Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

Tithes and Offerings

Very Rev Dr Michael Protopopov OAM
Dean of the Churches in the State of Victoria
A Lecture from the 42nd Annual Russian Orthodox Youth Conference
Adelaide, December 2006

MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, having heard the account of Our Lord overturning the tables of the money changers and driving them from the Temple in Jerusalem,[1] believe that money has no place in the life of the Church. This belief is reinforced by such quotations as: “Money is the root of all evil[2] … A rich man shall find it almost impossible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven[3] …etc.”

Furthermore, in the Russian psyche; money and the clergy have had a bad press for years. The Bolsheviks, in their class war against the clergy, promoted the image of bishops and priests as money grabbing oppressors of the working class.

Simplistically, money is portrayed as something evil, when in reality money, per se, is neither good nor evil. St Paul reminds Timothy that it is the love of money which is the root of all evil, whereas money is what we make of it. If we use it for good – it can become a blessing as in the case of the widow who gave two mites at the Temple door,[4] or as in the parable with the two silver shekels.[5] Or if used selfishly, it can become a thing of great evil and condemnation, as with the Rich Man who ignored the plight of Lazarus at his front gate.[6]

Money in the form of offerings and tithes has existed in the life of the Church since the beginning of corporate worship as introduced in the time of the Prophet Moses. In the Book of Exodus, the Lord instructs Moses to take a census of the Israelites and each person was to make an offering of half a shekel to the Lord.[7] Obviously, the Lord was not in need of money, but He understands that it is in the human nature to be protective of one’s own property and disinclined to share it with others. Thus the offering was to teach the Israelites the lesson of giving, of sharing and not of regretting the loss of something they prized; whilst contributing towards the upkeep of the Tabernacle. This money was called atonement money[8] and was given to the Tabernacle as an offering, a sacrifice, together with the prayers of the faithful for the remission of sins.

This becomes the first important lesson for us to learn. Whereas God wants nothing from us save a contrite heart, He has instituted for our salvation the principle of us sharing those things which appear to us to be important. As the sin of greed destroys the virtues of compassion and charity, so generosity reverses the process, and teaches one to show love through giving.

The second important lesson is that the Tabernacle and the Temple of the Old Testament and, consequently, the Church of the New Testament, are supported by the faithful through offerings and tithes.[9] Moses reminds the Israelites that they must not only support the Tabernacle but also the priests who serve the Tabernacle. The Prophet instructs the people that the clergy were to be provided for by the Tabernacle because they serve God in the Tabernacle.[10] Hence the introduction of tithing.

So, what is a tithe? According to the Law of Moses this was one tenth of the best of what was grown, earned or collected. The offering was brought to the Tabernacle every three years as an offering to God, and especially, as an act of freewill – an act of love for God rather than as a payment. Here one may see the true nature of tithing. Although the amount was prescribed according to what God said to Moses, the real essence of the tithe was that it was an offering made as an act of free will and love.[11] The blessing was not in what was brought, but in the spirit in which it was given. God reminds one that He is constantly weighing up the state of one’s heart and sees those who are greedy or covetous as stealing from Him.[12] Furthermore, the great blessings of the Lord are withheld from those who are lacking in generosity of spirit, for their hearts are neither contrite nor filled with love.

Having looked at tithes, one also needs to remember that a generous spirit and heart filled with love is not restricted to tri-annual tithing, but extends to daily acts of giving.[13] So we come to the issue of offerings. An offering is what accompanies our prayers. It is a sacrifice given from the heart, rather than a donation which can be construed as a payment for some service or act. This offering can take many forms: money, candles, gifts, bequests or whatever else the heart desires.

Giving from one’s self is an act of love. It is the external expression of the state of one’s heart.[14] It is to this act of love that God responds.[15] We teach our children that God is love[16] and that in doing acts of kindness we express our love. We show that God lives within us not in an abstract, theoretical way, but as a real, living Presence.

Consequently, the third important lesson is that one must be able to adapt the knowledge of the past to our own lives today.

Tithing, as recorded in the Old Testament, is not forgotten in the modern world. Many Christian denominations continue to give one tenth of their income to the Church for its needs. Other denominations have a system of weekly donations such as envelope giving or even direct debit facilities. In Australia, our parishes have not developed any form of providing parishioners with an opportunity to make regular donations. Hence, we rely on plate collections, candle sales and occasional donations to provide financial viability for our parishes.

Since the Church does not compel anyone to make an offering but waits upon the expression of the heart, often people have no feelings whatsoever to make an offering, or see it as a donation given according to the loose change in one’s pocket. This is the sad reality of modern, consumer living where our priorities are geared towards the acquisition of things, rather than towards expressing our love through giving.[17] Our parishes suffer a bare existence because we have ignored the law of tithing but have not replaced it with any adequate means of supporting the Church. We lament the fact that we have not established our own church schools, cemeteries, youth facilities – that we appear poorer than other religious denominations – but the responsibility for this lies in our own hearts. For we had the opportunity to give, but we were (and perhaps are) lacking in love.

Yet all is not lost. Like any other Christian endeavour, each person has the opportunity to make a decision which will reflect one’s inner being. Parishioners can effect a change in parish life by becoming actively involved in the parish. Too often people become complacent and are comfortable with the status quo. New minds and hearts are rarely complacent and can play a lively and revitalising role in the parish.

Old Testament tithes are, although more prescriptive, yet similar to the membership dues which are mentioned in our Normal Parish By- Laws.[18] This annual subscription is the judicial link of a parishioner to the parish. Too often one thinks that if one attends church then one is a member. In fact, one may attend church and be a worshipper, but to be a member, one needs to formally register, pay the annual subscription, and assume the spiritual and legal responsibilities of being a member.[19]

The purpose of our Normal Parish By-Laws is to involve the laity in the daily running of the parish. Whilst this does not include encroaching upon the spiritual life of the parish, it does give parishioners an opportunity to accept some ownership of the material aspects of parish life. But, with ownership also comes responsibility. This responsibility is first and foremost, for the material wellbeing of the parish – just as responsibility in the Old Testament was for the wellbeing of the Tabernacle, and later, the Temple.

Nor is the concept of offerings a thing of the past. Many sincere Orthodox people, especially young parishioners and newly arrived migrants, have little understanding of the reasons for making an offering when they ask the priest to perform some form of private service, i.e. wedding, funeral, moleben, panikhida, house blessing, etc.

To repeat an earlier observation; an offering is an expression of the state of one’s heart. It is a sound indicator of how much one is attached to material things. The more one is attached to material things, the less room there is for love – and consequently for God Himself.[20]

So, one’s offering becomes a witness of one’s love, a sacrifice which accompanies one’s prayers and a cleaning process from the sins of greed, avarice and meanness. However, it is important to say that occasionally one meets a situation where parishes have set fixed fees for private services. These are the result of the poor financial situations in our churches. Usually the fees are set by the Parish Council or Annual Meeting of Parishioners to ensure that costs for electricity, cleaning, etc are covered. This situation shows that when a proper Christian approach to supporting the Church is lacking, then other spiritually less beneficial practises creep into the life of the Church. The same may be said of clergy who ask a fee for their “services.” Such an act is strictly forbidden by their priestly oath,[21] and an offering is precisely that – an offering.

If the priest in his humility does not ask for a fee, but awaits the gift of an offering, then it behoves the parishioner to remember that the priest who serves the Altar, receives his recompense from the Altar.[22] In other words, the priest is supported by the parishioners he ministers to, and an offering is appropriate.

Finally, a few words about how much should be given as an offering. There is no fixed amount as there should be no thought of a fee for services as in the world of commerce. No-one has the right to sell God’s Grace or Sacraments, and certainly the vast majority of priests ensure that laypeople understand this important principle. The best rule of what an offering can be, is to be found in the Gospel of St Mark, who writes:[23]

“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything–all she had to live on.’” *

Again we return to the most important question of what is the state of one’s heart. It is never what one gives or how much, but always – does one give with all their heart.

 

Author’s footnotes:

[1] Matthew 21:12 and Mark 11:15 – “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” John 2:15 – “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.”

[2] 1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

[3] Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25 – “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

[4] Mark 12:42 – “But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.”

[5] Luke 10:35 – “The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”

[6] Luke 16:19:31 – “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.”

[7] Exodus 30:15 – ”The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives.”

[8] Exodus 30:16 – “Receive the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting.”

[9] Numbers 18:28 – “In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest.”

[10] Numbers 18:21 – “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tabernacle.”

[11] Psalms 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

[12] Malachi 3:10 – “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse – the whole nation of you – because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’”

[13] Amos 4:4 – “Bring your sacrifice every morning, your tithes every three years.”

[14] 1 Samuel 20:17 – “And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.” Luke 6:45 – “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

[15] Acts 15:8 – “God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.”

[16] 1 John 4:8 – “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

[17] Psalm 26:8 – “I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.”

[18] Approved by a resolution of the Synod of Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad on 30 June / 13 July 1951 and 15/28 April 1955

[19] (a) the care of the church and its adornment;
(b) the maintenance of the clergy;
(c) the economic prosperity of the parish and the care of the needs of the church, the clergy, parish institutions, the diocesan and other social needs;
(d) charitable work, and
(e) educational work in the spirit of the Orthodox Church.
(f) establish and be actively involved in Benevolent Acts for the needy in our community
(g) offering free specialist services such as, legal aid, assisting migrants with accommodation, transport and practical needs
(h) giving food, clothing and furniture and other assistance to those who are in necessitous circumstances in our community
(i) providing transport for the elderly and to those who are house-bound and socially isolated to attend the church services, community events, etc. and take them back home again
(j) providing professional counselling for those who have been abused, traumatised or are suffering loss of family (children or adults).
(k) to express in the Orthodox tradition, prayerful intervention for the nation, its cities, towns and country, its parliaments and people, as described in the content of the Orthodox Church Services, especially the Liturgy.

[20] Matthew 6:21 & Luke 12:34 – “For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.”

[21] “That he will … be glad of what he receives…” From the Ordination Oath.

[22] Deuteronomy 18:1 – “The priests, who are Levites… shall live on the offerings made to the Lord… for that is their inheritance.

[23] Mark 12:41-44

 

Editor’s footnotes:

Here Fr Michael gives a very exalted and beautiful example to end this superb piece. In practical terms, it might be well to reflect where our priorities lie. For instance, if one has a wedding, what is the most important part of the whole celebration for the believer? Surely, the service in church, the blessing received through the mysterion of Matrimony. And yet, often even quite conscientious parishioners will, at a wedding for one of their children, offer a relatively small donation to the Church, but spend a fortune on the bridal gown, the flowers, the reception, and the honeymoon. Does this not show where their priorities really lie?

One point which Fr Michael does not touch upon, maybe because he was addressing young people, is the question of wills. One can make an offering to the Church through leaving a bequest in your will, so that even after leaving this life you become a benefactor of the Church’s mission here on earth and are remembered in her prayers.

 

Source: http://www.saintedwardbrotherhood.org/0207/shepherd2.html