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Craig L. Blomberg Distinguished Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary

ABSTRACT

The consistent biblical antidote to material possessions becoming a seduction to sin is to give them away generously and sacrificially to those who have greater needs. This is not some Communist ideal of exact equality of all individuals but the principle of equity. No one should have too much when some have too little, especially when it is through no fault of their own. A tithe—all of God’s people giving exactly ten percent—is nowhere taught in the Bible. Giving was 23 1/3 % annually for ancient Israelites; in the New Testament percentages vary from individual to individual, since one person’s generosity is another’s stinginess. What is at stake in the discussion about giving may be one’s very salvation. 

撮要

聖經有關對抗物質擁有誘人犯罪的一致方法，是慷慨解囊，犧牲所有，把 自己所有的贈予有更大需要的人。這不等於某些共產主義所提倡的人人完全平 等，而是一種公平的原則。「有人有餘，有人卻不足」這情況不應出現，尤其 當貧富差距不是基於人為結果。聖經沒有明確教導，上帝的百姓必須剛好奉獻 十分一。古代以色列人每年奉獻百分之23 1/3；而在新約，奉獻的多少因人而 異，因為某人的樂於奉獻卻是另一人吝嗇的表現。在有關奉獻的討論中，至為 重要的可能關乎個人的救恩問題。

原載於《建道學刊》41期（2014），頁 77-102。