Why 10%
As we continue our season of stewardship and pray for God’s blessings upon St. Timothy’s in the coming year, you may hear the number 10% mentioned often. Another word for this is tithe, which literally means tenth.
Some may wonder why 10%—and whether this is an expectation for this particular year. It isn’t new, nor is it something invented by the clergy. The practice of tithing has deep roots in Scripture, in the life of Israel, and in the early Church.
The first tithe appears in Genesis 14, when Abram offers a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek, the priest and king of Salem. Later, under the Law, the people of Israel were commanded to give three tithes:
The Levitical tithe, given to support the tribe of Levi, who had no inheritance but served in priestly ministry (Numbers 18:21–24).
The festival tithe, set aside for family celebrations in Jerusalem—essentially a pilgrimage fund for the great feasts (Deuteronomy 14:22–27).
The tithe for the poor, given every third year to support the needy (Deuteronomy 14:28–29).
Each tithe represented the first fruits of one’s labor—whether harvest, livestock, or income—and reminded God’s people that everything they possessed came from Him.
When Jesus speaks of the tithe in the New Testament, He neither abolishes it nor commands it as a law but reframes it as an invitation to inner transformation. He rebukes the Pharisees for tithing outwardly while neglecting mercy, faithfulness, and justice (Matthew 23:23). True generosity, Jesus teaches, flows from the heart—it is not merely a rule to follow but a virtue to cultivate.
In the early Church, tithing remained a meaningful practice, not from compulsion but from a spirit of gratitude. It was seen as a way to participate in God’s generosity—to practice outwardly what should dwell inwardly in every Christian heart.