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Learning from an Experiment That FailedThe Watchtower—1980 | May 1
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The Pharisees went to the point of tithing even the tiniest of things, such as pod fruits (beans, peas and other legumes), leaves and herbs. They gave a tenth, not only of produce of their own fields, but also of items acquired through purchase, trade or other business. (Luke 11:42; 18:11, 12) This was done for fear that the items had not been tithed properly by their original owners.
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Learning from an Experiment That FailedThe Watchtower—1980 | May 1
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The teaching about earning merit and favor with God by good deeds caused many Pharisees to become self-righteous and condemnatory of others. A parable of Jesus with reference to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and who considered the rest as nothing” states: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ “ (Luke 18:9-12) An example of the extremes to which such an attitude can lead is evident in this excerpt from ancient Jewish writings:
“R[abbi] Hezekiah said in R[abbi] Jeremiah’s name: Thus did R[abbi] Simeon b[en] Yohai say: The world possesses not less than thirty men as righteous as Abraham. If there are thirty, my son and I are two of them; if ten, my son and I are two of them; if five, my son and I are two of them; if two, they are my son and I; if there is but one, it is I.”
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