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NEW TESTAMENT GIVING, 1 Corinthians 16:1,2
Jesus: “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52 GNV). Communion, baptism, covenant, sacrifice, priesthood--all of it has deep roots that Jesus brings forward into new light. Since the New Testament mentions“tithing” as only being a historical practice (in Hebrews 7:1-10), what should be the Christian's pattern of giving?
Jesus uses the scribe to obviously represent someone deeply trained in the Old Testament but now is also a disciple of Jesus.
The “old and new” treasures point to: + The old: the Hebrew Scriptures, promises, prophecies, and wisdom. + The new: the teachings of Jesus and the revelation of the Kingdom. Jesus is showing that a disciple doesn't discard all of the old; instead, he integrates both--honoring the old while embracing the new fulfillment. In the Old Testament we have both the tithe and the generous aspects. The New borrows the generous responsibility while discarding the tithe.
In 1 Corinthians 16:2, the phrase“give as one prospered” comes from the Greek verb εὐοδῶται (euodōtai), which literally means “to be led along a good road” or “to succeed, to prosper.” Paul's instruction is that each believer should set aside money in proportion to how they have been prospered or succeeded--not a fixed amount, but relative to their circumstances.
Greek Text Breakdown (1 Corinthians 16:2)
Greek (Nestle 1904 text): κατὰ μίαν σαββάτου ἕκαστος ὑμῶν παρ ἑαυτῷ τιθέτω θησαυρίζων ὅ τι ἐὰν εὐοδῶται, ἵνα μὴ ὅταν ἔλθω τότε λογεῖαι γίνωνται. + κατὰ μίαν σαββάτου -- “On the first day of the week” + ἕκαστος ὑμῶν--“Each of you” + παρ' ἑαυτῷ τιθέτω --“Let him put aside for himself” + θησαυρίζων --“Storing up, treasuring” + ὅ τι ἐὰν εὐοδῶται --“Whatever he may be prospered in” + ἵνα μὴ - λογεῖαι γίνωνται--“So that collections need not be made when I come”
✨ Meaning of εὐοδῶται + Root: εὖ (good, well) + ὁδός (road, way). + Literal sense:“to have a good journey.” + Figurative sense:“to succeed, prosper, be fortunate.” + Usage in NT: + Romans 1:10 -- Paul prays for a“prosperous journey.” + 3 John 1:2 -- “I pray that you may prosper and be in health.” + 1 Corinthians 16:2 --“as he may prosper” (financially or circumstantially).
Thus, Paul is not prescribing a fixed tithe (like 10%) but a proportional giving based on how God has enabled someone to prosper. It's flexible, acknowledging differences in income, success, or provision.
📖 Implication + Not a tax: It's not about gross vs. net income, but about success or increase. + Personal responsibility: Each believer sets aside privately ("παρ'ἑαυτῷ”) before bringing it to the collection. + Proportional generosity: The measure of giving is tied to God's blessing--& in whatever he may be prospered.”
This aligns with Paul's broader teaching in 2 Corinthians 8:12:“If the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”
✅ Conclusion: In Greek,“give as one prospered” means to give in proportion to the success or prosperity God has granted you. The verb εὐοδῶται emphasizes being blessed or having things turn out well, so Paul's instruction is about proportional, voluntary generosity rather than a fixed legal requirement.
Thus highlights how Paul is echoing a long-standing biblical principle.
Paul's wording in 1 Corinthians 16:2 with its Old Testament background.
📖 OT Parallels to“Give as One Prospered” + Deuteronomy 16:17:“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that He has given you.” + Hebrew phrase: kᵉbirkat YHWH --“according to the blessing of the LORD.” + This sets the principle: giving is proportional to God's blessing, not a fixed rate. + Exodus 35:29: When Israel contributed to the tabernacle, it says they gave “willingly” according to what they had. + The emphasis is on voluntary generosity tied to God's provision. + Proverbs 3:9-10:“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” + Here, giving is linked to increase (firstfruits), again proportional.
✨ How Paul Echoes This Tradition + Paul's Greek phrase ὅ τι ἐὰν εὐοδῶται (“whatever he may prosper in”) mirrors the OT idea of giving“according to the blessing of the LORD.” + Instead of a rigid tithe, Paul emphasizes flexibility and fairness: each believer sets aside privately, in proportion to their prosperity. + This shows continuity: both Moses and Paul root giving in God's blessing and provision, not human compulsion.
🧩 The Principle Across Scripture
✅ Summary: Paul's phrase“as one prospered” is a direct continuation of the OT principle: giving is proportional to God's blessing, not a fixed percentage. It's about gratitude and fairness, echoing Deuteronomy 16:17 almost word-for-word in spirit.
📖 OT Parallels to “Give as One Prospered” + Deuteronomy 16:17:“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that He has given you.” + Hebrew phrase: kᵉbirkat YHWH --“according to the blessing of the LORD.” + This sets the principle: giving is proportional to God's blessing, not a fixed rate. + Exodus 35:29: When Israel contributed to the tabernacle, it says they gave“willingly” according to what they had. + The emphasis is on voluntary generosity tied to God's provision. + Proverbs 3:9-10:“Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” + Here, giving is linked to increase (firstfruits), again proportional.
✨ How Paul Echoes “This Tradition” + Paul's Greek phrase ὅ τι ἐὰν εὐοδῶται (“whatever he may prosper in”) mirrors the OT idea of giving“according to the blessing of the LORD.” + Instead of a rigid tithe, Paul emphasizes flexibility and fairness: each believer sets aside privately, in proportion to their prosperity. + This shows continuity: both Moses and Paul root giving in God's blessing and provision, not human compulsion.
✅ Summary: Paul's phrase“as one prospered” is a direct continuation of the OT principle: giving is proportional to God's blessing, not a fixed percentage. It's about gratitude and fairness, echoing Deuteronomy 16:17 almost word-for-word in spirit.
Early church fathers like John Chrysostom interpreted Paul's phrase“as one prospered” (1 Cor. 16:2) as a call to proportional, voluntary giving. Chrysostom emphasized that Paul did not impose a fixed amount but urged believers to contribute according to their prosperity, so that the burden was light when shared by all.
🕊 Chrysostom's Commentary Highlights + Encouragement by example: Chrysostom notes that Paul first mentions the Galatian churches' practice to inspire the Corinthians by comparison, stirring them to emulate others' generosity. + Ease of giving: He stresses that Paul calls the“collection” a logia (Greek: contribution, 1 Cor. 16:1), framing it as something light and manageable when everyone participates. + Proportional principle: Chrysostom explains that Paul's instruction means each should give &nlquo;not equally, but according to prosperity.” This prevents hardship for the poor while ensuring fairness. + Connection with the resurrection: Chrysostom observes that Paul raises the subject of giving only after persuading them about the resurrection, so their hearts would be more earnest and willing.
📖 Broader Patristic Echoes + Ambrosiaster (4th century): He interprets that Paul wanted offerings to be systematic and proportional, avoiding sudden, pressured collections. + Augustine: He connects this principle with Deuteronomy 16:17, affirming that giving should reflect God's blessing, not legal compulsion. + Later “Fathers”: Many emphasized that generosity was a spiritual discipline, not a tax--an act of worship tied to God's provision.
✨ Biblical Continuity + OT Background: Deuteronomy 16:17 --“Each shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD.” + NT Principle: 1 Corinthians 16:2 --“As he may prosper (εὐοδῶται).” + Patristic Insight: Chrysostom and others highlight that Paul's teaching is consistent with the biblical tradition: giving is voluntary, proportional, and rooted in gratitude.
✅ Conclusion: Chrysostom and other“church fathers” saw Paul's phrase“as one prospered” as a biblical echo of Deuteronomy 16:17, teaching that giving should be proportional to God's blessing, voluntary, and shared by all. It was not a rigid tithe as religious teachers sometimes erroneously require but a spiritual discipline of generosity. --Gaylon West per CoPilot
Note: Tithing in the Bible refers to giving 10 percent of your annual earnings, productions, or possessions. In the Old Testament, we observe Abraham and Jacob offering a tithe to God in Genesis 14 and 28. The Israelites were also commanded to tithe from what they earned (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:25-28; Deut. 14:22-24; 2 Chron. 31:5-6). The tithe was like a separate government income tax (money and goods) to provide for the Israel government, its stewards (e.g.,Levitical), and its welfare. We sometime hear teachers say that since a Christian is blessed more than the Israelites, that one should give proportionately more than a tenth. This is a false inference because the generosity of the people of God was separate and in addition to the requirement of the tithe. They were separate. |