Giving from was shorthand for the much preferred percentage giving – responding to God’s grace in our lives by returning a portion, hopefully the minimum of a tithe, to his work. Needs based giving was denigrated because glitzy projects were funded while mundane things languished. My heart was with the “giving from” concept. But now I am not so sure.

For some years it has been my practice to work through a new commentary on Acts. The last one was Luke Timothy Johnson’s The Acts of the Apostles, in the Sacra Pagina series. In a note on Acts 6:1 he writes: “In the Rabbinic tradition, doing justice (tsedekah) was spelled out in terms of organized community almsgiving.” So the pooling of financial resources to take care of the needs of widows and children was continuing an Old Testament practice. See also Deuteronomy 26, Isaiah 1, Jeremiah 22, Zechariah 7 and James 1:27. Here are clear examples of justice driven giving to needs.

A Google search uncovered contemporary synagogue practices of multiple Tzedekah boxes strategically placed in synagogue and local businesses to receive contributions to various causes: the poor, children, the ill, holocaust victims etc.

An email exchange with sem prof Reed Lessing uncovered some 80 pairings of justice (mishpat) and righteousness (tzedekah). Probably the most well known is Amos 5:24 “But let justice flow like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” The prophet calls upon Israel to treat people fairly, with justice. Righteousness was to be continually renewed.

And so it was that the early Christians gathered resources to take care of the needy. The roots were in the justice/righteousness patterns of their Jewish roots. I see Paul using the same concept in II Corinthians 8:13ff about striking a balance between those experiencing surplus and those in hardship. At the present time, your surplus fills their need so that their surplus may fill your need.

It sounds to me like generosity that grows from a commitment to contribute a generous percentage of one’s income to God’s work and generosity that responds to the needs of hurting people around us are two sides of the same coin. Both are Godly responses of the people of God.