El diezmo judío

En contraste con la gracia u ofrenda cristiana y la práctica neotestamentaria anteriormente consideradas, examinemos ahora lo que dicen las Escrituras acerca del diezmo de los israelitas.
La vocación del israelita
Su vocación es terrenal. Dios, el Dios Creador, es el Jehová del Antiguo Testamento: “En seis días hizo Jehová los cielos y la tierra, la mar y todas las cosas que en ellos hay” (Éxodo 20:1111For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)). De entre las naciones hundiéndose en la idolatría después del diluvio de Noé, Él apartó para Sí mismo un solo pueblo en la tierra, Israel: “Tú eres pueblo santo a Jehová tu Dios: Jehová tu Dios te ha escogido para serle un pueblo especial, más que todos los pueblos que están sobre la haz de la tierra” (Deuteronomio 7:66For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 7:6)).
Su patria es terrenal
“En aquel día hizo Jehová un pacto con Abram diciendo: A tu simiente daré esta tierra desde el río de Egipto hasta el río grande, el río Éufrates; los Cineos, y los Ceneceos, y los Cedmoneos, y los Hetheos, y los Pherezeos, y los Raphaitas, y los Amorrheos, y los Cananeos, y los Gergeseos, y los Jebuseos” (Génesis 15:18-2118In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (Genesis 15:18‑21)). Jehová le prometió a Abram que le daría a su descendencia todas las tierras de aquellas naciones (que iban corrompiéndose en toda suerte de maldad), no enseguida, sino en “la cuarta generación”, porque se lo explicó a Abram que “aún no está cumplida la maldad del Amorrheo hasta aquí” (Génesis 15:1616But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. (Genesis 15:16)).
“Dios es lento para la ira, y grande en misericordia” (Salmo 103:88The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (Psalm 103:8)), pero ¡ay del hombre (o pueblo) que se empecina a hacer lo malo! pues Dios le juzgará sin misericordia. “Yo enviaré Mi terror delante de ti, y consternaré a todo pueblo donde tú entrares, y te daré la cerviz de todos tus enemigos. Yo enviaré la avispa delante de ti, que eche fuera al Heveo, y al Cananeo, y al Hetheo, de delante de ti: no los echaré de delante de ti en un año, porque no quede la tierra desierta, y se aumenten contra ti las bestias del campo. Poco a poco los echaré de delante de ti, hasta que te multipliques y tomes la tierra por heredad. Yo pondré tu término desde el mar Bermejo hasta la mar de Palestina, y desde el desierto hasta el río: porque pondré en vuestras manos los moradores de la tierra, y tú los echarás de delante de ti” (Éxodo 23:27-3127I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 28And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. 29I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. 31And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. (Exodus 23:27‑31)). “Porque Jehová tu Dios te introduce en la buena tierra, tierra de arroyos, de aguas, de fuentes, de abismos que brotan por vegas y montes; tierra de trigo y cebada, y de vides, e higueras, y granados; tierra de olivas, de aceite, y de miel; tierra en la cual no comerás el pan con escasez, no te faltará nada en ella; tierra que sus piedras son hierro, y de sus montes cortarás metal. Y comerás y te hartarás, y bendecirás a Jehová tu Dios por la buena tierra que te habrá dado” (Deuteronomio 8:7-107For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. 10When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. (Deuteronomy 8:7‑10)). “ ... la tierra, que juró Jehová a vuestros padres había de dar a ellos y a su simiente, tierra que fluye leche y miel. Que la tierra a la cual entras para poseerla, no es como la tierra de Egipto de donde habéis salido, donde sembrabas tu simiente, y regabas con tu pie, como huerto de hortaliza. La tierra a la cual pasáis para poseerla, es tierra de montes y de vegas; de la lluvia del cielo ha de beber las aguas; tierra de la cual Jehová tu Dios cuida: siempre están sobre ella los ojos de Jehová tu Dios, desde el principio del año hasta el fin de él” (Deuteronomio 11:9-129And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: 11But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. (Deuteronomy 11:9‑12)). “La tierra pues no podrá venderse en perpetuidad, porque Mía es la tierra” (Levítico 25:23,23The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. (Leviticus 25:23) Versión Moderna).
De estos pasajes del Antiguo Testamento vemos que una tierra inmensa e inmejorable les fue dada a los Israelitas. Se extiende desde el río Éufrates, en el país conocido hoy por el nombre de Irán, hasta el Mar Mediterráneo, y desde los montes al norte hasta el río Nilo en Egipto. Los Israelitas, siendo infieles e ingratos, desobedecieron a Jehová, cometieron abominaciones peores que las de los muchos pueblos echados fuera por Jehová, y al fin perdieron todo: el Señor cumplió con Su amenaza y los echó fuera también. Sin embargo, Jehová es dueño de esa tierra (no las Naciones Unidas), y vendrá el día cuando, según Su promesa incondicional y por Su gracia soberana, restituirá a Su pueblo, (arrepentido y quebrantado por haber dado muerte a Cristo, su Mesías), en aquella tierra inmensa que de nuevo fluirá leche y miel. “Jehová tornará a poner otra vez Su mano para poseer las reliquias de Su pueblo que fueron dejadas de Assur, y de Egipto, y de Parthia, y de Etiopía, y de Persia, y de Caldea, y de Amath, y de las Islas de la mar. Y levantará pendón a las gentes, y juntará los desterrados de Israel, y reunirá los esparcidos de Judá de los cuatro cantones de la tierra ... y secará Jehová la lengua de la mar de Egipto [el Mar Bermejo]; y levantará Su mano con fortaleza de Su Espíritu sobre el río [Nilo], y herirálo en sus siete brazos, y hará que pasen por él con zapatos. Y habrá camino para las reliquias de Su pueblo, las que quedaron de Assur, de la manera que lo hubo para Israel el día que subió de la tierra de Egipto” (Isaías 11:11-12,15-1611And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11‑12)
15And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. (Isaiah 11:15‑16)). Su pueblo, arrepentido y restaurado, dirá: “Cantaré a Ti, oh Jehová: pues aunque Te enojaste contra mí, Tu furor se apartó, y me has consolado ... Regocíjate y canta, oh moradora de Sión: porque grande es en medio de ti el Santo de Israel” (Isaías 12:1,61And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. (Isaiah 12:1)
6Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. (Isaiah 12:6)).
Pero ni en estos pasajes ni en otros muchos que hay en la Biblia, se encuentra mención alguna de una patria celestial para los Israelitas. No; todo lo prometido a ese pueblo escogido por Jehová se arraigaba en la tierra de Canaán.
Su bendición es terrenal
Jehová prometió a Su pueblo Israel toda suerte de bendiciones (no celestiales, no espirituales, sino) terrenales: “ ... te multiplicará, y bendecirá el fruto de tu vientre, y el fruto de tu tierra, y tu grano, y tu mosto, y tu aceite, la cría de tus vacas, y los rebaños de tus ovejas, en la tierra que juró a tus padres que te daría. Bendito serás más que todos los pueblos: no habrá en ti varón ni hembra estéril, ni en tus bestias. Y quitará Jehová de ti toda enfermedad ... ” (Deuteronomio 7:13-1513And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 14Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 15And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. (Deuteronomy 7:13‑15)). “Mas a Jehová vuestro Dios serviréis, y Él bendecirá tu pan y tus aguas” (Éxodo 23:2525And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. (Exodus 23:25)). “Y vendrán sobre ti todas estas bendiciones, y te alcanzarán, cuando oyeres la voz de Jehová tu Dios. Bendito serás tú en la ciudad, y bendito tú en el campo. Bendito el fruto de tu vientre, y el fruto de tu bestia, la cría de tus vacas, y los rebaños de tus ovejas. Bendito tu canastillo y tus sobras. Bendito será en tu entrar, y bendito en tu salir. Pondrá Jehová a tus enemigos que se levantaren contra ti, de rota batida delante de ti: por un camino saldrán a ti, por siete caminos huirán delante de ti. Enviará Jehová contigo la bendición en tus graneros, y en todo aquello en que pusieres tu mano; y te bendecirá en la tierra que Jehová tu Dios te da. Confirmarte ha Jehová por pueblo Suyo santo, como te ha jurado, cuando guardares los mandamientos de Jehová tu Dios, y anduvieres en Sus caminos. Y verán todos los pueblos de la tierra que el nombre de Jehová es llamado sobre ti, y te temerán. Y te hará Jehová sobreabundar en bienes, en el fruto de tu vientre, y en el fruto de tu bestia, y en el fruto de tu tierra, en el país que juró Jehová a tus padres que te había de dar. Abrirte ha Jehová Su buen depósito, el cielo, para dar lluvia a tu tierra en su tiempo, y para bendecir toda obra de tus manos” (Deuteronomio 28:2-122And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 9The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. 10And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. (Deuteronomy 28:2‑12)).
Así vemos que Jehová, el Dios Creador, prometió a Israel todo lo mejor que pudiera ser disfrutado en la tierra, pero siempre que Le obedeciera en todo lo ordenado.
El diezmo del israelita
Ahora bien, era justo que Jehová recibiera una parte de todos los bienes que había derramado en tanta abundancia sobre Su pueblo terrenal, para fines bondadosos que Él había decretado, de manera que mandó al israelita que Le ofreciese la décima parte de todo. Para Sí mismo, el gran Dios Creador no tiene necesidad de nada: “Mío es el mundo y su plenitud ... Mía es toda bestia del bosque, y los millares de animales en los collados ... Mía es la plata, y Mío el oro, dice Jehová de los ejércitos” (Salmo 50:10,1210For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10)
12If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. (Psalm 50:12); Hageo 2:88The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:8)). Pero Él pensaba en el huérfano, en la viuda, y en el necesitado y en los Levitas que Le servirían en Su santuario terrenal, y mandó que los diezmos fuesen traídos para suplir todas esas necesidades: “No desampararás al Levita que habitare en tus poblaciones; porque no tiene parte ni heredad contigo. Al cabo de cada tres años sacarás todo el diezmo de tus productos de aquel año, y lo guardarás en tus ciudades: y vendrá el Levita, que no tiene parte ni heredad contigo, y el extranjero, y el huérfano, y la viuda, que hubiere en tus poblaciones, y comerán y serán saciados; para que Jehová tu Dios te bendiga en toda obra de tus manos que hicieres” (Deuteronomio 14:27-2927And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. 28At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 29And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. (Deuteronomy 14:27‑29)). “Y toda décima de vacas o de ovejas, de todo lo que pasa bajo la vara, la décima será consagrada a Jehová” (Levítico 27:3030And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. (Leviticus 27:30)). “Indispensablemente diezmarás todo el producto de tu simiente, que rindiere el campo cada un año” (Deuteronomio 14:2222Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. (Deuteronomy 14:22)).
En Israel fue decretada la maldición a causa de la desobediencia, tanto como la bendición condicionada en la obediencia (véase, por ejemplo, las espantosas maldiciones pronunciadas sobre Israel si desobedeciera a Jehová —Deuteronomio 28:15-6815But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 18Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 19Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 21The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. 23And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 25The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. 26And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. 27The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 28The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: 29And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. 30Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. 31Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. 32Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. 33The fruit of thy land, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 34So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 35The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. 36The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 37And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee. 38Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 40Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. 41Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. 42All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. 43The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. 45Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 46And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. 47Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. 49The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; 50A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young: 51And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. 52And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. 53And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 54So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: 55So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. 56The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. 58If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God. 63And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 64And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. 65And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 66And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: 67In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 68And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. (Deuteronomy 28:15‑68)— en contraste con las bendiciones prometidas a condición de su obediencia; Deuteronomio 28:1-131And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 3Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 9The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. 10And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: (Deuteronomy 28:1‑13)). Leamos la queja justa de Jehová seguida por Su promesa bondadosa, en el último libro del Antiguo Testamento: “¿Robará el hombre a Dios? Pues vosotros me habéis robado. Y dijisteis: ¿En qué te hemos robado? Los diezmos y las primicias. Malditos sois con maldición, porque vosotros, la nación toda, me habéis robado. Traed todos los diezmos al alfolí, y haya alimento en Mi casa; y probadme ahora en esto, dice Jehová de los ejércitos, si no os abriré las ventanas de los cielos, y vaciaré sobre vosotros bendición hasta que sobreabunde. Increparé también por vosotros al devorador, y no os corromperá el fruto de la tierra; ni vuestra vid en el campo abortará, dice Jehová de los ejércitos. Y todas las gentes os dirán bienaventurados; porque seréis tierra deseable, dice Jehová de los ejércitos” (Malaquías 3:8-128Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. 12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:8‑12)).
La enseñanza del Señor Jesús
¿Cuál fue la enseñanza y la práctica del Señor Jesús durante Su vida aquí abajo en la tierra, con respecto al diezmo? Antes de citar algunos pasajes del Nuevo Testamento, recordemos que el Señor Jesús, como hombre, no sólo nació de una mujer, sino que era “súbdito a la ley” (Gálatas 4:44But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4)). Él era de la tribu de Judá (Mateo 1:3-16,3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:3‑16) etc.), y en cuanto a Su ministerio, Él mismo dijo: “No soy enviado sino a las ovejas perdidas de la casa de Israel” (Mateo 15:2424But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24)).
¿Recomendó Jesús que los judíos diezmaran de sus bienes? Ciertamente, pero no sólo que guardasen la ley de Moisés en ese aspecto, sino que la obedeciesen enteramente. Hablando a las gentes y a sus discípulos, dijo: “Sobre la cátedra de Moisés se sentaron los escribas y los Fariseos: así que, todo lo que os dijeren que guardéis, guardadlo y hacedlo; mas no hagáis conforme a sus obras” (Mateo 23:2-32Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (Matthew 23:2‑3)). Cuando censuró a los religiosos de aquel tiempo, les dijo: “¡Ay de vosotros, escribas y Fariseos, hipócritas! porque diezmáis la menta y el eneldo y el comino, y dejasteis lo que es lo más grave de la ley, es a saber, el juicio y la misericordia y la fe: esto era menester hacer, y no dejar lo otro” (Mateo 23:2323Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)). Al joven rico le citó algunos de los mandamientos, el último de los cuales señaló al rico como indigno del cielo: amaba sus muchas posesiones más que al Señor y a los pobres (véase Mateo 19:16-2216And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 20The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:16‑22)). Por demás es decir que, personalmente, Jesús siempre guardaba la ley en toda perfección, no solamente en Sus hechos, sino en todos Sus motivos y pensamientos (contrástese Mateo 5:27-2827Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:27‑28)). Él, por decirlo así, magnificó a la ley y la hizo ilustre durante Su vida entera; pero hizo infinitamente más: satisfizo todos los santos reclamos de la ley contra el pecado y contra el pecador, recibiendo en Su propia Persona la pena inexorable de la ley violada: la muerte.
Habiendo sido satisfecha la Justicia, Cristo fue resucitado de entre los muertos por la gloria del Padre, ascendió a los cielos y de allá, siendo el Hijo de Dios, del Padre, envió al Espíritu Santo al mundo para formar la Iglesia (Hechos 2:1-41And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1‑4)). El cristianismo había empezado, y Cristo, (ya no un judío bajo la ley de Moisés en Judea, sino) “el principio de la creación de Dios”, “el primogénito de los muertos”, “la cabeza del cuerpo que es la iglesia”, el que “subió sobre todos los cielos para cumplir todas las cosas”, “dio unos, ciertamente apóstoles, y otros, profetas; y otros, evangelistas; y otros, pastores y doctores; para perfección de los santos, para la obra del ministerio, para edificación del cuerpo de Cristo” (Apocalipsis 3:1414And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14); Colosenses 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18); Efesios 4:10-1210He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:10‑12)). Leemos los hechos de los apóstoles en el quinto libro del Nuevo Testamento y sus enseñanzas inspiradas tenemos en las epístolas cristianas, veintiún libros empezando con Romanos y terminando con Judas. Estas abarcan toda la doctrina cristiana dada por Cristo, la cabeza de Su Iglesia, para la edificación, exhortación y consolación de ella. Pero ni una vez siquiera, ni en los Hechos ni en las catorce epístolas de Pablo (ministro a la Iglesia), ni en las siete epístolas de Santiago, Pedro, Juan y Judas, se dice que los cristianos diezmaban, mucho menos se encuentra escrita exhortación relacionada con el diezmo.
¿A qué conclusión, entonces, llega el cristiano enseñado por el Espíritu Santo, y no engañado por maestros que procuran con demasiada presión obligar a todo cristiano a diezmar? A una sola: Jehová mandó al israelita diezmar, pero el Señor Jesús, la cabeza glorificada de Su Iglesia, por Su amor que le “constriñe” anima al cristiano a ofrendar de su “voluntad pronta” según “lo que tiene, no ... lo que no tiene” (2 Corintios 5:14; 8:9,1214For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: (2 Corinthians 5:14)
9For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
12For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. (2 Corinthians 8:12)).
¡De la Ley libres! ¡Dicha indecible!
Cristo sufrió su pena terrible;
Su maldición del todo Él llevó,
“Por gracia” así ya nos salvó.
[Coro]:
De un golpe así Jesús todo lo hizo,
Que a la Justicia ayer satisfizo
Cuando en la cruz Él nos redimió,
Del todo ya nos eximió.
Ya “somos hijos de la promesa”,
Nos guarda Él siempre con diligencia;
Ya hemos pasado a vida eternal;
Ya paz tenemos… divinal.
“Condenación no hay”, que “en Cristo” estamos,
Sí, “en el Amado aceptos” ya somos,
Pues Su llamada oímos, y en paz
Hoy disfrutamos de solaz.
(Himno 940 en el Himnario Mensajes del Amor de Dios)