From: Jeff Harrison [mailto:Jeff@totheends.com]
To:  heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: To The Ends Of The Earth--Teaching Letter #11


TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH--Teaching Letter #11

Teachings #6 and #7 are now available on our web site
complete with photos.  The Baptism of Jesus (#7) has
been rewritten and includes new information.  Teachings
#9 about marriage and #10 about prosperity have stirred
up a response:  see these in the Q&A #4 coming soon!
 

To see past teachings, complete with photos, visit
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THE TITHE

Five of Jesus' disciples were from the tiny fishing
village of Bethsaida, at the northeast corner of the
Sea of Galilee.*  The name of the village (in Hebrew,
bet-tsay-DAH), means "house (or place) of provision."
 This likely refers to the abundant resources of fish
in the lake and wild game in the high, grassy cliffs
and slopes that run in a line to the east of the village,
rising up above it a height of 1800 feet (540 m). 
Even today it's not unusual to see boar, gazelle, and
rock badgers in the area.  Other wildlife, like porcupines,
jackals, and foxes are harder to spot. 

* Peter (Cephas), Andrew, James (Yakov), John (Yohannan),
and Philip.  The exact site of Bethsaida is disputed.
 Recent excavations at et-Tell, about a mile (1.5 km)
from the lake, have received broad media coverage as
the supposed site of the disciples' village.  But they
don't match the Biblical description in two important
respects:  (1) Bethsaida is described as a "village"
in Mark 8:26.  Et-Tell was considerably larger than
that.  (2) The disciples' village is called "Bethsaida
of Galilee" (John 12:21). Et-Tell was not in Galilee,
which lay to the west of the Jordan River, but in Gaulanitis
to the east of the Jordan.  Et-Tell is probably the
ancient Hellenistic-style city of Julias, which was
sometimes also called Bethsaida; John, to avoid confusion,
identified the disciples' village of Bethsaida as the
one in Galilee.  The site known as el-Araj, right at
the edge of the lake on the Galilee side, is a better
match for the disciples' home town. 

In one of the canyons cutting into the steep line of
cliffs and slopes is a high, rounded hill, clearly
visible from Bethsaida:  on closer approach, it assumes
the appearance of the back of a camel, complete with
a hump, giving rise to its ancient name, Gamla ("Camel").
 The town built on this mountainous perch was the home
of the Zealot movement, that sought to rid the land
of its Roman masters at the point of a sword.  Gaulanitis*
and nearby Galilee, including Bethsaida, were awash
with Zealot sympathies as can be seen in the war that
followed forty years after the crucifixion of Jesus.
 These Zealot sympathies account, in part, for the
area's interest in Jesus as a Messianic king, someone
they hoped would lead the war against the Romans (John
6:14,15).** 

* The political district in which Gamla was located.
 It adjoined the ancient territory of Galilee on the
east.  Its name is preserved in the modern "Golan Heights."
 
** After the feeding of the 5,000, which took place
in Lower Gaulanitis (on a hill near the Sea of Galilee),
John says the people were planning to make Jesus king
(John 6:15).  This runs directly contrary to the popular
teaching that the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messianic
king.  In fact, it was he who rejected their understanding
of who the Messiah was and what he came to accomplish.
 
One of the most bitter complaints against Rome was
the high level of taxation.  This included a 10% crop
tax that went up to 20% in the case of wine, fruit,
and oil.  But this was only one of a whole list of
taxes that included everything from a real estate tax
to an annual poll-tax paid to Caesar, at 1% of your
income.  This poll-tax is what prompted the famous
question to Jesus, "Should we pay a poll-tax to Caesar
or not?" (Matt. 22:17).*  There were also income taxes,
customs duties, tolls on roads and bridges, taxes on
animals and vehicles, a salt tax, a sales tax, and
more. 

* The "punch" behind this question was that the poll-tax
(or head tax) was considered a tribute, an act of submission
to a ruler, and acceptance of  the legitimacy of his
reign.  But most Jews considered Rome to have no right
to rule their land, and in fact to be in violation
of a treaty Rome signed with the Jews many years earlier
(under the Hasmoneans) promising friendship and mutual
defense.  For many Jews, such as the Zealots, to accept
Caesar as the lord over their country meant to deny
that God was their Lord (just as some Christian "zealots"
think today about modern governments).  Jesus' answer
defused the tension by recognizing Caesar's right to
tax without conceding to him any of the worship due
to God alone:  "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,
and to God what belongs to God."  Since the money used
for the tax had Caesar's picture on it, to pay it only
meant giving back to Caesar what was already his, nothing
more.  In the same way, Paul counseled Christians to
pay their taxes, including the tribute (Rom. 13:6,7).
 
The Jews particularly felt the pinch of these taxes
because they were in addition to an already high set
of religious taxes that continued to be due under the
Romans.  Most are familiar with the annual tithe (10%),
given originally to the Levites.  But few have heard
about the additional tithe (the "Second Tithe") that
was also due every year.  This Second Tithe was given
to the poor in the 3rd and 6th years out of every 7
(the 7 year sabbatical cycle; Deut. 14:28,29).  But
in other years, it was used to celebrate in the presence
of the Lord in Jerusalem, probably at the annual pilgrim
festivals (Deut. 14:22-26).*  This must be one of the
most unique taxes ever imposed on mankind:  a tax to
be spent on your own food and drink while celebrating
in the presence of God! 

* Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuoth), and Tabernacles
(Succoth). 

The Bible gives two reasons for the Second Tithe. 
The first is in Deut. 14:23:  "And you will eat (the
Second Tithe) before the LORD your God...that you may
learn to fear the LORD your God all your days" (Deut.
14:23).  This verse teaches that the requirement of
a costly religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem ("the place
that he will choose for his name to dwell") will lead
people to fear the Lord.  This can easily be imagined
of the experience of joining tens and hundreds of thousands
of pilgrims fulfilling this ancient Biblical command,
walking up the mountain to Jerusalem.  One ancient
historian says there were as many as 4 million coming
up for the feasts.  Children would watch with wide-eyed
wonder at the mysterious and elaborate rites in the
Temple:  from the strange slaughtering of the animals
to the sublime worship at the offering of the incense.
 The blessing of the priests, the songs, and the blasting
of the trumpets, all served to elevate life above the
ordinary and bring them closer to the God that commanded
all these things to happen. 

The second reason for the Second Tithe is in vs. 26:
 "And you may spend the money for whatever your heart
desires, for oxen, or sheep, or wine...and there you
will eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice"
(Deut. 14:26).  It's to be a time of rejoicing!  This
was not a solitary pleasure.  The poor and Levites
were invited to share in the festive meals so that
all would share equally in the rejoicing (Deut. 14:27).
 What a beautiful experience!  A week-long religious
holiday (in the case of Passover and Tabernacles) where
there was nothing else to do but worship the Lord and
enjoy the fellowship, with every need provided for.
 No wonder the feasts were a time of Messianic expectation!
 The overflowing abundance of brotherly love, the sense
of equality of all before God, these were a beautiful
foreshadowing of the days of the Messiah, when every
need will be met and all will live together in peace.
 
At one such festival, the believers in Jesus were filled
with the Holy Spirit and manifested spiritual gifts
that were signs of the Messianic kingdom (the Day of
Pentecost).  Their reaction?  They began to sell their
belongings and give to those that were poor, such that
"all things were common property to them" and "there
was not a needy person among them" (Acts 4:32,34)!
 They had finally grasped the message God had been
sending through the feasts for hundreds of years: 
that blessings shared with others are multiplied, so
that all will have more than enough and will have fullness
of joy!  Isn't that what the message of Jesus is all
about:  love, sharing, concern for others?  How is
it that the so-called "Prosperity Gospel" leads many
to despise the poor, and blame them for their need
(because they "lack faith"), rather than share with
them the material blessings we have received?*  Even
the Pharisees were never criticized by Jesus for selfishness.
 Have we really sunk so far from the Messianic ideal
of brotherhood and unity in the kingdom of God?  Where
is mercy?  Where is compassion? 

* It's true that the poor need jobs, not just a hand
out.  But God's love is not just for the most talented,
the most educated, and the most successful.  It's also
for the most unfortunate, the most uneducated, and
the least successful.  Our responsibility to be generous
is to all who are made in the image of God (Matt. 5:42).
 
The prosperity teaching of many implies that Jesus
should have preached wealth to the 5,000, taken an
offering, and then gone out to spend it on himself
and his disciples.  But instead, Jesus gave the people
a meal, both physically and spiritually, taking the
time to minister to them individually and heal their
diseases (Matt. 14:14).  His was a heart and a message
of service to those who are in need ("The Son of Man
did not come to be served, but to serve"; Mat. 20:28).

Another of the Jewish religious taxes was the corners
of the field that were left for the poor (Lev. 19:9,10).
This included the gleanings that Ruth collected in
her need from the fields of Boaz (Ruth 2).  The amount
of this tax is not specified in Scripture (the rabbis
established a minimum at 2%).  But the intention of
the law is clear:  to share generously with those less
fortunate than ourselves.  You can't escape these clear
teachings of God's Word by labeling them "legalism"
or "works" and ignoring their spirit.  Even in the
New Testament, Cornelius was commended by God for his
giving to the poor.  It had "ascended" before the Lord
like the smoke of a sacrifice (Acts 10:4). 

In addition to these were the first-fruits of the harvest
and the firstlings of the herd given to the Lord. 
These were always selected from the very best of the
harvest, and the choicest of the herd.  Here again,
the Bible does not specify the exact amount.  But the
rabbis taught that if you were generous, you gave at
least 2.5% (1/40).  If you were stingy, the minimum
was 1.5% (1/60). 

Above this were the annual Temple tax (Matt. 17:24)
and the freewill offerings.  When you add them all
together, the religious taxes owed by the Jews were
more than 25% of their income given to the work of
God (the Temple, priests, Levites, and rejoicing at
the feasts) and to the poor.  In this context, the
debate among Christians about whether or not to give
a tithe (10%) ignores the Biblical evidence.  If we're
really going to base our giving on the Hebrew Bible
(the Old Testament), we should be talking about giving
25% and more.*

* Jesus said our righteousness should be abundantly
greater than the scribes and Pharisees, who were very
diligent in their giving (Matt. 5:20).   

But Jesus didn't ask for 10% or even 25%--but for 100%:
 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and
with all your strength" (Mark 12:30).  He wants everything
we are and everything we have!  Jesus came preaching
a vision of love for our neighbor that was as rich
and deep as our love for ourselves ("Love your neighbor
as yourself"; Mark 12:31).  He came to confirm and
extend even further the generous and merciful attitude
shown toward the poor and toward God's servants in
the Old Testament. 

This is Jesus' vision of the kingdom of God:  a place
of provision where there is enough for everyone, and
no need to fear about the future.  What did Jesus say?
 "Don't be anxious then, saying, `What will we eat?'
or `What will we drink?'" (Matt. 6:31).  Our hearts
can be at peace about the future, so we can confidently
share God's love and his blessings with others.  If
we each do our part, pursuing our calling with diligence,
and sharing the fruit with others, the needs of all
will be met (Eph. 4:28). 

But if we reject Jesus' vision of the kingdom and curse
the poor that Jesus has blessed ("Blessed are the poor";
Luke 6:20), we are left with a message of sanctified
selfishness, in which only the rich are seen to be
blessed.  This is a rejection of  the very heart of
Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of God, and cuts
us off from the joy he wants us to experience right
now in the body of Messiah--a joy that comes from sharing
with others.  "Working in this way you must help the
weak; and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that
he himself said, `To give is more blessed than to receive'"
(Acts 20:35). 

The disciples understood God's vision of the kingdom
on that feast of Pentecost, when not only did they
pray and see miracles, but also began to help each
other in practical ways.  No wonder "abundant grace
was on them all" (Acts 4:33).  Their generosity toward
each other is evidence that their lives had been changed
by the power of God, and that they had begun living
in the kingdom.  And isn't that what Jesus meant when
he said, "Seek first the kingdom"?  Not our own selfish
desires, but the good of the kingdom and those in it
must be our top priority.  And when it is, the promise
comes into effect that follows:  "And all these things
will be added to you" (Matt. 6:33).    
 
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Copyright c 2000 by Jeffrey J. Harrison.  All rights
reserved. 

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To The Ends Of The Earth Ministries is sponsoring a
study tour to Israel in June 2001!  Pastor Jeff Harrison,
who will be leading the tour, has studied with some
of the top Israeli archeologists and Christian scholars
in Jerusalem and led study tours full time while living
in Jerusalem.  He now continues to lead tours to Israel
about every other year.  This will be a rich time of
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more information, visit the Tours page on our web site
at www.totheends.com, or e-mail us at Jeff@totheends.com
 

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To see these teachings complete with photos, visit
our web site at www.totheends.com.  Photo versions
of Teaching Letters #1-8 are now available.  See the
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