Deuteronomy 16:10,17
And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
The feast of weeks is the OT portrayal of the formation of the church. it lasted for a period of 50 days. In observance of the time Christ died and when the HS came upon the Disciples in the upper room and the church was formed.
The NT corresponding verses almost seem that Paul is quoting OT scripture because it resembles the OT passage so much.
2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Also, the NT doesn’t remove the exact portions of offerings either, so why don’t we practice these?
And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering
But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering
And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering
The scholars try their best and come up with a round figure with the exact amount of tithe(s) the Israelites gave, so why don’t they try their best with offerings. it would be so much easier to figure out how much to give(sarcasm)
Are we to observe the feast days?
Ere N
No friend we are not all obligated observe
Any special days or feast because
we people in Jesus should consider everyday the
Day of the Lord and every moment Jesus
Time. Also those in Jesus eat his flesh with
every meal and every thing we need.
21‘Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, says this, “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat all the meat. 22?For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, I said nothing to them, gave them no orders, about burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23?My one command to them was this: Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people. In everything, follow the way that I mark out for you, and you shall prosper. 24?But they did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed their own devices, their own stubborn and wicked inclinations, and got worse rather than better.
The obligations of the Law were a visual sign to the people, when circumcision becomes literal without requirement of faith of which Abraham whose faith was considered righteous even before the institution of cirumcision, then we come to a realization at a crossroad of which intent and action are married to form an identity. The passage I just quote from Jeremiah demonstrates fairly accurately the command that we depend on God’s voice. The observations of the Law were not meant to become a new tool of slavery, but as a reference point back to God and for God. When I am at Mass, the people says the following, “”May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church.” I agree with Freewillgiver in that every day is a day of the Lord, but we must also be obedient and faithful, of which signs help reenforce the commitment and identity of the community. If we were isolated Christians, where would our free will offering go to give God glory? Sure, we can give to the poor as much as Bill Gates or Bono may give that puts them on TIME Magazine, and who gets the glory but some philanthropists?
As a Secular Franciscan (inquirer) I should remind myself and others with the same spirituality and charism of St. Francis of Assisi regarding the Rule of the SFO (Secular Franciscan Order) chapter three–XXV “Regarding expenses necessary for the life of the fraternity and the needs of worship, of the apostolate, and to charity, all the brothers and sisters should offer a contribution according to their means. Local fraternities should contribute toward the expenses of the higher fraternity council.”
I offer this comment also to demonstrate a historicity, expecially since many Protestant communities may gloss over everything between the Post-Nicene Fathers to the Reformers. Giving should be of a cheerful heart and as each according to their means.