John Calvin Commentary Numbers 18:20

"And Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them: I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel." — Numbers 18:20 (ASV)

And the Lord spoke to Aaron. This passage refers only in general to the payment of those tithes which were common to all the Levites. We will soon see that the Levites, by God’s command, paid other tithes to the priest; and a third kind will be added, which was only offered every third year.

As for the present passage, God requires tithes from the people for the maintenance of the tribe of Levi. It is indeed certain that the custom had existed in ancient times among the patriarchs before the Law, that they would vow or offer tithes to God, as is evident from the example of Abraham and Jacob. Moreover, the Apostle infers that the priesthood of Melchizedek was superior to that of the Law, because, when Abraham paid him tithes, he also received tithes from Levi himself (Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22; Hebrews 7:11).

But there were two different and special reasons for this payment of tithes, which God ordained by Moses. First, because the land had been promised to the seed of Abraham, the Levites were the legitimate inheritors of a twelfth part of it. However, they were passed over, and the posterity of Joseph was divided into two tribes. Therefore, unless they had been provided for in some other way, the distribution would have been unequal. Furthermore, since they were employed in the sanctuary, their labor was worthy of some remuneration, and it was not reasonable that they should be defrauded of their subsistence, when they were set apart for the performance of the sacred offices and for the instruction of the people.

Two reasons are consequently laid down why God would have them receive tithes from the rest of the people: namely, because they had no part in Israel, and because they were engaged in the service of the tabernacle. Besides, God, who as their King laid claim to the tithes as His own right, resigns them to the Levites and appoints them to be, as it were, His representatives. To this the words, I am thine inheritance, refer.

The manner in which the tithes were employed will be seen later in its proper place. It is sufficient for now to remember that the part which God had taken away from them and transferred to the sons of Joseph was thus compensated for. And since they were withdrawn from domestic cares so that, in the name of all the people, they might be more at liberty for and more intent upon sacred things, an income for their maintenance was thus given them.

Therefore, the Papal priests draw a foolish inference when they claim the tithes for themselves, as if owed to them by right of the priesthood. Else they must prove that those whom they call the laity are their tenants, as if they themselves were the lords of the twelfth part of all landed property. And again, it would be sacrilege to appropriate the tithes to their own use and to possess other lands from which they receive rent. Nor does that expression of the Apostle, which they no less dishonestly than ignorantly allege, help them at all,

The priesthood being changed, the right also is at the same time transferred (Hebrews 7:12).

The Apostle there contends that whatever the Law had conferred on the Levitical priests now belongs to Christ alone, since their dignity and office found their fulfillment in Him. These blockheads, just as if they had robbed Christ, appropriate to themselves the honor peculiar to Him.

If they duly performed their duties and, giving up all earthly business, devoted themselves entirely to the instruction of the people and to the execution of all the other offices of good and faithful pastors, unquestionably they should be maintained by the public. As Paul correctly infers, a subsistence is now no less due to the ministers of the Gospel than it was in ancient times to the priests who waited at the altar (1 Corinthians 9:14).

But under this pretext, they unjustly lay hands on the tithes, as if they were their owners, and with still greater impudence accumulate landed properties and other revenues.

It is probable that when the Roman Emperors²¹⁴ first professed to be Christians—whether induced by just and proper feelings, by superstition, or impressed with a pious concern that the Church should not be without ministers—they gave the tithes for the maintenance of the clergy. For while the Roman State was extant, the people used to exact tithes from their tributary nations. This was also the case where there were kings; for the Sicilians²¹⁵ paid tithes before the Romans obtained dominion over them. Moreover, if there was a scarcity of grain in the city, the senate demanded a second tithe from the provinces. Indeed, we gather from 1 Samuel 8:15 that it was a very ancient custom for kings to receive tithes, so we should not be surprised that the Romans imitated this example.

From this we may infer that when the Emperors wished to provide maintenance for pastors from public funds, they chose a tenth rather than any other proportion, so that they might imitate God.

And in fact, some traces of this still remain, for the tithes do not everywhere belong to the priests. It is well known that a good part of them are swallowed up by monks and abbots, who were not formerly reckoned among the clergy. It is needless to say that some lands are tithe-free.

But how would the Pope have allowed them to be held by laymen if, by divine right (as they stupidly prate), they had been the sacred inheritance of the clergy?

In conclusion, since tithes are to be counted among public imposts and tributes, private individuals should not refuse to pay them, unless they wish to destroy the political state and government of kingdoms. But let pious princes take care to correct abuses, so that idle bellies may not devour public revenues which are devoted to the Church.

I am thy part. I have just explained the meaning of this clause: namely, that because the Levites were excluded from the common inheritance, God compensates this loss from what is His, as if they received it from His hand, meaning that He Himself provided a supply abundantly sufficient for their remuneration. Meanwhile, they are commanded to be content in Him alone. Nor can we doubt that David alludes to this passage when he exclaims,

The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance; the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places (Psalms 16:5).

For he intimates not only that God is more to him than all earthly wealth, but also that, in comparison with Him, all that others considered most excellent and delectable was worthless.

Since we are all now made priests in Christ, this condition is imposed upon us: that we should seek no other portion. This does not mean that we are actually to renounce all earthly goods, but rather that because our felicity is so securely based on Him, content with Him, we should patiently endure the lack of all things, while those who possess anything should be no less free and unentangled than if they possessed nothing.

²¹⁴ “The common opinion is, that it was in the fourth century, when magistrates began to favor the Church, and the world was generally converted from heathenism. Some think Constantine settled them by law upon the Church, but there is no law of Constantine’s now extant that makes express mention of any such thing. — Before the end of the fourth century, as Mr. Selden not only confesses but proves out of Cassian, Eugippius, and others, tithes were paid to the Church.” — Bingham Antiq. B. 5, ch. 5, Section 3.

²¹⁵ By the “Lex Hieronica,” referred to by Cicero referred to by Cicero in C. Verrem., lib. 2:13, and 3:6.lib. 2:13, and 3:6.