec makes tithing obligatory for New Testament Christians?
The scripture is used by some in the church to teach that as Abraham was the antecedent of all New Testament Christians and paid a tithe to Melchisedec, it is incumbent on New Testament Christians to tithe. The argument is that Abraham was the representative tithe payer of all his seed to come.
Not everyone agrees with this teaching however. Rather they believe that the tithe Abraham paid to Melchisedec had special symbolic implications related to establishing Christ's eternal priesthood. They believe this is borne out by the writer of Hebrews when he contrasts Christ's eternal priesthood with the temporary Levitical priesthood (CP Gen 14:18-20 with He 5:6-10; 6:17-20; 7:11-28; 8:1-13; 9:1-15).
Clearly tithing as an obligation to be observed by New Testament Christians is not being taught here at all. Melchisedec is the subject not Jesus, and tithing. It is mentioned only in the context of demonstrating the superiority of Melchisedec over Abraham and Levi in the first place, and Christ's eternal priesthood over the temporary Levitical priesthood in the second place, which makes the New Testament superior to the old. This is the whole argument of the book of Hebrews (CP He 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:15).
It has nothing whatever to do with New Testament tithing. In fact the New Testament does not stress tithing at all, but rather invites Christians to give generously in response to the needs of others and as an expression of their love for God (CP 1Cor 16:1-2; 2Cor 8:1-15; 9:1-15; Ga 6:6-8; Jas 2:13-17; 1Jn 3:16-19). For a more detailed study on this subject see comments on Mt 23:23, 2Cor 8:1-7, 9:1-5, 9:6; Ga 6:7-8.