I was just reviewing some of the things I had written to Jim Cannon at Chesapeake Community (now Sovereign Grace Church) a few years ago, and I rediscovered this nugget:
Hebrews 7:5 states, “And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers.”
It is described (to Hebrew believers, no less) as a foreign practice: they have a commandment — not us; they take it (present-tense) — as of the writing of this epistle, the tithe was still being collected by Levites.
Seems to me that Martin Luther worked hard to get the Bible OUT of the priests hands and give it to the people to read, and the people put it BACK in the priests hands to have it read and digested for them.
Anyway, I’m putting this in my list of verses to remember. Thanks.
Also, did you ever post the letter you wrote to the pastor there? It might be too personal so it’s likely you didn’t. But if you did, I’d like to read it. Any chance of pointing me towards it? IF you posted it, that is.