Irenaeus an early church theologian

In Against Heresies, Irenaeus wrote, “[The Old Testament saints] offered their tithes; but those who have received liberty set apart everything they have for the Lord’s use, cheerfully and freely giving them, not as small things in hope of greater, but like that poor widow, who put her whole livelihood into the treasury of God.” The Didache (early second century) certainly has Scripture on its side when it counsels, “Do not hesitate to give, and do not give with a bad grace; for you will discover who He is that repays you. . .Do not turn your back on the needy, but share everything with your brother and call nothing your own.”

Why do you need Yeshua if the law is still in effect?

I got this question from a Jewish reader of this blog. How do you answer a question like this?

What about "the poor tithe?"

A friend of mine just posted her recent experience on Facebook about how money is tight and how she felt like she was rationalizing and that maybe it was ok to not tithe just this one week to pay for necessities.

It is criminal that the church has convinced so much of the body of Christ that they must follow the Jewish practice of collecting the Levitical tithe and handing it to the local church. The problem I see is that all of the arguments for maintaining the Levitical (priesthood) tithe are equally valid for maintaining the second tithe AND the poor tithe. The church has carefully left those out.

Nowhere in scripture is the church given authority to collect a tithe. Nowhere in scripture is a pastor/shepherd given authority to collect a tithe.

This friend of mine could have benefitted from the proceeds of the poor tithe. What gives church?