The Weightier Matters of the Law

 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 23:23-24; Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Isaiah 58:13-14

In Matthew 23:23-24, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. They meticulously tithe herbs like mint and dill but neglect the “weightier matters of the law”—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He does not dismiss the importance of tithing but calls them to a deeper righteousness that reflects God's heart.

The Weightier Matters of the Law:
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are at the core of God's law. While the Pharisees focused on outward obedience, they overlooked these essential principles. God’s commands are not mere rules but expressions of His character—loving, just, and merciful.

The Sabbath and God’s Concern for Justice:
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 links the Sabbath to deliverance. God commands Israel to rest, reminding them of their former slavery in Egypt. The Sabbath is not just about personal rest but about justice—ensuring that all, including servants and strangers, experience relief and dignity.

Isaiah 58:13-14 further clarifies the spirit of the Sabbath. It is not a day of self-seeking but a time to delight in the Lord, reflecting His justice and compassion. When we honor the Sabbath properly, we participate in God's work of setting the oppressed free and lifting burdens.

How does this Apply to Us?
True obedience to God’s law goes beyond rituals. Are we practicing justice in our daily lives? Are we showing mercy to the broken? Are we faithful to God's commands in both spirit and action? Honoring the Sabbath means more than resting—it means living in a way that promotes justice and extends God's deliverance to others.

Live as Jesus Taught
Jesus calls us to a faith that is not just outward but transformative. The weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness—must shape how we live, love, and worship. Let us not major in the minors but seek to reflect God's heart in all we do.

Prayer:
Lord, help us to embrace Your law with justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Teach us to honor the Sabbath as a time of rest and restoration, not only for ourselves but for others. May we live as people who reflect Your love and righteousness in the world. Amen.

More: Lesson 13 Love Is the Fulfillment of the Law

Next Quarter: Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy 

Can You Send Your Tithe Money Anywhere?

 

Can You Send Your Tithe Money Anywhere?

Many people send their tithe money to other charitable or religious causes. They do this under the assumption that tithe money is your main giving, so anywhere it goes is fine. As long as you give 10%, you are okay. Some may claim that the New Testament says nothing about Christians tithing, just giving in general. So now our choice is to give whatever we want to whoever we want.

Let's clear that last one up. Jesus told a lot of parables about money. None of those parables is actually on what we should do with out money. Jesus used stories involving money to make a point about Christian life and salvation.

Many times Jesus spoke about giving, but it was never in regards to how to tithe. The incident of the the widow's mite is one example. This was not a tithe. How do we know this? Because tithe money was not collected in that manner. Jesus commented on the offering of the wealthy and how it relates to the widow. They have large sums in a public showing as a way of showing off and getting praise from men. The widow gave out of love to support the church.

This story was not a commentary on tithing. It did not demonstrate how we can give any amount and consider that a tithe. Jesus remained silent on tithing for one main reason. There was no argument ever over tithing. The Pharisees pointed out the Sabbath, hand washing, being around sinners and other things, but never on tithing. It was not an issue. Jesus did not have to teach on tithing, nor did He ever say not to tithe. Nowhere in the New Testament does it say not to tithe.

In fact, the one example that Jesus mentions tithing, is when He accuses that Pharisees are tithing, but not fulfilling the rest of the law.

Matthew 23:23 (KJV): "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

He did not tell them to stop tithing.

The tithes were collected regularly for the work of the church. In the times of Jesus, this would have been to support the Levites and all temple services. Nowhere in The Bible does it ever mention sending your tithe to the charity of your choice. There is only one strange alternative found in Deuteronomy.

Why should a church member give their tithe to the local church, marked as tithe? Because it then gets sent to the local conference treasury, similarly as in ancient Israel. The tithe is the spent on the work of the church across the globe.

This includes paying the salary of your pastor. Some of it does make its way back to the local church for evangelism or things like building loans.

If you are a church member, regularly attending church services, and you do not send your tithe to the church, shame on you. You are enjoying the fruits of other people's tithing. You are led spiritually by the pastor who would not be there if not for the tithing of others.

If you truly do not agree with where your tithe money is spent, and keep it from the church, you are essentially robbing God. You should not even call yourself a church member. After all, why would you want to be a member of an organization that you do not support?

Send your tithe money to the church. That is the only Biblical instruction. Jesus criticized the leaders of the church all the time. Never did He ever say to stop giving to church.

Stewardship: Adventists were duped!

So you just finished a great series on "Stewardship." You are now pumped up for the cause. Adventists are feeling recharged and ready to open their pocketbooks. Well, at least that was the goal.

Back in 2015, the good people that run the Adventist Church, decided we needed a reboot. That giving was not up to snuff, and by golly, they were bound and determined to do something about it.

They created stewardship directors for each division. Thirteen in all. They were given salary, benefits, and travel to shepherd the masses. They wanted to teach every man, woman, and child in the church about stewardship. In other words, you gotta spend money to make money.


Of course it fell flat. Local churches and pastors were not really on board.

It was a perfect storm, really. The GC had troubles with the strong dollar, less tithe money coming in, and a few questionable business practices. Something had to be done.

We need to get people on board to start tithing!

In the Fall of 2017, the stewardship directors met and decided the faithful in the pews needed a swat on the behind to start giving.

So, a solid, three month study on stewardship was benevolently bestowed upon us.

Do you feel duped?

Now you know why the Sabbath School Quarterly had some biting things in it. Like how you cannot possibly be a good Christian unless you tithe. Maybe you are not even fully saved.

Did you feel a little shaken down? Well, now you know the rest of the story. https://news.adventist.org/en/all-news/news/go/2017-10-10/in-the-face-of-financial-challenges-the-adventist-church-refocuses-on-stewardship-and-systematic-gi/

We at the Undercover Adventist encourages people to give as freely as THEIR heart guided by God leads them to. Not to be under pressure.

Work and The Sabbath

As Adventists, you have heard that having a medical job is sacred. That somehow you can work on The Sabbath because you are a healer. Ditto with other "emergency" jobs that someone else has deemed sacred. So, why is this?

If you happen to work at a department store, and called to work on Saturday, we become militant. We tell them in no uncertain terms that they MUST get off. That they must trust God to somehow come to their rescue.

However, if you have the privilege of being a doctor, we give you a pass. Or a nurse. We tell them they are doing some sort of God's work, so that is okay.

Of course this makes us look foolish.

Oh sure, some people say to give the money you earn on Sabbath back to the church, and you are pure. But you still worked your regular job!

Working on Sabbath seems to be okay so long as you :
A) Have a medical or emergency job.
And, perhaps....
B) Give the money back to the church.

Of course this violates Sabbath keeping, does it not?

Is one job sacred over another?

This is related to tithing and faith.

If someone says they have no money left over to pay tithe after bills, then you should pay God first, and God will miraculously make up the difference.

Doctors, nurses, and others, seem to live in a parallel Sabbath universe.

They are told no such thing. They are not told to make other arrangements. They are not told to trust God with their patients. (Or their employer.) They are not told to give their employer a threat of a lawsuit if they are forced to work on Sabbath.


Of course giving back the money you earn on Sabbath opens up a whole slew of problems. If your normal week is 5 days, then is it fair to only take the money you earn on 4 days, when someone else who is "lucky," takes home 5 days pay?

Do we really, really want to talk about faith?

Why do we try and force the little guy to have so much faith, and doctors a pass?

I imagine that most (yes this is a logical statement) doctors, at least in the United States, have quite a lot of wealth. As opposed to a department store employee.

Do we not tell people that God will supply all their needs? Oh...unless you are a doctor or nurse. Then somehow your faith is irrelevant. You must be available on The Sabbath.

Jesus never charged a mite on Sabbath for healing. He never took money on this day, then gave it to the church.

Jesus said to do good on The Sabbath. He certainly did not say do any work on The Sabbath, nor did He say get paid for your good works on The Sabbath.

So the conundrum is there. And we seem to have taken sides.

To some, we tell them to be harsh on their employers and demand to not work on The Sabbath.

To others we say, work in peace. You are doing "good" work, so you are okay.

There must be some other slant. We know this.

It is NOT about flat out working or not working on The Sabbath. There is a principle there. There is a pureness of heart. Jesus told them that they took their ox out of a ditch because it was the right thing to do. Jesus did not tell them to trust God that the ox will keep until sundown.

We do not know the motives or struggles of people who are trying to keep The Sabbath.

However, it seems to us here at The Undercover Adventist, that we tell some people to struggle, and others not to.

Shouldn't we tell everyone to not struggle and live by faith? Without judgement?

Very difficult to do if we take sides and deem some jobs sacred, others not.

In the very near future, we will address more of this. Stay tuned!