CKG original comment - Nowhere does it say Abraham was commanded to tithe
Brother Presswood - I agree, which confirms that tithing is written on the heart and not just the law.
Scripture mentions no such thing. If tithing is written on the heart then why is there no record of people like Noah or Isaac ever tithing?
CKG original comment - and he didn't tithe of all that he had; only of the spoils of the battle (Hebrews 7:4).
Brother Presswood - The account in Genesis says that he gave "tithes of all." The passage in Hebrews merely states that he did, indeed, give a tenth of the spoils, which were included in "all" mentioned in Genesis.
Genesis 14:20 states that he gave tithes of all. All of what? It doesn’t say. It doesn’t say he gave tithes of all of his possessions. How do we know what all he gave tithes of? By comparing scripture with scripture. Hebrews 7:4 clarifies this by stating it was all of the spoils of the battle.
CKG original comment - Jacob vowed a vow to tithe, but there is no scriptural record that he ever carried out the vow.
Brother Presswood - There certainly is no reason to believe that he didn't keep his vow.
We can only go by what the Scripture says. If a person wants to believe Jacob fulfilled the vow then that’s their opinion, but it can’t be substantiated with Scripture.
CKG original comment - It's interesting that twice (Romans 4 and Galatians 3) Paul (the apostle to the Gentiles, the one to whom was given the fullest understanding of the church) mentions Abraham as the main example for justification by faith, but when he talks about giving he never mentions Abraham's tithing to Melchizedek as an example for the church.
Brother Presswood - If you believe, as do I, that Paul is the author of Hebrews, then he did use Abraham as an example
Who authored the book of Hebrews certainly makes for an interesting topic, but since the Bible doesn’t say who it’s author is I don’t get concerned about it. I’m satisfied it is inspired by God and it’s authorship has no bearing on my understanding of it. As far as Hebrews 7 goes, that passage of scripture has nothing to do with tithing in the church age. Tithing is only mentioned as part of a comparison between Melchizedek and the Levitical priesthood. In Hebrews 8:1 the writer sums up what has been said:
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
This verse clarifies the writer's purpose for bringing up the subject of Abraham and Melchizedek—to show that we have a greater high priest. He wasn't teaching tithing to the church either directly or indirectly.