Matthew 23:23
Ye tithe ( αποδεκατουτε ). The tithe had to be paid upon "all the increase of thy seed" (De 14:22; Le 27:30). The English word tithe is tenth. These small aromatic herbs, mint ( το ηδυοσμον, sweet-smelling), anise or dill ( ανηθον ), cummin ( κυμινον, with aromatic seeds), show the Pharisaic scrupulous conscientiousness, all marketable commodities. "The Talmud tells of the ass of a certain Rabbi which had been so well trained as to refuse corn of which the tithes had not been taken" (Vincent).These ye ought ( ταυτα εδε ). Jesus does not condemn tithing. What he does condemn is doing it to the neglect of the
weightier matters ( τα βαρυτερα ). The Pharisees were externalists; cf. Lu 11:39-44.
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