The dominant patristic position was that tithing, while a Jewish model, fell short of kingdom righteousness. John Chrysostom (390 AD) calculates that Jewish combined tithes, offerings, and first-fruits amounted to roughly half one's goods — and even that, he argues, is insufficient for Christians. The Fathers shifted from proportional obligation to voluntary excess: almsgiving cleanses sin, opens heaven, and feeds the church body in ways the Mosaic tithe never could. Cyprian promises abundance to those who give generously, and Augustine qualifies the principle by insisting that almsgiving requires genuine repentance — mere giving cannot excuse ongoing wickedness or substitute for faith in Christ.
"What then did they give? A tenth of all their possessions, and again another tenth, and after this a third... if then he who is giving the half, achieves no great thing, he who doth not bestow so much as the tenth, of what shall he be worthy?" — arguing that Jewish combined tithes amounted to half one's goods, making Christian failure to give even a tenth all the more inexcusable.
"He that giveth unto the poor shall never lack, but he that turneth away his eye shall be in great poverty" — promising abundance to generous givers and framing almsgiving as spiritually fruitful beyond any proportional tithe.
Go deeper
Search 1,800+ years of primary sources — Church Fathers, Reformers, councils, and historic theologians.
1 free query per day · No account needed to start