I don't remember Jesus asking for money from people
2007-11-03 07:35:27 · 15 answers · asked by larry d 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Bible clearly speaks of it in several places. It isn't for the church per se. It is giving back to God a portion of what he has provided for us. Everything we have has come from God anyway.
2007-11-03 07:39:43 · answer #1 · answered by paula r 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus did ask money from people. The Gospels say that Judas Iscariot was their treasurer, and he held the collections that they took up for the poor. Collections were the most important thing in the early Church. When the Apostles agreed that Paul should evangelize the Gentiles, they made a special point of reminding him not to neglect collections for the widows and orphans. Charity was the staple of the ancient Church, and collections were practiced on a regular basis. Even before Christ, collections were taken at the Temple in Jerusalem, as well as outside every synagogue in the country.
2007-11-03 14:41:54 · answer #2 · answered by NONAME 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Churches, like anything, cost money to run. The building costs money to build, to run and maintain it.
Pastors have to eat, too. And their families. So, it's not "asking for money," it's just giving people fair due for their work.
This concept starts in the Torah. The Levis were the tribe of Israel who looked after God's temple and all of the sacrifices, festivals and ordinances that needed to be done. Their work was fulltime -- to serve God. They did not receive land to farm, as did the other tribes because their job was to honour God.
Part of the law was that they would receive support from the other tribes in order to live. People had to pay tithes to support the temple and the ones that ministered in it.
Jesus did not preach this, because it was already accepted as normal in his time.
Jesus did receive gifts from various donors and that was how he was able to preach, teach and minister fulltime. He did not ask for it, but people gave willingly because they believed that he was God.
2007-11-04 01:24:46 · answer #3 · answered by prairieprincess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Excerpt about medieval church:
"You also had to pay for baptisms (if you were not baptised you could not go to Heaven when you died), marriages (there were no couples living together in Medieval times as the Church taught that this equaled sin) and burials - you had to be buried on holy land if your soul was to get to heaven. Whichever way you looked, the Church received money."
The church has always been reliant on money, but I'd say it didn't get real bad till the middle ages - see example above.
Just be glad it's not like that now! :)
2007-11-03 15:05:14 · answer #4 · answered by Arwen_Bree 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has always been, but unfortunately some churches misrepresent both extremes(people being taken advantage of or doti give an opportunity to give). I pastor a small church with a box in the back and leave it between the people and God and teach on giving when we are at the portion of scripture. God is not poor and doesn't need your money. He wants your heart, but the scripture is really clear that your heart is where your treasure is. If you are being ministered to, you will give, if you are not being ministered to, you will not give.
2007-11-03 14:41:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus did say, "Give and it shall be given unto you."
Also Paul told the Corinth church in the New Testament to lay aside money to give on the first day of the week. So it seems it was always at least strongly encouraged.
2007-11-03 14:39:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus did not have to ask for money or convince people to give their tithes & offerings. they knew the command of God from the very begining and knew very well the laws & Blessing of "sowing & reaping".
Abraham Gave a tithe to Melkezidek, High priest. the OT is filled with examples of these principles.
Israel Left Egypt with Gold & silver.... they made offerings in the dessert to build the Tabernacle of the Lord, offerings were made to build the 1st & 2nd Temples.
The lord commands to bring in the tithes & offerings.
Study Deuteronomy. you will begin to get it.
2007-11-03 14:51:35 · answer #7 · answered by lewbiv 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
since abraham gave 10% to melchesidek a preist of God in the OT.
mark 12 and luke 21 show Jesus overwatching "donations"
and giving approval...
2007-11-03 14:43:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It takes a lot of money to run a church.
electric, heat, air conditioning, the priests need to eat and have other living conditions. Way back when there was no heat and electricity etc, and the priests probably grew their own veggies and relied on donations of food.
2007-11-03 14:40:17 · answer #9 · answered by Beth 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When the church got organized and the priests needed to eat.
2007-11-03 14:37:42 · answer #10 · answered by janicajayne 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋