The 64,000 Shekel Question

August 15, 2021

The 8/15/21 message is here (starts at roughly 30:45). The message was about money, specifically money uses and priorities. Money management, if you will, from a Christian point of view.

It's nearly impossible to consider money priorities vis-a-vis the church and not think of the word "tithe." The pastor's message was not a stewardship drive for the church by any means. But it may be helpful to know something about tithing from the Torah. There are (at least) three levels of tithing in the Torah. The first, Numbers 8:24, says the Isrealites are to give 10% of their produce to the Levites. The Levite tribe are the descendents of Aaron and helpers to the Priests who are also of that tribe. The Levites received no inheritance like the other 11 tribes did, so this tithe was to support their living. The second tithe is in Numbers 18:26 where the Levites are in turn to tithe to the Priests. Thirdly, in Deuteronomy 26:12 a third tithe is given in the 3rd year of the 7-year cycle toward the sabbatical year to aid the poor. For one reason or another only the tithing for the poor remains even possible today (the Levites/Priests are no longer, nor is the Temple where much of this happened). However, the notion of 10% toward "God's work" persists and may be helpful to anyone making a financial plan.

There is a case in the Torah where the giving was not a percentage but rather a specific amount. Every male of 20 years or more was to pay one-half shekel (pictured at right) during the census. This discussion is in Exodus 30:11-16. The fixed and small amount was so everyone could participate and noone could claim having built/supported the Tabernacle more than anyone else. This offering was considered an atonement (reparation for an offense, a sin). The fixed amount also served another purpose... If 10,000 shekels were raised they knew there must be 20,000 males of military age.

I think it also appropriate to mention the application of sacrificial "first fruits" in the Torah to the notion of giving (to God) first. In the sacrificial system of the Isrealites, it was always the first and/or the best that was expected for sacrifice to God.

The Torah talks much about loans and indebtedness. And this should give one pause when contemplating going into debt. Going into debt is a sacred relationship upon which you are indebted to the lender. It is your obligation to pay the lender back as agreed upon without having to be reminded. If you find you can't pay the loan back, indentured servitude is an answer. Of course, even more rules are placed upon the lender, so also be careful if your try making money through lending.

One last thought about money. Actually, about the money changers that Jesus threw out of the Temple. It's important to be clear about why Jesus was upset. It was not the presence of money changers. Money changers were necessary at the Temple becuase many people traveled significant distances to bring sacrifices to the Temple. It was far more practical to carry money and change that money into sacrificial items (animals, grains, etc.) than carry those items that distance, or exchange their local currency for "the coin of the Temple," the shekel; or, as we learned earlier, the half-shekel. So what was Jesus upset about? The most rational and reasonable answer I've heard is: corruption, over-charging for the exchange, kickbacks to the High Priests, etc.

Toward the end of the message, reference is made to Genesis 12:2 which reads, "I will make a great nation of you and will give-you-blessing and will make your name great. Be a blessing!" That translation is from Everett Fox's translation, one of the best literal translations of the ancient Hebrew (per Prager). I want to point something out about translation issues and taking into account what texts surround the verse in question. God does want us to be a blessing, but that's not exactly what is being said here. Here, God is talking to one person, Abram (Abraham's name at the time). It is a singular "you" not a plural "you (all)". The interesting question here is, "a blessing to whom?" That question is answered in the next verse, 12:3b, "all the families of the world" ("all the clans of the soil" per Fox). This is the first time in history that it is ever suggested in any ancient account that one nation could be a blessing to another. But not all nations will be blessed. In that same verse, 12:3a, God says, "I will bless those that bless you, he who curses you, I will damn." (Fox). A brief review of history suggests this has held true.

Another interesting thing to note is contained in the verse immediately preceding 12:2. In 12:1, we read God instructs Abram to "go forth." This is the first testing of Abram's faith by God. Leave everything familiar and go some place strange. What crossed my mind is the parallel of leaving one's family and going out into the world. It struck me that we need to be prepared for this "going forth," including knowing how to handle money out in the real world. Parents, take note.

Abram/Abraham apparently does well with his money and resources. The Torah doesn't say much about how he accumulated his wealth, but it does drop clues to its extent and provides at least this one example of how he spent it. He bought a burial plot for Sarah (see Genesis 23), his wife, though they were estranged. How he negotiated and how much he paid provides lessons for all of us. Be open and honest. Negotiate before many witnesses. Clearly define what is being purchased and for what purpose. Though Abraham was offered the tomb for free (twice), he politely refused and offered market price ("according to the weights current among the merchants"). He paid the full price and used the property just as he said he would.