Text -- 2 Corinthians 9:2-15 (NET)

9:2 because I know your eagerness to help. I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal to participate has stirred up most of them. 9:3 But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them. 9:4 For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you. 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to urge these brothers to go to you in advance and to arrange ahead of time the generous contribution you had promised, so this may be ready as a generous gift and not as something you feel forced to do. 9:6 My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. 9:7 Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work. 9:9 Just as it is written, “He has scattered widely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever.” 9:10 Now God who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your supply of seed and will cause the harvest of your righteousness to grow. 9:11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous on every occasion, which is producing through us thanksgiving to God, 9:12 because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God. 9:13 Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone. 9:14 And in their prayers on your behalf they long for you because of the extraordinary grace God has shown to you. 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 2Co 9:2

I glory ( kauchōmai ).

Present middle indicative. I still am glorying, in spite of the poor performance of the Corinthians.

Robertson: 2Co 9:2

Hath been prepared ( pareskeuastai ).

Perfect passive indicative of paraskeuazō , to make ready, "stands prepared."

Robertson: 2Co 9:2

Stirred up ( ērethise ).

First aorist active indicative of erethizō (from erethō , to excite), to excite in a good sense here, in a bad sense in Col 3:21, the only N.T. examples.

Robertson: 2Co 9:2

Very many of them ( tous pleionas ).

The more, the majority.

Robertson: 2Co 9:3

I sent ( epempsa ).

Not literary plural with this epistolary aorist as in 18, 22.

Robertson: 2Co 9:3

That ye may be prepared ( hina pareskeuasmenoi ēte ).

Perfect passive subjunctive in the final clause, "that ye may really be prepared,""as I said"(kathōs elegon ) and not just say that ye are prepared. Paul’ s very syntax tells against them.

Robertson: 2Co 9:4

If there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared ( ean elthōsin sun emoi Makedones kai heurōsin humas aparaskeuastous ).

Condition of third class (undetermined, but stated as a lively possibility) with ean and the second aorist active subjunctive (elthōsin , heurōsin ), a bold and daring challenge. Aparaskeuastos is a late and rare verbal adjective from paraskeuazō with a privative, only here in the N.T.

Robertson: 2Co 9:4

Lest by any means we should be put to shame ( mē pōs kataischunthōmen hēmeis ).

Negative purpose with first aorist passive subjunctive of kataischunō (see note on 2Co 7:14) in the literary plural.

Robertson: 2Co 9:4

That we say not, ye ( hina mē legōmen humeis ).

A delicate syntactical turn for what he really has in mind. He does wish that they become ashamed of not paying their pledges.

Robertson: 2Co 9:4

Confidence ( hupostasei ).

This word, common from Aristotle on, comes from huphistēmi , to place under. It always has the notion of substratum or foundation as here; 2Co 11:17; Heb 1:3. The papyri give numerous examples (Moulton and Milligan’ s Vocabulary ) of the word for "property"in various aspects. So in Heb 11:1 "faith is the title-deed of things hoped for."In the lxx it represents fifteen different Hebrew words.

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

I thought ( hegēsamēn ).

Epistolary aorist again. See note on Phi 2:25 for the expression here.

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

Go before ( proelthōsin ).

Second aorist active of proerchomai . Go to you before I come.

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

Make up beforehand ( prokatartisōsi ).

Late and rare double compound verb prokatartizō (in Hippocrates). Only here in N.T. See katartizō in 1Co 1:10.

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

Your afore-promised bounty ( tēn proepēggelmenēn eulogian humōn ).

"Blessing"(eulogia ) literally, but applied to good deeds also as well as good words (Gen 33:11). Note third use of "pro"before. He literally rubs it in that the pledge was overdue.

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

That the same might be ready ( tautēn hetoimēn einai ).

Here the infinitive alone (einai ) is used to express purpose without hōste or eis to or pros to with the accusative of general reference (tautēn ). The feminine form hetoimēn is regular (1Pe 1:5) though hetoimos also occurs with the feminine like the masculine (Mat 25:10).

Robertson: 2Co 9:5

And not of extortion ( kai mē hōs pleonexian ).

"And not as covetousness."Some offerings exhibit covetousness on the part of the giver by their very niggardliness.

Robertson: 2Co 9:6

Sparingly ( pheidomenōs ).

Late and rare adverb made from the present middle participle pheidomenos from pheidomai , to spare. It occurs in Plutarch (Alex. 25).

Robertson: 2Co 9:7

He hath purposed ( proēirētai ).

Perfect middle indicative of proaireomai , to choose beforehand, old verb, here only in N.T. Permanent purpose also.

Robertson: 2Co 9:7

Not grudgingly ( mē ek lupēs ).

The use of mē rather than ou shows that the imperative poieitō (do) or didotō (give) is to be supplied. Not give as out of sorrow.

Robertson: 2Co 9:7

Or of necessity ( ē ex anagkēs ).

As if it were like pulling eye-teeth.

Robertson: 2Co 9:7

For God loveth a cheerful giver ( hilaron gar dotēn agapāi ho theos ).

Our word "hilarious"comes from hilaron which is from hilaos (propitious), an old and common adjective, only here in N.T.

Robertson: 2Co 9:8

Is able ( dunatei ).

Late verb, not found except here; 2Co 13:3; Rom 14:4. So far a Pauline word made from dunatos , able.

Robertson: 2Co 9:8

All sufficiency ( pāsan autarkeian ).

Old word from autarkēs (Phi 4:11), common word, in N.T. only here and 1Ti 6:6). The use of this word shows Paul’ s acquaintance with Stoicism. Paul takes this word of Greek philosophy and applies it to the Christian view of life as independent of circumstances. But he does not accept the view of the Cynics in the avoidance of society. Note threefold use of "all"here (en panti , pantote , pāsan , in everything, always, all sufficiency).

Robertson: 2Co 9:9

As it is written ( kathōs gegraptai ).

Psa 92:3, Psa 92:9. Picture of the beneficent man.

Robertson: 2Co 9:9

He hath scattered abroad ( eskorpisen ).

First aorist active indicative of skorpizō , to scatter, Koiné[28928]š verb for skedannumi of the Attic. Probably akin to skorpios (scorpion) from root skarp , to cut asunder. See note on Mat 12:30. It is like sowing seed.

Robertson: 2Co 9:9

To the poor ( tois penēsin ).

Old word from penamai , to work for one’ s living. Latin penuria and Greek peinaō , to be hungry, are kin to it. Only N.T. instance and to be distinguished from ptōchos , beggar, abjectly poor.

Robertson: 2Co 9:10

Supplieth ( epichorēgōn ).

Late Koiné[28928]š compound verb from epi and chorēgeō , just below (1Pe 4:11). Chorēgos is old word for leader of a chorus (choros , hēgeomai ) or chorus-leader. The verb means to furnish a chorus at one’ s own expense, then to supply in general. N.T. examples of epichorēgeō are 2Co 9:10; Gal 3:15; Col 2:19; 2Pe 1:5.

Robertson: 2Co 9:10

Shall multiply ( plēthunei ).

Future active indicative of plēthunō , old verb from plēthus , fulness. Cf. Act 6:1.

Robertson: 2Co 9:10

Fruits ( genēmata ).

Correct reading (from ginomai , to become) and not gennēmata (from gennaō , to beget). This spelling is supported by lxx where Thackeray shows that genēmata in lxx refers to vegetables and gennēmata to animals. The papyri support this distinction (Moulton and Milligan’ s Vocabulary ).

Robertson: 2Co 9:11

Enriched ( ploutizomenoi ).

Present passive participle of ploutizō for which see note on 1Co 1:5; note on 2Co 6:10; only other N.T. examples.

Robertson: 2Co 9:11

Liberality ( haplotēta ).

See note on 2Co 8:2. Anacoluthon with nominative participle too far from perisseuēte for agreement. More like the independent use of the participle.

Robertson: 2Co 9:12

Service ( leitourgias ).

Old word from leōs (people, laos ), leitos like dēmosios , public, and ergon , work. So public service either in worship to God (Luk 1:23) or benefaction to others (2Co 9:12; Phi 2:30). Our word liturgy is this word.

Robertson: 2Co 9:12

Filleth up ( estin prosanaplērousa ).

Present active periphrastic indicative of double compound verb prosanaplēroō , Koiné[28928]š word, here and 2Co 11:9 only in N.T., to fill up by adding to. The Corinthians simply added to the total from others.

Robertson: 2Co 9:12

Unto God ( tōi theōi ).

Dative case and with a certain suddenness as at close of 2Co 11:11, really a parenthesis between in the somewhat tangled sentence.

Robertson: 2Co 9:13

Seeing that they glorify God ( doxazontes ton theon ).

Anacoluthon again. The nominative participle used independently like ploutizomenoi in 2Co 9:11.

Robertson: 2Co 9:13

Obedience ( hupotagēi ).

Late and rare word from hupotassō , to subject, middle to obey. Only in Paul in N.T.

Robertson: 2Co 9:13

Of your confession ( tēs homologias humōn ).

Old word from homologeō (homologos , homou , legō ), to say together. It is either to profess (Latin profiteor , to declare openly) or to confess (Latin confiteor , to declare fully, to say the same thing as another). Both confess and profess are used to translate the verb and each idea is present in the substantive. Only the context can decide. Actions speak louder than words. The brethren in Jerusalem will know by this collection that Gentiles make as good Christians as Jews.

Robertson: 2Co 9:13

For the liberality of your contribution ( haplotēti tēs Koinéōnias ).

This is the point that matters just now. Paul drives it home. On this use of Koinéōnia see 2Co 8:4.

Robertson: 2Co 9:14

While they themselves long after you ( autōn epipothountōn ).

Genitive absolute of present active participle of epipotheō (2Co 5:2).

Robertson: 2Co 9:14

In you ( Ephesians' humin ).

Upon you.

Robertson: 2Co 9:15

Thanks be to God ( charis tōi theōi ).

Third time (2Co 9:11, 2Co 9:12, 2Co 9:15).

Robertson: 2Co 9:15

For his unspeakable gift ( epi tēi anekdiēgētōi autou dōreāi ).

One of Paul’ s gems flashed out after the somewhat tangled sentence (2Co 9:10-14) like a gleam of light that clears the air. Words fail Paul to describe the gift of Christ to and for us. He may have coined this word as it is not found elsewhere except in ecclesiastical writers save as a variant (B L) for adiēgēton in Aristeas 99 (thaumasmon anekdiēgēton , "wonder beyond description,"Moulton and Milligan’ s Vocabulary ). See similar word in Rom 11:33 (anexichniasta , unsearchable) and Eph 3:8.

Vincent: 2Co 9:4

Confident boasting ( ὑποστάσει )

Primarily something put under , foundation , ground ; so substance ( sub , stans , standing under ), substantial quality : thence steadiness , confidence . Compare Heb 3:14; Heb 11:1. In the Septuagint the word represents fifteen different Hebrew words.

Vincent: 2Co 9:5

Go before

Notice the thrice repeated before , emphasizing the injunction to have everything ready before Paul's arrival.

Vincent: 2Co 9:5

Make up beforehand ( προκαταρτίσωσιν )

Adjust . See on Mat 4:21; see on Mat 21:16; see on Luk 6:40; see on 1Pe 5:10.

Vincent: 2Co 9:5

Bounty ( εὐλογίαν )

Lit., blessing . In this sense only here in the New Testament. In the Septuagint indifferently of gift or blessing . See Gen 33:11; Jdg 1:15; Eze 34:26. In Pro 11:25, liberal soul is rendered by Sept., εὐλογούμενη blessed .

Vincent: 2Co 9:5

Whereof ye had notice before ( προεπηγγελημένην )

Rev., better, your afore-promised bounty . The bounty promised by you, or by me on your behalf.

Vincent: 2Co 9:6

Bountifully ( ἐπ ' εὐλογίαις )

Lit., with blessings . Compare 1Co 9:10, " plow in hope (ἐπ ' ἐλπίδι )."

Vincent: 2Co 9:7

Purposeth ( προαιρείται )

Read προῄρηται , perfect tense, hath purposed .

Vincent: 2Co 9:7

Grudgingly ( ἐκ λύπης )

Lit., out of sorrow .

Vincent: 2Co 9:7

Cheerful ( ἱλαρὸν )

Only here in the New Testament. See on the kindred ἱλαρότης cheerfulness , note on Rom 12:8.

Vincent: 2Co 9:7

God loveth, etc.

From Pro 22:9, where the Hebrew is, a kind man shall be blessed . Sept., God blesseth a man who is cheerful and a giver .

Vincent: 2Co 9:8

Always - all - in everything

Nearly reproducing the play on the word all in the Greek.

Vincent: 2Co 9:8

Sufficiency ( αὐτάρκειαν )

Only here and 1Ti 6:6. The kindred adjective αὐταρκης A.V., content , occurs Phi 4:11 (see note). The word properly means self-sufficiency , and is one of those which show Paul's acquaintance with Stoicism, and the influence of its vocabulary upon his own. It expressed the Stoic conception of the wise man as being sufficient in himself, wanting nothing and possessing everything. Here, not in the sense of sufficiency of worldly goods, but of that moral quality, bound up with self-consecration and faith, which renders the new self in Christ independent of external circumstances.

Vincent: 2Co 9:9

He hath dispersed abroad ( ἐσκόρπισεν )

As in sowing, 2Co 9:6. Psa 112:9. Almost literally after the Hebrew and Septuagint.

Vincent: 2Co 9:10

Ministereth ( ἐπιχορηγῶν )

Rev., supplieth . See on add , 2Pe 1:5.

Vincent: 2Co 9:10

Both minister bread, etc.

Construe bread with supplieth , as Rev., supplieth seed to the sow and bread for food .

Vincent: 2Co 9:10

Minister and multiply ( χορηγήσαι καὶ πληθύναι )

The correct reading is the future, χορηγήσει καὶ πληθυνεῖ shall supply and multiply .

Vincent: 2Co 9:10

The fruits ( τὰ γενήματα )

Lit., what has been begotten or born . Used of men, Mat 3:7, A.V., generation , Rev., offspring . Elsewhere of fruits , as fruit of the vine , Mar 14:25.

Vincent: 2Co 9:11

Liberality ( ἁπλοτήτα )

Better singleness or simplicity of heart. See on Rom 12:8.

Vincent: 2Co 9:12

Service ( λειτουργίας )

Also rendered ministry or ministration (A.V. and Rev.), as Luk 1:23; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:21. See on Luk 1:23. The word is used of this same contribution, Rom 15:7.

Vincent: 2Co 9:12

Supplieth ( ἐστὶν προσαναπληροῦσα )

Lit., fills up by adding to . Only here and 2Co 11:9. Supplementing what the saints lack. Through many thanksgivings. The need of the poor is filled, like an empty vessel, to the brim, and the supply overflows in the thanksgiving which it calls out. Thus christian beneficence does a double work, in giving relief and in generating thankfulness.

Vincent: 2Co 9:13

Experiment of this ministration ( δοκιμῆς τῆς διακονίας ταύτης ).

Commentators differ as to the interpretation; the difference hinging on the question whether the trial (experiment) applies to the service itself, or to those who render it: hence either " the proving of you by this ministration," as Rev., or the tried character of this ministration . Δοκιμή may mean, either the process of proving or the state of being approved , approvedness . The difference is immaterial.

Vincent: 2Co 9:13

Your professed subjection ( ὑποταγῇ τῆς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν )

A vicious hendiadys. Lit., as Rev., the obedience of your confession ; that is, the obedience which results from your christian confession. Ὁμολογία is once rendered in A.V. confession , 1Ti 6:13; and elsewhere profession . Both renderings occur in 1Ti 6:12, 1Ti 6:13. Rev., in every case, confession . A similar variation occurs in the rendering of ὁμολογέω , though in all but five of the twenty-three instances confess is used. Rev. retains profess in Mat 7:23; Tit 1:16, and changes to confess in 1Ti 6:12. In Mat 14:7, promised (A.V. and Rev., see note), and in Heb 13:15, giving thanks ; Rev., which make confession . Etymologically, confession is the literal rendering of ὁμολογία , which is from ὁμόν together , λέγω to say ; con together , fateor to say . The fundamental idea is that of saying the same thing as another ; while profess ( pro forth , fateor to say ) is to declare openly . Hence, to profess Christ is to declare Him publicly as our Lord: to confess Christ is to declare agreement with all that He says. When Christ confesses His followers before the world, He makes a declaration in agreement with what is in His heart concerning them. Similarly, when He declares to the wicked " I never knew you" (" then will I profess , ὁμολογήσω " ), a similar agreement between His thought and His declaration is implied. The two ideas run into each other, and the Rev. is right in the few cases in which it retains profess , since confess would be ambiguous. See, for example, Tit 1:16.

Vincent: 2Co 9:13

Liberal distribution ( ἁπλότητι τῆς κοινωνίας )

Rev., correctly, liberality of your contribution . Κοινωνία communion includes the idea of communication of material things, and hence sometimes means that which is communicated . See on Act 2:42; so Rom 15:26; Heb 13:16. Compare the similar use of κοινωνέω , Rom 12:13, distributing ; Phi 4:15, communicated .

Vincent: 2Co 9:15

Thanks, etc.

These abrupt thanksgivings are common in Paul's writings. See Rom 9:5; Rom 11:33; 1Co 15:57; Gal 1:5; Eph 3:20.

Vincent: 2Co 9:15

Unspeakable ( ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ )

Lit., not to be told throughout . Only here in the New Testament.

Wesley: 2Co 9:2

With whom he then was.

Wesley: 2Co 9:3

I have sent the above mentioned brethren before me.

Wesley: 2Co 9:5

By me, to the Macedonians.

Wesley: 2Co 9:5

As wrung by importunity from covetous persons.

Wesley: 2Co 9:6

A general rule. God will proportion the reward to the work, and the temper whence it proceeds.

Wesley: 2Co 9:7

Because he cannot tell how to refuse.

Wesley: 2Co 9:8

How remarkable are these words! Each is loaded with matter and increases all the way it goes.

Wesley: 2Co 9:8

Every kind of blessing.

Wesley: 2Co 9:8

God gives us everything, that we may do good therewith, and so receive more blessings. All things in this life, even rewards, are, to the faithful, seeds in order to a future harvest. Pro 22:9

Wesley: 2Co 9:9

(A generous word.) With a full hand, without any anxious thought which way each grain falls.

Wesley: 2Co 9:9

His beneficence, with the blessed effects of it.

Wesley: 2Co 9:9

Unexhausted, God still renewing his store. Psa 112:9

Wesley: 2Co 9:10

Opportunity and ability to help others.

Wesley: 2Co 9:10

All things needful for your own souls and bodies. Will continually supply you with that seed, yea, multiply it to you more and more.

Wesley: 2Co 9:10

The happy effects of your love to God and man. Isa 55:10

Wesley: 2Co 9:11

Both from us who distribute, and them who receive, your bounty.

Wesley: 2Co 9:13

Openly testified by your actions.

Wesley: 2Co 9:13

Who stand in need of it.

Wesley: 2Co 9:15

His outward and inward blessings, the number and excellence of which cannot he uttered.

JFB: 2Co 9:2

To send off the money, owing to the apostle's former exhortation (1Co 16:1-2).

JFB: 2Co 9:2

Greek, "the zeal from you," that is, on your part; propagated from you to others.

JFB: 2Co 9:2

That is, stimulated.

JFB: 2Co 9:2

Greek, "the greater number," namely, of the Macedonians.

JFB: 2Co 9:3

We should say, "I send"; whereas the ancients put it in the past, the time which it would be by the time that the letter arrived.

JFB: 2Co 9:3

(2Co 8:18, 2Co 8:22) --Titus and the two others.

JFB: 2Co 9:3

"should be proved futile in this particular," however true in general (2Co 7:4). A tacit compliment, softening the sharp monition.

JFB: 2Co 9:3

As I was saying (2Co 9:2).

JFB: 2Co 9:4

Rather as Greek, "if Macedonians."

JFB: 2Co 9:4

With your collection; see 2Co 9:2, "ready," Greek, "prepared."

JFB: 2Co 9:4

Ye would naturally feel more ashamed for yourselves, than we (who boasted of you) would for you.

JFB: 2Co 9:4

The oldest manuscripts read simply "confidence," namely, in your liberality.

JFB: 2Co 9:5

Translate, "that they should," &c.

JFB: 2Co 9:5

Rather, "promised before"; "long announced by me to the Macedonians" (2Co 9:2) [BENGEL]. "Your promised bounty" [ELLICOTT and others].

JFB: 2Co 9:5

Translate, "not as matter of covetousness," which it would be, if you gave niggardly.

JFB: 2Co 9:6

ELLICOTT and others supply the ellipsis thus: "But remember this."

JFB: 2Co 9:6

Literally, "with," or "in blessings." The word itself implies a beneficent spirit in the giver (compare 2Co 9:7, end), and the plural implies the abundance and liberality of the gifts. "The reaping shall correspond to the proportions and spirit of the sowing" [BENGEL]. Compare Eze 34:26, "Showers of blessing."

JFB: 2Co 9:7

Let the full consent of the free will go with the gift [ALFORD]. Opposed to "of necessity," as "grudgingly" is opposed to "a cheerful giver" (Pro 22:9; Pro 11:25; Isa 32:8).

JFB: 2Co 9:8

Even in external goods, and even while ye bestow on others [BENGEL].

JFB: 2Co 9:8

"in order that." God's gifts are bestowed on us, not that we may have them to ourselves, but that we may the more "abound in good works" to others.

JFB: 2Co 9:8

So as not to need the help of others, having yourselves from God "bread for your food" (2Co 9:10).

JFB: 2Co 9:8

Greek, "in everything."

JFB: 2Co 9:8

Of charity to others, which will be "your seed sown" (2Co 9:10).

JFB: 2Co 9:9

Realizing the highly blessed character portrayed in Psa 112:9.

JFB: 2Co 9:9

The "good man" (Psa 112:5).

JFB: 2Co 9:9

As seed sown with full and open hand, without anxious thought in what direction each grain may fall. It is implied also that he has always what he may disperse [BENGEL]. So in Psa 112:9.

JFB: 2Co 9:9

The Greek word is found here only in New Testament, "one in straitened circumstances, who earns his bread by labor." The word usually employed means "one so poor as to live by begging."

JFB: 2Co 9:9

Here "beneficence": the evidence of his being righteous before God and man. Compare Deu 24:13; Mat 6:1, "alms"; Greek, "righteousness."

JFB: 2Co 9:9

Unexhausted and unfailing.

JFB: 2Co 9:10

Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating").

JFB: 2Co 9:10

Rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply."

JFB: 2Co 9:10

Your means for liberality.

JFB: 2Co 9:10

The heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mat 10:42). Righteousness shall be itself the reward, even as it is the thing rewarded (Hos 10:12; Mat 5:6; Mat 6:33).

JFB: 2Co 9:11

Compare 2Co 9:8.

JFB: 2Co 9:11

Greek, "single-minded liberality." Translated "simplicity," Rom 12:8.

JFB: 2Co 9:11

Literally, "worketh through us"; that is, through our instrumentality as the distributors.

JFB: 2Co 9:11

On the part of the recipients.

JFB: 2Co 9:12

Greek, "The ministration of this public service (on your part) is not only still further supplying the wants of the saints (besides the supplies from other quarters), but is abounding also (namely, in respect to relieving the necessities of others in poverty) through many thanksgivings to God."

JFB: 2Co 9:13

Through occasion of.

JFB: 2Co 9:13

Translate, "the experience" [ELLICOTT and others]. Or, "the experimental proof" of your Christian character, afforded by "this ministration."

JFB: 2Co 9:13

The recipients.

JFB: 2Co 9:13

Greek, "for the subjection of your profession"; that is, your subjection in accordance with your profession, in relation to the Gospel. Ye yield yourselves in willing subjection to the Gospel precepts, evinced in acts, as well as in profession.

JFB: 2Co 9:13

Greek, "the liberality of your contribution in relation to them," &c.

JFB: 2Co 9:14

Translate, "Themselves also with prayer for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God (resting) upon you." English Version is, however, good sense: They glorify God (2Co 9:13) by the experimental proof, &c., "and by their prayer for you." But the Greek favors the former.

JFB: 2Co 9:15

The gift of His own Son, which includes all other inferior gifts (2Co 8:9; Rom 8:32). If we have received from God "His unspeakable gift," what great thing is it, if we give a few perishing gifts for His sake?

Clarke: 2Co 9:2

I know the forwardness of your mind - You have already firmly purposed to contribute to the support of the poor and suffering saints

Clarke: 2Co 9:2

That Achaia was ready a year ago - The whole of the Morea was anciently called Achaia, the capital of which was Corinth. The apostle means, not only Corinth, but other Churches in different parts about Corinth; we know there was a Church at Cenchrea, one of the ports on the Corinthian Isthmus

Clarke: 2Co 9:2

Your zeal hath provoked very many - Hearing that the Corinthians were so intent on the relief of the sufferers in Palestine, other Churches, and especially they of Macedonia, came forward the more promptly and liberally.

Clarke: 2Co 9:3

Yet have I sent the brethren - Titus and his companions, mentioned in the preceding chapter

Clarke: 2Co 9:3

That, as I said, ye may be ready - And he wished them to be ready, that they might preserve the good character he had given them: this was for their honor; and if they did not take care to do so, he might be reputed a liar; and thus both they and himself be ashamed before the Macedonians, should any of them at this time accompany him to Corinth.

Clarke: 2Co 9:5

Whereof ye had notice before - Instead of προκατηγγελμενην, spoken of before, BCDEFG, several others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the fathers, have προεπηγγελμενην, what was promised before. The sense is not very different; probably the latter reading was intended to explain the former. See the margin

Clarke: 2Co 9:5

Bounty, and not as of covetousness - Had they been backward, strangers might have attributed this to a covetous principle; as it would appear that they were loth to give up their money, and that they parted with it only when they could not for shame keep it any longer. This is the property of a covetous heart; whereas readiness to give is the characteristic of a liberal mind. This makes a sufficiently plain sense; and we need not look, as some have done, for any new sense of πλεονεξια, covetousness, as if it were here to be understood as implying a small gift.

Clarke: 2Co 9:6

He which soweth sparingly - This is a plain maxim: no man can expect to reap but in proportion as he has sowed. And here almsgiving is represented as a seed sown, which shall bring forth a crop. If the sowing be liberal, and the seed good, the crop shall be so too

Sowing is used among the Jews to express almsgiving: so they understand Isa 32:20 : Blessed are ye who sow beside all waters; i.e. who are ready to help every one that is in need. And Hos 10:12, they interpret: Sow to yourselves almsgiving, and ye shall reap in mercy - if you show mercy to the poor, God will show mercy to you.

Clarke: 2Co 9:7

Not grudgingly, or of necessity - The Jews had in the temple two chests for alms; the one was של תובה of what was necessary, i.e. what the law required, the other was של נרבה of the free-will offerings. To escape perdition some would grudgingly give what necessity obliged them; others would give cheerfully, for the love of God, and through pity to the poor. Of the first, nothing is said; they simply did what the law required. Of the second, much is said; God loves them. The benefit of almsgiving is lost to the giver when he does it with a grumbling heart. And, as he does not do the duty in the spirit of the duty, even the performance of the letter of the law is an abomination in the sight of God

To these two sorts of alms in the temple the apostle most evidently alludes. See Schoettgen.

Clarke: 2Co 9:8

God is able to make all grace abound - We have already seen, 2Co 8:1 that the word χαρις, in the connection in which the apostle uses it in these chapters, signifies a charitable gift; here it certainly has the same meaning: God is able to give you, in his mercy, abundance of temporal good; that, having a sufficiency, ye may abound in every good work. This refers to the sowing plenteously: those who do so shall reap plenteously - they shall have an abundance of God’ s blessings.

Clarke: 2Co 9:9

He hath dispersed abroad - Here is still the allusion to the sower. He sows much; not at home merely, or among those with whom he is acquainted, but abroad - among the strangers, whether of his own or of another nation. The quotation is taken from Psa 112:9

Clarke: 2Co 9:9

He hath given to the poor - This is the interpretation of he hath scattered abroad; and therefore it is said, his righteousness remaineth for ever - his good work is had in remembrance before God. By righteousness we have already seen that the Jews understand almsgiving. See the note on Mat 6:1.

Clarke: 2Co 9:10

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower - The sower, as we have already seen, is he that gives alms of what he hath; and God, who requires him to give these alms, is here represented as providing him with the means. As in the creation, if God had not created the earth with every tree and plant with its seed in itself, so that a harvest came, without a previous ploughing and sowing, there could have been no seed to deposit in the earth; so, if God had not, in the course of his providence, given them the property they had, it would be impossible for them to give alms. And as even the well cultivated and sowed field would be unfruitful if God did not, by his unseen energy and blessing, cause it to bring forth, and bring to maturity; so would it have been with their property: it could not have increased; for without his blessing riches take wings and flee away, as an eagle towards heaven. Therefore, in every sense, it is God who ministers seed to the sower, and multiplies the seed sown. And as all this properly comes from God, and cannot exist without him, he has a right to require that it be dispensed in that way which he judges best

The word ὁ - επιχορηγων, he that ministereth, is very emphatic; it signifies he who leads up the chorus, from επι, to, and χορηγω, to lead the chorus; it means also to join to, associate, to supply or furnish one thing after another so that there be no want or chasm. Thus God is represented, in the course of his providence, associating and connecting causes and effects; keeping every thing in its proper place and state of dependence on another, and all upon himself; so that summer and winter, heat and cold, seed time and harvest, regularly succeed each other. Thus God leads up this grand chorus of causes and effects: provides the seed to the hand of the sower; gives him skill to discern the times when the earth should be prepared for the grain, and when the grain should be sowed; blesses the earth, and causes it to bring forth and bud, so that it may again minister seed to the sower and bread to the eater; and, by a watchful providence, preserves every thing. The figure is beautiful, and shows us the grand system of causes and effects, all directed by and under the immediate guidance and government of God himself

There is a fine exemplification of this in the same figure thus produced by the prophet. Hos 2:21, Hos 2:22 : I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens; and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. See the note at Hos 2:21

Clarke: 2Co 9:10

The fruits of your righteousness - Your beneficence; for so δικαιοσυνη is here to be understood. See the note on Mat 6:1, already referred to.

Clarke: 2Co 9:11

Being enriched in every thing - Observe, Why does God give riches? That they may be applied to his glory, and the good of men. Why does he increase riches? That those who have them may exercise all bountifulness. And if they be enriched in every thing, what will be the consequence if they do not exercise all bountifulness? Why, God will curse their blessings; the rust shall canker them, and the moth shall consume their garments. But if, on the other hand, they do thus apply them, then they cause thanksgiving to God. The 9th and 10th verses should be read in a parenthesis, for this verse connects with the eighth.

Clarke: 2Co 9:12

For the administration of this service - The poor are relieved, see the hand of God in this relief, and give God the glory of his grace.

Clarke: 2Co 9:13

By the experiment of this ministration - In this, and in the preceding and following verses, the apostle enumerates the good effects that would be produced by their liberal almsgiving to the poor saints at Jerusalem

1.    The wants of the saints would be supplied

2.    Many thanksgivings would thereby be rendered unto God

3.    The Corinthians would thereby give proof of their subjection to the Gospel. And

4.    The prayers of those relieved will ascend up to God in the behalf of their benefactors.

Clarke: 2Co 9:14

The exceeding grace of God in you - By the ὑπερβαλλουσαν χαριν, superabounding or transcending grace, of God, which was in them, the apostle most evidently means the merciful and charitable disposition which they had towards the suffering saints. The whole connection, indeed the whole chapter, proves this; and the apostle attributes this to its right source, the grace or goodness of God. They had the means of charity, but God had given these means; they had a feeling, and charitable heart, but God was the author of it. Their charity was superabundant, and God had furnished both the disposition, the occasion, and the means by which that disposition was to be made manifest.

Clarke: 2Co 9:15

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift - Some contend that Christ only is here intended; others, that the almsgiving is meant

After all the difference of commentators and preachers, it is most evident that the ανεκδιηγητος δωρεα, unspeakable gift, is precisely the same with the ὑπερβαλλουση χαρις, superabounding grace or benefit, of the preceding verse. If therefore Jesus Christ, the gift of God s unbounded love to man, be the meaning of the unspeakable gift in this verse, he is also intended by the superabounding grace in the preceding. But it is most evident that it is the work of Christ in them, and not Christ himself, which is intended in the 14th verse (2Co 9:14); and consequently, that it is the same work, not the operator, which is referred to in this last verse

A Few farther observations may be necessary on the conclusion of this chapter

1.    Jesus Christ, the gift of God’ s love to mankind, is an unspeakable blessing; no man can conceive, much less declare, how great this gift is; for these things the angels desire to look into. Therefore he may be well called the unspeakable gift, as he is the highest God ever gave or can give to man; though this is not the meaning of the last verse

2.    The conversion of a soul from darkness to light, from sin to holiness, from Satan to God, is not less inconceivable. It is called a new creation, and creative energy cannot be comprehended. To have the grace of God to rule the heart, subduing all things to itself and filling the soul with the Divine nature, is an unspeakable blessing; and the energy that produced it is an unspeakable gift. I conclude, therefore, that it is the work of Christ in the soul, and not Christ himself, that the apostle terms the superabounding or exceeding great grace, and the unspeakable gift; and Dr. Whitby’ s paraphrase may be safely admitted as giving the true sense of the passage. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift: i.e. this admirable charity (proceeding from the work of Christ in the soul) by which God is so much glorified, the Gospel receives such credit, others are so much benefited, and you will be by God so plentifully rewarded."This is the sober sense of the passage; and no other meaning can comport with it. The passage itself is a grand proof that every good disposition in the soul of man comes from God; and it explodes the notion of natural good, i.e. good which God does not work, which is absurd; for no effect can exist without a cause; and God being the fountain of good, all that can be called good must come immediately from himself. See Jam 1:17

3.    Most men can see the hand of God in the dispensations of his justice, and yet these very seldom appear. How is it that they cannot equally see his hand in the dispensations of his mercy, which are great, striking, and unremitting? Our afflictions we scarcely ever forget; our mercies we scarcely ever remember! Our hearts are alive to complaint, but dead to gratitude. We have had ten thousand mercies for one judgment, and yet our complaints to our thanksgivings have been ten thousand to one! How is it that God endures this, and bears with us? Ask his own eternal clemency; and ask the Mediator before the throne. The mystery of our preservation and salvation can be there alone explained.

Calvin: 2Co 9:2

2.For which I have boasted He shows the good opinion that he had of them from this, that he had, in a manner, stood forward as their surety by asserting their readiness. But what if he rashly asserted more than the case warranted? For there is some appearance of this, inasmuch as he boasted, that they had been ready a year before with it, while he is still urging them to have it in readiness. I answer, that his words are not to be understood as though Paul had declared, that what they were to give was already laid aside in the chest, but he simply mentioned what had been resolved upon among them. This involves no blame in respect of fickleness or mistake. It was, then, of this promise that Paul spoke. ⁷⁰⁷

Calvin: 2Co 9:3

3.But I have sent the brethren He now brings forward the reason — why it is that, while entertaining a favorable opinion as to their willingness, he, nevertheless, sets himself carefully to exhort them. “I consult,” says he, “my own good name and yours; for while I promised in your name, we would, both of us in common, incur disgrace, if words and deeds did not correspond. Hence you ought to take my fears in good part.”

Calvin: 2Co 9:4

4.In this confidence The Greek term being ὑπόστασις the Old Interpreter has rendered it substantiam , ( substance.) ⁷⁰⁸ Erasmus renders it argumentum , ( subject-matter,) but neither is suitable. Budaeus, however, observes, that this term is sometimes taken to mean boldness, or confidence, as it is used by Polybius when he says, ὀυχ οὑτω την δύναμιν ὡς τὴν ὑπόστασιν καὶ τόλμαν αὐτοῦ καταπεπληγμένον τῶν εναντίων — “It was not so much his bodily strength, as his boldness and intrepidity, that proved confounding to the enemy.” ⁷⁰⁹ Hence ὑποτατικός sometimes means one that is bold and confident. ⁷¹⁰ Now every one must see, how well this meaning accords with Paul’s thread of discourse. Hence it appears, that other interpreters have, through inadvertency, fallen into a mistake.

Calvin: 2Co 9:5

5.As a blessing, not in the way of niggardliness In place of blessing, some render it collection. I have preferred, however, to render it literally, as the Greeks employed the term εὐλογίας to express the Hebrew word ברכה , ( beracah,) which is used in the sense of a blessing, that is, an invoking of prosperity, as well as in the sense of beneficence. ⁷¹¹ The reason I reckon to be this, that it is in the first instance ascribed to God. ⁷¹² Now we know how God blesses us efficiently by his simple nod. ⁷¹³ When it is from this transferred to men, it retains the same meaning, — improperly, indeed, inasmuch as men have not the same efficacy in blessing, ⁷¹⁴ but yet not unsuitably by transference. ⁷¹⁵

To blessing Paul opposes πλεονεξίαν , ( grudging,) which term the Greeks employ to denote excessive greediness, as well as fraud and niggardliness. ⁷¹⁶ I have rather preferred the term niggardliness in this contrast; for Paul would have them give, not grudgingly, but. with a liberal spirit, as will appear still more clearly from what follows.

Calvin: 2Co 9:6

6.Now the case is this ⁷¹⁹ He now commends alms-giving by a beautiful similitude, comparing it to sowing. For in sowing, the seed is cast forth by the hand, is scattered upon the ground on this side and on that, is harrowed, and at length rots; and thus it seems as good as lost. The case is similar as to alms-giving. What goes from you to some other quarter seems as if it were, diminishing of what you have, but the season of harvest will come, when the fruit will be gathered. For as the Lord reckons every thing that is laid out upon the poor as given to himself, so he afterwards requites it with large interest. (Pro 19:17.)

Now for Paul’s similitude. He that sows sparingly will have a poor harvest, corresponding to the sowing: he that sows bountifully and with a full hand, will reap a correspondingly bountiful harvest. Let this doctrine be deeply rooted in our minds, that, whenever carnal reason keeps us back from doing good through fear of loss, we may immediately defend ourselves with this shield — “But the Lord declares that we are sowing. ” The harvest, however, should be explained as referring to the spiritual recompense of eternal life, as well as to earthly blessings, which God confers upon the beneficent. For God requites, not only in heaven, but also in this world, the beneficence of believers. Hence it is as though he had said, “The more beneficent you are to your neighbors, you will find the blessing of God so much the more abundantly poured out upon you.” He again contrasts here blessing with sparing, as he had previously done with niggardliness. Hence it appears, that it is taken to mean — a large and bountiful liberality.

Calvin: 2Co 9:7

7.Every one according to the purpose of his heart As he had enjoined it upon them to give liberally, this, also, required to be added — that liberality is estimated by God, not so much from the sum, as from the disposition. He was desirous, it is true, to induce them to give largely, in order that the brethren might be the more abundantly aided; but he had no wish to extort any thing from them against their will. Hence he exhorts them to give willingly, whatever they might be prepared to give. He places purpose of heart in contrast with regret and constraint. For what we do, when compelled by necessity, is not done by us with purpose of heart, but with reluctance. ⁷²⁰ Now the necessity meant you must understand to be what is extrinsic, as it is called — that is, what springs from the influence of others. For we obey God, because it is necessary, and yet we do it willingly. We ourselves, accordingly, in that case impose a necessity of our own accord, and because the flesh is reluctant, we often even constrain ourselves to perform a duty that is necessary for us. But, when we are constrained from the influence of others, having in the mean time an inclination to avoid it, if by any means we could, we do nothing in that case with alacrity — nothing with cheerfulness, but every thing with reluctance or constraint of mind.

For God loveth a cheerful giver He calls us back to God, as I said in the outset, for alms are a sacrifice. Now no sacrifice is pleasing to God, if it is not voluntary. For when he teaches us, that God loveth a cheerful giver, he intimates that, on the other hand, the niggardly and reluctant are loathed by Him. For He does not wish to lord it over us, in the manner of a tyrant, but, as He acts towards us as a Father, so he requires from us the cheerful obedience of children. ⁷²¹

Calvin: 2Co 9:8

8.And God is able Again he provides against the base thought, which our infidelity constantly suggests to us. “What! will you not rather have a regard to your own interest? Do you not consider, that when this is taken away, there will be so much the less left for yourself?” With the view of driving away this, Paul arms us with a choice promise — that whatever we give away will turn out to our advantage. I have said already, that we are by nature excessively niggardly — because we are prone to distrust, which tempts every one to retain with eager grasp what belongs to him. For correcting this fault, we must lay hold of this promise — that those that do good to the poor do no less provide for their own interests than if they were watering their lands. For by alms-givings, like so many canals, they make the blessing of God flow forth towards themselves, so as to be enriched by it. What Paul means is this: “Such liberality will deprive you of nothing, but God will make it return to you in much greater abundance.” For he speaks of the power of God, not as the Poets do, but after the manner of Scripture, which ascribes to him a power put forth in action, the present efficacy of which we ourselves feel — not any inactive power that we merely imagine.

That having all sufficiency in all things He mentions a twofold advantage arising from that grace, which he had promised to the Corinthians — that they should have what is enough for themselves, and would have something over and above for doing good. By the term sufficiency he points out the measure which the Lord knows to be useful for us, for it is not always profitable for us, to be filled to satiety. The Lord therefore, ministers to us according to the measure of our advantage, sometimes more, sometimes less, but in such a way that we are satisfied — which is much more, than if one had the whole world to luxuriate upon. In this sufficiency we must abound, for the purpose of doing good to others, for the reason why God does us good is — not that every one may keep to himself what he has received, but that there may be a mutual participation among us, according as necessity may require.

Calvin: 2Co 9:9

9.As it is written, He hath dispersed He brings forward a proof from Psa 112:9, where, along with other excellencies of the pious man, the Prophet mentions this, too, — that he will not be wanting in doing good, but as water flows forth incessantly from a perennial fountain, so the gushing forth of his liberality will be unceasing. Paul has an eye to this — that we be not weary in well doing, (Gal 6:9,) and this is also what the Prophet’s words mean. ⁷²²

Calvin: 2Co 9:10

10.He that supplieth A beautieth circumlocution, in place of the term God, and full of consolation. ⁷²⁴ For the person that sows seed in the proper season, appears when reaping to gather the fruit of his labor and industry, and sowing appears as though it were the fountainhead from which food flows forth to us. Paul opposes this idea, by maintaining that the seed is afforded and the food is furnished by the favor of God even to the husbandmen that sow, and who are looked upon as supporting themselves and others by their efforts. There is a similar statement in Deu 8:16 —

God fed thee with manna — food which thy fathers knew not: lest perhaps when thou hast come into the land which he shall give thee, thou shouldst say, My hand and my strength have gotten, me this wealth; for it is the Lord that giveth power to get wealth, etc.

Supply Here there are two different readings, even in the Greek versions. For some manuscripts render the three verbs in the future — will supply, will multiply, will increase. ⁷²⁵ In this way, there would be a confirmation of the foregoing statement, for it is no rare thing with Paul to repeat the same promise in different words, that it may be the better impressed upon men’s minds. In other manuscripts these words occur in the infinitive mood, and it is well known that the infinitive is sometimes used in place of the optative. I rather prefer this reading, both because it is the more generally received one, and because Paul is accustomed to follow up his exhortations with prayers, entreating from God what he had previously comprised in his doctrine; though at the same time the former reading would not be unsuitable.

Bread for food He mentions a two-fold fruit of the blessing of God upon us — first, that we have sufficiency for ourselves for the support of life; and, secondly, that we have something to lay up for relieving the necessities of others. For as we are not born for ourselves merely, ⁷²⁶ so a Christian man ought neither to live to himself, nor lay out what he has, merely for his own use.

Under the terms seed, and fruits of righteousness, he refers to alms. The fruits of righteousness he indirectly contrasts with those returns that the greater number lay up in cellars, barns, and keeping-places, that they may, every one of them, cram in whatever they can gather, nay, scrape together, so as to enrich themselves. By the former term he expresses the means of doing good; by the latter the work itself, or office of love; ⁷²⁷ for righteousness is taken here, by synecdoche, to mean beneficence. “May God not only supply you with what may be sufficient for every one’s private use, but also to such an extent, that the fountain of your liberality, ever flowing forth, may never be exhausted!” If, however, it is one department of righteousness — as assuredly it is not the least ⁷²⁸ — to relieve the necessities of neighbors, those must be unrighteous who neglect this department of duty.

Calvin: 2Co 9:11

11.May be enriched unto all bountifulness Again he makes use of the term bountifulness, to express the nature of true liberality — when,

casting all our care upon God, (1Pe 5:7,)

we cheerfully lay out what belongs to us for whatever purposes He directs. He teaches us ⁷²⁹ that these are the true riches of believers, when, relying upon the providence of God for the sufficiency of their support, they are not by distrust kept back from doing good. Nor is it without good reason, that he dignifies with the title of affluence the satisfying abundance of a mind that is simple, and contented with its moderate share; for nothing is more famished and starved than the distrustful, who are tormented with an anxious desire of having.

Which produces through you He commends, in consideration of another result, the alms which they were about to bestow — that they would tend to promote the glory of God. He afterwards, too, expresses this more distinctly, with amplification, in this way: “Besides the ordinary advantage of love, they will also produce thanksgiving.” Now he amplifies by saying, that thanks will be given to God by many, and that, not merely for the liberality itself, by which they have been helped, but also for the entire measure of piety among the Corinthians.

Calvin: 2Co 9:12

By the term administration, he means what he had undertaken at the request of the Churches. Now what we render functionem ( service), is in the Greek λειτουργία term that sometimes denotes a sacrifice, sometimes any office that is publicly assigned. ⁷³⁰ Either of them will suit this passage well. For on the one hand, it is no unusual thing for alms to be termed sacrifices; and, on the other hand, as on occasion of offices being distributed among citizens, ⁷³¹ no one grudges to undertake the duty that has been assigned him, so in the Church, imparting to others ought to be looked upon as a necessary duty. ⁷³² The Corinthians, therefore, and others, by assisting the brethren at Jerusalem, presented a sacrifice to God, or they discharged a service that was proper, and one which they were bound to fulfill. Paul was the minister of that sacrifice, but the term ministry, or service, may also be viewed as referring to the Corinthians. It is, however, of no particular importance.

Calvin: 2Co 9:13

13.By the experiment of that administration The term experiment here, as in a variety of other places, means proof or trial ⁷³³ For it was a sufficient token for bringing the love of the Corinthians to the test, — that they were so liberal to brethren that were at a great distance from them. Paul, however, extends it farther — to their concurrent obedience in the gospel. ⁷³⁴ For by such proofs we truly manifest, that we are obedient to the doctrine of the gospel. Now their concurrence appears from this — that alms are conferred with the common consent of all.

Calvin: 2Co 9:14

14.And their prayer He omits no advantage which may be of any use for stirring up the Corinthians. ⁷³⁵ In the first place, he has made mention of the comfort that believers would experience; secondly, the thanksgiving, by means of which God was to be glorified. Nay more, he has said that this would be a confession, which would manifest to all their unanimous concurrence in faith, and in pious obedience. He now adds the reward that the Corinthians would receive from the saints — good-will springing from gratitude, ⁷³⁶ and earnest prayers. “They will have,” says he, “the means of requiting you in return; for they will regard you with the love with which they ought, and they will be careful to commend you to God in their prayers.” At length, as though he had obtained his desire, he prepares himself ⁷³⁷ to celebrate the praises of God, by which he was desirous to testify the confidence felt by him, as though the matter were already accomplished.

Defender: 2Co 9:6

"For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal 6:7). Note also Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6. The bountiful return promised by God for generous giving is not necessarily (though possibly it is in some cases) to be measured in material plenty (Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10; Mal 3:10-12). He does, indeed, promise to supply our need (Phi 4:19), but perhaps more commonly the rewards are spiritual, which in terms of eternity are far more valuable (2Co 9:8-14). Therefore, when we give with abundance, we are not really "giving," but "sowing.""

Defender: 2Co 9:8

God promises an abundance of "all grace" to those who learn the grace of giving and exercise it "cheerfully" (the Greek word in 2Co 9:7 is that from which we derive our word "hilarious"). Note the frequent use of superlatives in this verse - "all grace," "always," "all sufficiency," "all things," "every good work," with "abound" occurring twice."

Defender: 2Co 9:9

This testimony is found in Psa 112:9, where it is describing "the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments" (Psa 112:1)."

Defender: 2Co 9:15

The great gift of God to man in the sacrificial, redemptive death of His Son for our sins, which provides forgiveness and everlasting life, is beyond all human language to express adequately. We cannot merit such a gift; we can only thank Him for it and, like the Philippians, give ourselves to the Lord and live henceforth only unto Him (2Co 8:5; 2Co 5:14). His gift to us must define all our gifts to Him."

TSK: 2Co 9:2

the forwardness : 2Co 8:8, 2Co 8:10,2Co 8:19; 1Th 1:7

I boast : 2Co 8:24

that : 2Co 1:1, 2Co 8:10; 1Co 16:15

provoked : 2Co 8:8; Heb 10:24

TSK: 2Co 9:3

have : 2Co 9:4, 2Co 7:14, 2Co 8:6, 2Co 8:17-24

ye may : 2Co 9:5; 1Co 16:1-4; Tit 3:1

TSK: 2Co 9:4

they : 2Co 9:2, 2Co 8:1-5

be ashamed : 2Co 8:24, 2Co 11:17

TSK: 2Co 9:5

and make : 2Co 8:6; 1Co 16:2

bounty : Gr. blessing, Gen 33:11; 1Sa 25:27, 1Sa 30:26 *marg. 2Ki 5:15

whereof ye had notice before : or, which hath been so much spoken of before

TSK: 2Co 9:6

I say : 1Co 1:12, 1Co 7:29, 1Co 15:20; Gal 3:17, Gal 5:16; Eph 4:17; Col 2:4

He which soweth sparingly : 2Co 9:10; Psa 41:1-3; Pro 11:18, Pro 11:24, Pro 19:17, Pro 22:9; Ecc 11:1, Ecc 11:6; Luk 6:38; Luk 19:16-26; Gal 6:7-9; Heb 6:10

TSK: 2Co 9:7

not : Deu 15:7-11, Deu 15:14; Pro 23:6-8; Isa 32:5, Isa 32:8; Jam 5:9; 1Pe 4:9

God : 2Co 8:12; Exo 25:2, Exo 35:5; 1Ch 29:17; Pro 11:25, Pro 22:9; Act 20:35; Rom 12:8

TSK: 2Co 9:8

God : 2Ch 25:9; Psa 84:11; Pro 3:9, Pro 10:22, Pro 11:24, Pro 28:27; Hag 2:8; Mal 3:10; Phi 4:18

all grace : 2Co 8:19; 1Pe 4:10

always : 2Co 9:11; 1Ch 29:12-14

may : 2Co 8:2, 2Co 8:7; Act 9:36; 1Co 15:58; Eph 2:10; Col 1:10; 2Th 2:17; 2Ti 3:17; Tit 2:14, Tit 3:8, Tit 3:14

TSK: 2Co 9:9

He hath dispersed : Psa 112:9

his : Psa 112:3; Pro 8:18, Pro 21:21; Isa 51:8; 1Co 13:13; Gal 5:5, Gal 5:6

TSK: 2Co 9:10

he : Gen 1:11, Gen 1:12, Gen 47:19, Gen 47:23, Gen 47:24; Isa 55:10

multiply : 2Co 9:6; Pro 11:18; Ecc 11:6; Phi 4:17

increase : Hos 10:12; Mat 6:1; Eph 5:9; Phi 1:11; 1Th 3:12, 1Th 4:10

TSK: 2Co 9:11

enriched : 2Co 8:2, 2Co 8:3; 1Ch 29:12-14; 2Ch 31:10; Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10; Mal 3:10,Mal 3:11; 1Ti 6:17, 1Ti 6:18

bountifulness : or, liberality, Gr. simplicity, 2Co 8:2 *Gr: Rom 12:8

which : 2Co 9:12, 2Co 1:11, 2Co 4:15, 2Co 8:16, 2Co 8:19

TSK: 2Co 9:12

the administration : 2Co 9:1, 2Co 8:4

only : 2Co 8:14, 2Co 8:15; Phi 2:25, Phi 4:18, Phi 4:19; Phm 1:4-7; Jam 2:14-16; 1Jo 3:17

TSK: 2Co 9:13

they : Psa 50:23; Mat 5:16; Joh 15:8; Act 4:21, Act 11:18, Act 21:19, Act 21:20; Gal 1:24; 1Pe 2:9, 1Pe 4:11

professed : 2Co 10:5; Luk 6:46; Rom 10:16, Rom 16:26; Heb 5:9

and for : Heb 13:16

TSK: 2Co 9:14

by : 2Co 1:11; Ezr 6:8-10; Psa 41:1, Psa 41:2; Pro 11:26; Luk 16:9; Phi 4:18, Phi 4:19; 2Ti 1:16-18

long : 2Sa 13:29; Rom 1:11; Phi 1:8, Phi 2:26, Phi 4:1

the exceeding : 2Co 8:1, 2Co 8:6, 2Co 8:7; 1Co 1:4, 1Co 1:5; 1Ti 1:14

TSK: 2Co 9:15

Thanks : 2Co 9:11, 2Co 2:14; 1Ch 16:8, 1Ch 16:35; Psa 30:4, Psa 30:12, Psa 92:1; Luk 2:14, Luk 2:38; 1Co 15:57; Eph 5:20; Jam 1:17; Rev 4:9

his : Isa 9:6, Isa 49:6; Joh 1:16, Joh 3:16; Rom 6:23, Rom 8:32; 1Jo 4:9, 1Jo 4:10, 1Jo 5:11, 1Jo 5:12

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Co 9:2

For I know the forwardness of your mind - I know your promptitude, or your readiness to do it; see 2Co 8:10. Probably Paul here means that he had had opportunity before of witnessing their readiness to do good, and that he had learned in particular of Titus that they had formed the plan to aid in this contribution.

For which I boast of you to them of Macedonia - To the church in Macedonia; see 2Co 8:1. So well assured was he that the church at Corinth would make the collection as it had proposed, that he boasted of it to the churches of Macedonia as if it were already done, and made use of this as an argument to stimulate them to make an effort.

That Achaia was ready a year ago - Achaia was that part of Greece of which Corinth was the capital; see the note, Act 18:12. It is probable that there were Christians in other parts of Achaia besides Corinth, and indeed it is known that there was a church in Cenchrea (see Rom 16:1). which was one of the ports of Corinth. Though the contribution would be chiefly derived from Corinth, yet it is probable that the others also would participate in it. The phrase "was ready"means that they had been preparing themselves for this collection, and doubtless Paul had stated that the collection was already made and was waiting. He had directed them 1Co 16:1 to make it on the first day of the week, and to lay it by in store, and he did not doubt that they had complied with his request.

And your zeal - Your ardor and promptitude. The readiness with which you entered into this subject, and your desire to relieve the needs of others.

Hath provoked - Has roused, excited, impelled to give. We use the word "provoke"commonly now in the sense of to irritate, but in the Scriptures it is confined to the signification of exciting, or rousing. The ardor of the Corinthians would excite others not only by their promptitude, but because Corinth was a splendid city, and their example would be looked up to by Christians at a distance. This is one instance of the effect which will be produced by the example of a church in a city.

Barnes: 2Co 9:3

Yet have I sent the brethren - The brethren referred to in 2Co 8:18, 2Co 8:22-23.

Lest our boasting of you - That you were disposed to contribute, and that you were already prepared, and that the contribution was ready.

Should be in vain - Lest anything should have occurred to prevent the collection. I have sent them that they may facilitate it, and that it may be secure and certain.

In this behalf - In this respect. That is, lest our boasting of you, in regard to your readiness to contribute to relieve the needs of others, should be found to have been ill-grounded.

Barnes: 2Co 9:4

Lest haply if they of Macedonia - If any of the Macedonians should happen to come with me, and should find that you had done nothing. He does not say that they would come with him, but it was by no means improbable that they would. It was customary for some of the members of the churches to travel with Paul from place to place, and the conversation was constant between Macedonia and Achaia. Paul had, therefore, every reason to suppose that some of the Macedonians would accompany him when he should go to Corinth. At all events it was probable that the Macedonians would learn from some quarter whether the Corinthians were or were not ready when Paul should go to them.

should be ashamed ...\} We (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed ... - "In this,"says Bloomfield, "one cannot but recognize a most refined and delicate turn, inferior to none of the best Classical writers."Paul had boasted confidently that the Corinthians would be ready with their collection. He had excited and stimulated the Macedonians by this consideration. He had induced them in this way to give liberally, 2Co 8:1-4. If now it should turn out after all that the Corinthians had given nothing, or had given stintedly, the character of Paul would suffer. His veracity and his judgment would be called in question, and he would be accused of trick, and artifice, and fraud in inducing them to give. Or if he should not be charged with dishonesty, yet he would be humbled and mortified himself that he had made representations which had proved to be so unfounded. But this was not all. The character of the Corinthians was also at stake. They had purposed to make the collection. They had left the impression in the mind of Paul that it would be done. They had hitherto evinced such a character as to make Paul confident that the collection would be made. If now by any means this should fail, their character would suffer, and they would have occasion to be ashamed that they had excited so confident expectations of what they would do.

Barnes: 2Co 9:5

Therefore I thought it necessary ... - In order to secure the collection, and to avoid all unpleasant feeling on all hands.

That they would go before unto you - Before I should come.

And make up beforehand your bounty - Prepare it before I come. The word "bounty"is in the margin, rendered "blessing."The Greek ( εὐλογία eulogia ) means properly commendation, eulogy. Then it means blessing, praise applied to God. Then that which blesses - a gift, donation, favor, bounty - whether of God to human beings, or of one man to another. Here it refers to their contribution as that which would be adapted to confer a blessing on others, or suited to produce happiness.

That the same might be ready as a matter of bounty - That it may truly appear as a liberal and voluntary offering; as an act of generosity and not as wrung or extorted from you. That it may be truly a blessing - a thank-offering to God and adapted to do good to people.

And not as of covetousness - "And not like a sort of extortion, wrung from you by mere dint of importunity"- Doddridge. The word used here ( πλεονεξία pleonexia ) means usually covetousness, greediness of gain, which leads a person to defraud others. The idea here is, that Paul would have them give this as an act of bounty, or liberality on their part, and not as an act of covetousness on his part, not as extorted by him from them.

Barnes: 2Co 9:6

But this I say - This I say in order to induce you to give liberally. This I say to prevent your supposing that because it is to be a voluntary offering you may give only from your superfluity, and may give sparingly.

He which soweth sparingly - This expression has all the appearance of a proverb, and doubtless is such. It does not occur indeed elsewhere in the Scriptures, though substantially the same sentiment exciting to liberality often occurs; see Psa 12:1-3; Pro 11:24-25; Pro 19:17; Pro 22:9. Paul here says that it is in giving as it is in agriculture. A man that sows little must expect to reap little. If he sows a small piece of land he will reap a small harvest; or if he is niggardly in sowing and wishes to save his seed and will not commit it to the earth, he must expect to reap little. So it is in giving. Money given in alms, money bestowed to aid the poor and needy, or to extend the influence of virtue and pure religion, is money bestowed in a way similar to the act of committing seed to the earth. It will be returned again in some way with an abundant increase. It shall not be lost. The seed may be buried long.

It may lie in the ground with no indication of a return or of increase. One who knew not the arrangements of Providence might suppose it was lost and dead. But in due time it shall spring up and produce an ample increase. So with money given to objects of benevolence. To many it may seem to be a waste, or may appear to be thrown away. But in due time it will be repaid in some way with abundant increase. And the man who wishes to make the most out of his money for future use and personal comfort will give liberally to deserving objects of charity - just as the man who wishes to make the most out of his grain will not suffer it to lie in his granary, but will commit the seed to the fertile earth. "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it again after many days"Ecc 11:1; that is, when the waters as of the Nile have overflown the banks and flooded the whole adjacent country, then is the time to cast abroad thy seed. The waters will retire, and the seed will sink into the accumulated fertile mud that is deposited, and will spring up in an abundant harvest. So it is with that which is given for objects of benevolence.

Shall reap also sparingly - Shall reap in proportion to what he sowed. This everyone knows is true in regard to grain that is sowed. It is also no less true in regard to deeds of charity. The idea is, that God will bestow rewards in proportion to what is given. These rewards may refer to results in this life, or to the rewards in heaven, or both. All who have ever been in the habit of giving liberally to the objects of benevolence can testify that they have lost nothing, but have reaped in proportion to their liberality. This follows in various ways.

\caps1 (1) i\caps0 n the comfort and peace which results from giving. If a man wishes to purchase happiness with his gold, he can secure the most by bestowing it liberally on objects of charity. It will produce him more immediate peace than it would to spend it in sensual gratifications, and far more than to hoard it up useless in his coffers.

\caps1 (2) i\caps0 n reflection on it hereafter. It will produce more happiness in remembering that he has done good with it, and promoted the happiness of others, than it will to reflect that he has hoarded up useless wealth, or that he has squandered it in sensual gratification. The one will be unmingled pleasure when he comes to die; the other will be unmingled self-reproach and pain.

\caps1 (3) i\caps0 n subsequent life, God will in some way repay to him far more than he has bestowed in deeds of charity. By augmented prosperity, by health and future comfort, and by raising up for us and our families, when in distress and want, friends to aid us, God can and often does abundantly repay the liberal for all their acts of kindness and deeds of beneficence.

(4) God can and will reward his people in heaven abundantly for all their kindness to the poor, and all their self-denials in endeavoring to diffuse the influence of truth and the knowledge of salvation. Indeed the rewards of heaven will be in no small degree apportioned in this manner, and determined by the amount of benevolence which we have shown on earth; see Mat 25:34-40. On all accounts, therefore, we have every inducement to give liberally. As a farmer who desires an ample harvest scatters his seed with a liberal hand; as he does not grudge it though it falls into the earth; as he scatters it with the expectation that in due time it will spring up and reward his labors, so should we give with a liberal hand to aid the cause of benevolence, nor should we deem what we give to be lost or wasted though we wait long before we are recompensed, or though we should be in no other way rewarded than by the comfort which arises from the act of doing good.

Barnes: 2Co 9:7

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart ... - The main idea in this verse is, that the act of giving should be voluntary and cheerful. It should not seem to be extorted by the importunity of others 2Co 9:6; nor should it be given from urgent necessity, but it should be given as an offering of the heart. On this part of the verse we may remark:

(1) That the heart is usually more concerned in the business of giving than the head. If liberality is evinced, it will be the heart which prompts to it; if it is not evinced, it will be because the heart has some bad passions to gratify, and is under the influence of avarice, or selfishness, or some other improper attachment. Very often a man is convinced he ought to give liberally, but a narrow heart and a parsimonious spirit prevents it.

\caps1 (2) w\caps0 e should follow the dictates of the heart in giving. I mean that a man will usually give more correctly who follows the first promptings of his heart when an object of charity is presented, than he will if he takes much time to deliberate. The instinctive prompting of a benevolent heart is to give liberally. And the amount which should be given will usually be suggested to a man by the better feelings of his heart. But if he resolves to deliberate much, and if he suffers the heart to grow cold, and if he defers it, the pleadings of avarice will como in, or some object of attachment or plan of life will rise to view, or he will begin to compare himself with others. and he will give much less than he would have done if he had followed the first impulse of feeling. God implanted the benevolent feelings in the bosom that they should prompt us to do good; and he who acts most in accordance with them is most likely to do what he ought to do; and in general it is the safest and best rule for a man to give just what his heart prompts him to give when an object of charity is presented. Man at best is too selfish to be likely to give too much or to go beyond his means; and if in a few instances it should be done, more would be gained in value in the cultivation of benevolent feeling than would be lost in money. I know of no better rule on the subject, than to cultivate as much as possible the benevolent feelings, and then to throw open the soul to every proper appeal to our charity, and to give just according to the instinctive prompting of the heart.

\caps1 (3) g\caps0 iving should be voluntary and cheerful. It should be from the heart. Yet there is much, very much that is not so, and there is, therefore, much benevolence that is spasmodic and spurious; that cannot be depended on, and that will not endure. No dependence can be placed on a man in regard to giving who does not do it from the steady influences of a benevolent heart. But there is much obtained in the cause of benevolence that is produced by a kind of extortion It is given because others give, and the man would be ashamed to give less than they do. Or, it is given because he thinks his rank in life demands it, and he is prompted to do it by pride and vanity. Or, he gives from respect to a pastor or a friend, or because he is warmly importuned to give; or because he is shut up to a kind of necessity to give, and must give or he would lose his character and become an object of scorn and detestation. In all this there is nothing cheerful and voluntary; and there can be nothing in it acceptable to God. Nor can it be depended on permanently. The heart is not in it, and the man will evade the duty as soon as he can, and will soon find excuses for not giving at all.

Not grudgingly - Greek, "Not of grief"( μὴ ἐκ λύπης mē ek lupēs ). Not as if be were sorry to part with his money. Not as if he were constrained to do a thing that was extremely painful to him. "Or of necessity."As if he were compelled to do it. Let him do it cheerfully.

For God loveth a cheerful giver - And who does not? Valuable as any gift may be in itself, yet if it is forced and constrained; if it can be procured only after great importunity and persevering effort, who can esteem it as desirable? God desires the heart in every service. No service that is not cheerful and voluntary; none that does not arise from true love to him can be acceptable in his sight. God loves it because it shows a heart like his own - a heart disposed to give cheerfully and do good on the largest scale possible; and because it shows a heart attached from principle to his service and cause. The expression here has all the appearance of a proverb, and expressions similar to this occur often in the Scriptures. In an uninspired writer, also, this idea has been beautifully expanded. "In all thy gifts show a cheerful countenance, and dedicate thy tithes with gladness. Give unto the Most High according as he hath enriched thee: and as thou hast gotten give with a cheerful eye. For the Lord recompenseth, and will give thee seven times as much"- Wisdom of the Son of Sirach 35:9-11. In nothing, therefore, is it more important than to examine the motives by which we give to the objects of benevolence. However liberal may be our benefactions, yet God may see that there is no sincerity, and may hate the spirit with which it is done.

Barnes: 2Co 9:8

And God is able ... - Do not suppose that by giving liberally you will be impoverished and reduced to want. You should rather confide in God, who is able to furnish you abundantly with what is needful for the supply of your necessities. Few persons are ever reduced to poverty by liberality. Perhaps in the whole circle of his acquaintance it would be difficult for an individual to point out one who has been impoverished or made the poorer in this way. Our selfishness is generally a sufficient guard against this; but it is also to be added, that the divine blessing rests upon the liberal man, and that God keeps him from want. But in the meantime there are multitudes who are made poor by the lack of liberality. They are parsimonious in giving but they are extravagant in dress, and luxury, and in expenses for amusement or vice, and the consequence is poverty and want. "There is that withholdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to poverty;"Pro 11:24. The divine blessing rests upon the liberal: and while every person should make a proper provision for his family, every one should give liberally, confiding in God that he will furnish the supplies for our future needs. Let this maxim be borne in mind, that no one is usually made the poorer by being liberal.

All grace - All kinds of favor. He is able to impart to you those things which are needful for your welfare.

That ye always ... - The sense is, "If you give liberally you are to expect that God will furnish you with the means, so that you will be able to abound more and more in it."You are to expect that he will abundantly qualify you for doing good in every way, and that he will furnish you with all that is needful for this. The man who gives, therefore, should have faith in God. He should expect that God will bless him in it; and the experience of the Christian world may be appealed to in proof that people are not made poor by liberality.

Barnes: 2Co 9:9

As it is written - Psa 112:9. The idea is, "in this way will the saying in the Scriptures be verified, or the promise confirmed."The psalmist is describing the character of the righteous man. One of his characteristics, he says, is, that he has scattered abroad, he has given liberally to the poor. On such a man a blessing is pronounced Psa 112:1; and one of the blessings will be that he shall be prospered. Some difficulty has been felt by commentators to see how the quotation here made sustains the position of Paul that the liberal man would be blessed of God, and would receive an increase according to his liberality. In order to this, they have supposed (see Doddridge, Bloomfield, and Clarke) that the word "righteousness"means the same as almsgiving, or that "he would always have something to bestow."But I would suggest that perhaps Paul quoted this, as quotations are frequently made in the Scriptures, where a passage was familiar. He quotes only a part of the passage, meaning that the whole passage confirms the point under consideration. Thus, the whole passage in the psalm is, "He hath dispersed; he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth forever; his horn shall be exalted with honor;"that is, he shall be abundantly blessed with prosperity and with the favor of God. Thus, the entire promise sustains the position of Paul, that the liberal man would be abundantly blessed. The phrase "he hath dispersed" Ἐσκόρπισεν Eskorpisen , may refer either to the act of sowing, as a man scatters seed on the earth; or there may be an allusion to the oriental custom of scattering money among an assembled company of paupers; compare Pro 11:24.

His righteousness - His deeds of beneficence.

Remaineth - In its fruits and consequences; that is, either in its effects on others, or on himself. It may mean that the sums so distributed will remain with him forever inasmuch as he will be supplied with all that is needful to enable him to do good to others. This interpretation accords with the connection.

Barnes: 2Co 9:10

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower - This is an expression of an earnest wish. In the previous verses he had stated the promises, or had shown what we had a right to expect as a consequence of liberality. He here unites the expression of an earnest desire that they might experience this themselves. The allusion is to the act of sowing seed. The idea is, that when a man scatters seed in his field God provides him with the means of sowing again. He not only gives him a harvest to supply his needs, but he blesses him also in giving him the ability to sow again. Such was the benevolent wish of Paul. He desired not only that God would supply their returning needs, but he desired also that he would give them the ability to do good again; that he would furnish them the means of future benevolence. He acknowledges God as the source of all increase, and wishes that they may experience the results of such increase. Perhaps in this language there is an allusion to Isa 4:10; and the idea is, that it is God who furnishes by his providence the seed to the sower. In like manner he will furnish you the means of doing good.

Minister bread for your food - Furnish you with an ample supply for your needs.

Multiply your seed sown - Greatly increase your means of doing good; make the result of all your benefactions so to abound that you may have the means of doing good again, and on a larger scale, as the seed sown in the earth is so increased that the farmer may have the means of sowing more abundantly again.

And increase the fruits of your righteousness - This evidently means, the results and effects of their benevolence. The word "righteousness"here refers to their liberality; and the wish of the apostle is, that the results of their beneficence might greatly abound, that they might have the means of doing extensive good, and that they might be the means of diffusing happiness from afar.

Barnes: 2Co 9:11

Being enriched in everything ... - In all respects your riches are conferred on you for this purpose. The design of the apostle is to state to them the true reason why wealth was bestowed. It was not for the purposes of luxury and self-gratification; not to be spent in sensual enjoyment, not for parade and display; it was that it might be distributed to others in such a way as to cause thanksgiving to God. At the same time, this implies the expression of an earnest wish on the part of Paul. He did not desire that they should be rich for their own gratification or pleasure; he desired it only as the means of their doing good to others. Right feeling will desire property only as the means of promoting happiness and producing thanksgiving to God. They who truly love their children and friends will wish them to be successful in acquiring wealth only that they may have the means and the disposition to alleviate misery, and promote the happiness of all around them. No one who has true benevolence will desire that anyone in whom he feels an interest should be enriched for the purpose of living amidst luxury, and encompassing himself with the indulgences which wealth can furnish. If a man has not a disposition to do good with money, it is not true benevolence to desire that he may not possess it.

To all bountifulness - Margin, Simplicity, or liberality. The word ( ἁπλότης haplotēs ) means properly sincerity, candor, probity; then also simplicity, frankness, fidelity, and especially as manifesting itself in liberality; see Rom 12:8; 2Co 8:2. Here it evidently means "liberality,"and the idea is, that property is given for this purpose, in order that there may be liberality evinced in doing good to others.

Which causeth through us ... - That is, we shall so distribute your alms as to cause thanksgiving to God. The result will be that by our instrumentality, thanks will be given to the great Source and Giver of all wealth. Property should always be so employed as to produce thanksgiving. If it is made to contribute to our own support and the support of our families, it should excite thanksgiving. If it is given to others, it should be so given, if it is possible, that the recipient should be more grateful to God than to us; should feel that though we may be the honored instrument in distributing it, yet the true benefactor is God.

Barnes: 2Co 9:12

For the administration of this service - The distribution of this proof of your liberality. The word "service"here, says Doddridge, intimates that this was to be regarded not merely as an act of humanity, but religion.

The want of the saints - Of the poor Christians in Judea on whose behalf it was contributed.

But is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God - Will abound unto God in producing thanksgivings. The result will be that it will produce abundant thanksgiving in their hearts to God.

Barnes: 2Co 9:13

Whiles by the experiment ... - Or rather, by the experience of this ministration; the proof ( δοκιμῆς dokimēs ), the evidence here furnished of your liberality. They shall in this ministration have experience or proof of your Christian principle.

They glorify God - They will praise God as the source of your liberality, as having given you the means of being liberal, and having inclined your hearts to it.

For your professed subjection ... - Literally, "For the obedience of your profession of the gospel."It does not imply merely that there was a profession of religion, but that there was a real subjection to the gospel which they professed. This is not clearly expressed in our translation. Tyndale has expressed it better, "Which praise God for your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ."There was a real and sincere submission to the gospel of Christ, and that was manifested by their giving liberally to supply the needs of others. The doctrine is, that one evidence of true subjection to the gospel; one proof that our profession is sincere and genuine, is a willingness to contribute to relieve the needs of the poor and afflicted friends of the Redeemer. And unto all people. That is, all others whom you may have the opportunity of relieving.

Barnes: 2Co 9:14

And by their prayer for you - On the grammatical construction of this difficult verse, Doddridge and Bloomfield may be consulted. It is probably to be taken in connection with 2Co 9:12, and 2Co 9:13 is a parenthesis. Thus interpreted, the sense will be, "The administration of this service 2Co 9:12 will produce abundant thanks to God. It will also 2Co 9:14 produce another effect. It will tend to excite the prayers of the saints for you, and thus produce important benefits to yourselves. They will earnestly desire your welfare, they will anxiously pray to be united in Christian friendship with those who have been so signally endowed with the grace of God."The sentiment is, that charity should be shown to poor and afflicted Christians because it will lead them to pray for us and to desire our welfare. The prayers of the poorest Christian for us are worth more than all we usually bestow on them in charity; and he who has secured the pleadings of a child of God, however humble, in his behalf, has made a good use of his money.

Which long after you - Who earnestly desire to see and know you. Who will sincerely desire your welfare, and who will thus be led to pray for you.

For the exceeding grace of God in you - On account of the favor which God has shown to you: the strength and power of the Christian principle, manifesting itself in doing good to those whom you have never seen. The apostle supposes that the exercise of a charitable disposition is to be traced entirely to God. God is the author of all grace; he alone excites in us a disposition to do good to others.

Barnes: 2Co 9:15

Thanks be unto God - Whitby supposes that this refers to the charitable disposition which they had manifested, and that the sense is, that God was to be adored for the liberal spirit which they were disposed to manifest, and the aid which they were disposed to render to others. But this, it is believed, falls far below the design of the apostle. The reference is rather to the inexpressible gift which God had granted to them in bestowing his Son to die for them; and this is one of the most striking instances which occur in the New Testament, showing that the mind of Paul was full of this subject; and that wherever he began, he was sure to end with a reference to the Redeemer. The invaluable gift of a Saviour was so familiar to his mind, and he was so accustomed to dwell on that in his private thoughts, that the mind naturally and easily glanced on that whenever anything occurred that by the remotest allusion would suggest it. The idea is, "Your benefactions are indeed valuable; and for them, for the disposition which you have manifested, and for all the good which you will be enabled thus to accomplish, we are bound to give thanks to God. All this will excite the gratitude of those who shall be benefitted. But how small is all this compared with the great gift which God has imparted in bestowing a Saviour! That is unspeakable. No words can express it, no language convey an adequate description of the value of the gift, and of the mercies which result from it."

His unspeakable gift - The word used here ἀνεκδιηγήτῳ anekdiēgētō means, what cannot be related, unutterable. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. The idea is, that no words can properly express the greatness of the gift thus bestowed on man. It is higher than the mind can conceive; higher than language can express. On this verse we may observe:

(1) That the Saviour is a gift to mankind. So he is uniformly represented; see Joh 3:16; Gal 1:4; Gal 2:20; Eph 1:22; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14. Man had no claim on God. He could not compel him to provide a plan of salvation; and the whole arrangement - the selection of the Saviour, the sending him into the world, and all the benefits resulting from his work, are all an undeserved gift to man.

\caps1 (2) t\caps0 his is a gift unspeakably great, whose value no language can express, no heart fully conceive. It is so because:

\tx720 \tx1080 (a)    Of his own greatness and glory;

(b)    Because of the inexpressible love which he evinced;

©    Because of the unutterable sufferings which he endured;

(d)    Because of the inexpressibly great benefits which result from his work. No language can do justice to this work in either of these respects; no heart in this world fully conceives the obligation which rests upon man in virtue of his work.

\caps1 (3) t\caps0 hanks should be rendered to God for this. We owe him our highest praises for this. This appears:

\tx720 \tx1080 (a) Because it was mere benevolence in God. We had no claim; we could not compel him to grant us a Saviour. The gift might have been withheld, and his throne would have been spotless, We owe no thanks where we have a claim; where we deserve nothing, then he who benefits us has a claim on our thanks.

(b) Because of the benefits which we have received from him. Who can express this? All our peace and hope; all our comfort and joy in this life; all our prospect of pardon and salvation; all the offers of eternal glory are to be traced to him. Man has no prospect of being happy when he dies but in virtue of the "unspeakable gift"of God. And when he thinks of his sins, which may now be freely pardoned; when he thinks of an agitated and troubled conscience, which may now be at peace; when he thinks of his soul, which may now be unspeakably and eternally happy; when he thinks of the hell from which he is delivered, and of the heaven to whose eternal glories he may now be raised up by the gift of a Saviour, his heart should overflow with gratitude, and the language should be continually on his lips and in his heart, "thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."Every other mercy should seem small compared with this; and every manifestation of right feeling in the heart should lead us to contemplate the source of it, and to feel, as Paul did, that all is to be traced to the unspeakable gift of God.

Remarks

1. This chapter, with the preceding, derives special importance from the fact that it contains the most extended discussion of the principles of Christian charity which occurs in the Bible. No one can doubt that it was intended by the Redeemer that his people should be distinguished for benevolence. It was important, therefore, that there should be some portion of the New Testament where the principles on which charity should be exercised, and the motives by which Christians should be induced to give, should be fully stated. Such a discussion we have in these chapters; and they therefore demand the profound and prayerful attention of all who love the Lord Jesus.

2. We have here a striking specimen of the manner in which the Bible is written. Instead of abstract statements and systematic arrangement, the principles of religion are brought out in connection with a case that actually occurred. But it follows that it is important to study the Bible attentively, and to be familiar with every part of it. In some part of the Scriptures, statements of the principles which should guide us in given circumstances will be found; and Christians should, therefore, be familiar with every part of the Bible.

3. These chapters are of special importance to the ministers of religion, and to all whose duty it is to press upon their fellow Christians the duty of giving liberally to the objects of benevolence. The principles on which it should be done are fully developed here. The motives which it is lawful to urge are urged here by Paul. It may be added, also, that the chapters are worthy of our profound study on account of the admirable tact and address which Paul evinces in inducing others to give. Well he knew human nature. Well he knew the motives which would influence others to give. And well he knew exactly how to shape his arguments and adapt his reasoning to the circumstances of those whom he addressed.

4. The summary of the motives presented in this chapter contains still the most important argument which can be urged to produce liberality. We cannot but admire the felicity of Paul in this address - a felicity not the result of craft and cunning, but resulting from his amiable feelings, and the love which he bore to the Corinthians and to the cause of benevolence. He reminds them of the high opinion which he had of them, and of the honorable mention which he had been induced to make of them 2Co 9:1-2; he reminds them of the painful result to his own feelings and theirs if the collection should in any way fail, and it should appear that his confidence in them had been misplaced 2Co 9:3-5; he refers them to the abundant reward which they might anticipate as the result of liberal benefactions, and of the fact that God loved those who gave cheerfully 2Co 9:6-7; he reminds them of the abundant grace of God, who was able to supply all their needs and to give them the means to contribute liberally to meet the needs of the poor 2Co 9:8; he reminds them of the joy which their liberality would occasion, and of the abundant thanksgiving to God which would result from it 2Co 9:12-13; and he refers them to the unspeakable gift of God, Jesus Christ, as an example, and an argument, and us urging the highest claims in them, 2Co 9:15. "Who,"says Doddridge, "could withstand the force of such oratory?"No doubt it was effectual in that case, and it should be in all others.

5. May the motives here urged by the apostle be effectual to persuade us all to liberal efforts to do good! Assuredly there is no less occasion for Christian liberality now than there was in the time of Paul. There are still multitudes of the poor who need the kind and efficient aid of Christians. And the whole world now is a field in which Christian beneficence may be abundantly displayed, and every land may, and should experience the benefits of the charity to which the gospel prompts, and which it enjoins. Happy are they who are influenced by the principles of the gospel to do good to all people! Happy they who have any opportunity to illustrate the power of Christian principle in this; any ability to alleviate the needs of one sufferer, or to do anything in sending that gospel to benighted nations which alone can save the soul from eternal death!

6. Let us especially thank God for his unspeakable gift, Jesus Christ. Let us remember that to him we owe every opportunity to do good: that it was because he came that there is any possibility of benefiting a dying world; and that all who profess to love him are bound to imitate his example and to show their sense of their obligation to God for giving a Saviour. How poor and worthless are all our gifts compared with the great gift of God; how slight our expressions of compassion, even at the best, for our fellow-men, compared with the compassion which he has shown for us! When God has given his Son to die for us, what should we not be willing to give that we may show our gratitude, and that we may benefit a dying world.

Poole: 2Co 9:2

He gives them the reason why he judgeth it superfluous to write to them, because they had a forward mind of themselves, and needed not to be spurred on. This the apostle tells them that he knew, (he had told them of it, 2Co 8:10 ), he knew it either from themselves, or from some that came from them unto him; and he had boasted of them for this their forwardness in this good work to the churches of Macedonia.

And your zeal hath provoked very many he tells them, that their warmth unto, and in, this work, had kindled a heat in many in those parts where he was. Having therefore been so forward in this good work, and so good instruments to kindle a heat in others, he would not have them now come behind others, or grow cold in it.

Poole: 2Co 9:3

I did not send the brethren so much to move you to this work, or quicken you to it, for you yourselves purposed it a year ago, and showed a forwardness in it; the motion proceeded from yourselves, and you showed a readiness to it, which gave me occasion to boast of you to the churches of Macedonia; but I thought you might forget it, and I would not have

our boasting in vain on this behalf And besides, I would have the work done, that your alms might not be to gather when I come, (as he had said, 1Co 16:2 ), but might be in a readiness to be taken and carried away; for that is signified here by being

ready not that readiness of mind of which he had before spoken, and which he had before mentioned as what he had found in them.

Poole: 2Co 9:4

For if I should come, and any of the members of the churches of Macedonia, who have heard me boasting of you as a people very forward in this charitable work, and when they are come they should find you had done nothing, only talked much of your readiness, both I should be ashamed, and you also might see some cause to blush, which I, who consult your honour and reputation equally with my own, would prevent.

Poole: 2Co 9:5

This was the cause why I judged it reasonable to send the three brethren, before mentioned, unto you, that they might make up your bounty; prokatartiswsi , not so much to move, quicken, or exhort you to it, as to hasten the despatch and perfecting of it, that your money might be ready gathered. The word which we translate

bounty in the Greek signifieth blessing, which agreeth with the Hebrew dialect. Abigail’ s present to David in his distress is called hkrb , a blessing, 1Sa 25:27 : so Jacob called his present to his brother Esau, Gen 33:11 . Such kind of reliefs are called a blessing in both the Hebrew and the Greek tongue:

1. Because they are a part of God’ s blessing upon him that gives, Psa 24:5 .

2. Because the giving of them is a recognition or acknowledgntent how far God hath blessed persons, they giving as the Lord hath prospered them, 1Co 16:2 .

3. Because they are an indication of the blessing, or well wishing, of him that giveth to him that receiveth the gift.

4. Because they are a real doing good to the person that receiveth them, an actual blessing of him.

5. Possibly they are (in him that gives) an effectual, real blessing of God; for we then bless God with what we have, when we use and improve it for the ends for which he hath given it to us. It is very observable, that a liberal, free giving to the relief of the servants of God in distress, is called cariv and eulogia , grace and blessing; a heart to it being created in us from the free grace of God, and the work itself being a real, actual blessing of God with our substance, and the fruit of our increase: which two things well digested, will be potent arguments to charity with every soul that knoweth any thing of God, or hath any love for God.

That the same might be ready that the same may be ready gathered, not to gather when I come. As a blessing, we translate it,

as a matter of bounty: the sense is the same.

Not as of covetousness: the meaning is, I have also sent the brethren, that they may persuade you to a free and liberal contribution, a giving that may look like a blessing, not as proceeding from a narrow heart, in which the love of money prevaileth above the love of God. Giving to the distressed saints of God sparingly, and disproportionately to what estate we have, no ways looks like a blessing; he that so gives, doth not, according to the apostle’ s phrase, give wv eulogian’ for he neither gives as the Lord hath blessed and prospered him, nor yet according to what God requires of him; for he withholds a part of what he ought to part with: neither doth he bless his brother; he doth him some little good, but blessing another signifies a more liberal doing good to him.

Poole: 2Co 9:6

Whereas covetous persons think all lost which they give to charitable uses, the apostle correcteth their mistake, by letting them know, that it is no more lost than the seed is which the husbandman casteth into his ground, which bringeth forth thirty, sixty, or sometimes a hundred-fold; though with this difference, that whereas the husbandman’ s crop dependeth upon the goodness and preparedness of his ground, it is not so with this spiritual crop; a man shall not reap according to the nature of the soil in which he casts his seed; for he that giveth to a prophet or to a rightcerts man, in the name of a prophet or a righteous man, (though he may be mistaken in the person to whom he so giveth), yet shall he receive the reward of a prophet and of a righteous man. But this spiritual sower shall receive according to the quantity of seed which he soweth: he that soweth niggardly and sparingly shall reap accordingly; he that soweth liberally shall reap liberally: from whence we may be confirmed, that the rewards of another life will not be equal, but bear some proportion to the good works which men have done here.

Poole: 2Co 9:7

Let not any give out of any awe of us, nor as it were forced by our authority, but as God shall put it into his heart, and as he hath purposed in himself, and is inclined from himself, without any grudging or unwillingness; not because he thinks he must give, but out of choice: for God loveth one that giveth with freedom and cheerfulness, not him that giveth as it were by constraint, or upon force; it is the will and affection of the giver, not the quantity of the gift, that God looks at. The apostle, by naming God and his acceptance in the case, lets the Corinthians know, that God was concerned in what they thus gave, it was not given to men only; according to that: He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again, Pro 19:17 .

Poole: 2Co 9:8

Having made God, in the verse before, a debtor to those who, by giving to poor distressed saints, would make him their creditor, he here proveth him to be no insolvent debtor, but able to do much more for them, than they in this thing should do at his command out of love to him.

He is (saith he)

able to make all grace to abound toward you: the word translated

grace signifieth all sorts of gifts, whether of a temporal or spiritual nature; and being here applied to God, (who is the Author of all gifts), it may very properly be interpreted concerning both. God is able to repay you in temporal things what you thus lend him, and so to pay you in specie; and he is able to pay you in value, by spiritual habits and influences.

That ye, always having all sufficieney in all things, may abound to every good work that you may have a sufficieney in all things, so as that you may abound to and in every good work.

Poole: 2Co 9:9

As in the former verse the apostle had asserted God’ s sufficiency to repay them what they should lend him. So he here asserteth God’ s readiness and willingness. This he confirmeth from a promise taken out of Psa 112:9 , where also is further added, his horn shall be exalted with honour. Concerning the merciful man, it is true that Solomon saith, Pro 11:24 : There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth. The psalmist saith: His righteousness endureth for ever: by which term some understand his bounty or liberality: I had rather understand by it here his obedience to the command of God ht his free distribution to the poor; this remaineth in God’ s book of remembrance for ever, God will not forget this labour of love, Heb 6:10 . The friends which he maketh with his mammon of righteousness, shall receive him into everlasting habitations, Luk 16:9 . A man’ s riches cannot remain for ever, but his righteousness, in the distribution of them according to the command of God, that shall remain for ever.

Poole: 2Co 9:10

The God, whose providence and blessing maketh rich, and who giveth this seed to the sower, supply you with whatsoever you stand in need of for this life, and give you a heart to multiply that spiritual seed, by which the fruits of your righteousness shall be increased. Some Greek copies read these words in the future tense, according to which reading they are a formal promise, both of good things, whereby they might show their charity, and also of a free and large heart, disposing them to that exercise of grace. Our translators render it in the form of a prayer; which yet being the prayer of the apostle, put up in faith, doth virtually contain a promise both of a temporal and a spiritual increase.

Poole: 2Co 9:11

The word here translated bountifulness, signifies simplicity, in opposition to deceit and fraud. We had it before, 2Co 8:2 ; so Rom 12:8 : so, Jam 1:5 , God is said to give aplwv , simply (we translate it liberally ). We have in these two chapters met with three words, by which the bounty of Christians to persons in distress is expressed; grace, blessing, simplicity, cariv , eulogia , aplothv . The first lets us know the true root of all accceptable giving to those who are in distress, that must be free love: the second expresseth the true end, blessing God and our neighbour; serving the glory and commands of God, and the necessities of our brethren: this third expresseth the manner how we must give, that is, with simplicity. It is no true liberality where simplicity is wanting, that a man doth not what he doth with a plain heart and design to obey God and do good to his brother.

Which causeth through us thanksgiving to God as a further argument to press them to this liberality, he tells them, that it would cause them that were the apostles and ministers of Christ, to offer thanksgiving unto God.

Poole: 2Co 9:12

No than ought to live to himself; the two great ends of every Christian’ s life ought to be, the glory of God, and the good of others, especially such as belong to the household of faith. This service (saith the apostle) serveth both those ends:

1. It supplieth the neccessities of the saints; and:

2. It causeth thanksgivings to God by many persons, and upon many accounts; which he further openeth in the following verses.

Poole: 2Co 9:13

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration upon their receiving of what you sent them,

they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ they will see how ready you are to obey the gospel of Christ, (which hath in so many places called you to this duty), and this will give them occasion of blessing God, who in the day of his power hath made such a willing people, willing at God’ s command, and in consideration of the love of Christ, to strip themselves to clothe his naked members, to restrain their own appetites to feed them. The grace of God bestowed on others, is matter of great thanksgiving to every gracious heart.

And for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: another cause of thanksgiving will be God’ s moving your hearts towards them; they will see reason to bless God, who hath raised them up such friends in their great straits; so as they will both bless God on your behalf, for his grace bestowed on you, that out of the Gentiles he hath picked out a people so subject to the law of his gospel; and also on their own behalf, that God hath stirred up a people to compassionate them in their deep distresses.

Poole: 2Co 9:14

Another way by which the glory of God will be promoted, by your simple, free, and liberal contribution, is, that by this he will have more prayers, which also will redound to your advantage, for it will procure prayers for you; and not prayers only, but a great deal of fervent love; so as they will long after your good, and after your acquaintance, when they shall receive such an experiment of

the exceeding grace of God in you

Poole: 2Co 9:15

Interpreters are not agreed what the apostle here meaneth by God’ s

unspeakable gift Some by it understand Christ, who is the gift of God, and the Fountain of all grace; and to this the epithet unspeakable doth best agree. Others understand the gospel, by which the hearts of men are subdued, effectually disposed, and inclined to obey the will of God. Others think it is to be understood of thai habit of brotherly love, which from the Spirit of Christ, by the gospel, was wrought in the hearts of these Corinthians. If the last be meant, (to which the most incline), the apostle declareth his firm persuasion of them, that they would obey him in this thing, and giveth God thanks for giving them such a heart. Seeing the contribution was not yet made, though a year before they had declared their readiness to it, I should rather incline to interpret it concerning Christ; and that the apostle concludeth this whole discourse about contributing to the relief of these poor members of Christ, with a general doxology, or blessing of God for Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Finisher of all grace, without such a particular reference to the preceding discourse; yet hereby hinting to them, that without the influence of his grace they would, they could do nothing.

PBC: 2Co 9:6

See WebbSr: THE REASON WHY

Haydock: 2Co 9:2

That Achaia also was ready. Corinth was the capital of Achaia. St. Paul had formerly exhorted the Macedonians to contribute to the utmost of their power, informing them, that Corinth and all Achaia were prepared a year ago to collect alms, and now the apostle, speaking to the Corinthians, encourages them by the example of the faithful of Macedon, and informs them of the greatness of their charitable contributions, and the greatness of their zeal. (Theo.)

Haydock: 2Co 9:3

Titus, and two others.

Haydock: 2Co 9:5

Not forced from covetousness. Literally, not as avarice, as it were extorted from covetous people, who give unwillingly. (Witham)

Haydock: 2Co 9:8

God is generous to the liberally disposed Christian; filling such as relieve the poor with every species of good, and returning their charities a hundred-fold. (Menochius)

Haydock: 2Co 9:11-13

All bountifulness, [1] by which is signified, a sincere and free liberality, by giving with a sincere heart, and good intention. St. Paul encourages them to contribute willingly for God's sake, and out of a true charity for their indigent brethren, who will praise, and thank God, and pray for them, &c. (Witham)

Haydock: 2Co 9:15

For his unspeakable gift. Such is the conclusion, which the apostle puts to the subject upon alms-deeds. In the following chapter he proceeds to a new subject; but first thanks the Almighty, that he has enriched the Corinthians with so charitable a disposition. St. John Chrysostom, Theo., and some other commentators think, that by the expression, his unspeakable gift, is meant the incarnation of Christ. The fruit of alms-deeds is the increase of grace in all justice and good works to life everlasting; God granting these blessings for a reward and recompense of charitable works, which therefore are called the seed, (ver. 10. above) or meritorious cause of these spiritual fruits.

[1] In omnem simplicitatem, Greek aploteta, upon which St. John Chrysostom says, Greek: om. k., aploteta ten dapsileian kalei, a plentiful abundance.

====================

Gill: 2Co 9:2

For I know the forwardness of your mind,.... How that they were willing of themselves to engage in this good work; how readily they came into it; what a cheerful disposition of mind they showed towards it; and how forward they were to begin the collection:

for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia; he had one it before, which had put them upon the like service, and he still continued to boast of them,

that Achaia was ready a year ago: not that their collection was ready made so long ago; but they had shown a readiness of mind, as to every good work, so to this of communicating to the saints a year ago, when they made a beginning, though as yet had not finished. By Achaia is meant, the inhabitants of Achaia. The Arabic version renders it, the citizens of Achaia; of this country; see Gill on Act 18:12. It is sometimes taken in a large sense, and designs Greece, and includes the countries of Doris, Hellas, Aetolia, Locri, Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and Megaris; and had its name, as some say, from the frequent inundation of waters; and others, from one of the three generals of the Pelasgi, who were of this name; and sometimes it is taken strictly and properly for the country of the Peloponnesus, or the Morea. And so Drusius, out of Hesychius, has observed, that the Achaeans were Greeks; but properly they were they that inhabited that part of Peloponnesus, called Achaia; and these seem to be intended here. The Gospel was preached in these parts with success; Epaenetus, whom the Apostle Paul salutes, Rom 16:5 and the house of Stephanas he mentions, 1Co 16:15 were the firstfruits of it; and in process of time several churches were here gathered, and which continued for several ages. In the "second" century there was a synod in Achaia, concerning the time of keeping Easter, in which Bacchylus, bishop of Corinth, presided; in the beginning of the "fourth" century, the bishops of Achaia were present at the council of Nice, and in the same century bishops out of this country assisted at the synod in Sardica; in the "fifth" century there were many churches in Achaia, and the bishops of them were present in the Chalcedon synod; out of this country went several bishops, in the "seventh" century, to Constantinople, and were in the sixth synod there; and in the "eighth" century there were bishops of Achaia in the Nicene synod ^d: here by Achaia are designed the churches of Christ, which were in that part of Greece in which Corinth stood, and of which that was the metropolis; so that when the apostle says Achaia was ready, his meaning is more particularly, that the Corinthians were ready:

and, adds he,

your zeal hath provoked very many: or "the zeal which is of you"; which sprung from, and was occasioned by them; for not the zeal of the Corinthians is here intended, as seems at first view, but that emulation which was stirred up in some of the leading persons among the Macedonians, upon hearing how ready they at Corinth were to minister to the necessitous brethren; and the zeal which appeared in these principal men, which was very warm, and yet prudent and seasonable, wrought very much on the minds of others, who, led by their example, contributed in a very generous and unexpected manner. In the Greek text it is, "the zeal out of you"; or, as the Arabic version renders it, "the zeal that arose from you", which was occasioned by them.

Gill: 2Co 9:3

Yet have I sent the brethren,.... Titus, and the other two mentioned in the foregoing chapter: one manuscript reads, "we have sent"; and the Ethiopic version, "they have sent", that is, the Macedonians; but the common reading is best. It might be objected, that since the apostle knew the forwardness of their minds, how ready they were a year ago, and had boasted so much of their liberality, that it must be unnecessary to send the brethren to them, to stir them up to this work; which objection is prevented by observing the reason of his sending them:

lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf: or, "in this part", in this particular thing, על הדא צבותא, "concerning this business", or affair of beneficence to the poor, as the Syriac version renders it. He had boasted of them with respect to other things besides this; but he was chiefly concerned, knowing the frailty and changeableness of human nature, and how possible it was that their forwardness might abate, and they grow cold and indifferent to such service, lest his glorying of them should be in vain in this particular instance; wherefore he sent the brethren to put them on, that as they had begun they would finish:

that as I said ye may be ready, That as he had said to the Macedonians, that they were ready in mind, it might appear to be so; or as he had ordered them in his former epistle, they might be actually ready; have their collection ready made, so that there might be no gathering when he came.

Gill: 2Co 9:4

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me,.... The apostle had determined to come himself, though he was afterwards prevented by Providence, but could not be certain of the coming of the Macedonian brethren with him; however, as it was probable that some of them would come, whose hearts were so much in this work, therefore he judged it fit and proper to send the brethren before hand, in case they should come:

and find you unprepared; not so ready for this service as had been boasted of, and the collection not finished, which had been begun a year ago.

We (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting; or "in this same substance", or "subsistence of boasting": a boasting, which, he thought, they had the most solid and substantial ground and foundation to proceed upon; which, should it come to nothing, must cause shame both in the apostles, who had so largely, and with so much assurance, boasted of them; and in the Corinthians, who must be put to the blush, when it should be told them how much they had been boasted of with respect to their readiness, and yet were unprepared: so תוחלת, "hope", expectation, confidence, is rendered by the Septuagint καυχημα, "boasting", Pro 11:7 and in Psa 39:5 υποστασις, the word here used. And some copies, and also the Vulgate Latin version, only read, "in this substance", or glorying, and leave out boasting as superfluous.

Gill: 2Co 9:5

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren,.... Titus, and the other two, on whom he did not lay his commands, or apostolical injunctions, according to the authority and dignity of his office; only exhorted or besought them, and which was judged by him very needful and proper at this time:

that they would go before hand unto you; before him, and the Macedonian brethren that might probably come with him:

and make up before hand your bounty; or blessing; for any present sent, or delivered, by one person to another, as a token of their friendship, favour, and good will, whether in a necessitous case or not, was by the Jews called ברכה, "a blessing"; see Gen 33:11 and especially what is contributed for the relief of the poor may be so called, because it is not only a part of the bounty of Providence, and blessings of life, with which men are favoured; but is also one way of blessing God for the mercies he has blessed them with, and likewise of blessing, or doing good to fellow creatures and Christians. Moreover, because for this the poor bless their benefactors; and it is a blessing itself to do good to others. Now the apostle judged it expedient to send the brethren before hand to complete and finish this good work begun.

Whereof, says he,

ye had notice before: in his former epistle, 1Co 16:1 or which was promised before by them; or had been spoken of so much before by him to other churches:

that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, or blessing,

not as of covetousness; that is, that the collection being ready made, largely and liberally, it might appear to be a free generous action, and show what a noble bountiful disposition they were of; and not performed as covetous men usually do what they do, sparingly, tenaciously, keeping their money as long as they can, being loath to part with it.

Gill: 2Co 9:6

But this I say,.... This the apostle would have the Corinthians take notice of, and well consider, it being what he could aver for truth, by observation and experience; that as in things natural, so in things of a moral and spiritual kind,

he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully, or with blessings,

shall reap also bountifully; or with blessings; as a man sows, so shall he reap; the one is in proportion to the other. Sowing and reaping are here used in a metaphorical sense. The former signifies doing acts of beneficence and liberality. So it is used in the Old Testament, and in Jewish writings; see Ecc 9:6. The interpretation of the latter text, give me leave to produce out of the Talmud ^e as follows, and which will serve to illustrate this of the apostle's.

"Says. R. Jochanan, in the name of R. Benaah, what is that which is written, "blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox, and the ass?" blessed are the Israelites, for when they are employed in the law, ובגמילות חסדים, "and in acts of beneficence", their evil concupiscence is delivered into their hand, and they are not delivered into the hand of their evil concupiscence: or, as it is elsewhere ^f said, such are worthy of the inheritance of two tribes, Joseph and Issachar; as it is said, "blessed are ye that sow beside all waters", ואין זריעה אלא צדקה, "and there is no sowing but alms"; or, by the word "sowing", nothing else is meant but doing of alms, as it is said, Hos 10:12 and there is no water but the law, or nothing else is meant by water but the law, as it is said, Isa 55:1. And as to these words, "that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass", it is a tradition of the house of Elias, for ever let a man place himself by the words of the law, as an ox to the yoke, and an ass to the burden.''

There is a good deal of likeness between sowing the seed in the earth, and doing of alms, or acts of beneficence. The seed that is sown is what is selected and reserved out of the stock expended or sold off, which if not done, there would be no provision for futurity; so that which a man gives for the relief of the necessitous, is what he lays by him in store of what God has prospered him with; in doing which he may hope for a fruitful harvest, whereas otherwise he could expect none: as seed is cast from, and scattered about by the sower all over the field; so what is given to the poor, it is parted with unto them, and spread among them, everyone has a portion; and it looks like a diminution of a man's substance, and as if it would never return with any advantage; though it does, as in a natural, so in a metaphorical sense. The sower casts and scatters his seed with an open hand; was he to gripe it in his fist, or only let go a grain of corn or wheat here and there, he would have but a poor harvest; so the cheerful giver opens his hand wide, and bountifully supplies the wants of the needy; who, as the sower casts his seed on the empty field, so he bestows his bounty on indigent persons, on all men in want, especially the household of faith: and, as when he has done, he harrows the ground, and covers the seed under the earth, where it lies hid, and is very unpromising for a while, and yet be exercises faith, hope, and patience, with respect to an harvest; so the generous benefactor does what he does in as private a manner as may be; and though for a time his good deeds may seem to be attended with little prospect of reward, yet in the end they certainly shall; for as a man sows, so shall he reap: if he sows, that is, gives nothing, he shall reap nothing; if he sows but little, he shall reap little; and if he sows much, he shall reap much; and that of the selfsame kind which he sows; as he is liberal in things temporal, so shall he prosper and succeed in the same; see Pro 3:9.

Gill: 2Co 9:7

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,.... Which is not to be understood of the quantity, or any set sum he has fixed upon in his mind to give; but of the quality or nature of giving; or of the manner in which he is to give:

so let him give; of his own will and free choice, from his very heart; not as directed and forced by others, but according to his own counsel and determination:

not grudgingly; or not of grief; with pain and uneasiness of mind, grieving at parting with what is given, reflecting on the persons that move him to it, or on the objects moved for. The Jews ^g reckon this the lowest degree of all in giving alms; "when a man gives to anyone" בעצב, "with grief", to which the apostle seems to refer: who adds,

or of necessity; of force, by coaction, being obliged to it by the influence, example, or commands of superiors; or through the powerful motives, or prevailing entreaties of others; for without these, men, according to their abilities, should give of themselves freely and liberally:

for God loveth a cheerful giver; or one that gives בסבר פנים יפות, "with a cheerful countenance", as the Jews ^h say; or as elsewhere ⁱ, "with a cheerful heart": their rule is this,

"he that doth the commandment, i.e. alms, let him do it בלב שמח, "with a cheerful heart".''

Who looks pleasantly on the person or persons that move him to it, or on the object to whom he gives; who parts with his money willingly, and takes delight in doing good to others; such givers God loves: not that their cheerful beneficence is the cause of his special peculiar love to them in his own heart, which arises from nothing in man, or done by him; but the meaning is, that God does well to such persons; shows his love to them; he lets them know how kindly he takes such acts of theirs, by prospering and succeeding them in their worldly affairs. In the Septuagint in Pro 22:8 are these words, "God blesses a cheerful man, and a giver", which the apostle refers to.

Gill: 2Co 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound towards you,.... By "all grace" is meant, not the love and favour of God, the source of all blessings enjoyed in time and eternity; nor the blessings of grace, the fruits of it; nor the Gospel which reveals them; nor the various graces of the Spirit implanted in regeneration; nor gifts of grace, fitting men for ministerial service; all which God is able to make to abound, and does, when he gives enlarged discoveries of his love, makes fresh applications of covenant grace, leads more fully into the knowledge of his Gospel, carries on the work of his grace in the soul, and calls forth grace into act and exercise, and increases gifts bestowed; nor even merely temporal blessings of every sort, which men are unworthy of, are all the gifts of his goodness, and are given to his people in a covenant way; and which he can, and often does increase: but by it is meant all that goodness, beneficence, and liberality exercised towards the poor members of Christ; God is able, and he will, and it ought to be believed that he will, cause to return with an increase, all that which is expended in relieving the necessities of the saints; that is not thrown away and lost, which is communicated to them, but shall be repaid with use and interest, be restored with abundance, any more than the seed which the husbandman casts into the earth; for as God is able, and has promised, and will, and does cause that to spring up again, and bring forth an abundant increase, so will he multiply the seed of beneficence, and increase the fruits of righteousness. This now contains a new argument to move to liberality, and an antidote against the fears of want, which persons are sometimes pressed with, and tend to prevent their bountiful acts of charity:

that ye always having all sufficiency in all things: that is, God is able to increase, and will so increase your worldly substance, that you shall have a sufficiency, a perfect and entire sufficiency; enough for yourselves and families, for the entertainment of your friends, and the relief of the poor; which shall give you satisfaction and contentment, and that at all times, and with respect to everything necessary for you, as to food and raiment, that so ye may abound to every good work; as to all good works, so to this of beneficence in particular, and to every branch of it, as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and the like.

Gill: 2Co 9:9

As it is written,.... In Psa 112:9 where it is said of the good and righteous man,

he hath dispersed ממוניה, "his riches", his substance, as the Chaldee paraphrase adds by way of explanation; not in a profuse extravagant manner, but with wisdom and prudence, and yet largely and liberally, according to his ability. Just as the sower scatters his seed here, and there, and in every place, with an open and wide hand, to the good man distributes to all in necessity, and makes them all partakers of his bounty; he gives not only to one, but to many, and not to all without distinction he meets with, whether necessitous or not:

he hath given to the poor. This explains the former phrase, and points out the persons, the objects of the good man's bounty and compassion:

his righteousness remaineth for ever. This is not to be understood of his justifying righteousness, as if that consisted of, and was established upon his works of bounty and charity to the poor; nor of his fame among men on account of his liberality; nor of any reward in another world; but of his beneficence itself, it being common with the Jews to call alms צדקה, "righteousness": See Gill on Mat 6:1 and the sense is, that what such a man bestows in charity on the poor shall not be lost, but shall be like the seed cast into the earth, shall spring up again, and bring forth fruit with increase, according to what follows.

Gill: 2Co 9:10

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, and bread for your food,.... For so the words ought to be pointed and read, as is clear from Isa 55:10 to which they refer; and are a "periphrasis" of God, who so blesses the seed that is cast into the earth, that it brings forth such an increase, as that there is a sufficiency of bread for food to the eater for the present year, and a sufficiency of seed to sow with again the next year; and that God, that does this every year, is able "to minister to", or supply your present necessities;

and to multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; though some consider these as a wish or prayer of the apostle's, that God would do all this for them. Some copies, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read all in the future tense, "he will minister" to you, or "supply" you, "and will multiply your seed sown",

and will increase the fruits of your righteousness; and so contain a promise of a divine blessing, encouraging to liberality with cheerfulness, by strengthening their faith in the providence of God; who as he multiplies, not the seed expended in the family, or sold at market, or as in the barn, or laid up for a better price, but the seed sown in the field, so he will multiply the substance of men; not what they lay out on themselves and families, or lay up in their coffers, but what they give away, or bestow on Christ's poor: and all effects which follow acts of liberality, and which are here designed by "fruits of righteousness", such as a good name among men, blessing, praise, thanksgiving, and prosperity in things temporal and spiritual, these God will abundantly increase; some of which are mentioned in the following verses. So alms with the Jews is not only called צדקה, "righteousness", but "seed sown". Thus Jarchi interprets Psa 37:26 "and his seed is blessed", he that זורע, "sows" righteousness or alms, its end shall be for a blessing, or in the end he shall be blessed; and the phrase, "rain righteousness", in Hos 10:12 is by the Septuagint rendered, γεννηματα δικαιοσυνης, "fruits of righteousness", the same as here, from whence it seems to be taken.

Gill: 2Co 9:11

Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness,.... These words may be connected with 2Co 9:8 being included in a parenthesis; and the sense is, that God was not only able to give them a sufficiency, and would give them a sufficiency of temporal things, as food and raiment to their satisfaction, and contentment for themselves, but a fulness, an exuberancy, an overplus also; not for luxury and intemperance, but that having such an affluence in all the good things of life, they might at all times, and upon every occasion, exercise a bountiful disposition in relieving the poor:

which causeth through us thanksgiving to God; not their riches and fulness, but their liberal distribution of them to the poor saints, to which they were stirred up by the apostles; who were thankful to God who had so well succeeded their exhortations and advice, and which was the cause of thanksgivings in others: and since therefore such beneficence tended to the glory of God, as giving of thanks makes for his glory, this then ought to be attended to, and diligently performed; and so it furnishes out a new argument to this good work, which is enlarged upon in the following verses.

Gill: 2Co 9:12

For the administration of this service,.... Not only by the Corinthians, and others, in giving and collecting, but by the apostles in ministering and distributing their contributions to the poor saints, produced these two very good effects: for it

not only supplieth the wants of the saints; makes up their deficiencies, relieves their necessities, and furnishes them with what is comfortable and refreshing to them under their many sorrowful circumstances, which is answering a very valuable end:

but is abundant also by many thanks givings to God; it has over and above this excellency in it, or its excellent use is enhanced, and abundantly appears by this consideration; that many precious souls are sent hereby to the throne of grace to give thanks to God, who put it into the hearts of the apostles to move the churches on their behalf, and who wrought upon them so cheerfully and largely to contribute to their necessities.

Gill: 2Co 9:13

Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first,

they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly

for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject matter, as Mediator, and the preacher, as man: subjection to it lies in a hearty receiving of the doctrines of it, and a cheerful submission to his ordinances; and this subjection was professed, declared, and made known to the churches in Judea, by their sending so largely to their relief, which they would never have done, if they had not cordially embraced the Gospel of Christ; for true faith in the doctrine of grace, and a sincere obedience to it, are best declared and known by love to the saints; for faith works by love, both to Christ, and to his people: next they glorified God by giving thanks to him,

for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; which shows, that though they were truly grateful, and heartily thankful for the favours they themselves received, yet not for these only, but for what other poor saints, in other places, were also partakers of; yea, that in the first place they were more sensibly affected with, and more especially thankful for the grace of God bestowed on the Gentiles, in sending the Gospel among them, and bringing them to a subjection to it, than for the temporal good they received from them.

Gill: 2Co 9:14

And by their prayer for you,.... The sense is, they glorify God on your behalf, making mention of you in all their prayers at the throne of grace, giving thanks to God for your liberality to them, and imploring all the blessings both of the upper and nether springs upon you; and this contains another argument engaging the Corinthians to liberality, taken from the prayers of the saints for them: or the words may be connected with 2Co 9:12 the thirteenth verse being in a parenthesis; and show not only that this ministering to the poor saints relieved their wants, and caused thanksgivings to God, but abounded in this fruit also; it put them upon daily and importunate supplications to God for their welfare both in soul and body.

Which long after you; or "earnestly desire you"; that is, "to see you", as the Ethiopic version adds; or exceedingly love you: their affections are wonderfully drawn out to you; not so much, or barely for your kindness to them, as

for the exceeding grace of God in you; for that large measure of it which was bestowed upon them in regeneration, as their unfeigned faith, lively hope, and sincere love; and for all that grace which was displayed in their justification, adoption, sanctification, and whole salvation.

Gill: 2Co 9:15

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Meaning either the goodness of God, both to the giver and receiver; for that the one gave so liberally, and the other received so largely, was from the grace of God, who so powerfully inclines the hearts of his children to do good, and offer so willingly of what he has given them, and who so wonderfully provides for the supply of the poor and needy; or else that exceeding grace of God which was so eminently, largely, and freely bestowed on the Corinthians in their effectual calling; or, as some think, Christ himself, who is to be sure "the unspeakable gift" of God; who, though his Son, his own Son, his only begotten Son, the Son of his love, his Son and heir, yet he gave him to be a covenant to the people, the head of his church, the Saviour of sinners, and to be a sacrifice in their room and stead: none can tell how great this gift is, which is so suitable and seasonable, so large and comprehensive, nor declare the love both of the Father and the Son, expressed in it. Thankful we should be for it; and our thankfulness should be shown by highly prizing and valuing this gift; by laying the whole stress of our salvation on Christ; by ascribing all the glory of it to him; by giving up ourselves to him, and to his interest; by walking worthy of him in all well pleasing, and by communicating to the support of his cause, and the supply of his poor ministers and members. And thus the apostle tacitly suggests one of the strongest arguments that can be used, to stir up the saints to generosity and liberality, taken from the wonderful grace of God in the gift of his Son; for if he of his free grace, and unmerited love, has given his Son to, and for his people, and with him all things freely, both the riches of grace and glory, then they ought freely and bountifully to communicate temporal good things to the poor members of Christ, for whom God and Christ have an equal love, as for themselves.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Co 9:2

¹ tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

² tn Grk “concerning which I keep boasting to the Macedonians about you.” A new sentence was started here and the translation was simplified by removing the relative clause and repeating the antecedent “this eagerness of yours.”

³ tn The words “to give” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

⁴ tn The words “to participate” are not in the Greek text but are implied.

⁵ sn Most of them is a reference to the Macedonians (cf. v. 4).

NET Notes: 2Co 9:3

¹ tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.

² tn That is, ready with the collection for the saints.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:4

¹ tn Or “be disgraced”; Grk “be put to shame.”

² tn Grk “by this confidence”; the words “we had in you” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied as a necessary clarification for the English reader.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:5

¹ tn Grk “the blessing.”

² tn Grk “a blessing.”

³ tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:6

¹ tn Or “bountifully”; so also in the next occurrence in the verse.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:7

¹ tn Or “must do.” The words “of you” and “should give” are not in the Greek text, which literally reads, “Each one just as he has decided in his heart.” The missing words are an ellipsis; these or similar phrases must be supplied for the English reader.

² tn Or “in his mind.”

³ tn Or “not from regret”; Grk “not out of grief.”

⁴ tn Or “not out of a sense of duty”; Grk “from necessity.”

NET Notes: 2Co 9:8

¹ tn Or “abound.”

² tn Or “so that by having enough.” The Greek participle can be translated as a participle of cause (“because you have enough”) or means (“by having enough”).

³ tn Or “abound.”

NET Notes: 2Co 9:9

¹ sn He in the quotation refers to the righteous person.

² sn A quotation from Ps 112:9.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:10

¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:11

¹ tn Grk “in every way for every generosity,” or “he will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times” (L&N 57.29).

NET Notes: 2Co 9:12

¹ tn Or “not only supplying.”

NET Notes: 2Co 9:13

¹ tn Or “proof,” or perhaps “testing” (NRSV).

² tn Or “ministry.”

³ tn Or “your partnership”; Grk “your fellowship.”

NET Notes: 2Co 9:14

¹ tn Grk “the extraordinary grace of God to you”; the point is that God has given or shown grace to the Corinthians.

NET Notes: 2Co 9:15

¹ tn “Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words” (L&N 33.202).

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:4

Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same ^{( a )} confident boasting.

^{( a )} The word which he uses signifies a mind so steady and established that it cannot be moved by any terror or fear.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:5

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as [a matter of] bounty, and not as [of] ^{( b )} covetousness.

^{( b )} As from covetous men.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:6

^{( 2 )} But this [I say], He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

^{( 2 )} Alms must be given neither grudgingly, nor with a loathful mind, or sparingly. And a generous and free alms is compared to a sowing which has a most plentiful harvest of most abundant blessing following it.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:7

Every man according as he ^{( c )} purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not ^{( d )} grudgingly, or of ^{( e )} necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

^{( c )} Determines and appoints freely with himself.

^{( d )} With a sparing and grudging heart.

^{( e )} Against his will, not wanting to have evil spoken of him.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:8

And God [is] able to make ^{( f )} all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things], may abound to ^{( g )} every good work:

^{( f )} All the bountiful liberality of God.

^{( g )} To help others by all means possible, in doing them good in their needs.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:9

(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ^{( h )} ever.

^{( h )} Is everlasting: now David speaks of a man that fears God, and loves his neighbour, who will always be able (he says) to give to others.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:10

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for [your] food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the ^{( i )} fruits of your righteousness;)

^{( i )} There is no inheritance as good to the godly as bountifulness is.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:12

^{( 3 )} For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

^{( 3 )} Another excellent and double fruit of liberality towards the saints is this, that it gives occasion to praise God, and that our faith also is by it made manifest.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:13

Whiles by the ^{( k )} experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your ^{( l )} professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for [your] liberal distribution unto them, and unto all [men];

^{( k )} By this proof of your liberality in this helping of them.

^{( l )} In showing with one consent that you acknowledge that Gospel alone which you have willingly submitted yourselves to, declaring by this that you agree with the church of Jerusalem.

Geneva Bible: 2Co 9:15

^{( m )} Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.

^{( m )} Lest by this great commendation and praise the Corinthians should be puffed up, he concludes this exhortation with this exclamation.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Co 9:1-15

1 He yields the reason why, though he knew their forwardness, yet he sent Titus and his brethren beforehand.

6 And he proceeds in stirring them up to a bountiful alms, as being but a kind of sowing of seed,

10 which shall return a great increase to them,

13 and occasion a great sacrifice of thanksgivings unto God.

Maclaren: 2Co 9:8

All Grace Abounding

God Is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.'--2 Cor. 9:8.

IN addition to all his other qualities the Apostle was an extremely good man of business; and he had a field for the exercise of that quality in the collection for the poor saints of Judea, which takes up so much of this letter, and occupied for so long a period so much of his thoughts and efforts. It was for the sake of showing by actual demonstration that would touch the hearts' of the Jewish brethren, the absolute unity of the two halves of the Church, the Gentile and the Jewish, that the Apostle took so much trouble in this matter. The words which I have read for my text come in the midst of a very earnest appeal to the Corinthian Christians for their pecuniary help. He is dwelling upon the same thought which is expressed in the well-known words: What I gave I kept; what I kept I lost.'

But whilst the words of my text primarily applied to money matters, you see that they are studiously general, universal. The Apostle, after his fashion, is lifting up a little secular' affair into a high spiritual region; and he lays down in my text a broad general law, which goes to the very depths of the Christian life.

Now, notice, we have here in three clauses three stages which we may venture to distinguish as the fountain, the basin, the stream. God is able to make all grace abound toward you ;--there is the fountain. That ye always, having all-sufficiency in all things'; --there is the basin that receives the gush from the fountain. May abound in every good work ;--there is the stream that comes from the basin. The fountain pours into the basin, that the flow from the basin may feed the stream.

Now this thought of Paul's goes to the heart of things. So let us look at it.

I. The Fountain.

The Christian life in all its aspects and experiences is an outflow from the Fountain of Life,' the giving God. Observe how emphatically the Apostle, in the context, accumulates words that express universality: all grace, all-sufficiency for all things, every good work.' But even these expressions do not satisfy Paul, and he has to repeat the word abound,' in order to give some faint idea of his conception of the full tide which gushes from the fountain. It is' all grace,' and it is abounding grace.

Now what does he mean by' grace'? That word is a kind of shorthand for the whole sum of the unmerited blessings which come to men through Jesus Christ. Primarily, it describes what we, for want of a better expression, have to call a disposition' in the divine nature; and it means, then, if so looked at, the unconditioned, undeserved, spontaneous, eternal, stooping, pardoning love of God. That is grace, in the primary New Testament use of the phrase.

But there are no idle dispositions' in God. They are always energising, and so the word glides from meaning the disposition, to meaning the manifestation and activities of it, and the' grace' of our Lord is that love in exercise. And then, since the divine energies are never fruitless, the word passes over, further, to mean all the blessed and beautiful things in a soul which are the consequences of the Promethean truth of God's loving hand, the outcome in life of the inward bestowment which has its cause, its sole cause, in God's ceaseless, unexhausted love, unmerited and free.

That, very superficially and inadequately set forth, is at least a glimpse into the fulness and greatness of meaning that lies in that profound New Testament word, grace.' But the Apostle here puts emphasis on the variety of forms which the one divine gift assumes. It is all grace' which God is able to make abound toward you. So then, you see this one transcendant gift from the divine heart, when it comes into our human experience, is like a meteor when it passes into the atmosphere of earth, and catches fire and blazes, showering out a multitude of radiant points of light. The grace is many-sided--many-sided to us, but one in its source and in its character. For at bottom, that which God in His grace gives to us as His grace is what? Himself; or if you like to put it in another form, which comes to the same thing--new life through Jesus Christ. That is the encyclopaediacal gift, which contains within itself all grace. And just as the physical life in each of us, one in all its manifestations, produces many results, and shines in the eye, and blushes in the cheek, and gives strength to the arm, and flexibility and deftness to the fingers and swiftness to the foot: so also is that one grace which, being manifold in its manifestations, is one in its essence. There are many graces, there is one Grace.

But this grace is not only many-sided, but abounding. It is not congruous with God's wealth, nor with His love, that He should give scantily, or, as it were, should open but a finger of the hand that is full of His gifts, and let out a little at a time. There are no sluices on that great stream so as to regulate its flow, and to give sometimes a painful trickle and sometimes a full gush, but this fountain is always pouring itself out, and it abounds.'

But then we are pulled up short by another word in this first clause: God is able to make.' Paul does not say, God will make.' He puts the whole weight of responsibility for that ability becoming operative upon us. There are conditions; and although we may have access to that full fountain, it will not pour on us all grace' and abundant grace,' unless we observe these, and so turn God's ability to give into actual giving.

And how do we do that? By desire, by expectance, by petition, by faithful stewardship. If we have these things, if we have tutored ourselves, and experience has helped in the tuition, to make large our expectancy, God will smile down upon us and do exceeding abundantly above all' that we think' as well as above all that we ask.' Brethren, if our supplies are scant, when the full fountain is gushing at our sides, we are not straitened in God, we are straitened in ourselves.' Christian possibilities are Christian obligations, and what we might have and do not have, is our condemnation.

I turn, in the next place, to what I have, perhaps too fancifully, called,

II. The Basin.

God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, having always all-sufficiency in all things, may,' etc.

The result of all this many-sided and exuberant outpouring of grace from the fountain is that the basin may be full Considering the infinite source and the small receptacle, we might have expected something more than' sufficiency' to have resulted.

Divine grace is sufficient. Is it not more than sufficient? Yes, no doubt. But what Paul wishes us to feel is this--to put it into very plain English--that the good gifts of the divine grace will always be proportioned to our work, and to our sufferings too. We shall feel that we have enough, if we are as we ought to be. Sufficiency is more than a man gets anywhere else. Enough is as good as a feast.' And if we have strength, which we may have, to do the day's tasks, and strength to carry the day's crosses, and strength to accept the day's sorrows, and strength to master the day's temptations, that is as much as we need wish to have, even out of the fulness of God. And we shall get it, dear brethren, if we will only fulfil the conditions. If we exercise expectance, and desire and petition and faithful stewardship, we shall get what we need. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass,' if the road is a steep and rocky one that would wear out leather. As thy days so shall thy strength be.' God does not hurl His soldiers in a blundering attack on some impregnable mountain, where they are slain in heaps at the base; but when He lays a commandment on my shoulders, He infuses strength into me, and according to the good homely old saying that has brought comfort to many a sad and weighted heart, makes the back to bear the burden. The heavy task or the crushing sorrow is often the key that opens the door of God's treasure-house. You have had very little experience either of life or of Christian life, if you have not learnt by this time that the harder your work, and the darker your sorrows, the mightier have been God's supports, and the more starry the lights that have shone upon your path. That ye, always having all-sufficiency in all things.'

One more word: this sufficiency should be more uniform, is uniform in the divine intention, and in so far as the flow of the fountain is concerned. Always having had I may be sure that I always shall have. Of course I know that, in so far as our physical nature conditions our spiritual experience, there will be ups and downs, moments of emancipation and moments of slavery. There will be times when the flower opens, and times when it shuts itself up. But I am sure that the great mass of Christian people might have a far more level temperature in their Christian experience than they have; that we could, if we would, have far more experimental knowledge of this always' of my text. God means that the basin should be always full right up to the top of the marble edge, and that the more is drawn off from it, the more should flow into it. But it is very often like the reservoirs in the hills for some great city in a drought, where great stretches of the bottom are exposed, and again, when the drought breaks, are full to the top of the retaining wall. That should not be. Our Christian life should run on the high levels. Why does it not? Possibilities are duties.

And now, lastly, we have here what, adhering to my metaphor, I call

III. The Stream.

That ye, always having all-sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.'

That is what God gives us His grace for; and that is a very important consideration. The end of God's dealings with us, poor, weak, sinful creatures, is character and conduct. Of course you can state the end in a great, many other ways; but there have been terrible evils arising from the way in which Evangelical preachers have too often talked, as if the end of God's dealings with us was the vague thing which they call salvation,' and by which many of their hearers take them to mean neither more nor less than dodging Hell. But the New Testament, with all its mysticism, even when it soars highest, and speaks most about the perfection of humanity, and the end of God's dealings being that we may be filled with the fulness of God,' never loses its wholesome, sane hold of the common moralities of daily life, and proclaims that we receive all, in order that we may be able to maintain good works for necessary uses.' And if we lay that to heart, and remember that a correct creed, and a living faith, and precious, select, inward emotions and experiences are all intended to evolve into lives, filled and radiant with common moralities and good works '--not meaning thereby the things which go by that name in popular phraseology, but' whatsoever things are lovely, and of good report'--then we shall understand a little better what we are here for and what Jesus Christ died for, and what His Spirit is given and lives in us for. So good works' is the end, in one very important aspect, of all' that avalanche of grace which has been from eternity rushing down upon us from the heights of God.

There is one more thing to note, and that is that, in our character and conduct, we should copy the giving grace.' Look how eloquently and significantly, in the first and last clauses of my text, the same words recur. God is able to make all grace abound, that ye may abound in all good work.' Copy God in the many-sidedness and in the copiousness of the good that flows out from your life and conduct, because of your possession of that divine grace. And remember, to him that hath shall be given.' We pray for more grace; we need to pray for that, no doubt. Do we use the grace that God has given us? If we do not, the remainder of that great word which I have just quoted will be fulfilled in you. God forbid that any of us should receive the grace of God in vain, and therefore come under the stern and inevitable sentence, From him that hath not shall be taken away, oven that which he hath!'

Maclaren: 2Co 9:15

God's Unspeakable Gift

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.'--2 Cor. 9:15.

It seems strange that there should ever have been any doubt as to what gift it is which evokes this burst of thanksgiving. There is but one of God's many mercies which is worthy of being thus singled out. There is one blazing central sun which shines out amidst all the galaxy of lights which fill the heavens. There is one gift of God which, beyond all others, merits the designation of' unspeakable.' The gift of Christ draws all other divine gifts after it. How should He not with Him also freely give us all things.'

The connection in which this abrupt jet of praise stands is very remarkable. The Apostle has been dwelling on the Christian obligation of giving bountifully and cheerfully, and on the great law that a glad giver is enriched' and not impoverished thereby, whilst the recipients, for their part, are blessed by having thankfulness evoked towards the givers. And that contemplation of the happy interchange of benefit and thanks between men leads the fervid Apostle to the thoughts which were always ready to spring to his lips--of God as the great pattern of giving and of the gratitude to Him which should fill all our souls. The expression here unspeakable' is what I wish chiefly to fix upon now. It means literally that which cannot be fully declared. Language fails because thought fails.

I. The Gift Comes From Unspeakable Love.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The love is the cause of the gift: the gift is the expression of the love. John's Gospel says that the Son which is in the bosom of the Father has declared Him. Paul here uses a related word for unspeakable which might be rendered that which cannot be fully declared.' The declaration of the Father partly consists in this, that He is declared to be undeclarable, the proclamation of His name consists partly in this that it is proclaimed to be a name that cannot be proclaimed. Language fails when it is applied to the expression of human emotion; no tongue can ever fully serve the heart. Whether there be any thoughts too great for words or no, there are emotions too great. Language is ever weaker than our grief' and not seldom weaker than our love. It is but the surface water that can be run off through the narrow channel of speech: the central deep remains. If it be so with human affection, how much more must it be so with God's love? With lowly condescension He uses all sweet images drawn from earthly relationships, to help us in understanding His. Every dear name is pressed into the service--father, mother, husband, wife, brother, friend, and after all are exhausted, the love which clothed itself in them all in turn, and used them all to give some faint hint of its own perfection, remains unspoken. We know human love, its limitations, its changes, its extravagances, its shortcomings, and cannot but feel how unworthy it is to mirror for us that perfection in God which we venture to name by a name so soiled. The analogies between what we call love in man and love in God must be supplemented by the differences between them, if we are ever to approach a worthy conception of the unspeakable love that underlies the unspeakable gift.

II. The Gift Involves Unspeakable Sacrifice.

Human love desires to give its most precious treasures to its object and is then most blessed: divine love cannot come short of human in this most characteristic of its manifestations. Surely the copy is not to surpass the original, nor the mirror to flash more brightly than the sun which, at the brightest, it but reflects. In such a matter we can but stammer when we try to find words. As our text warns us, we are trying to utter the unutterable when we seek to speak of God's giving up for us; but however such a thought may seem to be forbidden by other aspects of the divine nature, it seems to be involved in the great truth that God is love.' Since He is, His blessedness too, must be in imparting, and in parting with what He gives. A humble worshipper in Jewish times loved enough to say that he would not offer unto God an offering that cost him nothing, and that loving height of self-surrender was at the highest, but a lowly imitation of the love to which it looked up. When Paul in the Epistle to the Romans says, He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all,' he is obviously alluding to, and all but quoting, the divine words to Abraham, Seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me,' and the allusion permits us to parallel what God did when He sent His Son with what Abraham did when, with wrung heart, but with submission, he bound and laid Isaac on the altar and stretched forth his hand with the knife in it to slay him. Such a representation contradicts the vulgar conceptions of a passionless, self-sufficing, icy deity, but reflection on the facts of our own experience and on the blessed secrets of our own love, leads us to believe that some shadow of loss passed across the infinite and eternal completeness of the divine nature when God sent forth His Son made of a woman.'

And may we not go further and say that when Jesus on the Cross cried from out of the darkness of eclipse, My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?' there was something in the heavens corresponding to the darkness that covered the earth and something in the Father's heart that answered the Son's. But our text warns us that such matters are not for our handling in speech, and are best dealt with, not as matters of possibly erring speculation, but as materials for lowly thanks unto God for His unspeakable gift.

But whatever may be true about the love of the Father who sent, there can be no doubt about the love of the Son who came. No man helps his fellows in suffering but at the cost of his own suffering. Sympathy means fellow-feeling, and the one indispensable condition of all rescue work of any sort is that the rescuer must bear on his own shoulders the sins or sorrows that he is able to bear away. Heartless help is no help. It does not matter whether he who stands and says, "Be ye clothed and fed,"gives or does not give the things necessary,' he will be but a miserable comforter' if he has not in heart and feeling entered into the sorrows and pains which he seeks to alleviate. We need not dwell on the familiar truths concerning Him who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.' All through His life He was in contact with evil, and for Him the contact was like that of a naked hand pressed upon hot iron. The sins and woes of the world made His path through it like that of bare feet on sharp flints. If He had never died it would still have been true that He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.' On the Cross He completed the libation which had continued throughout His life and poured out His soul unto death' as He had been pouring it out all through His life. We have no measure by which we can estimate the inevitable sufferings in such a world as ours of such a spirit as Christ's. We may know something of the solitude of uncongenial society; of the pain of seeing miseries that we cannot comfort, of the horrors of dwelling amidst impurities that we cannot cleanse, and of longings to escape from them all to some nest in the wilderness, but all these are but the feeblest shadows of the incarnate sorrows whose name among men was Jesus. Nothing is more pathetic than the way in which our Lord kept all these sorrows close locked within His own heart, so that scarcely ever did they come to light. Once He did permit a glimpse into that hidden chamber when He said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you?' But for the most part His sorrow was unspoken because it was unspeakable.' Once beneath the quivering olives in the moonlight of Gethsemane, He made a pitiful appeal for the little help which three drowsy men could give Him, when He cried, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here and watch with Me,' but for the most part the silence at which His judges marvelled greatly,' and raged as much as they marvelled, was unbroken, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb,' so He opened not His mouth.' The sacrifice of His death was, for the most part, silent like the sacrifice of His life. Should it not call forth from us floods of praise and thanks to God for His unspeakable gift?

III. The Gift Brings With It Unspeakable Results.

In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' When God gave us Him, He gave us a storehouse in which are contained treasures of truth which can never be fully comprehended, and which, even if comprehended, can never be exhausted. The mystery of the Divine Name revealed in Jesus, the mystery of His person, are themes on which the Christian world has been nourished ever since, and which are as full of food, not for the understanding only, but far more for the heart and the will, to-day as ever they were. The world may think that it has left the teaching of Jesus behind, but in reality the teaching is far ahead, and the world's practise is but slowly creeping towards its imperfect attainment. The Gospel is the guide of the race, and each generation gathers something more from it, and progresses in the measure in which it follows Christ; and as for the race, so for the individual. Each of Christ's scholars finds his own gift, and in the measure of his faithfulness to what he has found makes ever new discoveries in the unsearchable riches of Christ. After all have fed full there still remain abundant baskets full to be taken up.

He who has sounded the depths of Jesus most completely is ever the first to acknowledge that he has been but as a child gathering pebbles on the beach while the great ocean lies unsounded before him.' No single soul, and no multitude of souls, can exhaust Jesus; neither our individual experiences, nor the experiences of a believing world can fully realise the endless wealth laid up in Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega of all our speech, the first letter and the last of our alphabet, between which lie all the rest.

The gift is completed in consequences yet unspeakable. Even the first blessings which the humblest faith receives from the pierced hands have more in them than words can tell. Who has ever spoken adequately and in full correspondence with reality what it is to have God's pardoning love flowing in upon the soul? Many singers have sung sweet psalms and hymns and spiritual songs on which generations of devout souls have fed, but none of them has spoken the deepest blessedness of a Christian life, or the calm raptures of communion with God. It is easy to utter the words forgiveness, reconciliation, acceptance, fellowship, eternal life'; the syllables can be spoken, but who knows or can utter the depths of the meanings? After all human words the half has not been told us, and as every soul carries within itself unrevealable emotions, and is a mystery after all revelation, so the things which God's gift brings to a soul are after all speech unspeakable, and the words cannot be uttered' which they who are caught up into the third heavens hear.

Then we may extend our thoughts to the future form of Christian experience. It doth not yet appear what we should be.' All our conceptions of a future existence must necessarily be inadequate. Nothing but experience can reveal them to us, and our experience there will be capable of indefinite expansion, and through eternity there will be endless growth in the appropriation of the unspeakable gift.

For us the only recompense that we can make for the unspeakable gift is to receive it with thanks unto God' and the yielding up of our hearts to Him. God pours this love upon us freely, without stint. It is unspeakable in the depths of its source, in the manner of its manifestation, in the glory of its issues. It is like some great stream, rising in the trackless mountains, broad and deep, and leading on to a sunlit ocean. We stand on the bank; let us trust ourselves to its broad bosom. It will bear us safe. And let us take heed that we receive not the gift of God in vain.

MHCC: 2Co 9:1-5

When we would have others do good, we must act toward them prudently and tenderly, and give them time. Christians should consider what is for the credit of their profession, and endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. The duty of ministering to the saints is so plain, that there would seem no need to exhort Christians to it; yet self-love contends so powerfully against the love of Christ, that it is often necessary to stir up their minds by way of remembrance.

MHCC: 2Co 9:6-15

Money bestowed in charity, may to the carnal mind seem thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is seed sown, from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given carefully. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design. Due thought, as to our circumstances, and those we are about to relieve, will direct our gifts for charitable uses. Help should be given freely, be it more or less; not grudgingly, but cheerfully. While some scatter, and yet increase; others withhold more than is meet, and it tends to poverty. If we had more faith and love, we should waste less on ourselves, and sow more in hope of a plentiful increase. Can a man lose by doing that with which God is pleased? He is able to make all grace abound towards us, and to abound in us; to give a large increase of spiritual and of temporal good things. He can make us to have enough in all things; and to be content with what we have. God gives not only enough for ourselves, but that also wherewith we may supply the wants of others, and this should be as seed to be sown. We must show the reality of our subjection to the gospel, by works of charity. This will be for the credit of our profession, and to the praise and glory of God. Let us endeavour to copy the example of Christ, being unwearied in doing good, and deeming it more blessed to give than to receive. Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of his grace, whereby he enables and inclines some of his people to bestow upon others, and others to be grateful for it; and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity, for Jesus Christ, that inestimable gift of his love, through whom this and every other good thing, pertaining to life and godliness, are freely given unto us, beyond all expression, measure, or bounds.

Matthew Henry: 2Co 9:1-5

In these verses the apostle speaks very respectfully to the Corinthians, and with great skill; and, while he seems to excuse his urging them so earnestly to charity, still presses them thereto, and shows how much his heart was set upon this matter.

I. He tells them it was needless to press them with further arguments to afford relief to their poor brethren (2Co 9:1), being satisfied he had said enough already to prevail with those of whom he had so good an opinion. For, 1. He knew their forwardness to every good work, and how they had begun this good work a year ago, insomuch that, 2. He had boasted of their zeal to the Macedonians, and this had provoked many of them to do as they had done. Wherefore he was persuaded, that, as they had begun well, they would go on well; and so, commending them for what they had done, he lays an obligation on them to proceed and persevere.

II. He seems to apologize for sending Titus and the other brethren to them. He is unwilling they should be offended at him for this, as if he were too earnest, and pressed too hard upon them; and tells the true reasons why he sent them, namely, 1. That, having this timely notice, they might be fully ready (2Co 9:3), and not surprised with hasty demands, when he should come to them. When we would have others to do that which is good we must act towards them prudently and tenderly, and give them time. 2. That he might not be ashamed of his boasting concerning them, if they should be found unready, 2Co 9:3, 2Co 9:4. He intimates that some from Macedonia might haply come with him: and, if the collection should not then be made, this would make him, not to say them, ashamed, considering the boasting of the apostle concerning them. Thus careful was he to preserve their reputation and his own. Note, Christians should consult the reputation of their profession, and endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.

Matthew Henry: 2Co 9:6-15

Here we have,

I. Proper directions to be observed about the right and acceptable manner of bestowing charity; and it is of great concernment that we not only do what is required, but do it as is commanded. Now, as to the manner in which the apostle would have the Corinthians give, observe, 1. It should be bountifully; this was intimated, 2Co 9:5, that a liberal contribution was expected, a matter of bounty, not what savoured of covetousness; and he offers to their consideration that men who expect a good return at harvest are not wont to pinch and spare in sowing their seed, for the return is usually proportionable to what they sow, 2Co 9:6. 2. It should be deliberately Every man, according as he purposes in his heart, 2Co 9:7. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought and design; whereas some do good only by accident. They comply, it may be hastily, with the importunity of others, without any good design, and give more than they intended, and then repent of it afterwards. Or possibly, had they duly considered all things, they would have given more. Due deliberation, as to this matter of our own circumstances, and those of the persons we are about to relieve, will be very helpful to direct us how liberal we should be in our contributions for charitable uses. 3. It should be freely, whatever we give, be it more or less: Not grudgingly, nor of necessity, but cheerfully, 2Co 9:7. Persons sometimes will give merely to satisfy the importunity of those who ask their charity, and what they give is in a manner squeezed or forced from them, and this unwillingness spoils all they do. We ought to give more freely than the modesty of some necessitous persons will allow them to ask: we should not only deal out bread, but draw out our souls to the hungry, Isa 58:10. We should give liberally, with an open hand, and cheerfully, with an open countenance, being glad we have ability and an opportunity to be charitable.

II. Good encouragement to perform this work of charity in the manner directed. Here the apostle tells the Corinthians,

1. They themselves would be no losers by what they gave in charity. This may serve to obviate a secret objection in the minds of many against this good work who are ready to think they may want what they give away; but such should consider that what is given to the poor in a right manner is far from being lost; as the precious seed which is cast into the ground is not lost, though it is buried there for a time, for it will spring up, and bear fruit; the sower shall receive it again with increase, 2Co 9:6. Such good returns may those expect who give freely and liberally in charity. For, (1.) God loveth a cheerful giver (2Co 9:7), and what may not those hope to receive who are the objects of the divine love? Can a man be a loser by doing that with which God is pleased? May not such a one be sure that he shall some way or other be a gainer? Nay, are not the love and favour of God better than all other things, better than life itself? (2.) God is able to make our charity redound to our advantage, 2Co 9:8. We have no reason to distrust the goodness of God, and surely we have no reason to question his power; he is able to make all grace abound towards us, and abound in us; to give a large increase of spiritual and temporal good things. He can cause us to have a sufficiency in all things, to be content with what we have, to make up what we give, to be able to give yet more: as it is written (Psa 112:9) concerning the charitable man, He hath dispersed abroad. He hath given to the poor. His righteousness, that is, his almsgiving, endureth for ever. The honour of it is lasting, the reward of it eternal, and he is still able to live comfortably himself and to give liberally to others. (3.) The apostle puts up a prayer to God in their behalf that they might be gainers, and not losers, 2Co 9:10, 2Co 9:11. Here observe, [1.] To whom the prayer is made - to God, who ministereth seed to the sower, who by his providence giveth such an increase of the fruits of the earth that we have not only bread sufficient to eat for one year, but enough to sow again for a future supply: or thus, It is God who giveth us not only a competency for ourselves, but that also wherewith we may supply the wants of others, and so should be as seed to be sown. [2.] For what he prayeth. There are several things which he desires for them, namely, that they may have bread for their food, always a competency for themselves, food convenient, - that God will multiply their seed sown, that they may still be able to do more good, - and that there may be an increase of the fruits of righteousness, that they may reap plentifully, and have the best and most ample returns of their charity, so as to be enriched in every thing to all bountifulness (2Co 9:11), - that upon the whole they may find it true that they shall be no losers, but great gainers. Note, Works of charity are so far from impoverishing us that they are the proper means truly to enrich us, or make us truly rich.

2. While they would be no losers, the poor distressed saints would be gainers; for this service would supply their wants, 2Co 9:12. If we have reason to think them to be saints, whom we believe to be of the household of faith, whose wants are great, how ready should we be to do them good! Our goodness can not extend unto God, but we should freely extend it to these excellent ones of the earth, and thus show that we delight in them.

3. This would redound to the praise and glory of God. Many thanksgivings would be given to God on this account, by the apostle, and by those who were employed in this ministration, 2Co 9:11. These would bless God, who had made them happy instruments in so good a work, and rendered them successful in it. Besides these, others also would be thankful; the poor, who were supplied in their wants, would not fail to be very thankful to God, and bless God for them; and all who wished well to the gospel would glorify God for this experiment, or proof of subjection to the gospel of Christ, and true love to all men, 2Co 9:13. Note, (1.) True Christianity is a subjection to the gospel, a yielding of ourselves to the commanding influence of its truths and laws. (2.) We must evince the sincerity of our subjection to the gospel by works of charity. (3.) This will be for the credit of our profession, and to the praise and glory of God.

4. Those whose wants were supplied would make the best return they were able, by sending up many prayers to God for those who had relieved them, 2Co 9:14. And thus should we recompense the kindnesses we receive when we are not in a capacity of recompensing them in any other way; and, as this is the only recompence the poor can make, so it is often greatly for the advantage of the rich.

Lastly, The apostle concludes this whole matter with this doxology, Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, 2Co 9:15. Some think that by this unspeakable gift he means the gift of grace bestowed on the churches, in making them able and willing to supply the necessities of the saints, which would be attended with unspeakable benefit both to the givers and receivers. It should seem rather that he means Jesus Christ, who is indeed the unspeakable gift of God unto this world, a gift we have all reason to be very thankful for.

Barclay: 2Co 9:1-5

As many of the early fathers noted, there is a delightfully human touch in the background of this passage. Paul is dealing with the collection for the saints at Jerusalem. But now it becomes clear that he has been encouraging the Corinthians to generosity by quoting the example of the Macedonians (2Co 8:1-5), and at the same time encouraging the Macedonians by quoting the Corinthians! And now he is just a little afraid that the Corinthians may let him down! It is typical of Paul and of the greatness of his heart. For the whole point is that he never criticized one Church to another; he praised one to another. No bad standard by which to test a man is whether he delights in retailing the best or the worst about others.

There are at least four ways in which a man may give a gift.

(i) He may give as a duty. He may discharge the claims of generosity but do so as one pays an account or sends a remittance to a tax-collector. It may be done as a grim duty and with such a bad grace that it would be almost better not to do it at all.

(ii) He may give simply to find self-satisfaction. He thinks far more of the pleasant feeling that he has when he makes the gift than of the feelings of the person who receives it. There are people who will give a penny to a beggar rather because of the glow of satisfaction they get than from any real desire to help. Such giving is in essence selfish; people who give like that give to themselves rather than to the recipient.

(iii) He may give from motives of prestige. The real source of such giving is not love but pride. The gift is given not to help but to glorify the giver. In fact the chances are that it would not be given at all if it were not seen and praised. It may even be that the giving is done in order to pile up credit with God--as if any man could put God in his debt.

(iv) None of these ways of giving are wholly bad, for at least the gift is made. But the real way to give is under love's compulsion, to give because one cannot help giving, to give because the sight of a soul in need wakens a desire that cannot be stilled. This is in fact to give in God's way; it was because he so loved the world that he gave his Son.

Paul's great desire is that the gift of the Corinthians should be ready and not have to be collected at the last moment. An old Latin proverb says, "He gives twice who gives quickly." That is always true. The finest gifts are those made, before they are requested. It was while we were yet enemies that Christ died for us. God hears our prayers even before we speak them. And we should be to our fellow men as God has been to us.

Barclay: 2Co 9:6-15

This passage gives us an outline of the principles of generous giving.

(i) Paul insists that no man was ever the loser because he was generous. Giving is like sowing seed. The man who sows with a sparing hand cannot hope for anything but a meagre harvest, but the man who sows with a generous hand will in due time reap a generous return. The New Testament is an extremely practical book and one of its great features is that it is never afraid of the reward motive. It never says that goodness is all to no purpose. It never forgets that something new and wonderful enters into the life of the man who accepts God's commands as his law.

But the rewards that the New Testament envisages are never material. It promises not the wealth of things, but the wealth of the heart and of the spirit. What then can a generous man expect?

(a) He will be rich in love. This is a point to which we will return. It is always true that no one likes the mean man and generosity can cover a multitude of other sins. Men will always prefer the warm heart, even though its very warmth may lead it into excesses, to the cold rectitude of the calculating spirit.

(b) He will be rich in friends. "A man that has friends must show himself friendly." An unlovable man can never expect to be loved. The man whose heart runs out to others will always find that the hearts of others run out to him.

© He will be rich in help. The day always comes when we need the help which others can give, and, if we have been sparing in our help to them, the likelihood is that they will be sparing in their help to us. The measure we have used to others will determine the measure which is given to us.

(d) He will be rich towards God. Jesus taught us that what we do to others we do for God, and the day will come when every time we opened our heart and hand will stand to our favour, and every time we closed them will be a witness against us.

(ii) Paul insists that it is the happy giver whom God loves. Deu 15:7-11lays down the duty of generosity to the poor brother, and Deu 15:10has it, "Your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him." There was a rabbinic saying which said that to receive a friend with a cheerful countenance and to give him nothing is better than to give him everything with a gloomy countenance. Seneca said that to give with doubt and delay is almost worse than not to give at all.

Paul then quotes from Psa 112:3, Psa 112:9--verses which he takes to be a description of the good and generous man. He scatters his seed, that is he sows it not sparingly but generously; he gives to the poor; and his action is to his credit and joy forever. Carlyle tells how, when he was a boy, a beggar came to the door. His parents were out and he was alone in the house. On a boyish impulse he broke into his own savings-bank and gave the beggar all that was in it, and he tells us that never before or since did he know such sheer happiness as came to him in that moment. There is indeed a joy in giving.

(ii) Paul insists that God can give a man both the substance to give and the spirit in which to give it. In 2Co 9:8he speaks of the all-sufficiency which God gives us. The word he uses is autarkeia (841). This was a favourite Stoic word. It does not describe the sufficiency of the man who possesses all kinds of things in abundance. It means independence. It describes the state of the man who has directed life not to amassing possessions but to eliminating needs. It describes the man who has taught himself to be content with very little. It is obvious that such a man will be able to give far more to others because he wants so little for himself. It is so often true that we want so much for ourselves that there is nothing left to give to others.

Not only that, it is God who can give us the spirit in which to give. Robert Louis Stevenson's native servants loved him. His boy used to waken him every morning with a cup of tea. On one occasion his usual boy was off duty, and another had taken over. This boy woke him not only with a cup of tea but also with a beautifully cooked omelette. Stevenson thanked him and said, "Great is your forethought." "No, master," said the boy, "great is my love." It is God alone who can put into our hearts the love which is the essence of the generous spirit.

But in this passage Paul does more. If we read into its thought, we see that he holds that giving does wonderful things for three different persons.

(i) It does something for others. (a) It relieves their need. Many a time, when a man was at his wit's end, a gift from someone else has seemed nothing less than a gift from heaven. (b) It restores their faith in their fellow men. It often happens that, when a man is in need, he grows embittered and feels himself neglected. It is then that a gift shows him that love and kindness are not dead. © It makes them thank God. A gift in a time of need is something which brings not only our love but also God's love into the lives of others.

(ii) It does something for ourselves. (a) It guarantees our Christian profession. In the case of the Corinthians that was specially important. No doubt the Jerusalem Church, which was almost entirely Jewish, still regarded the Gentiles with suspicion and wondered in its heart of hearts if Christianity could be for them at all. The very fact of the gift of the Gentile Churches must have guaranteed to them the reality of Gentile Christianity. If a man is generous it enables others to see that he has turned his Christianity not only into words but into deeds as well. (b) It wins us both the love and the prayers of others. What is needed in this world more than anything else is something which will link a man to his fellow men. There is nothing so precious as fellowship, and generosity is an essential step on the way to real union between man and man.

(iii) It does something for God. It makes prayers of thanksgiving go up to him. Men see our good deeds and glorify not us but God. It is a tremendous thing that something we can do can turn men's hearts to God, for that means that something we can do can bring joy to him.

Finally, Paul turns the thoughts of the Corinthians to the gift of God in Jesus Christ, a gift whose wonder can never be exhausted and whose story can never be fully told; and, in so doing, he says to them, "Can you, who have been so generously treated by God, be anything else but generous to your fellow men?"

Before we go on to study 2Cor 10-13 of our letter, let us remember what we have already seen in the introduction. There is a most surprising break between 2Cor 9 and 2Cor 10 . Up to 2Cor 9 everything seems to be going well. The breach is healed and the quarrel is over. 2Cor 8-9 deal with the collection for the Church at Jerusalem, and, now that that practical matter is dealt with, we might expect Paul to draw to a close. Instead, we find four chapters which are the saddest and the sorest chapters Paul ever wrote. It makes us wonder how they got there.

Twice in 2 Corinthians Paul speaks of a severe letter that he had written, a letter so stern that at one time he almost regretted ever having written it (2Co 2:4; 2Co 7:8). That description does not at all fit 1 Corinthians. So we are left with two alternatives--either the severe letter is lost altogether or at least part of it is contained in these 2Cor 10-13. All the likelihood is that 2Cor 10-13 are the severe letter, and that, when Paul's letters were being collected, it was placed here by mistake. To get the right order of things we really ought to read 2Cor 10-13 before we read 2Cor 1-9. We may well believe that we are reading here the letter which it hurt Paul most of all to write, and which was written to try to mend a situation which came near to breaking his heart.

Constable: 2Co 8:1--10:1

III. INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE POOR SAINTS IN JUDEA 8:1--9:15

The New Testament reveals that Paul was actively collecting money for "the poor among the saints in Jerusalem" (Rom. 15:26) for about five years (52-57 A.D.). He solicited funds from the Christians in Galatia (Acts 18:23; 1 Cor. 16:1), Macedonia (Acts 19:22; 2 Cor. 8:1-5; 9:2, 4), Achaia (Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8-9), and Asia Minor (Acts 20:35).²²⁰ Delegates from most of these regions accompanied Paul when he took the gift to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4).

The recipients were Hebrew Christians who were poor for several reasons. Conversion to Christianity and particularly baptism resulted in social and economic ostracism in Jerusalem's society where Judaism dominated all of life. The communal sharing of goods that the early Christians in Jerusalem practiced did not solve their economic problems (cf. Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-35). All Palestinian residents suffered from lack of food due to a famine that descended during the reign of Emperor Claudius (46 A.D., Acts 11:27-30). As the mother church of Christianity, the Jerusalem church undoubtedly had a larger number of teachers, missionaries, and visitors to support than its daughter churches did. Finally, Jews, including Jewish Christians, who lived in Palestine had to pay double taxes, to Rome and to the Jewish authorities.

Why did Paul devote so much of his time and energy to raising and delivering this collection? Undoubtedly love for his needy Christian brethren was a primary motivation (Rom. 12:13; 13:8; Gal. 6:10). He also believed this gift would honor Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 8:19). It would help equalize God's provision for His people's physical needs too (2 Cor. 8:13-150. Moreover, it provided a visual demonstration of the equality that exists between Gentile and Jewish Christians (Eph. 2:11-22). It was something that God might use to allay Jewish suspicions of Christianity and of Paul's mission to the Gentiles (cf. Acts 11:2-3). It also illustrated the spiritual indebtedness that the Gentiles owed to their Jewish brethren (Rom. 15:19, 27; 1 Cor. 9:11). Personally it was one way that Paul could compensate in part for his earlier persecution of the Jerusalem saints (Acts 8:3; 9:1; 26:10-11; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; 1 Tim. 1:13).

Paul wrote as he did in the following two chapters of 2 Corinthians to facilitate the collection and to set forth a philosophy of Christian stewardship. This is not the first that the Corinthians had heard about this collection. Paul's abrupt introduction of "the collection for the saints" in 1 Corinthians 16:1 and his subsequent discussion of it suggests that he had spoken to them about it previously. Evidently they began to participate but then dropped the project. Probably the controversy that developed concerning Paul contributed to that decision (2:5-11; 7:12). However now that Paul had learned that the Corinthian congregation was responding more positively to him again he could reintroduce the subject and press for its completion.

Constable: 2Co 9:1-5

D. The anticipated visit of Paul 9:1-5

Paul revealed his plan to visit Corinth soon after Titus and his two companions arrived to motivate the Corinthians further to complete their collection and have it ready to go to Judea. Chapter 9 continues the subject of chapter 8.

9:1 Even though Paul said he felt no need to go on writing about the importance of this collection, he did so in this chapter. However the emphasis in the verses that follow is primarily on Paul's plan to come to them. It is only secondarily on the additional motivation this visit placed on the readers to get the collection ready (cf. Phile. 21-22).

9:2 Paul said he told the Macedonians that the Corinthians had been ready a year ago. Evidently he meant that they had been ready to start collecting a gift rather than that their gift was ready to go to Judea (8:6, 10). Their enthusiasm a year ago had diminished since then (8:11), but they had been eager to participate in the offering project. It is this initial attitude that Paul commended here. Apparently the Corinthian Christians were taking the lead in their province that also included churches in Cenchrea and probably other communities. This explains his reference to Achaia.

9:3-4 Paul planned to bring some Macedonians with him to Corinth. The "if" does not imply doubt about this possibility in the Greek text. The first class condition in the Greek text describes a condition Paul assumed to be true for the sake of the argument. In this case we could translate the Greek word for "if" as "when" (cf. John 12:32; 1 John 2:28). Nevertheless there was a possibility that Paul and his Macedonian companions might find the Corinthians unprepared when they arrived. Paul evidently mentioned his intention as an added inducement for the Corinthians to complete their collection.

"There were two situations Paul wished to avoid. One was that his repeated and confident boast to the Macedonians about the Corinthians' eagerness to help' (v. 2) and their expected readiness' on his arrival should turn out to be without foundation (v. 3). The other was that when the delegates of the Macedonian churches (not to be confused with the two companions of Titus) arrived at Corinth with Paul on his forthcoming visit (12:14; 13:1-2), the Corinthians would be still unprepared and this would lead to his acute embarrassment--not to mention that of the Corinthians themselves (v. 4)."²³⁴

"He is not afraid that they will refuse to give, but he is afraid that they may be dilatory for want of organization. It will produce a bad impression if the money is not ready when it is wanted. He carefully limits his anxiety to this particular.'"²³⁵

9:5 The brethren in view here are Titus and his two companions. The Greek word translated "bountiful gift" (eulogian, lit. good word) usually reads "blessing" elsewhere. The Corinthians' gift would be a blessing to the Judeans. That is, it would be an occasion for the Jerusalem believers to bless or thank God for their gift. The word also implies a sizable blessing. Paul assumed that his readers would collect a substantial sum of money and that generosity rather than covetousness would motivate them. Paul was contrasting two attitudes to giving, generously or grudgingly, rather than two ways of securing the gift, simple reception or extortion.

The subtle pressure that Paul put on his readers, which comes through especially forcefully in this section, raises a question as to his method of motivating his readers. Was he making it almost impossible for them to give from proper motives by stressing lesser motivating factors so strongly? Evidently Paul realized that the Corinthians might not follow through with their commitment unless they wanted to do so very strongly. After all, they had procrastinated a full year. The fact that he motivated them from several different directions does not indicate that what he presented as the proper primary motivation for giving in chapter 8 is secondary. If his primary arguments failed by themselves, these secondary arguments would add force and hopefully move his readers to do what was right.

"So far from opportunistically playing off one church against another, as is often concluded from this passage, Paul is, rather, seeking to preserve the reputation of the Corinthians in a situation of potential misunderstanding in which they would have lost face."²³⁶

Constable: 2Co 9:6-15

E. The benefits of generous giving 9:6-15

Paul concluded his exhortation regarding the collection by reminding his readers of the benefits God inevitably bestows on those who give liberally. He did this so they would follow through with their purpose and believe that God would provide for the need that their sacrifice would create.

9:6 One of the great spiritual principles of life is that God blesses people in proportion to their blessing others (cf. Prov. 11:24-25; 19:17; 22:8-9; Luke 6:38; Gal. 6:7). Paul reminded his readers of this here by citing the example of the farmer. If he plants little, he harvests little; but if he plants much, he will harvest much. Giving to meet the needs of others is like sowing seed. It will yield fruit of the same kind in time.

"The important lesson which Paul is urging upon the Corinthians at this point is that to give is to sow. What is given is not lost, but, like the seed sown by the farmer, contrary to all appearances it possesses the potency of life and increase. At the same time it is important to remember that, as the whole context shows, the Apostle is speaking of the quality, not the quantity, of giving."²³⁷

Is a proper motive for giving to get something in return? Both Jesus and Paul urged us to lay up treasure in heaven, to make investments counting on the fact that they will yield eternal rewards (Luke 12:31-34; Matt. 6:19-21; 1 Tim. 6:18-19; cf. Prov. 19:17; Matt. 10:42; Luke 6:38). It is perfectly legitimate to remind people of the inevitable consequences of their actions to motivate them to do what is right, as Paul did here.

9:7 The example of the harvest suggests that the farmer has the freedom to plant as much or as little as he chooses (cf. Acts 11:29; 1 Cor. 16:2). We should give generously, freely, and deliberately. We should not give feeling that we hate to part with what we are giving. We should not give because we feel there is no alternative or because we think others will look down on us if we fail to give (cf. Acts 5:1-11). We should not give impulsively or thoughtlessly but with inward resolve. We should give cheerfully (Gr. hilaron), hilariously in the sense of very joyfully but not in the sense of thoughtlessly. Cheerful givers always receive God's loving approval.

"What makes a man a cheerful giver is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ."²³⁸

9:8 Such giving need not produce anxiety in the giver even if he or she is giving away much. God demonstrates His love for cheerful givers by giving them more grace and more opportunity. He also makes us contented (Gr. autarkeia), sufficient in that sense (cf. Phil. 4:11; 1 Tim. 6:6). However, we always need to remember that God is the One from whom everything we have comes.

Notice the "able" in this verse. This should not lead to the conclusion that God can, but He may not (cf. 12:9). The righteous person who desires to give to the needs of others will not lack opportunity to do so because God will make this possible for him or her.

9:9 Psalm 112:9 supports Paul's point that God will provide grace (divine enablement) to givers. In this psalm the psalmist described the God-fearing man distributing material goods to the poor. The words read like the epitaph of a philanthropist. Consequently God will remember his benevolent acts, Paul said. "Righteousness" (v. 9) probably refers to benevolent acts here too (cf. Matt. 6:1). These are acts of giving for which God will reward the sacrificial donor with permanent benefits in this life plus an eternal reward. God will multiply His grace to those who bestow grace on others.

9:10-11 Paul applied this promise to his readers, and we can apply it to ourselves. However notice that what God promised is seed for sowing, the opportunities and resources to make further investments of good works. He did not promise wealth for our own consumption.

Preachers of "prosperity theology" have used these verses to support their contention that God will inevitably give you more material goods if you give what you presently have to Him. (They usually urge their hearers to give to God through their ministries.) However notice that Paul was comparing what God does on the physical plane with what He does spiritually. The farmer who plants a crop gets back more seed than he sowed. Similarly, Paul argued, those who sow spiritually by giving sacrificially to others will receive more spiritual seed, namely divine enablement to help more people (vv. 8-9). Moreover God will not just supply more spiritual seed, but He will multiply it.

Generally what we give away is what we get back. That is the principle in view. However this is not a promise that we will inevitably get more wealth if we give away our wealth.²³⁹ The opposite usually happens. "In everything" implies that God may give generous Christians more material resources that they can pass on to others. However, we should remember that the context is primarily dealing with righteousness that comes back to the person who sows righteous acts, not Rolls Royces and Rolex watches.²⁴⁰

"There is no hint here of a prosperity theology.' Enrichment, like overflowing' (v. 8), is metaphorical, and is not at all motivated by self-interest."²⁴¹

Another result of the Corinthians' benefaction would be that the Jerusalem saints would thank God when the gift came to them through Paul and his associates.

9:12 Their gift would not only meet the needs of their Jewish brethren and cause them to thank God (v. 11b), but it would also cause many other people to thank God. Paul viewed the benefits of their gift as spilling over onto others who would also praise God for the Corinthians' generosity. The abundant grace that God has given us will overflow into the lives of many others too if we pass it on.

9:13 The Jerusalem believers and others who heard about the Corinthians' gift would glorify God because it demonstrated the vitality of the donors' faith (cf. James 2:14-26 for the alternative). News of the Corinthians' former conduct probably raised some questions about their faith among the Christians in the other churches. All who confess the gospel imply that they follow the teachings of Jesus and His apostles who taught us to love the brethren (Rom. 12:13; et al.). Another reason these onlookers would thank God was that the Corinthians had been sacrificially generous (Gr. haplotes) in their giving. Paul apparently believed that there would be more thanksgiving for the virtues of the Corinthians than for their gift.

9:14 Another benefit of this gift that Paul foresaw was that those who received it and heard about it would reciprocate by interceding for the Corinthians. Moreover they would long to see and be with the Corinthians because of the grace that God had given them. There is something attractive about people on whom the grace of God obviously rests.

9:15 The "indescribable gift" to which Paul referred in closing is probably Jesus Christ, the "divine gift which inspires all gifts."²⁴² It is probably not the gift God would give the Corinthians because they were generous toward the Judeans to which Paul referred in the immediately preceding context. Only Christ qualifies as an "indescribable" gift (cf. Rom. 8:32). Furthermore reference to Him is appropriate and climactic at the end of this section of the epistle. Paul went back to the primary motivation for Christian giving again (cf. 8:9) for his final appeal to his readers.

The Corinthians did follow through and assemble their gift. It was only a few months after Paul penned 2 Corinthians that he wrote Romans. In it he said that the Christians of Macedonia and Achaia (including Corinth) had made a contribution to the poor saints in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26-27). Paul and his delegation then travelled back to Jerusalem from Corinth through Macedonia and Asia Minor (Acts 20:3-21:19). The leaders of the Jerusalem church evidently received the gift gladly (Acts 21:17).

College: 2Co 9:1-15

2 CORINTHIANS 9

3. Follow Through on What Was Begun (9:1-5)

9:1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints.

Many versions, like the NIV, open chapter nine without translating the transition formula which links chapter nine back to what precedes in chapter eight. Admittedly, the NIV's "this" before "service" attempts to accomplish the same purpose. However, much scholarly ink has flowed in connection with this opening (periÉ meÉn gavr, peri men gar , "for, concerning"). As noted in the Introduction, some scholars take this as equivalent to peri de (periÉ dev, "concerning"), which Paul regularly uses to begin a new topic, and then take a further step to suggest that this is an opening for a letter which was initially separate from 2 Corinthians.

To be sure, this is only one part of the proposal, but it is crucial since the other arguments stem from this one. However, it doesn't take a Greek scholar to see that what appears here in 2 Cor 9:1 includes an additional word to the more common formula. It is, in fact, this word gar ("for") which establishes the link to what precedes in chapter eight.

A number of ideas in chapter eight may correlate in Paul's mind to his statement here in 9:1 that the Corinthians don't need Paul to say more about the collection. The most obvious is that they were the first to embrace the challenge (8:10), something he both boasts about (8:24) and again refers to in 9:3. Another may be the fact that the envoy of three is coming soon to represent Paul personally.

The word "no need" (perissov", perissos ) refers to going beyond what is necessary, something superfluous or unnecessary. It presumes that Paul recognizes he has to a certain extent said enough to the Corinthians on the matter of the collection. He does not wish to insult their intelligence. His whole statement becomes a kind of apology for repeating certain aspects of the collection while at the same time getting to more practical matters regarding the collection that they need to know about now.

Once again, as he did in 8:4, Paul uses the common term for "ministry" (diakoniva, diakonia ), translated "service" by the NIV, to refer to the collection. He employed the verb form, "administer," "serve," (diakonevw, diakoneô) in 8:19 and 8:20 to refer to his involvement in coordinating this financial effort to aid famine-struck Christians in Jerusalem. He calls these believers "the saints" (a{gio", hagios ), common NT terminology for Christians, consistent with his reference to them in 2 Cor 8:4. It should not be concluded that he considers these Jerusalem Christians more "holy" (a singular translation of the same word) than others since this expression is common NT terminology for Christians (for example, Rom 15:23; Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1; Col 1:12).

9:2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians,

Paul has referred to the Corinthians' initial enthusiasm for the project before in 8:11. Using the same word, "eagerness," (proqumiva, prothymia ), he reminds them once again of those earlier days. He also now tells them something new: he has been bragging about them. Since the Corinthians were the first to begin the collection (8:10), Paul has used their example to encourage the Macedonians to undertake the collection project as well. Having done so, the Macedonians have more than exceeded any expectations Paul may have had, as he so glowingly reported in 8:1-4.

telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give;

The phrase "since last year" refers to the same point in time as when it was employed earlier in 8:10. As there, because the phrase refers simply to the previous calendar year, it could mean that the Corinthians began the collection project anywhere between a few months previous to almost two years previous. As noted in the comments on 8:10, probably it was about a year ago.

Paul says that he emphasized the Corinthians' readiness to participate in the collection, using a word which means "prepare" (paraskeuavzw, paraskeuazô). He probably meant the same in 8:10 when he commended the Corinthians' "desire to do so." The fact that the Corinthians have at some point stopped their collecting may or may not be something Paul wants to broadcast to the Macedonians. Obviously, the "praised" brother and the "proved" brother, both likely representatives of Macedonian churches, know since they are part of the envoy slated to help the Corinthians restart and complete their collection efforts. At any rate, it is the Corinthians' initial enthusiasm for the collection project that Paul kept pointing to.

Those who view chapter nine as a separate document sometimes point to Paul's use of Achaia as evidence it has different recipients than Corinth. More likely, Paul simply is balancing the regional reference of Macedonia with the region of which Corinth is the capital, as he does in Rom 15:26 (which also is about the collection).

and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

Paul reports that his tactic has been successful. The Macedonians have come through on behalf of the collection in an extraordinary fashion which has already been extolled in 8:1-4. Although this might come across as a jab at the Corinthians for halting the collection project, Paul may actually intend this as a point of well-deserved pride. It was their initial model which bore incredible fruit in the lives of the Macedonian believers.

Depending on the context, the word used for "enthusiasm" (zh'lo", zçlos) can have either a positive or negative sense. It refers to an emotional intensity which has been energized either to be "jealous," as in Acts 13:45, or "zealous," as here in 9:2. The word "stirred to action" (ejreqivzw, erethizô) usually carries with it the negative idea that people have been irritated or embittered in the process of provoking them to action. This is certainly not the case with the Macedonians. Thus, the NIV's translation is appropriate. The example of the Corinthians had the positive effect of arousing the Macedonians to give to the collection with genuine motives.

9:3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow,

Against those who view 2 Corinthians 9 as a separate letter, the mention of "the brothers" here presumes Paul's expanded introduction at least of the "praised" brother in 8:18-19 and the "proved" brother in 8:12. It probably also includes Titus, mentioned in 8:16-17 as leading the mission, even though he is not specifically called "brother" there. All three are mentioned together in 8:23 as forming the special collection envoy.

Paul reveals that at least one of his reasons for sending the envoy is to spare the Corinthians embarrassment. Certainly, he does not want to come off as a fool either. So, he phrases this concern from his perspective. Unless the Corinthians come through, his boasting will become mere braggadocio, words with no foundation, "hollow," as the NIV reads. The word this translates (kenovw, kenoô) is not used a great deal in the NT. However, it is a key word in Paul's hymn in Phil 2:7 praising Christ for willingly subjecting himself to incarnation. He "emptied himself," or "made himself nothing" as the NIV puts it.

but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.

The verb (actually a participle) "be ready" is the same word (paraskeuazô) used in 9:2. The tense of the verb "said" (levgw, legô) in Greek is called imperfect. In this tense, a verb describes something that occurred repeatedly in the past. A translation like "was saying" would convey this idea. The use of the imperfect here conveys that Paul's boasting about the Corinthians to the Macedonians did not just occur once. Paul must have harped on it many times. Such continual emphasis on the Corinthians as motivating models makes their failure to complete their collection sting all the more. It also makes seizing this last opportunity to come through absolutely vital to redeeming themselves and living up to their image.

9:4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared,

Paul reveals, up to this point at least, that final preparations for bringing all the church collections together have not been made. Acts 20:4 lists three Macedonians of the eight named as being in the collection entourage: Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secundus. The Macedonians he has in mind might be among these three. However, if both the "praised" brother and the "proved" brother are from the Acts 20:4 list and are Macedonian, this would leave only one from the list left, since they are embarking early in this special envoy to Corinth.

The word "unprepared" (ajparaskeuvasto", aparaskeuastos) is the noun cognate with a negative prefix of the verb translated in both 9:2 and 9:3 as "be ready." In this context, it is being used to voice the unthinkable, that the Corinthians will reject the three-man envoy and refuse to make the necessary effort to collect a reasonable sum of money as their portion in the collection for the Jerusalem Christians.

we-not to say anything about you-would be ashamed of having been so confident.

As in Japanese culture, maintaining the respect and honor of one's peers was a crucial social dynamic of ancient Greek culture. Public shame, community disgrace, these were life-shattering experiences to avoid at all cost. Thus, Paul envisages the worst scenario, both for him and for the Corinthian church, humiliation far and wide throughout the churches. Of course, this can be avoided if the Corinthians take advantage of the extra special opportunity Paul is now giving them to avoid this.

Although questioned by nearly every contemporary commentary, "confident" (uJpovstasi", hypostasis ) remains the reigning translation in all versions, except for the NRSV. The challenge brought against this translation is that such a meaning for this word is not supported by usage either in the NT or in Greek literature outside of it. It is suggested that a more appropriate translation for this context is "undertaking," "venture," or "enterprise." This translation would yield the understanding that the whole enterprise of the collection would by badly damaged, "disgraced" by the Corinthians' lack of support. It would destroy Paul's desire that the Jerusalem Christians be impressed that the collection is a unified expression of love from the predominantly Gentile churches he had established. This would certainly be a deeper concern for Paul than his confidence in the Corinthians being shown to be unfounded.

9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised.

Paul reviews his reasons for sending the three-man envoy ahead of the official entourage of representatives who will eventually travel to Corinth before heading off to Jerusalem. As earlier, Paul does not speak in terms of commanding them to go but allows room for the truthful reality that they went agreeably. The word "necessary" (ajnagkai'o", anankaios ) signals that certainly in Paul's mind the trip is absolutely essential. He himself uses the word to refer to the indispensability of the "weaker" members of the church body in 1 Cor 12:22, and elsewhere in Greek literature it refers to someone being forced or constrained to do something as in slavery.

In three of the key words of this sentence, Paul cleverly employs three relatively rare words with the Greek prefix pro- ( pro- ) essentially equivalent to the English prefix "pre." By doing this with "visit in advance" (proevrcomai, proerchomai ), "finish the arrangements" (prokatartivzw, prokatartizô), and "had promised" (proepaggevllw, proepanggellô), he emphasizes that all of this extra effort is about them coming through on their previous commitment.

Paul uses the word normally translated "blessing" (eujlogiva, eulogia ) to refer to the Corinthian collection, which he will do once more in this verse as well as twice in 9:6. The NIV translates it appropriately enough as "generous gift." It can refer to something someone might give another as a token of their special relationship as when Acsah, Caleb's daughter, asked from him as a "special favor" springs of water to go along with the land he had apportioned to her upon her marriage. Indeed, the collection is all about demonstrating the kinship between Paul's churches and the Jerusalem Christians.

Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

The contrast is all important. If the Corinthians do not take the opportunity Paul is providing them to complete their offering now, whatever spiritual blessing they might have received from the effort will be lost. If they wait to complete their collection after the envoy of all the church representatives arrives, it will more likely be social pressure that has forced them to give. In that case, it is pointless.

The key word "grudgingly given" (pleonexiva, pleonexia ) in other contexts refers to greediness (Rom 1:29; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 2:5; 2 Pet 2:3,14). In this context, it allows for giving money but giving as little as possible and only to satisfy someone else's expectations. God never wants our money when motivated by this kind of attitude, for it turns what is supposed to be "blessing" into a self-condemning curse. God doesn't need our money as much as our hearts.

C. MORE INCENTIVES TO BE GENEROUS (9:6-15)

1. God Will Be Generous (9:6-11)

9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

After dwelling on the potential public shame of not completing their collection, Paul's third and final layer of motivation focuses on the positive benefits the Corinthians will reap from generously giving to the collection project. He kicks off the first benefit by citing a proverb generated from agriculture. This truism from farming is widespread in ancient cultures. Variations of the idea it expresses can be found Gal 6:7; Prov 11:24,25,26. The assumption that God blesses the harvest underlies the saying and allows it easily to be applied generally to a variety of situations, including giving money to a God-directed offering as is Paul's concern.

The proverb itself has not only a spiritual base but can be reckoned literally, at least in the agricultural sphere. Although a variety of factors such as soil quality, weather, and weeds can both hamper and benefit crop yield, one of the factors a farmer has control over is the amount of seed planted. One seed planted multiplies in terms of produce. Each seed added increases the yield exponentially.

As far as can be known, Paul was a city dweller and did not have personal experience with agricultural life. He grew up in a city, Tarsus, and as a Pharisee was stationed in Jerusalem. This agricultural truism is so obvious, though, that using it does not require personal observation.

The adverb "sparingly" (feidomevnw", pheidomenôs) is only used the two times found here in the NT. The verb form, however, is used ten times, three of which are in 2 Corinthians (1:23; 12:6; 13:2). It describes someone holding back from doing something. Obviously, in the context, it does not mean to refrain completely from the action but to undertake the action minimally.

As in 9:5, Paul twice more uses the normal word for "blessing" (eujlogiva, eulogia ) to refer to a generous offering of money for the Jerusalem-bound collection.

9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give,

Paul utters what must be recognized as the foundational principle for giving in the church. This notion of freedom in giving stands in stark contrast to the OT principle of tithing, or giving the Lord ten percent of one's income. Though it runs the risk of some people giving less than ten percent, it also opens the doors for unlimited generosity well beyond ten percent. Rather than seeing a certain amount as owed to God, it measures giving in spiritual terms. The spiritual blessing from giving comes only from giving freely.

Paul alludes to this principle earlier when he describes the Macedonians as giving to the collection "entirely on their own" (8:3) after having given "themselves first to the Lord" (8:4). In addressing the Corinthians themselves, he has already called for their "eager willingness" (8:11) and their offering not to be done "grudgingly" (9:5).

The word "decided" (proaivrw, proairô) is only used here in the NT. It describes someone who, in weighing at least two options, makes up their mind to choose one over the other. As Paul sees it, at least two polar choices lay before the Corinthians with regard to this offering: give or not give. Once they decide to give, a wealth of options emerge between a low amount or a high amount. Paul's concern is to convey to the Corinthians that whatever choice is made, it should be made after careful reflection. They should feel settled and content that the amount is the right amount for them, at that particular time. If so, it will be pleasing to God, no matter how large or small.

not reluctantly or under compulsion,

The word translated "reluctantly" (luphv, lypç) normally refers to something that is emotionally painful, maybe bringing on a period of grief or sorrow. Paul uses the noun form six times and the verb form sixteen times just in 2 Corinthians alone. This is the word he uses in 2:1-6 to describe his disastrous visit to the Corinthians. Here, "reluctantly" may not be quite strong enough to convey the deep, emotional distress which can affect people as they part unwillingly with their money. It probably correlates best with the feeling involved in being robbed or cheated out of money, certainly no way to be thinking about God as one puts money in the offering plate.

The word "compulsion" (ajnagkhv, anankç) does not carry the emotional baggage of "reluctantly." It simply describes a difficult situation one is forced to endure. The NIV translates it in the plural as "hardships" in 2 Cor 6:4 and 12:10 when it appears listed among other difficulties people face. That one would view giving to God's work as a hardship certainly does God unearned disservice. It also cancels out any spiritual blessing God might bestow.

for God loves a cheerful giver.

Paul now describes the opposite demeanor from the previous phrase. It can also be seen as the result of the first phrase. A clear-cut decision about how much money will be given to the offering makes celebration at the moment of giving possible. Any pain or distress from letting go of the money is cancelled out by the decision to do so.

Paul's language here reflects influence from Prov 22:8 (9) as it appears in the Septuagint: "God blesses a cheerful and giving man." The Septuagint version's "blesses" denotes a tangible outpouring of God's love, whereas Paul's "loves" encompasses the wide expanse of God's relationship to a person who gives to him with a positive attitude. Paul's language does not exclude God's specific blessing for he will go on in 9:8 to describe this. However, he wishes to depict first God's broad acceptance of the gift and his pleasure in receiving it.

This is the only place Paul uses the adjective "cheerful" (iJlaro", hilaros ). Despite its similarity to "hilarious" in English, we should not picture Paul's ideal giver as overcome with giddy laughter as her offering hits the offering plate. Rather, it describes a joyful smile in the heart which comes from confidence that this gift will give God pleasure because it is being given freely.

9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you,

It is an axiom of NT thought that God's grace is in excess of whatever grace humankind needs. As Paul says in Rom 5:20, "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." In this verse, Paul describes the bounty of God's grace which God can cause to overflow into the lives of the Corinthians. The word "abound" (perisseuvw, perisseuô) is the infinitive of a verb which refers to having more than enough, a surplus of something. He has used it numerous times in 2 Corinthians to depict among other things Christ's sufferings (1:5), Christian ministry (4:15), and of the Macedonians' poverty and their joy (8:2). In this verse, he will use it in two ways, of God's grace, and later of the Corinthians' good work.

Paul has used the word "grace" (cavri", charis ) to refer directly to the offering (8:19). Most poignantly, though, his glowing report of the Macedonians' generous offering for the collection opens by telling of "the grace God has given" them. Undoubtedly, Paul is expressing to the Corinthians in this verse that God will duplicate the effect in their lives if they open up their hearts and minds to desire to participate once again in the collection. It is his power at work in them which can make this happen. Not only is he capable, he is poised to do so.

so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Paul believes that just as Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish for 5,000 people with twelve baskets of surplus (Matt 14:15-21; Mark 6:35-44; 9:12-17; John 6:4-13), God will take care of those who give themselves over to his work. This includes supplying their material needs as well as their emotional and spiritual needs to remain steadfast. As one commentator says, "This verse makes God the creator of cheerful givers." Having confidence in God's provision is essential to giving liberally to his causes, whether this be Paul's collection or other Christian enterprises today.

Paul boldfaces the sufficiency of God in these ways by injecting his wording five times with the Greek stem translated "all" (pa'n, pan ). In Greek it first occurs modifying "grace" then three times in succession modifying "things . . . times . . . that you need," then again modifying "work," translated this fourth time as "every." Paul wishes to leave no doubt whatsoever regarding his conviction that God will supply the needs of his people.

The word translated "you need" (aujtavkreia, autakreia ) is a noun meaning "sufficient" or even "independence." Stoic and Cynic Greek philosophers commonly employ the word to indicate one of their goals, to be totally self-sufficient, not dependent upon circumstances or other people to be satisfied with life. Paul's idea is not for Christians to be self-sufficient but rather sufficient in God, and, thereby, sufficient enough to share resources with others for God's causes. The only other NT use of this word occurs in 1 Tim 6:6 in which it encapsulates the "contentment" believers should have, secure in the knowledge of God's provision for their material needs.

With the grace of God furnishing believers with their personal needs, Paul believes the overflow of God's bounty will fuel the activities of their lives to be pleasing to God. These activities, labeled "good work," include, at least for the Corinthians, generous participation in the collection. As so well illustrated by Jesus' parable of the rich farmer who built new barns to store his great harvest (Luke 12:13-21, surplus, assumed to come from God's blessing, is not to be hoarded. Rather, it should be used to benefit God's work.

Sharing material blessings with God's work, of course, is only one facet of "good work." As in the Pastoral epistles (1 Tim 2:10; 5:10; 2 Tim 2:21; 3:17; Titus 1:16; 3:1), it includes living with moral standards. Most likely, Paul would see it as also including personal participation in what God is doing to bring the gospel to the world through evangelism and also what God is doing to strengthen the church, the body of Christ.

9:9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." ^a

^a 9 Psalm 112:9

Psalm 112 extols the virtues and blessings of "the righteous man." Such a person, it emphasizes in verse five, is one "who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice." His blessings include "wealth and riches" (112:3), "no fear of bad news" (112:7), and the knowledge that he and his righteousness will be remembered forever (112:3,6,9). By quoting a key portion of it, Paul correlates the key principles of this psalm with the situation of the Corinthians and the collection. The "poor" are the economically strapped Jerusalem Christians. If they participate, the Corinthians will personify the righteous one and reap similar blessings.

Because the last antecedent to "he" in the context is God in 9:8, some are inclined to take the subject of the quotation, or at least the second half ("his righteousness") to refer to God. Although understandable, given the language employed in the quotation, there are a couple of reasons which rule against this. First, Psalm 112 itself, including the quoted portion, clearly describes a righteous man, not God. Second, when Paul goes on in 9:10-11 to extract his application of the quotation, his focus is on a person's generous giving, albeit, enabled by the generosity of God.

The fact that Paul presumes God's own righteousness and generosity to be stoking the fires of a righteous person's generosity does not lie in Psalm 112 itself but rather in the psalm previous to it. In Psalm 111, it is God who is extolled, for his material provision and for his faithfulness to the covenant. In fact, Ps 111:3 says exactly the same thing about him as the second half of Ps 112:9 says about the righteous man: "His righteousness endures forever."

Thus, Paul in quoting from Psalm 112 is able to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. He draws on Psalm 112 to provide the Corinthians with a biblical model of giving, and he alludes to God's own righteous provision as the foundation for the righteous man to be generous. He will expand on both of these themes in the next two verses.

The word translated "poor" (pevnh", pençs) is only used here in the NT. It refers not to the destitute, since that is a different Greek word (ptwcov", ptôchos). Rather, it describes the day-laborer who earns just enough wage for each day.

The word "righteous" (dikaiosuvnh, dikaiosynç) is prominent in the NT, appearing 92 times. Often it refers to a person's high moral character, especially with reference to keeping God's statutes. With Paul, who uses the word 58 times, 34 times in Romans alone, the word becomes associated with salvation, particularly encompassing the legal innocence believers now have, despite their sin, because Christ suffered the penalty of death on the cross for the sins of the world. In 2 Cor 9:9, Paul has in mind a person's right moral character, evidenced in the long-term good effect of making financial contribution to the welfare of the struggling Jerusalem Christians.

9:10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food

Paul adapts the language of Isa 55:10 to his needs in this context which in 9:6 introduced the idea of sowing seed as analogous to participating in the Jerusalem collection. This connection to sowing continued in 9:9 within the quotation of Ps 112:9 which refers to the righteous man scattering his gifts. Though not directly connecting to the farmer in the psalm, for Paul the language of scattering coincides with the common practice in Paul's time of sowing seed by broadcasting it by hand, then turning the ground over it.

Paul wishes to establish that the ability to give generously does not come from one's own resources but rather comes from resources initiated on behalf of the giver from God. Thus, the giver does not become self-righteous because he or she gives bountifully. Rather, the giver is humbled and thankful for the ability God has provided to be generous financially.

will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Conceptually, Paul's remarks fit with Jesus' parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27). The one who doubled his ten talents was also given the one talent of the person who did not invest his. So, here, those who multiply their seed will receive yet more seed to multiply. As applied to the Corinthians, if they give generously now to the Jerusalem collection from what God has blessed them with, they can expect God's blessings to increase so that they can give even more to future Christian causes.

The phrase "harvest of your righteousness" are the last words of Hosea 10:12, which begins, "Sow for yourselves righteousness." Paul, it seems, has connected the language of Hosea 10:12 and Ps 112:9. The sower who broadcasts righteousness will make an abiding impact with this bountiful harvest of righteousness, a great harvest to share with others. However, this sower will also derive a bounty of seed for next year's planting far greater than originally planted. So, this increasing cycle of bounty and blessing Paul sees as applicable to the Corinthians if they begin now to share their material resources with fellow Jerusalem Christians in need.

9:11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion,

Paul applies his analogy of 9:10 to the Corinthian believers. Although the verbs are translated as future by the NIV, they are actually present tense. Paul looks on the bright side and envisages the Corinthians as heeding his advice and successfully completing the contribution to the Jerusalem collection. Having been generous with their money, Paul pictures God making them "rich in every way." "Every way" intentionally encompasses a far wider scope than simply material wealth. Indeed, if they give bountifully, God will entrust them with increased resources to be even more generous in the future. However, he will bless them in many other ways at his disposal, especially spiritually.

The word "generous" (aJplovth", haplotçs), Paul already used in 8:2 and will again employ in 9:13. Outside of contexts which involve money like this one, it refers to someone being single-minded, focused, or committed to something, as in 2 Cor 1:12 when Paul uses it to speak of his relationship to the Corinthians (actually translated "holiness" by the NIV). Paul views the generosity of the Corinthians regarding the collection being duplicated many times over out of God's blessings on them. "Every occasion" likely includes more than just situations of financial need. Generosity in giving up time to help people or generosity in sharing the gospel with others may well be included. Paul puts no restrictions on the varied ways in which this generosity may spill over from the lives of Christians onto others around them.

and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Paul pictures himself with the representatives of the collection, noted in Acts 20:4, presenting the collection, which includes a generous amount from the Corinthians, to the Jerusalem Christians. He imagines the Jerusalem Christians reacting with deep gratitude to the Gentile churches which have supplied their needs. But mostly he sees these grateful Christians recognizing their true benefactor as God himself and offering praise and thanksgiving to him. What more wonderful thing could the Corinthians, or any Christian, do than act in a way which causes another to glorify God who indeed deserves all glory. This is the ultimate reason for the Corinthians to give generously to the collection.

2. God Will Be Praised (9:12-15)

9:12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

This new paragraph expands on the final clause of 9:11. It explains just how it is that the Corinthians' "generosity will result in thanksgiving to God," concluding 9:15 with an outburst of praise to God from Paul himself.

Grammatically, 9:12 is connected to 9:11 by a conjunction indicating cause (o{ti, hoti ). Dropped off from the NIV translation to smooth out the formation of a new paragraph, it is rendered appropriately by the NASB as "because" and by the RSV as "for." Paul lists two reasons why thanksgiving will come from the collection enterprise: 1) it supplies a real need, 2) it will touch the hearts of many. As before, Paul, thinking positively, assumes the completed Corinthian offering will be part of the collection.

In the phrase "service that you perform." Paul employs two words which can both mean "service." The first, "service" (diakoniva, diakonia ), Paul has used in both 8:4 and 9:1 to refer to the collection but elsewhere to refer to the legitimate, apostolic ministry in which he serves (2 Cor 3:8,9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3). The second word "perform" (leitourgiva, leitourgia ) has a long history. In ancient Greece, it referred to the funding of choruses and gymnasiums by wealthy citizens as required by law. Eventually, it came to refer to serving in public office, and in the Septuagint, it describes the duties of priests in the Jerusalem temple. Paul can use its verb form in Rom 15:27 to refer to the service Gentiles perform by sharing from their material blessings in the collection for the Jerusalem Christians. Literally, "this ministry of service," then, is a way of referring to the offering collection as a tangible expression of Christian ministry in which the Corinthian Christians need to participate as part of their own ministry.

The word "supplying" (prosanaplhrovw, prosanaplçroô) is only used twice in the NT, here and in 2 Cor 11:9. Literally, it means to fill up something which needs to be filled. The word "need" (uJstevrhma, hysterçma), used four times by Paul (8:14 - twice; 9:11), indicates something that has come up short. In 1 Cor 16:7; Col 1:24; and 1 Thess 3:10 the NIV appropriately renders it as something which is "lacking." These two words, then, fit together well. The collection fills up the material supply which is lacking among the Jerusalem Christians.

The word for "overflowing" (perisseuvw, perisseuô), used now for the tenth and last time in 2 Corinthians, Paul has employed in various ways in relation to the collection (8:2,7 - twice, 8 - twice). It makes a fitting progression from "lack" and "supply." Supplying what is lacking will result in an overflow of thanksgiving. The expression of exuberant thanksgiving Paul envisages as coming from the multitude of Jerusalem Christians who will be beneficiaries of the Gentile collection gift.

9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves,

Paul believes the challenge to contribute to the collection is a quality test of the Corinthians. Will the service they perform with reference to the offering measure up to their commitment to Christ? If so - and Paul assumes they will do so - then they will have demonstratively "proved" themselves. The word "proved," (dokimhv", dokimçs) used three other times in 2 Corinthians (2:9; 8:2; 13:3) can mean "test," "prove," or even "approved character" (Rom 5:4). The verb form of the word can refer to assaying the quality of mineral ore which is most poignantly drawn upon in 1 Pet 1:7.

men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ,

In 9:11 and 9:12, Paul has already said that God will be thanked because of the Jerusalem collection. Now, he subdivides this thanksgiving into two main divisions. One has to do with what an offering from the Corinthians and the other Gentile churches will say to the Jerusalem Christians about their genuine commitment to Christ. The other thanksgiving involves the generosity of the collection itself.

The word "confession" (oJmologiva, homologia ) means to acknowledge or agree to something. In most of the NT, as here, it and its verb cognate most commonly refer to a verbal profession of belief in Jesus Christ (Luke 12:8; John 9:22; Rom 10:9-10; 1 John 4:2). First Timothy 6:12 calls this the "good confession." When Paul adds the idea of "obedience" (uJpotaghv, hypotagç) to this Christian confession, he assumes it requires action in word and deed consistent with it. Such an action is wholehearted participation in the collection for the Jerusalem saints. To the Jerusalem Christians, who may have had their doubts about genuine Christian quality of life and faith among the Gentile churches planted by Paul, the presentation of a generous offering, Paul believed, would make a profound impact which would result in praise and thanksgiving to God.

The phrase "men will praise" is the NIV's attempt to render the participle "praising" or "glorifying" (doxavzonte", doxazontes ). As a participle, it has no subject. The NIV's "men" is an attempt to smooth out the language. Grammatically, there is some question as to whom Paul pictures doing the glorifying since the participle has no clear referent. The RSV's translation of "you will glorify God by your obedience" indicates that those glorifying God are the Corinthians. However, it is more logical to understand that Paul has in mind the Jerusalem Christians as the NIV translation assumes. This coincides with the "many" thanksgivings to which Paul refers in 9:12. It also fits with the reference to "them" in the expression "in sharing with them" which follows in the latter portion of 9:13.

and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

Not only will the Jerusalem Christians praise God for quality of Christian life demonstrated by the Gentile offering, they will also glorify God for how a sizeable offering will help out their economic hardship. For "generosity" (aJplovth", haplotçs) Paul uses the same Greek word as in 9:11 and 8:2 which refers to "single-minded devotion" to something, in this case the offering. For "sharing" (koinwniva, koinônia) he uses the word which is translated "fellowship," even in 2 Corinthians (6:14; 13:14). But here, as in 2 Cor 8:4, the NIV's "sharing" is appropriate as it relates to the offering. Paul's word choice indicates that this offering in his mind is not as much about money as it is a positive step in bonding together the Gentile and Jewish elements of the church.

Whom Paul has in mind by "everyone else" is a matter of conjecture. One commentary suggests that Paul is indicating that the Jerusalem believers will in turn share the funds with others who are in need in the area. More likely is that Paul envisages the Jerusalem collection as just one of many other ways the Gentile churches can and will share their resources, both material and spiritual, with those in need, especially fellow believers.

9:14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you,

More than ever, Paul desires to create a true and deep appreciation in the Jerusalem Christians for the Gentile churches. He expects a generous offering from the Gentile churches at their time of need will do the trick. Paul believes that sincere prayers of thanksgiving to God for the collection on the part of the Jerusalem Christians will forge a bond of spiritual kinship that is so badly needed in order for Christ's church truly to be one.

because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

Since he first linked God's grace to the Macedonians' capacity to give abundantly to the collection project for the Jerusalem Christians in 2 Cor 8:1, Paul has consistently drawn on the word in varied connections to the collection (8:4,7; 9:8), including calling the collection itself a grace (8:6,19). Now, he visualizes that same abundance of God's grace at work in the Corinthians, manifesting itself in a large offering, and recognized as such by the Jerusalem Christians.

The word "surpassing" (uJperbavllw, hyperballô) is only used five times in the NT. Four of these uses refer to qualities connected to God, his glory (2 Cor 3:10), his great power (Eph 1:19), and, as here, his grace (Eph 3:19). Outside the NT, it can refer to overshooting a mark or even a pot boiling over. The NT consistently thinks of God's grace as more than enough for any need or occasion. It is in excess of human sin. It overflows the capacity of the Corinthians to give to the collection.

9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

It is not unusual for Paul to break into a doxology in the course of his letters, particularly when concluding an emotionally draining discourse. Just in 2 Corinthians he does so at 2:14 and 8:16, in other letters at 1 Cor 15:57 and Rom 6:17. In these other passages he clearly enunciates for what he is thankful. Here, it is not specifically stated; the "indescribable gift" is not specified. Some suppose it to be a reference to the collection itself. Others suggest the gift to be the bonding of Jewish and Greek believers through the collection. Still others suppose the gift to be God's grace or even the gospel. The most common suggestion is that the gift is Jesus Christ.

The addition of the adjective "indescribable" (ajnekdihvghto", anekdiçgçtos), itself possibly coined by Paul since this is the first known use of the word in Greek literature, lends toward the conclusion that he intends to move beyond grace itself into a particular, unparalleled expression of God's grace. The person of Jesus Christ and the salvation which accompanies him would seem the most likely possibility. The word "gift" (dwreav, dôrea) poignantly occurs in Rom 5:15 in just this sense: "How much more did the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many."

As we come to the end of these two chapters, 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, one cannot help but ask the obvious question: Did the Corinthians avidly complete their collection in response to Paul's appeal and according to the mandate of the three-person envoy from Paul? The answer is that they probably did.

In Rom 15:26, written perhaps a year after 2 Corinthians in A.D. 57, while Paul stayed in Corinth for three months just prior to setting off with the collection to Jerusalem, Paul specifically mentions both the Macedonians and the Achaians as contributing to the famine collection for the Jerusalem Christians. Although it is true that no delegates representing the Corinthians are mentioned in Acts 20:4, perhaps Acts does not list all the delegates or maybe the Corinthians were content to let Paul represent them.

What about the collection itself? Did it reach the Jerusalem Christians? We can probably assume that it did, but, to be honest, nothing in the NT tells anything more about the collection after the delegates leave with Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20:6). The only hint we have is that Acts 21:17 describes the Jerusalem Christians welcoming Paul's entourage "warmly." It also says that they "praised God" when they heard about the success of the gospel among the Gentiles. Could the presentation of the collection have precipitated these positive responses? Possibly, but we just don't know.

A week after Paul arrived in Jerusalem, Acts 21:27 says he was arrested for allegedly bringing Greek Gentiles further into the temple than the outer courtyard to which they were restricted. From that point, Paul spends two years imprisoned in Caesarea and a further two years imprisoned in Rome. Probably acquitted and released from that imprisonment, then freed for a short period, he is likely reimprisoned by the Roman authorities and executed. The story surrounding the offering, whether it was received, whether it had the positive effect Paul desired, is overwhelmed by these traumatic events, and unfortunately lost.

Whether or not Paul's massive, emotional, carefully-principled appeal in these two chapters regarding the offering collection was successful with the Corinthians, Paul's words are not a waste. They still have opportunity to challenge every generation of believers to share the blessings of God, both material and spiritual, especially with their fellow believers. The storybook ending we hope for concerning the Corinthians can be written in the lives of Christians who generously give out of the bountiful grace and provision of God.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

McGarvey: 2Co 9:2

for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many of them . [It is needless for me to urge upon you the fact that it is a becoming thing in you to minister to the poor in the churches, for you have long since acknowledged the becomingness of the deed by pledging yourself to do it. And this readiness on your part I have used with great effect in Macedonia, for I told them how last year you consented to take this collection, so that many of them, feeling their tardiness in comparison with you, have been stirred to great activity and zeal in this matter.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:3

But I have sent the brethren [Titus and the other two], that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said, ye may be prepared:

McGarvey: 2Co 9:4

lest by any means, if there come with me any of Macedonia and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence . [I have gloried or boasted concerning you in many respects, and have hitherto had to retract nothing which I said. That my glorying concerning your liberality may not prove an exception and require a retraction, I have sent these messengers that they might gather together the collection which you pledged, and perhaps began to take up last year. For if any Macedonians should come with me to Corinth and find the collection ungathered, I would be ashamed for having represented you as better than you were, and you would be ashamed of having been held up as a model for the emulation of those who were, in fact, better than you.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:5

I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand [i. e., before my coming] your afore-promised bounty, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion . [I sent these messengers on before me that they might stir you up to gather the collection before I came, that the offering might be seen to be your own free gift and not a veritable tax extorted from you by the fear of my displeasure and your shame at being exposed in your selfishness.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:6

But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully . [The same law which pertains to the physical world pertains with equal effect in the moral and spiritual realm, so that those who are stingy and niggardly in giving to others, shall receive scantily of the blessings bestowed by God.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:7

Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly [literally, of sorrow], or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver . [Let each man give as his own heart prompts him and not as improperly influenced by others. Let no one give as if half crying to part with his money, and let no one feel constrained to give from any motives of necessity, such as popular applause, or to keep up with his neighbors, or to be rid of the solicitations of some urgent collector. Such giving is valueless in the sight of God, who values gifts only as they are really and truly such, and in no way extortions. The spirit of extortion is sorrow, but that of giving is cheerfulness.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:

McGarvey: 2Co 9:9

as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever . [Psa 112:9 . God is able to bestow every blessing, both temporal and spiritual, and so he can give blessings to those who dispense them, and thus enable them to abound in good works which they are performing. That this is true is shown by the Psalmist's description of the man who fears the Lord. Such a man is profuse in his liberality and his remembrance of the poor, and he is able to keep up his right-doing in giving, for the lord continually supplies him with means to that end. We should, however, note that Paul's words here, like those at Psa 91:11-12 ; which Satan quoted to the Lord in his temptation (Mat 4:6), are not to be so interpreted and applied as to tempt the Lord.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:10

And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness [and he that, in the economy of nature, makes returns to the sower, so that he not only has his seed again, but bread for food, shall in like manner in the domain of grace, supply and multiply the seeds of charity which you sow, so that you will not only be able to do again the deed of charity which you have done, but he will also bless all your other acts of righteousness by making them fruitful]:

McGarvey: 2Co 9:11

ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God . [Thus, your liberality multiplies your means of liberality, and also works, through the agents which dispense it, thanksgiving to God from the poor in Jerusalem who receive it.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:12

For the ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanksgivings unto God ;

McGarvey: 2Co 9:13

seeing that through the proving of you by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution unto them, and unto all ;

McGarvey: 2Co 9:14

while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you . [This ministry of yours, in giving to the poor at Jerusalem, not only fills up the measure of the wants of these people of God, but overflows that measure, for it results in many thanksgivings to God. And these results are evident, for by thus showing your liberality to the Jewish church at Jerusalem, you prove to it that you are indeed true and obedient to your confession of your faith in the gospel of Christ, and thus cause them to glorify God, as they also do for the liberality of your contribution unto them and (potentially) unto all. You cause them also to pray for you and long to see you face to face, that they may know those in whom God's grace abounds to so full a measure. It will be remembered that the church in Jerusalem, influenced by the prejudices of the Jews which surrounded it, and also by the sentiments and feelings which it inherited from its previous life, looked upon the church as planted by Paul, with eyes full of suspicion. They regarded these churches as lawless bodies, inimical to all that the Jews held as ancient or sacred. They were ready to believe any wild rumor which might start with regard to the unchristian character of the apostle's converts, and the reckless lawlessness of the apostle himself. The riot which arose soon after when Paul was found in the temple at Jerusalem aptly illustrates the attitude of the Jewish mind toward him and his work. Now the apostle felt confident that a liberal gift from his Gentile churches would bring about a better understanding, and would work wonderful changes in the thoughts of Jewish Christians. He felt that it would persuade the latter that his Gentile converts were truly obedient to the religion which they confessed, and that it would persuade them also that those who had overcome their prejudices sufficiently to give liberally to Jews would have no prejudices which would prevent them from giving liberally to other people. He was likewise confident that the Jewish Christians, seeing these things, would be fully persuaded of the genuine Christian grace of his converts, and therefore would not only pray for them, but even long for personal acquaintance and fellowship with them. How far the apostle was correct in this judgment we can not say; but he certainly seems to have been well received by the Christians at Jerusalem when he came as the representative of these Gentile churches. If the attitude of the unchristian Jewish mind toward him was still relentlessly bitter, it must be borne in mind that he took no collection for them, and that they were in no manner in his thought in this connection.]

McGarvey: 2Co 9:15

Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift . [Of course, the Christ himself is God's great gift to man, but the personality of Christ is not in the trend of Paul's argument. The thought that fills his mind is that the Corinthians, by their liberality, are showing themselves truly changed and converted by the gospel of Christ, and that this gospel, modifying and softening the Jewish mind, is preparing it to step over the middle wall of partition, and receive the Gentiles as part of the family of God. For the unspeakable gift, therefore, of a gospel which works such blessed changes in the bigoted, stubborn and selfish hearts of men, Paul gives thanks. The thanksgiving, therefore, is proximately for the gospel and ultimately for Christ, the author of the gospel.]

Lapide: 2Co 9:1-15

CHAPTER 9

SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER

i. He proceeds to stimulate the Corinthians to almsgiving by motives of human shame and praise; he bids them not to be put to shame before the liberality of the Macedonians.

ii. He dwells (ver. 6) on the fruits of almsgiving, how it enriches those that give with good things, now and hereafter.

iii. He points (ver. 11) to the thanksgiving that flows from it to God, and the joy of the poor Christians, who are the recipients, and who will pray for their benefactors the Corinthians.

Ver. 1. — For as touching the ministering to the saints. At the end of the last chapter, Paul had commended to them Titus and his companions, but not their errand of collecting alms; for, as he says, it was superfluous for him to write about this, since they were of their own accord ready for it (Anselm). It is a politic device on the part of those that ask for alms to praise the liberality of the givers. Public beggars in the streets and churches are experts at this.

Ver. 2. — Achaia was ready a year ago.—I boast to the Macedonians that you, 0 Corinthians, and the rest of Achaia, have been long ready for this almsgiving; and this zeal of yours, being proclaimed by me, has stimulated others. See, then, by your action that my boasting of you be not in vain, lest we both be put to confusion.

Ver. 5. — As a matter of bounty. As a blessing (Latin version). That your beneficence may seem spontaneous and generous, not extorted from greedy persons (Anselm, Theophylact, Chrysostom). Why bounty is called a blessing is explained in the note to ver. 6. The Greek, ευ̉λογία denotes both blessing and a good and fruitful contribution or almsgiving (Erasmus). In 1Co 16:1, the Apostle called these contributions or collections ευ̉λογίαι. Both meanings have place here.  S. Paul is urging the Corinthians to spontaneous and cheerful (denoted by blessing), as well as to fruitful and liberal, contribution. He is engaged in describing the spirit that should animate the giver, viz., one ready and cheerful, unforced, unconstrained, unstained by covetousness or meanness.

Ver. 6. — He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Literally, he which soweth in blessings, i.e., liberally scatters, as it were, seeds among the poor, shall reap of them again. For God, who reckons that to be done to Himself which is done to the poor, does not suffer Himself to be surpassed in liberality, but to the liberal is far more liberal, and repays them in greater abundance, both corporal and spiritual gifts. For parallel expressions, cf. Jos 15:19;  1Sa 25:27;  Gen 48:25. In this last passage, Jacob hints at the reason why the Hebrew calls beneficence blessing. It is because, by a pious form of speech, they wish to point out that the beneficence of God, which is the fount and origin of all ours, flows from His benediction. With God to bless is to do, and is the same as to benefit, and therefore God by His word alone bestows on us all good things. (2.) Another reason is that the Patriarchs and early Christians, such as the hermits and other Saints of the New Testament, were wont to distribute the gifts with solemn prayer and blessing, and for this reason to call them by the name of ευ̉λογία. (3.) A third reason is that it is pleasanter, both to giver and receiver, to call the gift an act of benediction rather than of beneficence. Hence poor honest men, when asking for alms, call them benedictions, extenuating their importance, and rich givers in their turn do the same. Theophylact adds that S. Paul by this word stimulates them to cheerful giving, reminding them by it that what they give is a blessing to him that gives and him that takes. No one is saddened by giving such a blessing, but cheerfully imparts it. Cf. also Pro 22:9; Ecc 11:1-3.

Notice also the use of the words "sow" and "reap." Almsgiving, like other good works, is a seed which produces a harvest of grace, and even of temporal good things, as is explained in vers. 8 and 10. Hence you may infer against Calvin that good works effect and merit a reward, for seed, by its natural powers, produces its proper fruit at harvest-time; therefore almsgiving produces truly its reward, not physically, as is evident, but meritoriously.

Ver. 7.— Not grudgingly or of necessity. Avarice makes reluctance, and regard for one's reputation induces constraint. Let each man give what he likes, not influenced or compelled by my authority or that of Titus, and not because regard for his honour makes him ashamed of giving less than others.

For God loveth a cheerful giver. Quoted from Prov. xxii. 9, LXX. On cheerfulness in giving, see Rom 12:8.  S. Augustine ( Enarr. in Ps. xliii.) says beautifully: " If you give your bread grudgingly, you lose both your bread and your reward." And again ( Serm. 45): " If good works are good seeds, why are they sown in tears? " S. Chrysostom ( Hom. on 1Co 11:19) says: "If we give cheerfully, our reward will be twofold, one for giving and one for giving cheerfully." S. Gregory ( Morals, 21, c. 11, on Job 31:16) says: " Job thus acted that he might increase his merits, not only by giving but also by the promptitude with which he gave his good things." Cf. Pro 3:28, Ecclus 35:11. Alms then should be given with cheerful mind, not sadly, reluctantly, and tardily. Thus shall we imitate God, who cheerfully distributes His gifts.

The heathen depict the Graces as three sisters, embracing one another but looking in different directions. They meant by this to signify how gifts should be distributed. The first, named Aglaia, denotes generosity, it being better to give than to receive. "For he who receives a kindness sells his freedom," says the jester of P. Syrus. The second is called Thalia, i.e., flourishing in the midst of the course. The third is called Euphrosyne, or joy; for both he that gives and he that receives rejoice in the kindness done—God loveth a cheerful giver. Cf. Seneca ( de Beneficiis ).

Ver. 8. — And God is able to make all grace abound toward you. This is an answer to an objection: You will say to me, If I give much, I shall become poor, I shall be unable for the future to help my servants and others who are in more need (Theophylact). To this the Apostle answers: Do not be afraid of that; believe and hope in God, who is able to make all grace (or beneficence—Syriac) abound toward you, so that you shall always have a sufficiency of goods, out of which you may abound in every good work. God can and does enrich those that give alms, so that they have always means to spend, and so can abound in works of charity.

God is able denotes not only the power but also the act of God. The phrase is a meiosis. Similarly, a king might say to his commander-in-chief: "Go, end the war, spare no expense. I am able to bear it, and to enrich you as well."

In the Greek there is a beautiful use of the word all, which is three times repeated in the last clause of this verse, "always having all sufficiency in all things." Not in some particular necessity, but in all; not at one time, but always; not some sufficiency but all sufficiency will God give you, to enable you to succour others.

Again, S. Paul does not here speak of abundance, says Theophylact, but sufficiency, enough for one's self and one's own. Perhaps he means to imply that he who is content with his lot, and has enough for himself and his family, desires no more. God alone is properly said to be self-sufficient, being One who has no need of any one, and rests wholly in Himself. An almsgiver partakes of the same character. An avaricious man, on the other hand, is never satisfied—"the more that waters are drunk the more are they thirsted for;" and so it is with riches. Hence the avaricious man is always in need. But self-sufficiency, as Clement ( Pædag. lib. ii. c. 12) says, is a virtue which makes us contented; or it is a habit of mind that is content with such things as are needful, and which by itself acquires those things which belong to the life of bliss. Hippias (Suidas, sub Verbo Hippias ) made self-sufficiency or a contented mind the end of all good. Moreover, Epicurus used to say that "sufficiency is the richest possession" (Clement, Strom. lib. vi.). In the same sense Cicero said ( Paradox 1) that "to live happily, contentment was virtue enough." Socrates, too ( apud Plat. Dial 3 de Legibus ), thus prays: "Let me have as much gold as a temperate man can bear." For further notes on this subject, cf. 1Ti 6:6, and Phi 4:11.

Ver. 9. — As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad (Psa 112:9). In all necessities, in all places, and at all times, a merciful man, such as S. Laurence, of whom the Church sings, distributes his goods and his alms; in the same way he who sows scatters his seed. The Apostle wishes to prove that God makes all grace to abound towards almsgivers, and gives them full sufficiency for that grace (beneficence). He proves this from the fact that the giver of alms of his sufficiency distributes his alms, disperses them as seed on every side, not among his boon-companions or free-lovers, but among the poor. Œcumenius says that the word "dispersed" denotes the largeness of the alms given. It also implies that these alms are not wasted or thrown away.

His righteousness remaineth for ever. Remains in God's memory and in its eternal reward, as in its harvest. So, too, when the husbandman scatters his seed he does not lose it, but entrusts it to the ground, that he may receive a hundred-fold in return. Almsgiving, therefore, is everlasting, and blesses the giver with everlasting glory. Hence the Psalmist also says: "The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance; he shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his horn" (his dignity, strength, and, as Theodoret says, his power) "shall be exalted with honour;" in other words, it shall daily increase until it be exalted in the highest in celestial glory.

His righteousness or his beneficence does not perish, but remains before God to be rewarded here and hereafter.  S. Chrysostom ( Hom. 9 de Pænit.) says: " Heaven is to be gained by merchandise and trafficking. Give bread and you will receive paradise; give a little and gain much; give what is mortal and you will receive what is immortal."

Observe that in Scripture almsgiving, which is an act of mercy, is called righteousness, both because it forms a large part of righteousness in general, which embraces all virtues, as also because it is a mark of righteousness and holiness. The Saints are merciful, "but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel" (Pro 12:10). A third reason is that it disposes to righteousness, and merits it, firstly, de congruo, and secondly, de condigno, as increasing righteousness. Hence, it is to the merciful alone that Christ gives the crown of righteousness (S. Mat 25:35). Hence, too, those that are hardened in evil must be exhorted as a last remedy to give alms, as Daniel did Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:24).

Ver. 10 . — Now he that ministereth seed to the sower. This again is an answer to an objection which might be urged from the Psalm quoted. It might be said. You prove clearly enough, Paul, that alms remain in their heavenly reward, but I do not yet see how you prove from that that we ought not to impoverish ourselves. You have, therefore, given no answer to my first objection that if, I give alms liberally I shall make myself poor, and be unable for the future to give help to others.  S. Paul's answer to this is, that the contrary is implied in the verse of the Psalm he has just quoted. As a master who supplies his husbandman with seed to sow his field, provides him also with bread to eat, and multiplies his seed, that is the grain sown, at harvest times, so that for one bushel he receives three, which he can sow again, and receives still more at the next harvest, and so on from year to year—so much more shall God, who gives to almsgivers goods to disperse to the poor, give them bread and all other necessaries of life; nay, more, He shall multiply their seed or goods to sow again and disperse to the poor. For God is our Master; we are His husbandmen: His field is the poor, and alms are the seed. God, then, wishes us as His husbandmen, to scatter His seed (alms) over His field (the poor). Much more, if we do that, will He give us nourishment and a harvest of goods to sow again. Let rich men remember that their riches are given them as seed to disperse to the poor, not to store up in their coffers or to be spent on costly clothing or luxurious living. "It is," says Cicero, "a work of liberality to sow seeds of kindness, so as to be able to reap a harvest from them."

Gregory of Tours ( Hist. Gallic. lib . v. c. 38) highly praises the Christian Emperor Tiberius for his almsgiving, and says that he uttered the following words, worthy of an emperor: " There will be no deficiency in our treasury so long as the poor receive alms, and captives are redeemed. For if we do these things, great will be our treasure, according to the words of the Lord, 'Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.' Let us then lay up in store in heaven by the hands of the poor from what God has given us, that the Lord may vouchsafe to increase our goods on earth." No wonder that God increased his wealth. He saw one day a cross engraved on the pavement, and when, out of veneration for it, he ordered the stone to be taken up, he found under it a vast treasure, containing more than 100,000 pieces of gold. Then, when, according to his wont, he distributed of it largely to the poor, God gave him another treasure already amassed for him by Narsetes, Duke of Italy. This was found in a cistern, in which, when they opened it, they found so much gold and silver that it took several days to carry it away. Cf. Baronius ( Annals, A.D. 582).

Both minister. The Latin version with the Syriac gives the future, shall minister, instead of the optative. Theophylact, Erasmus, and Vatablus read the optative. The future is better, because, as I said, Paul is endeavouring to banish from their minds all fear of poverty. But this is not to be done by wishing, but by making assertions and promising bread, seed, and fruits.

Multiply your seed sown. Your temporal goods. S. Basil ( Hom. 13 de Eleemos. ) says: " As seed cast into the ground brings forth fruit an hundredfold, so do alms given to the poor. If you have then but one loaf, and it be asked for at the door, take it and lift up your hands to heaven and say, 'Of my little I give to my brother, and do Thou, 0 Lord, supply my want.' Then doubt not that the bread given out of your poverty will abundantly minister you seed for sowing." And again, commenting on S. Luk 12:18, he says: " As wells that are continuously drawn from send forth a sweeter and more copious supply of water, while if neglected and undisturbed they soon grow foul, so are riches when stored up useless, but when transferred to the poor they bring forth fruit." Clement of Alexandria ( Pædag. lib. iii. c. 7) uses this same simile of a well, and adds another. He says. " As milk commonly flows into those breasts that are sucked, so does wealth flow to those who spend it." S. Cyprian says the same ( Tract. de 0pere et Eleemos.), and adds that the best inheritance that parents can leave their children is alms given, and the more children there are the more liberal should the almsgiving be. He proves this by the example of the widow of Sarepta (1 Kings7) and from Tob. 4:7. Cf. Pro 28:27, and Psa 37:26.

Very many remarkable examples are given by Leontius, in his "Life of John the Almoner," who, like the Emperor Titus, bewailed that he had lost a day because he had given no alms. "Even if the world," he said, "were to come into Alexandria, it would not narrow my liberality and wealth." This he learnt from a vision he saw of a certain virgin named Mercy, who, standing before God, seemed to obtain from Him all that she asked for. Hence this holy man John, when he had nothing to spend, would frequently, in his love of almsgiving, change miraculously tin or honey into cold. The more he gave the more was brought to him to spend; and so he seemed to strive with God and God with him which should be the most bountiful. When he at length died, he had half a piece of money left, and he ordered this to be given to his brethren and masters, the poor, that all he had might be restored to Christ.

Sophronius, in his Pratum Spirituale, a work mentioned with approval by the Second Council of Nice ( Gen. Act. iv. c. 185), narrates that a wife gave to her husband, who wished to increase his wealth, the advice to sell what he had and give it to the poor, and he would find that he would receive it again with interest. He did so, and distributed his whole estate to the poor, and for fifty he received three hundred.

Sophronius has a still more beautiful example (c. 195) in the philosopher Evagrius, who, having heard in church that almsgiving was rewarded a hundredfold in heaven, gave £60 to the Bishop, Synesius, to be distributed among the poor, and received from him a written promise that for each he should receive a hundred in heaven. When he was dying, he ordered his sons to place this writing in his hand when he was buried. This having been done, Evagrius, on the third day after death, appeared to the Bishop in a dream, and said: "Go to my tomb and take back your handwriting, for I have received a hundredfold what I gave, according to Christ's promise and yours." In the morning the Bishop went with his clergy to the tomb, and took from the hand of Evagrius a letter, of which this was the tenor: "Evagrius the philosopher to his Bishop. I am unwilling for you, my father, to be ignorant that I have received according to your promise the money that I gave you in my lifetime, and received for it a hundredfold; therefore you are not bound to me by any debt."

Similar examples are found in the life of S. Liduina and other Saints. Hence Chrysostom says that "alms have the name of seed, because they are not so much expended as returned."  S. Deusdedit well understood this, for, as the Roman Martyrology records (Aug. 10th), although he was a poor man yet he gave to the poor every Saturday all that he had earned during the week, looking only to obtain the heavenly reward.

"If you have any care for your children, leave them a written deed in which you have God as your debtor," says S. Chrysostom, referring to money left for the poor by will. A famous example of this occurs in Sophronius (c. 201), in the case of a nobleman of Constantinople, who, when dying, left all his goods to the poor and his son to the care of Christ. Nor was he disappointed of his hope; for Christ gave his son a wife, who was at once noble, rich, and pious.  S. Chrysostom wrote at the head of his Thirty-third Homily to the people, "that almsgiving is the most profitable of all occupations." Cf. Pro 19:17.

And increase the fruits of your righteousness. God will increase the outgoings of your righteousness and charity, ie., He will give an increase of grace here and of glory hereafter (Theophylact). "By fruits," says Anselm, "he means God's eternal reward." The Apostle seems here to speak of three fruits of almsgiving: (1.) when he says, "Shall minister seed to the sower;" (2.) when he says, "And multiply your seed sown;" (3.) when he says, "And increase the fruits of your righteousness." In this sense S. Anselm, as related by Edinerus in his Life, when he entered Canterbury on a visit to Archbishop Lanfranc and was honourably and lovingly received by the citizens, said, when he was explaining to them the glory and merit of charity, that " those who do works of charity have something greater than those who are recipients of charity. For the one receives a temporal benefit only, but the other spiritual; and they look besides for eternal thanks from God." Christ said the same thing in His paradox on the rich of this world: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Act 20:35).

Anselm again understands this passage to refer simply to the fruits of temporal goods. God will make your fruits and riches to increase, that you may have ever more and more to give in alms, and He will increase the fruits of your righteousness. In other words, He will give much more abundant increase to those fruits of yours which your righteousness gains for you; for it is only just that, since God gives to man all that he has, man should from it give to him who is in need. If we do this, our fruits will he increased by God. Hence almsgiving is rightly called seed, because he who sows once will reap twice, once in earth and once in heaven. This is Anselm's comment, and he seems to be right; for the Apostle is explaining the words, "shall multiply your seed," and is impressing on the Corinthians that alms do not impoverish but enrich the giver, that so he may remove from their minds and from the minds of all Christians all fear of poverty, which so frequently deters men from almsgiving, and which is given as an objection so often to the admonitions of those who urge the duty.

Nevertheless, it is simpler to understand fruits of your righteousness of the wealth which God gives to the beneficent as a harvest for what they have sown. The increase of these fruits is nothing else but the harvest that follows on the seed. Since, therefore, it is evident that when the Apostle said, "shall multiply your seed sown," he meant by seed the money spent on the poor, it is also evident that here he means the same thing. As is the seed, so is the harvest. The one is correlative with the other, as are merit and reward. This, then, seems to be the drift of the Apostle's words.

Lastly, we should observe that he alludes to the fields and estates of the rich. Beneficence, he says, is like a field, or a very fertile farm, which brings forth to the almsgiver plentiful and never-failing fruits from the seed of his alms. (1.) It gives bread or food. (2.) It multiplies his seed, or money to be dispersed again among the poor. (3.) It also increases his fruits, and enriches his family. These three things a temporal lord gives to his husbandman if he is faithful and diligent; much more will God do the same.

Ver. 11 . — To all bountifulness. Or simplicity, or liberality. This simplicity or liberality of yours brings it to pass that I and all my companions, nay, all Christians amongst whom I speak of it, give thanks to God for having instilled into you such feelings of piety and mercy.

Ver. 12.— For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints. Ή διακονία τη̃ς λειτουργίας, literally, "the ministry of this liturgy." In this collection of alms there is, as it were, a liturgy, a mystic sacrifice of the Mass, in which the Corinthians, as offering the victim of alms, are the priests; the poor make the altar; the sacrifice is the alms. Paul may be the deacon, the minister exhorting, collecting, and distributing the alms, through whom the poor who receive and the rich who give, seeing and rejoicing at the grace of Christ, are stirred up to give thanks unto the Lord.  S. Cyprian says ( Tract. de 0pere et Eleemos.): " Since thanksgiving is directed to God in the prayers of the poor for our alms and good deeds, the total is increased by the reward given by God, who works in us." S. Chrysostom ( Hom. 20) says: " When you see a poor man, think that you see the body of Christ, the altar of Christ, and do reverence, and offer the sacrifice of alms, that from it there may ascend, like incense, to God glory and thanksgiving." Thus almsgiving is an Eucharist or thanksgiving, and an Eucharistic sacrifice, not properly, but metaphorically speaking. So, too, in Rom. xv. 16, the preaching of the Gospel and the conversion of the Gentiles are called a sacrifice. Nazianzen says beautifully ( Orat. de Cura Paup. ): " Out of all things none so honours God as mercy; for nothing is so peculiar to God as this is, before whose Face go mercy and truth. . . . Nothing is so Divine in a man as to do good. Learn, then, to open your heart to the needy. If you have nothing else to give, give your tears readily. Pity is a great solace to the afflicted."

Ver. 13 . — By the experiment of this ministration. This almsgiving of yours will induce men to glorify God in Christ and to give thanks to Him for the law of grace which has stirred you up to this liberality. They will glorify Him first for your obedience to the Gospel, and then that you so obey its precepts as to show such charity and mercy.

Ver. 14. — And by their prayer for you. The poor Saints of Jerusalem who receive your alms, while praying, for you, will also glorify God. This clause is to he connected with "they glorify God."

Ver. 15. — Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. For the gift of your charity and almsgiving, from which flow so many good things and so many praises of God, that it may be well called unspeakable.

Commentary -- Other

Evidence: 2Co 9:2

" If you never have sleepless hours, if you never have weeping eyes, if your hearts never swell as if they would burst, you need not anticipate that you will be called zealous. You do not know the beginning of true zeal, for the foundation of Christian zeal lies in the heart. The heart must be heavy with grief and yet must beat high with holy ardor. The heart must be vehement in desire, panting continually for God’s glory, or else we shall never attain to anything like the zeal which God would have us know." Charles Spurgeon

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

Second Corinthians

From Macedonia a.d. 54 Or 55

By Way of Introduction

The Pauline authorship is admitted by all real scholars, though there is doubt by some as to the unity of the Epistle. J.H. Kennedy ( The Second and Third Letters of St. Paul to the Corinthians , 1900) has presented the arguments in a plausible, but not wholly convincing, manner for the plea that chapters 2 Corinthians 10-13 really represent a separate and earlier letter, the one referred to in 2Co_2:3, which was later tacked on to chapters 1-9 as part of the same Epistle. This theory does explain the difference in tone between chapters 1 to 7 and 10 to 13, but that fact is sufficiently clear from the stubborn minority against Paul in Corinth reported by Titus after the majority had been won to Paul by First Corinthians and by Titus (2Co_2:1-11). There are in fact three obvious divisions in the Epistle. Chapters 1 to 7 deal with the report of Titus about the victory in Corinth and Paul’s wonderful digression on the glory of the ministry in 2 Corinthians 2:12-6:10; chapters 8 and 2Co_9:1-15 discuss the collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem already mentioned in 1Co_16:1. and which Titus is to press to completion on his return to Corinth; chapters 10 to 13 deal sharply with the Judaizing minority who still oppose Paul’s leadership. These three subjects are in no sense inconsistent with each other. The letter is a unity. Nowhere do we gain so clear an insight into Paul’s own struggles and hopes as a preacher. It is a handbook for the modern minister of inestimable value. One can hear Paul’s heart throb through these chapters. The syntax is often broken by anacolutha. The sentences are sometimes disconnected. Grammatical agreements are overlooked. But there is power here, the grip of a great soul holding on to the highest ideals in the midst of manifold opposition and discouragements. Christ is Master of Paul at every turn.

The date of the Epistle is clearly after I Corinthians, for Paul has left Ephesus and is now in Macedonia (2Co_2:13), probably at Philippi, where he met Titus, though he had hoped to meet him at Troas on his return from Corinth. At a guess one may say that Paul wrote in the autumn of a.d. 54 or 55 of the same year in the spring of which he had written I Corinthians, and before he went on to Corinth himself where he wrote Romans (Act_20:1-3; Rom_16:1).

The occasion for writing is the return of Titus from Corinth with mixed news of the Pauline majority and the minority in opposition. So Titus is sent back with this Epistle to finish the task while Paul waits awhile for matters to clear up (2Co_13:1-10).

It is not certain whether the letter mentioned in 2Co_2:3 is our I Corinthians or a lost letter like the one alluded to in 1Co_5:9. If it is a lost one, we know of four Corinthian Epistles (the one in 1Co_5:9, our I Corinthians, the one in 2Co_2:3, our II Corinthians), assuming the unity of II Corinthians. Few things in Paul’s ministry gave him more concern than the troubles in Corinth. The modern city pastor finds little in his work that Paul has not faced and mastered. There is consolation and courage for the preacher in the conduct and counsels of this greatest of all preachers.

JFB: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

THE following reasons seem to have induced Paul to write this Second Epistle to the Corinthians: (1) That he might explain the reasons for his having deferred to pay them his promised visit, by taking Corinth as his way to Macedonia (1Co 4:19; 2Co 1:15-16; compare 1Co 16:5); and so that he might set forth to them his apostolic walk in general (2Co 1:12, 2Co 1:24; 2Co 6:3-13; 2Co 7:2). (2) That he might commend their obedience in reference to the directions in his First Epistle, and at the same time direct them now to forgive the offender, as having been punished sufficiently (2Co 2:1-11; 2Co 7:6-16). (3) That he might urge them to collect for the poor saints at Jerusalem (2Co 8:1-9, 2Co 8:15). (4) That he might maintain his apostolic authority and reprove gainsayers.

The external testimonies for its genuineness are IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 3,7,1]; ATHENAGORAS [Of the Resurrection of the Dead]; CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA [Miscellanies, 3, p. 94; 4, p. 101]; TERTULLIAN [On Modesty, 13].

The TIME OF WRITING was after Pentecost, A.D. 57, when Paul left Ephesus for Troas. Having stayed in the latter place for some time preaching the Gospel with effect (2Co 2:12), he went on to Macedonia, being eager to meet Titus there, having been disappointed in his not coming to Troas, as had been agreed on between them. Having heard from him the tidings he so much desired of the good effect produced on the Corinthians by his First Epistle, and after having tested the liberality of the Macedonian churches (2Co 8:1), he wrote this Second Epistle, and then went on to Greece, where he abode for three months; and then, after travelling by land, reached Philippi on his return at Passover or Easter, A.D. 58 (Act 20:1-6). So that this Epistle must have been written about autumn, A.D. 57.

Macedonia was THE PLACE from which it was written (2Co 9:2, where the present tense, "I boast," or "am boasting," implies his presence then in Macedonia). In Asia (Lydian Asia) he had undergone some great peril of his life (2Co 1:8-9), whether the reference be [PALEY] to the tumult at Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41), or, as ALFORD thinks, to a dangerous illness in which he despaired of life. Thence he passed by Troas to Philippi, the first city which would meet him in entering Macedonia. The importance of the Philippian Church would induce him to stay there some time; as also his desire to collect contributions from the Macedonian churches for the poor saints at Jerusalem. His anxiety of mind is recorded (2Co 7:5) as occurring when he came into Macedonia, and therefore must have been at Philippi, which was the first city of Macedonia in coming from Troas; and here, too, from 2Co 7:6, compared with 2Co 7:5, must have been the scene of his receiving the comforting tidings from Titus. "Macedonia" is used for Philippi in 2Co 11:9, as is proved by comparison with Phi 4:15-16. So it is probably used here (2Co 7:5). ALFORD argues from 2Co 8:1, where he speaks of the "grace bestowed on the churches (plural) of Macedonia," that Paul must have visited other churches in Macedonia, besides Philippi, when he wrote, for example, Thessalonica, Berea, &c., and that Philippi, the first on his route, is less likely to have been the scene of his writing than the last on his route, whichever it was, perhaps Thessalonica. But Philippi, as being the chief town of the province, was probably the place to which all the collections of the churches were sent. Ancient tradition, too (as appears from the subscription to this Epistle), favors the view that Philippi was the place from which this Epistle was sent by the hands of Titus who received, besides, a charge to prosecute at Corinth the collection which he had begun at his first visit (2Co 8:6).

The STYLE is most varied, and passes rapidly from one phase of feeling to another; now joyous and consolatory, again severe and full of reproof; at one time gentle and affectionate, at another, sternly rebuking opponents and upholding his dignity as an apostle. This variety of style accords with the warm and earnest character of the apostle, which nowhere is manifested more beautifully than in this Epistle. His bodily frailty, and the chronic malady under which he suffered, and which is often alluded to (2Co 4:7; 2Co 5:1-4; 2Co 12:7-9; compare Note, see on 2Co 1:8), must have been especially trying to one of his ardent temperament. But besides this, was the more pressing anxiety of the "care of all the churches." At Corinth, as elsewhere, Judaizing emissaries wished to bind legal fetters of letter and form (compare 2Co. 3:3-18) on the freedom and catholicity of the Church. On the other hand, there were free thinkers who defended their immorality of practice by infidel theories (1Co 15:12, 1Co 15:32-36). These were the "fightings without," and "fears within" (2Co 7:5-6) which agitated the apostle's mind until Titus brought him comforting tidings from Corinth. Even then, while the majority at Corinth had testified their repentance, and, as Paul had desired, excommunicated the incestuous person, and contributed for the poor Christians of Judea, there was still a minority who, more contemptuously than ever, resisted the apostle. These accused him of crafty and mercenary motives, as if he had personal gain in view in the collection being made; and this, notwithstanding his scrupulous care to be above the possibility of reasonable suspicion, by having others besides himself to take charge of the money. This insinuation was palpably inconsistent with their other charge, that he could be no true apostle, as he did not claim maintenance from the churches which he founded. Another accusation they brought of cowardly weakness; that he was always threatening severe measures without daring to execute them (2Co 10:8-16; 2Co 13:2); and that he was vacillating in his teaching and practice, circumcising Timothy, and yet withholding circumcision from Titus; a Jew among the Jews, and a Greek among the Greeks. That most of these opponents were of the Judaizing party in the Church, appears from 2Co 11:22. They seem to have been headed by an emissary from Judea ("he that cometh," 2Co 11:4), who had brought "letters of commendation" (2Co 3:1) from members of the Church at Jerusalem, and who boasted of his purity of Hebrew descent, and his close connection with Christ Himself (2Co 11:13, 2Co 11:23). His partisans contrasted his high pretensions with the timid humility of Paul (1Co 2:3); and his rhetoric with the apostle's plain and unadorned style (2Co 11:6; 2Co 10:10, 2Co 10:13). It was this state of things at Corinth, reported by Titus, that caused Paul to send him back forthwith thither with this Second Epistle, which is addressed, not to Corinth only (1Co 1:2), but to all the churches also in Achaia (2Co 1:1), which had in some degree been affected by the same causes as affected the Corinthian Church. The widely different tone in different parts of the Epistle is due to the diversity which existed at Corinth between the penitent majority and the refractory minority. The former he addresses with the warmest affection; the latter with menace and warning. Two deputies, chosen by the churches to take charge of the contribution to be collected at Corinth, accompanied Titus (2Co 8:18-19, 2Co 8:22).

JFB: 2 Corinthians (Outline)

• THE HEADING; PAUL'S CONSOLATIONS IN RECENT TRIALS IN ASIA; HIS SINCERITY TOWARDS THE CORINTHIANS; EXPLANATION OF HIS NOT HAVING VISITED THEM AS HE HAD PURPOSED. (2Co. 1:1-24)
• REASON WHY HE HAD NOT VISITED THEM ON HIS WAY TO MACEDONIA; THE INCESTUOUS PERSON OUGHT NOW TO BE FORGIVEN; HIS ANXIETY TO HEAR TIDINGS OF THEIR STATE FROM TITUS, AND HIS JOY WHEN AT LAST THE GOOD NEWS REACHES HIM. (2Co. 2:1-17)
• THE SOLE COMMENDATION HE NEEDS TO PROVE GOD'S SANCTION OF HIS MINISTRY HE HAS IN HIS CORINTHIAN CONVERTS: HIS MINISTRY EXCELS THE MOSAIC, AS THE GOSPEL OF LIFE AND LIBERTY EXCELS THE LAW OF CONDEMNATION. (2Co. 3:1-18) Are we beginning again to recommend ourselves (2Co 5:12) (as some of them might say he had done in his first Epistle; or, a reproof to "some" who had begun doing so)!
• HIS PREACHING IS OPEN AND SINCERE, THOUGH TO MANY THE GOSPEL IS HIDDEN. (2Co. 4:1-18)
• THE HOPE (2Co 4:17-18) OF ETERNAL GLORY IN THE RESURRECTION BODY. (2Co. 5:1-21)
• HIS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY IS APPROVED BY FAITHFULNESS IN EXHORTATION, IN SUFFERINGS, IN EXHIBITION OF THE FRUITS OF THE HOLY GHOST: HIS LARGENESS OF HEART TO THEM CALLS FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THEIR HEART TO HIM. EXHORTATIONS TO SEPARATION FROM POLLUTION. (2Co. 6:1-18)
• SELF-PURIFICATION THEIR DUTY RESULTING FROM THE FOREGOING. HIS LOVE TO THEM, AND JOY AT THE GOOD EFFECTS ON THEM OF HIS FORMER EPISTLE, AS REPORTED BY TITUS. (2Co. 7:1-16)
• THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS; THE READINESS OF THE MACEDONIANS A PATTERN TO THE CORINTHIANS; CHRIST THE HIGHEST PATTERN; EACH IS TO GIVE WILLINGLY AFTER HIS ABILITY; TITUS AND TWO OTHERS ARE THE AGENTS ACCREDITED TO COMPLETE THE COLLECTION. (2Co. 8:1-24)
• REASONS FOR HIS SENDING TITUS. THE GREATER THEIR BOUNTIFULNESS, THE MORE SHALL BE THE RETURN OF BLESSING TO THEM, AND THANKSGIVING TO GOD. (2Co 9:1-15)
• HE VINDICATES HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY AGAINST THOSE WHO DEPRECIATED HIM FOR HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE. HE WILL MAKE HIS POWER FELT WHEN HE COMES. HE BOASTS NOT, AS THEY, BEYOND HIS MEASURE. (2Co. 10:1-18)
• THROUGH JEALOUSY OVER THE CORINTHIANS, WHO MADE MORE ACCOUNT OF THE FALSE APOSTLES THAN OF HIM, HE IS OBLIGED TO COMMEND HIMSELF AS IN MANY RESPECTS SUPERIOR. (2Co. 11:1-33)
• REVELATIONS IN WHICH HE MIGHT GLORY: BUT HE RATHER GLORIES IN INFIRMITIES, AS CALLING FORTH CHRIST'S POWER: SIGNS OF HIS APOSTLESHIP: HIS DISINTERESTEDNESS: NOT THAT HE IS EXCUSING HIMSELF TO THEM; BUT HE DOES ALL FOR THEIR GOOD, LEST HE SHOULD FIND THEM NOT SUCH AS HE DESIRED, AND SO SHOULD HAVE TO BE SEVERE AT HIS COMING. (2Co. 12:1-21) He proceeds to illustrate the "glorying in infirmities" (2Co 11:30). He gave one instance which might expose him to ridicule (2Co 11:33); he now gives another, but this one connected with a glorious revelation of which it was the sequel: but he dwells not on the glory done to himself, but on the infirmity which followed it, as displaying Christ's power. The oldest manuscripts read, "I MUST NEEDS boast (or glory) though it be not expedient; for I will come." The "for" gives a proof that it is "not expedient to boast": I will take the case of revelations, in which if anywhere boasting might be thought harmless. "Visions" refers to things seen: "revelations," to things heard (compare 1Sa 9:15) or revealed in any way. In "visions" their signification was not always vouchsafed; in "revelations" there was always an unveiling of truths before hidden (Dan 2:19, Dan 2:31). All parts of Scripture alike are matter of inspiration; but not all of revelation. There are degrees of revelation; but not of inspiration.
• HE THREATENS A SEVERE PROOF OF HIS APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY, BUT PREFERS THEY WOULD SPARE HIM THE NECESSITY FOR IT. (2Co 13:1-14)

TSK: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

The most remarkable circumstance in this Epistle, observes Mr. Scott, is the confidence of the Apostle in the goodness of his cause, and in the power of God to bear him out in it. Opposed as he then was by a powerful and sagacious party, whose authority, reputation, and interest were deeply concerned, and who were ready to seize on every thing that could discredit him, it is wonderful to hear him so firmly insist upon his apostolical authority, and so unreservedly appeal to the miraculous power which he has exercised and conferred at Corinth. So far from shrinking from the contest, as afraid of some discovery being made, unfavourable to him and the common cause, he, with great modesty and meekness indeed, but with equal boldness and decision, expressly declares that his opposers and despisers were the ministers of Satan, and menaces them with miraculous judgments, when as many of their deluded hearers had been brought to repentance and re-established in the faith, as proper means could in a reasonable time effect. It is inconceivable that a stronger internal testimony, not only of integrity, but of divine inspiration, can exist. Had there been anything of imposture among the Christians, it was next to impossible but such a conduct must have occasioned a disclosure of it. Of the effects produced by this latter epistle we have no circumstantial account; for the journey which St. Paul took to Corinth, after he had written it, is mentioned by St. Luke only in a few words (Act 20:2, Act 20:3). We know, however, that St. Paul was there after he had written this Epistle; that the contributions for the poor brethren at Jerusalem were brought to him from different parts to that city (Rom 15:26); and that, after remaining there several months, he sent salutations from some of the principal members of that church, by whom he must have been greatly respected, to the church of Rome (Rom 16:22, Rom 16:23). From this time we hear no more of the false teacher and his party; and when Clement of Rome wrote his epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul was considered by them as a divine apostle, to whose authority he might appeal without fear of contradiction. The false teacher, therefore, must either have been silenced by St. Paul, by virtue of his apostolical powers, and by an act of severity which he had threatened (2Co 13:2, 2Co 13:3); or this adversary of the apostle had, at that time, voluntarily quitted the place. Whichever was the cause, the effect produced must operate as a confirmation of our faith, and as a proof of St. Paul’s divine mission.

TSK: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Co 9:1, He yields the reason why, though he knew their forwardness, yet he sent Titus and his brethren beforehand; 2Co 9:6, And he proceeds in stirring them up to a bountiful alms, as being but a kind of sowing of seed, 2Co 9:10. which shall return a great increase to them, 2Co 9:13. and occasion a great sacrifice of thanksgivings unto God.

Poole: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 9

MHCC: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

The second epistle to the Corinthians probably was written about a year after the first. Its contents are closely connected with those of the former epistle. The manner in which the letter St. Paul formerly wrote had been received, is particularly noticed; this was such as to fill his heart with gratitude to God, who enabled him fully to discharge his duty towards them. Many had shown marks of repentance, and amended their conduct, but others still followed their false teachers; and as the apostle delayed his visit, from his unwillingness to treat them with severity, they charged him with levity and change of conduct. Also, with pride, vain-glory, and severity, and they spake of him with contempt. In this epistle we find the same ardent affection towards the disciples at Corinth, as in the former, the same zeal for the honour of the gospel, and the same boldness in giving Christian reproof. The first six chapters are chiefly practical: the rest have more reference to the state of the Corinthian church, but they contain many rules of general application.

MHCC: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

(2Co 9:1-5) The reason for sending Titus to collect their alms.

(2Co 9:6-15) The Corinthians to be liberal and cheerful, The apostle thanks God for his unspeakable gift.

Matthew Henry: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians

In his former epistle the apostle had signified his intentions of coming to Corinth, as he passed through Macedonia (1Co 16:5), but, being providentially hindered for some time, he writes this second epistle to them about a year after the former; and there seem to be these two urgent occasions: - 1. The case of the incestuous person, who lay under censure, required that with all speed he should be restored and received again into communion. This therefore he gives directions about (ch. 2), and afterwards (ch. 7) he declares the satisfaction he had upon the intelligence he received of their good behaviour in that affair. 2. There was a contribution now making for the poor saints at Jerusalem, in which he exhorts the Corinthians to join (ch. 8, 2Co 9:1-15).

There are divers other things very observable in this epistle; for example, I. The account the apostle gives of his labours and success in preaching the gospel in several places, ch. 2. II. The comparison he makes between the Old and New Testament dispensation, ch. 3. III. The manifold sufferings that he and his fellow-labourers met with, and the motives and encouragements for their diligence and patience, ch. 4, 5. IV. The caution he gives the Corinthians against mingling with unbelievers, ch. 6. V. The way and manner in which he justifies himself and his apostleship from the opprobrious insinuations and accusations of false teachers, who endeavoured to ruin his reputation at Corinth, ch. 10-12, and throughout the whole epistle.

Matthew Henry: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

In this chapter the apostle seems to excuse his earnestness in pressing the Corinthians to the duty of charity (2Co 9:1-5), and proceeds to give directions about the acceptable way and manner of performing it, namely, bountifully, deliberately, and freely; and gives good encouragement for so doing (2Co 9:6 to the end).

Barclay: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS

The Greatness Of Corinth

A glance at the map will show that Corinth was made for greatness. The southern part of Greece is very nearly an island. On the west the Corinthian Gulf deeply indents the land and on the east the Saronic Gulf. All that is left to join the two parts of Greece together is a little isthmus only four miles across. On that narrow neck of land Corinth stands. Such a position made it inevitable that it should be one of the greatest trading and commercial centres of the ancient world. All traffic from Athens and the north of Greece to Sparta and the Peloponnese had to be routed through Corinth, because it stood on the little neck of land that connected the two.

Not only did the north to south traffic of Greece pass through Corinth of necessity, by far the greater part of the east to west traffic of the Mediterranean passed through her from choice. The extreme southern tip of Greece was known as Cape Malea (now called Cape Matapan). It was dangerous, and to round Cape Malea had much the same sound as to round Cape Horn had in later times. The Greeks had two sayings which showed what they thought of it--"Let him who sails round Malea forget his home," and, "Let him who sails round Malea first make his will."

The consequence was that mariners followed one of two courses. They sailed up the Saronic Gulf, and, if their ships were small enough, dragged them out of the water, set them on rollers, hauled them across the isthmus, and re-launched them on the other side. The isthmus was actually called the Diolkos, the place of dragging across. The idea is the same as that which is contained in the Scottish place name Tarbert, which means a place where the land is so narrow that a boat can be dragged from loch to loch. If that course was not possible because the ship was too large, the cargo was disembarked, carried by porters across the isthmus, and re-embarked on another ship at the other side. This four mile journey across the isthmus, where the Corinth Canal now runs, saved a journey of two hundred and two miles round Cape Malea, the most dangerous cape in the Mediterranean.

It is easy to see how great a commercial city Corinth must have been. The north to south traffic of Greece had no alternative but to pass through her; by far the greater part of the east to west trade of the Mediterranean world chose to pass through her. Round Corinth there clustered three other towns, Lechaeum at the west end of the isthmus, Cenchrea at the east end and Schoenus just a short distance away. Farrar writes, "Objects of luxury soon found their way to the markets which were visited by every nation in the civilized world--Arabian balsam, Phoenician dates, Libyan ivory, Babylonian carpets, Cilician goatsair, Lycaonian wool, Phrygian slaves."

Corinth, as Farrar calls her, was the Vanity Fair of the ancient world. Men called her The Bridge of Greece; one called her The Lounge of Greece. It has been said that if a man stands long enough in Piccadilly Circus he will in the end meet everyone in the country. Corinth was the Piccadilly Circus of the Mediterranean. To add to the concourse which came to it, Corinth was the place where the Isthmian Games were held, which were second only to the Olympics. Corinth was a rich and populous city with one of the greatest commercial trades in the ancient world.

The Wickedness Of Corinth

There was another side to Corinth. She had a reputation for commercial prosperity, but she was also a byword for evil living. The very word korinthiazesthai, to live like a Corinthian, had become a part of the Greek language, and meant to live with drunken and immoral debauchery. The word actually penetrated to the English language, and, in Regency times, a Corinthian was one of the wealthy young bucks who lived in reckless and riotous living. Aelian, the late Greek writer, tells us that if ever a Corinthian was shown upon the stage in a Greek play he was shown drunk. The very name Corinth was synonymous with debauchery and there was one source of evil in the city which was known all over the civilized world. Above the isthmus towered the hill of the Acropolis, and on it stood the great temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. To that temple there were attached one thousand priestesses who were sacred prostitutes, and in the evenings they descended from the Acropolis and plied their trade upon the streets of Corinth, until it became a Greek proverb, "It is not every man who can afford a journey to Corinth." In addition to these cruder sins, there flourished far more recondite vices, which had come in with the traders and the sailors from the ends of the earth, until Corinth became not only a synonym for wealth and luxury, drunkenness and debauchery, but also for filth.

The History Of Corinth

The history of Corinth falls into two parts. She was a very ancient city. Thucydides, the Greek historian, claims that it was in Corinth that the first triremes, the Greek battleships, were built. Legend has it that it was in Corinth that the Argo was built, the ship in which Jason sailed the seas, searching for the golden fleece. But in 146 B.C. disaster befell her. The Romans were engaged in conquering the world. When they sought to reduce Greece, Corinth was the leader of the opposition. But the Greeks could not stand against the disciplined Romans, and in 146 B.C. Lucius Mummius, the Roman general, captured Corinth and left her a desolate heap of ruins.

But any place with the geographical situation of Corinth could not remain a devastation. Almost exactly one hundred years later, in 46 B.C. Julius Caesar rebuilt her and she arose from her ruins. Now she became a Roman colony. More, she became a capital city, the metropolis of the Roman province of Achaea, which included practically all Greece.

In those days, which were the days of Paul, her population was very mixed. (i) There were the Roman veterans whom Julius Caesar had settled there. When a Roman soldier had served his time, he was granted the citizenship and was then sent out to some newly-founded city and given a grant of land so that he might become a settler there. These Roman colonies were planted all over the world, and always the backbone of them was the contingent of veteran regular soldiers whose faithful service had won them the citizenship. (ii) When Corinth was rebuilt the merchants came back, for her situation still gave her commercial supremacy. (iii) There were many Jews among the population. The rebuilt city offered them commercial opportunities which they were not slow to take. (iv) There was a sprinkling of Phoenicians and Phrygians and people from the east, with their exotic customs and their hysterical ways. Farrar speaks of "this mongrel and heterogeneous population of Greek adventurers and Roman bourgeois, with a tainting infusion of Phoenicians; this mass of Jews, ex-soldiers, philosophers, merchants, sailors, freedmen, slaves, trades-people, hucksters and agents of every form of vice." He characterizes her as a colony "without aristocracy, without traditions and without well-established citizens."

Remember the background of Corinth, remember its name for wealth and luxury, for drunkenness and immorality and vice, and then read 1Co_6:9-10 .

Are you not aware that the unrighteous will not inherit the

Kingdom of God? Make no mistake--neither fornicators, nor

idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sensualists, nor homosexuals, nor

thieves, nor rapacious men, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor

robbers shall inherit the Kingdom of God--and such were some of

you.

In this hotbed of vice, in the most unlikely place in all the Greek world, some of Paulgreatest work was done, and some of the mightiest triumphs of Christianity were won.

Paul In Corinth

Paul stayed longer in Corinth than in any other city, with the single exception of Ephesus. He had left Macedonia with his life in peril and had crossed over to Athens. There he had had little success and had gone on to Corinth, and he remained there for eighteen months. We realize how little we really know of his work when we see that the whole story of that eighteen months is compressed by Luke into 17 verses (Act_18:1-17 ).

When Paul arrived in Corinth he took up residence with Aquila and Prisca. He preached in the synagogue with great success. With the arrival of Timothy and Silas from Macedonia, he redoubled his efforts, but the Jews were so stubbornly hostile that he had to leave the synagogue. He took up his residence with one Justus who lived next door to the synagogue. His most notable convert was Crispus, who was actually the ruler of the synagogue, and amongst the general public he had good success.

In the year A.D. 52 there came to Corinth as its new governor a Roman called Gallio. He was famous for his charm and gentleness. The Jews tried to take advantage of his newness and good nature and brought Paul to trial before him on a charge of teaching contrary to their law. But Gallio, with impartial Roman justice, refused to have anything to do with the case or to take any action. So Paul completed his work in Corinth and moved on to Syria.

The Correspondence With Corinth

It was when he was in Ephesus in the year A.D. 55 that Paul, learning that things were not all well in Corinth, wrote to the church there. There is every possibility that the Corinthian correspondence as we have it is out of order. We must remember that it was not until A.D. 90 or thereby that Paulcorrespondence was collected. In many churches it must have existed only on scraps of papyrus and the putting it together would be a problem: and it seems that, when the Corinthian letters were collected, they were not all discovered and were not arranged in the right order. Let us see if we can reconstruct what happened.

(i) There was a letter which preceded 1 Corinthians. In 1Co_5:9 Paul writes, "I wrote you a letter not to associate with immoral men." This obviously refers to some previous letter. Some scholars believe that letter is lost without trace. Others think it is contained in 2Co_6:14-18 and 2Co_7:1 . Certainly that passage suits what Paul said he wrote about. It occurs rather awkwardly in its context, and, if we take it out and read straight on from 2Co_6:13 to 2Co_7:2 , we get excellent sense and connection. Scholars call this letter The Previous Letter. (In the original letters there were no chapter or verse divisions. The chapters were not divided up until the thirteenth century and the verses not till the sixteenth, and because of that the arranging of the collection of letters would be much more difficult).

(ii) News came to Paul from various sources of trouble at Corinth. (a) News came from those who were of the household of Chloe (1Co_1:11 ). They brought news of the contentions with which the church was torn. (b) News came with the visit of Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus to Ephesus. (1Co_16:17 ). By personal contact they were able to fill up the gaps in Paulinformation. (c) News came in a letter in which the Corinthian Church had asked Paul guidance on various problems. In 1Co_7:1 Paul begins, "Concerning the matters about which you wrote..." In answer to all this information Paul wrote 1 Corinthians and despatched it to Corinth apparently by the hand of Timothy (1Co_4:17 ).

(iii) The result of the letter was that things became worse than ever, and, although we have no direct record of it, we can deduce that Paul paid a personal visit to Corinth. In 2Co_12:14 he writes, "The third time I am ready to come to you." In 2Co_13:1-2 , he says again that he is coming to them for the third time. Now, if there was a third time, there must have been a second time. We have the record of only one visit, whose story is told in Act_18:1-17 . We have no record at all of the second, but Corinth was only two or three daysailing from Ephesus.

(iv) The visit did no good at all. Matters were only exacerbated and the result was an exceedingly severe letter. We learn about that letter from certain passages in 2 Corinthians. In 2Co_2:4 Paul writes, "I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears." In 2Co_7:8 he writes, "For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it though I did regret it; for I see that that letter has grieved you, though only for a while." It was a letter which was the product of anguish of mind, a letter so severe that Paul was almost sorry that he ever sent it.

Scholars call this The Severe Letter. Have we got it? It obviously cannot be I Corinthians, because it is not a tear-stained and anguished letter. When Paul wrote it, it is clear enough that things were under control. Now if we read through 2 Corinthians we find an odd circumstance. In 2Cor 1-9 everything is made up, there is complete reconciliation and all are friends again; but at 2Cor 10 comes the strangest break. 2Cor 10-13 are the most heartbroken cry Paul ever wrote. They show that he has been hurt and insulted as he never was before or afterwards by any church. His appearance, his speech, his apostleship, his honesty have all been under attack.

Most scholars believe that 2Cor 10-13 are the severe letter, and that they have become misplaced when Paulletters were put together. If we want the real chronological course of Paulcorrespondence with Corinth, we really ought to read 2Cor 10-13 before 2Cor 1-9. We do know that this letter was sent off with Titus. (2Co_2:13 ; 2Co_7:13 ).

(v) Paul was worried about this letter. He could not wait until Titus came back with an answer, so he set out to meet him (2Co_2:13 ; 2Co_7:5 , 2Co_7:13 ). Somewhere in Macedonia he met him and learned that all was well, and, probably at Philippi, he sat down and wrote 2Cor 1-9, the letter of reconciliation.

Stalker has said that the letters of Paul take the roof off the early churches and let us see what went on inside. Of none of them is that truer than the letters to Corinth. Here we see what "the care of all the churches" must have meant to Paul. Here we see the heart-breaks and the joys. Here we see Paul, the shepherd of his flock, bearing the sorrows and the problems of his people on his heart.

The Corinthian Correspondence

Before we read the letters in detail let us set down the progress of the Corinthian correspondence in tabular form.

(i) The Previous Letter, which may be contained in 2Co_6:14-18 and 2Co_7:1 .

(ii) The arrival of Chloepeople, of Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, and of the letter to Paul from the Corinthian Church.

(iii) 1 Corinthians is written in reply and is despatched with Timothy.

(iv) The situation grows worse and Paul pays a personal visit to Corinth, which is so complete a failure that it almost breaks his heart.

(v) The consequence is The Severe Letter, which is almost certainly contained in 2Cor 10-13, and which was despatched with Titus.

(vi) Unable to wait for an answer, Paul sets out to meet Titus. He meets him in Macedonia, learns that all is well and, probably from Philippi, writes 2Cor 1-9, The Letter of Reconciliation.

The first four chapters of 1 Corinthians deal with the divided state of the Church of God at Corinth. Instead of being a unity in Christ it was split into sects and parties, who had attached themselves to the names of various leaders and teachers. It is Paulteaching that these divisions had emerged because the Corinthians thought too much about human wisdom and knowledge and too little about the sheer grace of God. In fact, for all their so-called wisdom, they are really in a state of immaturity. They think that they are wise men, but really they are no better than babies.

FURTHER READING

2 Corinthians

F. F. Bruce, 1 and 2 Corinthians (NCB; E)

J. Hering, The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (translated by A. W. Heathcote and P. J. Allcock)

A. Plummer, 2 Corinthians (ICC; G)

R. V. G. Tasker, The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (TC; E)

Abbreviations

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

NCB: New Century Bible

TC: Tyndale Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

The Willing Giver (2Co_9:1-5)

The Principles Of Generosity (2Co_9:6-15)

Constable: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical background

First Corinthians did not dispel the problems in the church at Corinth completely. While it resolved some of these, opposition to the Apostle Paul persisted and Paul's critics continued to speak out against him in the church. One man in particular seems to have been the ringleader of the opposition (10:7). He had rallied the support of a significant minority. The issue was Paul's apostolic authority. His critics were claiming authority equal with Paul's. This was in effect a claim to apostolic authority on their part or a denial of the full apostolic authority of Paul.

News of continuing problems in Corinth reached Paul in Ephesus during his prolonged stay there during his third missionary journey. He then made a brief visit to Corinth. However his efforts to resolve the conflicts fell through (2:1; 12:14; 13:1-2). Paul apparently suffered insult and lost face during that visit (2:5-8; 7:12). Consequently this was a painful visit for Paul. He then returned to Ephesus.

Paul's next step in dealing with the situation in Corinth was to send a severe letter from Ephesus by the hand of Titus and another unnamed brother (2:3-4; 7:8-12; 12:18). He apparently directed this letter, now lost, at the party opposed to him and particularly its leader. Some commentators believe that 2 Corinthians 10-13 contains part of this letter, but the evidence for this is not convincing.¹

Paul evidently intended to receive Titus' report concerning the effects of this severe letter in Ephesus. However, persecution there made it expedient for Paul to leave that city earlier than he had anticipated (Acts 20:1). He found an open door for the gospel to the north in Troas. Eager to meet Titus who was taking the land route from Corinth back to Ephesus Paul moved west into Macedonia (2:12-13). There Titus met him and gave him an encouraging report (7:6-16). Most of the church had responded to Paul's directives and the church had disciplined the troublemakers (2:5-11). Unfortunately some in the congregation still refused to acknowledge Paul's authority over them (10:1-13:10).

Paul rejoiced at the repentance of the majority. However his concern for the unrepentant minority and his desire to pick up the money the Corinthians had begun to collect for their poorer brethren in Jerusalem led him to write 2 Corinthians. Along with these primary motives Paul also felt compelled to refute the charge of fickleness leveled at him by his critics. He had changed his travel plans and had not come to see them as he had said he would.

The whole situation provided him an opportunity to clarify the nature of Christian ministry.

Paul wrote the Second Epistle to the Corinthians from Macedonia, perhaps Philippi, Thessalonica, or Berea, probably in the fall or winter of 56 A.D. A date a year earlier or later is possible.

Some commentators believe Paul wrote 1 Corinthians after his painful visit and after he wrote the severe letter.² I believe it is more probable that he wrote 1 Corinthians before these two events.³ It is very difficult to reconstruct the details of Paul's activities since the data available to us is incomplete.

Paul's Corinthian Contacts
Paul's founding visit	His "former letter"	The Corin-thians' letter to him	First Corin-thians	Paul's "painful visit"	His "severe letter"	Second Corin-thians	Paul's antici-pated visit

"2 Corinthians is very different from the letters between which it was written, 1 Corinthians and Romans. Whereas each of those letters is, in its own way, systematic and orderly, 2 Corinthians is, on the face of it, uneven and digressive. It is no surprise, therefore, that many scholars have suggested that 2 Corinthians is really a collection of letters put together later as a single letter."⁴

"Second Corinthians presents many inspiring texts and passages to the reader and teacher of God's Word. A quick survey reveals approximately eighty individual verses lending themselves to extended meditation and exposition, apart from the sixty or so constituent paragraphs of the letter. This letter is a rich lode for the edification of God's people."⁵

Message⁶

The subject of 2 Corinthians is ministry, the church's work of service in the world. This is the central concept Paul dealt with in this epistle. What did he say about ministry?

He spoke of ministry in two ways. There is ministry per se (philosophy of ministry), and there is ministry to the world (practice of ministry).

Let's consider first what Paul revealed about the ministry of the church per se. This is the way Paul spoke of ministry most often in 2 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians there is more emphasis on the practice of ministry than on the philosophy of ministry.

Paul had a lot to say about the authority of the church's ministry. Jesus Christ is the church's authority. He is the One who assigns each believer particular ministry within the body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 12:11, 18, 28; Eph. 4:11-13). The Corinthian church was having a major problem because some in its company were failing to accept Paul's appointment by Christ as an apostle and their own appointment as non-apostles. This was a practical repudiation of Jesus Christ's authority in the church. We must bow to the authority of Christ in the church by recognizing and responding appropriately to those He has appointed to various roles in the body. We identify these people by their gifts (divinely given abilities) and by their offices (divinely given positions).

Paul also had a lot to say in this epistle about the resources of the church's ministry. He emphasized three primarily.

One important resource is the encouragement of God. Paul spoke of this in the first part of the epistle especially. We read "comfort" in our texts, but the Greek word paraklesis means comfort through encouragement. The same Greek root describes the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete in John 14-16. Paul both taught and demonstrated in this letter that God's encouraging comfort always exceeds our discouragement and distress in ministry. The secret to finding it sufficient is taking God's view of how our ministry is really proceeding. This viewpoint Paul revealed, too.

A second resource is divine revelation. Paul did not preach himself or a message that he had concocted. He preached what God had revealed. Thus, revelation constituted both Paul's public message and his personal encouragement. We, too, have received the same message to communicate as ambassadors of Christ. It is a message of reconciliation, and it is the source of our encouragement.

A third resource is the prayers of the saints. Paul called for and counted on the prayers of God's people to bring God's power into play through him as he ministered (1:11). He realized that his own prayers would not move God to work as well as the concerted prayers of many of God's children (cf. James 4:2). Lack of prayer is often a sign of confidence in self rather than confidence in God.

In addition to the authority and resources of our ministry, Paul also had a lot to say in this epistle about experience in ministry. Three features mark experience in ministry.

First, one thing that marks ministry is tribulation. Paul spoke extensively in 2 Corinthians about the afflictions he experienced during his ministry. Furthermore he revealed that these are part of ministry, anyone's ministry who is carrying it out as God has directed. Some people do not welcome the gospel. To them it is a death scent. We should expect to experience tribulation in ministry. We have all experienced this in witnessing to some extent.

Second, another thing that should mark our ministry is hope. God has revealed the end of our ministry. We will all stand before Jesus Christ and receive a reward one day (5:10). This hope is a certainty. The Christian who loses sight of his or her hope is going to drift and suffer discouragement rather than press toward the mark. The end of our ministry is constantly in view in this epistle.

Third, a mark of Christian ministry is triumph. Paul revealed and illustrated by his own attitude that no matter how response to our ministry may appear to us our ministry is always triumphant. The reason for this is that God is at work through His ministers. One of the problems Paul's critics in Corinth had and that we have is that they were evaluating ministry superficially rather than realistically. We need to evaluate ministry on the basis of what God has revealed is happening, not what appears to be happening.

Paul not only revealed much about ministry per se in 2 Corinthians, he also revealed a lot about the ministry of the church to the world. Three emphases predominate.

First, Paul revealed what the message of the church is: the Word of God. Ours is a ministry of the Word. By "the Word" Paul meant the revelation God has given us. In his day it consisted of the Old Testament Scriptures plus the revelations that he and the other New Testament prophets had received that were for all Christians. Paul contrasted his message and ours with the message of Moses and exulted in its superiority. God has removed the veil and we can now see His glory clearly revealed in the face of Jesus Christ.

Second, Paul revealed the church's equipment to carry on its ministry to the world. We are ready to minister only when we separate from the world's sins and conform to God's will. Paul contrasts with his critics in this letter in all these respects. As these characteristics mark us we, too, will be ready to minister.

Third, Paul revealed the exercise of the church's ministry to the world. In exercising its ministry the church does three things according to this epistle.

1. It exercises discipline to restore the erring to effective ministry. Paul's great concern in this epistle was the restoration of the rebellious critics in the Corinthian church to unity and usefulness.

2. The church also is to give no occasion of stumbling to others. Paul's concern was that the behavior of the Corinthian Christians would be an encouragement to other believers and a base from which the gospel could proceed even farther into unevangelized regions beyond.

3. Third, the church exercises the grace of giving. It seeks to facilitate the principle of equality that God has demonstrated throughout history, namely that those who have should share with those who have not. This applies not only to the gospel message but to the physical necessities of life (chs. 8-9).

From these emphases the message of the book emerges. The church needs to submit to revealed authority, to draw upon supernatural resources and equipment, and to experience triumph through tribulation as it executes its mission. As it does so it will effectively carry out its ministry of proclaiming the message of reconciliation to the world.

Constable: 2 Corinthians (Outline)

Outline

I. Introduction 1:1-11

A. Salutation 1:1-2

B. Thanksgiving for comfort in affliction 1:3-11

1. Thanksgiving for comfort 1:3-7

2. Thanksgiving for deliverance 1:8-11

II. Answers to insinuations about the sincerity of Paul's commitment to the Corinthians and to the ministry 1:12-7:16

A. Defense of his conduct with regard to his promised visit and the offender 1:12-2:17

1. The postponement of the intended visit 1:12-2:4

2. The treatment of the offender and the result of the severe letter 2:5-17

B. Exposition of Paul's view of the ministry 3:1-6:10

1. The superiority of Christian ministry to Mosaic ministry 3:1-11

2. The great boldness of the new ministers 3:12-4:6

3. The sufferings and supports of a minister of the gospel 4:7-5:10

4. The life of a minister of Christ 5:11-6:10

C. Appeal for restoration of the Corinthians' confidence in him 6:11-7:16

1. An appeal for large-heartedness and consistency 6:11-7:4

2. The encouraging response of the Corinthians so far 7:5-16

III. Instructions concerning the collection for the poor saints in Judea 8:1-9:15

A. The example of the Macedonians 8:1-7

B. The supreme motive for giving 8:8-15

C. The delegates of the churches 8:16-24

D. The anticipated visit of Paul 9:1-5

E. The benefits of generous giving 9:6-15

IV. Appeals concerning Paul's apostolic authority 10:1-13:10

A. Replies to charges made against Paul 10:1-18

1. Reply to the charge of cowardice 10:1-6

2. Reply to the charge of weakness 10:7-11

3. Reply to the charge of intrusion 10:12-18

B. Claims made by Paul 11:1-12:18

1. Paul's reasons for making these claims 11:1-6

2. Freedom to minister without charge 11:7-15

3. Paul's service and sufferings 11:16-33

4. Special revelations Paul received 12:1-10

5. Paul's supernatural miracles and paternal love 12:11-18

C. Exhortations in view of Paul's approaching visit 12:19-13:10

1. Paul's concerns 12:19-21

2. Paul's warnings 13:1-10

V. Conclusion 13:11-14

A. The exhortation 13:11-12

B. The salutation 13:13

C. The benediction 13:14

Constable: 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

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Woodcock, Eldon. "The Seal of the Holy Spirit." Bibliotheca Sacra 155:618 (April-June 1998):139-63.

Wright, N. T. "On Becoming the Righteousness of God." In Pauline Theology. Vol. II: 1 & 2 Corinthians, pp. 200-208. Edited by David M. Hay. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993.

Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

THE SECOND

EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE,

TO THE CORINTHIANS.

INTRODUCTION.

The subject and design of this second Epistle to the Corinthians, is much the same as of the former. He comforts and congratulates with those who were now reformed by his admonitions. He blames the faulty with apostolical liberty; and being forced to justify himself and his proceedings against the upstart false teachers, he gives an ample account of his sufferings, and also of the favours and graces, which God had bestowed upon him. This Epistle was written not long after the first, (an. 57. [in the year 57.]) some months before that to the Romans, from some place in Macedonia, perhaps from Philippi, as marked at the end of divers Greek copies, though it is observed, that those subscriptions are not much to be relied upon. (Witham) --- In this Epistle St. Paul comforts those who are now reformed by his admonitions to them in the former, and absolves the incestuous man on doing penance, whom he had before excommunicated for his crime. Hence he treats of true penance, and of the dignity of the ministers of the New Testament. He cautions the faithful against false teachers, and the society of infidels. He gives an account of his sufferings, and also of the favours and graces which God hath bestowed on him. (Challoner) --- St. Paul, not being able to come to the Corinthians as soon as he had promised, writes this Epistle to inform them, that it was not through inconstancy, but on account of several weighty reasons, which had hitherto hindered him. Several other reasons, likewise, compelled him to write. For during his absence, several false teachers of the Jews had come amongst them, teaching them that it was necessary to observe the law of Moses, in order to be saved. St. Paul, therefore, first excuses himself, by saying, that the afflictions and troubles he had met with, had hindered him from coming to them. He next orders the fornicator to be restored to favour; after which, he extols his apostleship, forming a comparison between the law of Christ, and of Moses, wherein he blames the false teachers. He then subjoins an exhortation to a pious and holy life, with liberality in their alms, after the example of the Macedonians. As the false teachers had been very industrious in establishing their own reputation, by detracting from that of St. Paul, he enumerates his own sufferings, and the favours he had received from God, shewing that he had much more reason to glory than they; and concludes by exhorting them to correct those faults with which they still remained infected. (Estius) --- This letter may be justly appreciated as a perfect masterpiece of that animated and solid eloquence, which all interpreters so much admire in St. Paul. (Bible de Vence)

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Gill: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CORINTHIANS

This epistle, according to the subscription at the end of it, was written from Philippi of Macedonia; and though the subscriptions annexed to the epistles are not always to be depended on, yet it seems very likely that this was written from thence; for the apostle not finding Titus at Troas, as he expected, went into Macedonia, where he met with him, and had an account from him of the success of his first epistle; of the state and condition of the church, and of the temper and disposition of mind in which the members of it were, and which gave him great satisfaction; upon which he immediately wrote this second epistle, and sent it by the same person to them; see 2Co 2:12, 2Co 7:5. It is very probable it might be written the year after the former; and so it is placed by Dr. Lightfoot in the year 56, as the former is in the year 55; though some place this in the year 60, and the other in 59. The occasion of this epistle was partly to excuse his not coming to them according to promise, and to vindicate himself from the charge of unfaithfulness, levity, and inconstancy on that account; and partly, since what he had wrote about the incestuous person, had had a good effect both upon him and them, to direct them to take off the censure that had been laid upon him, and restore him to their communion, and comfort him; likewise to stir them up to finish the collection for the poor saints they had begun; as also to defend himself against the calumnies of the false teachers, who were very industrious to sink his character and credit in this church; which he does by observing the doctrines of the Gospel he preached, which were far more glorious than, and abundantly preferable to, the ministration of the law of Moses, which those men desired to be teachers of; as likewise the success of his ministry in every place; the many sufferings he had underwent for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel; the high favours and privileges he had received of the Lord, as well as the signs, wonders, and miracles done by him in proof of his apostleship; and in which are interspersed many things useful and instructive.

Gill: 2 Corinthians 9 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CORINTHIANS 9

The apostle proceeds in this chapter upon the same subject, the making a collection for the poor saints; gives the reason why he sent the brethren to them on this account; directs to the manner in which this service should be performed, and subjoins some fresh arguments to encourage them to it. As for the ministration itself, he suggests, it might seem needless to say any more about it, since he had said so much already in the preceding chapter, 2Co 9:1 and especially seeing they were so forward to it, and were even prepared for it a year ago; of which the apostle had boasted to the Macedonian churches, 2Co 9:2 and whereas it might be objected, that since there was such an inclination in them to this good work, why did he send these brethren to them? the reason of this he gives, 2Co 9:3 that they might get their collection ready against the time he came, lest should any of the Macedonians come along with him, and this collection not be made, his glorying of them would be in vain, and both he and they would be ashamed; wherefore he sent them before hand to prevent everything of this kind, and that their collection might appear to be not done in a covetous niggardly way, but bountifully and cheerfully, 2Co 9:5 which manner he directs unto, and encourages from the advantages of it, under the metaphorical phrases of sowing and reaping, intimating, that as a man sows, so he reaps; or in proportion to his giving, is he blessed, 2Co 9:6 wherefore he advises to give heartily, freely, and cheerfully, and that from this consideration, because cheerful giving is acceptable to God, being like himself, 2Co 9:7 who, as he loves, so he rewards the cheerful giver; and as he is able to give him abundance, so he does, whereby he is more qualified and fitted for such liberal service, 2Co 9:8. And this is confirmed by a passage of Scripture cited out of Psa 112:9 showing, that he that gives bountifully to the poor is ever regarded by the Lord, 2Co 9:9 and which is further proved from the general course of Providence, which so multiplies and increases the seed sown in the earth, that it usually ministers seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; to which the apostle had alluded in the use of these metaphorical expressions; or he puts up a prayer that there might, or delivers out a promise that there would be a like increase in giving liberally, as in sowing plentifully, 2Co 9:10. And then he makes use of a new argument, stirring up to bountifulness, taken from the glory which is brought to God through thanksgiving to him, from the poor and needy, supplied by the liberality of those whose hearts he had opened, 2Co 9:11. On which argument he enlarges, showing, that not only by this bounty the wants of the poor are supplied, and thanksgivings offered up to God on that account; but also the poor saints are led to glorify God for sending his Gospel to these their benefactors, and giving them his grace to submit unto it, which had had such an influence upon them as to cause them to communicate to their necessities in such a generous manner, 2Co 9:12. To which he adds another argument, taken from the prayers of the poor saints, for those who liberally contributed to them, that they might prosper in body and soul, in things temporal and spiritual, 2Co 9:14. And the chapter is concluded with a thanksgiving to God for the grace bestowed upon all the churches, and particularly for the gift of Christ to the sons of men; which contains in it another argument for beneficence and liberality, 2Co 9:15.

College: 2 Corinthians (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION

Studying 2 Corinthians plunges the modern reader back to the real, tumultuous world of early Christianity. The simple ideals of sharing and goodwill described in Acts 2:42-47 seem to have little place among the diverse converts from this boomtown of Corinth where Paul chooses to anchor his Greek mission. Rather, this microcosm of the early church bickers and accuses, revels in disorder and confusion, reeks of unrenounced pagan practices, and uncritically pursues self-promotion and even disloyalty to Paul, its founder.

When we speak of restoring the NT church, the Corinthian church is not what we have in mind. But maybe this is where we should really start: a real community of believers struggling to understand and implement their Christian faith against the helter-skelter backdrop of values and principles they desired to leave behind. As we understand what Paul teaches this troubled church, we will learn badly needed principles to help bring to maturity our own, real churches which inherit the same struggle.

Second Corinthians stands in stark contrast to Paul's other NT writings in a number of ways. Other letters, like 1 Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, and Colossians are carefully ordered, easily outlined, logical, controlled, as Paul confidently responds to carefully gauged concerns. Methodically, he establishes crucial, theological principles as the basis for practical, behavioral appeals.

By contrast, 2 Corinthians is chaotic and disjointed. Digressions lead the reader far afield before returning to the point. So uneven is 2 Corinthians, that many scholars suggest it is a composite of four or five writings, even a number of conservative scholars admitting two. Intensity, emotion, defensiveness, and second-guessing rather than controlled reasoning bind this epistle together. We see Paul at his weakest, basest, most human. Yet seeing him work through the truth of the gospel in the midst of exasperating difficulties is enlightening.

To a certain extent, it is healthy for our lofty ideals of this giant to be punctured and brought down to reality, even as the Corinthian church does so for our view of the early church. Paul's relationship with the Corinthians at this historical juncture is ugly, and readers deserve to be warned about how disconcerting seeing this can be.

These features of 2 Corinthians make studying and understanding the text much more dependent than usual on grasping the historical circumstances behind and leading up to its writing. Without a clear grasp of the historic story, hopeless confusion will engulf efforts to interpret the text at a number of points.

So, study of 2 Corinthians must begin by seeking to understand the Corinth of Paul's day and Paul's relationship to the local church there before preceding to a reliable interpretation of the text.

THE CITY OF CORINTH

Fortunately, Corinth is a NT city we know a great deal about. It has been heavily excavated and was minutely described by classical writers like Strabo and Dio Chrysostom.

The city that Paul entered in A.D. 50 had been resurrected from the ashes of the old city burned to the ground by the Romans in 146 B.C. Having laid in ruins for 100 years, two years before his death in 44 B.C., Julius Caesar decreed that Corinth (and also Carthage) should be rebuilt. Although located just 60 miles from Athens on the narrow isthmus strategically joining the Greek mainland to the Peloponnesus, the new Corinth was built and organized as a Roman city. Its colonists were gleaned from freedmen, former slaves originating from Syria, Egypt, Judea, Greece, and from retiring Roman soldiers.

The city's layout and its buildings were Roman, as was its governmental organization and law. Its official language was Latin, although Greek was the common language for business and conversation. The people prized Roman articles, importing them in great quantities. In addition to the four magistrates elected each year and its city council, it was administrated by a proconsul appointed annually by the Roman senate.

Corinth's dominance over the five-mile wide isthmus insured economic vitality. Ships traveling between Italy and Asia Minor were happy to pay the fee to cross the isthmus rather than sail the extra 200 miles south around treacherous Cape Malae. Besides, Corinth had even constructed a grooved pavement, called the Diolkos, between the ports on either side of the isthmus on which smaller ships could be hauled in wheeled vehicles. For a larger ship, the goods were loaded on transport carts and reloaded onto another ship waiting at the other harbor.

Julius Caesar dreamed of increasing Corinth's stock by constructing a canal across the isthmus. Not until Nero, A.D. 67., was such a project begun. Actual completion, however was not achieved until modern times, in 1893.

With the two ports, Laechaeum, on the Corinthian Gulf, and Cenchraea, on the Saronic Gulf, Corinth thrived as a center for trade. The major land route between the Greek mainland and the Peloponnesus also went through it. Besides shipbuilding and repair, it hosted bronze, tile, and pottery factories, as well as the necessary warehousing for transportable goods. Corinth's market areas boasted hundreds of stalls filled with craftsmen plying their trade, locals selling merchandise and food, as well as visitors from throughout the empire hawking imported items. They even had places which sold drinks cooled by underground water systems. Paul himself, we know, took up a leather-working stall in this area for eighteen months (Acts 18:1-3).

New Corinth was an eclectic, international city from its inception. In Paul's day, it was a bustling, wide open, boomtown, with over 80,000 inhabitants, and growing every day. It had already outstripped Athens politically, replacing it as the capital of Achaia.

Corinth's prestige was further enhanced by its hosting of the Isthmian Games, second only in significance to the Olympics. Held every two years in Corinth since A.D. 3, these games drew thousands of tourists and lots of business. The city's most prestigious political official was the one responsible for administering the games, occupying a prominent year-round governmental office. The games were dedicated to the Greek sea god, Poseidon, and featured oratory, music, and drama, as well as athletic contests. A dramatic theater as well as a 20,000 seat stadium were used for these events.

Corinth's eclecticism revealed itself in an array of religious choices established by its multicultural inhabitants. Egyptians promoted the cults of Isis and Osiris. Isis was worshiped as a god for sailors because the myth tells of her enduring search on the seas for her betrayed and lost husband Osiris. Osiris is a god of afterlife, who after his death was resurrected to become head of the underworld.

Greeks and Romans honored Poseidon, god of the sea; Athena, goddess of war, the sea, cities and the arts; Aphrodite, goddess of love and fertility; Apollo, god of prophecy; Asklepios, god of healing; and emperors beginning with Julius Caesar. Prominent temples and statues are dedicated to all of these. Apollos often features prominently in colonized cities as an ode of good fortune. His famous Delphic oracle is only some 30 miles from Corinth. The much publicized report that Old Corinth's temple to Aphrodite housed over 1,000 sacred prostitutes is regarded as Athenian slander and is not so certain to still be functioning this way in Paul's day, although this does not mean to imply that Corinth was any more sexually pristine than any other seaport.

One of the busiest religious centers in Paul's day was the Asklepium. Comparable to a modern-day health club, people came here to bathe in its fountain, sleep (healing in their dreams), excercise, read, and dine (on sacrificial meat, cf. 1 Cor 8:10; 10:21). Replicas of body parts found in excavations were offered to the Asklepios by thankful beneficiaries of his healing.

Though not a god, Sisyphus, was considered one of the founding kings of ancient Corinth. Noted for his craftiness, in Greek mythology he was banished to Hades with the everlasting task of pushing a rock up a hill only to have it slip back down. For the Corinthian in Paul's day, he stands for successful cunning in business, but behind the temporary luster, perhaps, he signifies the emptiness of life's ambitions that lurked in the background of people's thoughts.

Judaism came with the early Jewish colonists and seems to have thrived. A dynamic synagogue certainly was functioning when Paul arrived, according to Acts 18:4-17. Also, a building inscription reading "Synagogue of the Hebrews" has been found by archaeologists along the Lechaeum road. Although the inscription is somewhat later than Paul's day, its location in the city center suggests the prominence of Judaism from the early days of New Corinth. Significant increases to the Jewish population likely occurred in A.D. 19 and in the late 40s when Tiberius and then Claudius expelled Jews from Rome. According to Acts 18:2, the latter purge is what brought Aquila and Priscilla and their tentmaking business to Corinth for the eighteen months Paul evangelized there. As Acts 18:8,17 indicate, the Jewish community probably had a certain amount of freedom to manage its own affairs and to appoint its own officials.

Due to Roman influence, Corinthians banded together into self-governing clubs and societies of 10 to 15 people which met in homes around the city. These clubs were delineated by individual trades or professions. Something like small unions, they provided vital social interaction and shared meals but even underwrote members' burial expenses from their kitty of dues. Although each had its sponsoring god, they were not religious in nature.

Most likely, the Corinthian church of Paul's day took on the pattern of these clubs as they met in various homes throughout the city. This helps explain the household factions decried in 1 Cor 1:10-12 and even the food-related problems of 1 Corinthians 8 and 11:17-34.

Corinth in the time of Paul was a city of wealth and prosperity. The families who had come a generation or two previously had worked hard. They had carved out successful lives by their own sweat and ingenuity. Like American immigrants, they were proud of their accomplishments, which they demonstrated in their proliferation of self-commending inscriptions around the city. But like the grandchildren of immigrants today, the Corinthians of Paul's day were noted for their superficial materialism and moral perversity. Such traits are epitomized by the fact that before the century was over, Corinth would become the first Greek city in the Roman Empire to hold bloodthirsty gladiatorial shows.

PAUL AND THE CORINTHIANS

Paul's rocky, seven-year relationship with the Corinthians begins in the fall of A.D. 50 as he enters Corinth on what becomes the last stop of his second missionary journey. Already on the road for a year, he had established churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens, despite opposition from Gentiles, Jews, and intellectuals (Acts 16-17). As Acts 18 describes, he enters the din of Corinth alone but is quickly befriended by Aquila and Priscilla, who were probably already Christians when they came to Corinth from Rome. For eighteen months the three of them lived, worked, and spread the gospel together there, eventually joined by Silas and Timothy.

At first, Paul shared the gospel and fielded questions in the Jewish synagogue. It wasn't too long, however, before stiff opposition to his presence arose, and he was ejected. However, he took with him many new Christians from among the God-fearing Gentiles who attended the synagogue, as well as Jews including the head of the synagogue, Crispus. Boldly, they set up shop for the first church right next door in the home of Titius Justus. Presumably, they continued to meet there and in other homes around the city for the next eighteen months, since God had instructed Paul to remain in Corinth despite the risks of conflict.

Sparks did fly, and at one point the Jews pressed charges against Paul for breaking Jewish law before Gallio, the Roman proconsul. Quite rightly, Gallio rebuffed the Jewish accusations as being outside any Roman concern. Although this may seem like a relatively minor incident in the life of Paul, the mention of Gallio in Acts 18:14 emerges as the single most important event enabling us to date Paul's life with accuracy. The reason for this is that archaeologists have discovered a datable inscription about a boundary dispute from Emperor Claudius to Gallio which places Gallio's one-year term between A.D. 51 and 52. Anchored by Paul's encounter with Gallio being A.D. 51, the rest of Paul's life can be dated backward and forward from time periods provided in the Acts and his letters.

Upon leaving Corinth, Paul sailed to Syria, probably Antioch, before quickly setting out over land to revisit the previously established churches in Asia Minor and then settling in Ephesus for three years. While in Ephesus, he sent the Corinthians three letters and slipped across the Aegean Sea in a vessel for a brief, surprise visit.

The first letter, commonly known as the "previous letter," is mentioned in 1 Cor 5:9-11. Given the wild immorality of Corinth, it is not surprising that Paul emphasized separation from such people in this letter. However, it has never been found, although a few scholars believe 2 Cor 6:14-7:1 may have originally been part of it.

Next, Paul received a letter from the Corinthians asking various specific questions about Christian life and practice. He is also informed verbally from members of Chloe's household (1 Cor 1:11) about the factionalism that is hurting the church's witness. He responded with the letter we know of as 1 Corinthians. During this period, Timothy was dispatched to Corinth for a brief time (1 Cor 4:17; 16:10) as Paul's personal ambassador, perhaps to give further voice to Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians or to other issues Paul anticipated. We have no indication as to how long Timothy stayed.

Paul's brief trip to Corinth in A.D. 54 and the letter on its heels upon his return are chief events which underlie Paul's writing of 2 Corinthians in A.D. 56. We don't know why Paul went. Maybe Timothy reported that Paul's personal presence was needed. Possibly, conservative agitators had followed Paul to Corinth as they previously had to Galatia and were stirring up trouble, causing the Corinthians to second-guess Paul's credibility (2 Cor 11:13). What we do know is that this trip, usually described as "the painful visit" (2 Cor 2:1), was a complete disaster. Paul left angry and humiliated. Apparently, he confronted the ringleader of the trouble (perhaps someone in the church who had been influenced by the outsiders) face to face but when the man insulted him, no one in the church came to Paul's defense.

Speculation regarding the accusations hurled at Paul include the illegitimacy of his authority over the Corinthians and his misuse of funds collected for the Jerusalem offering (1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 7:2; 8:11). This was not a theological issue so much as one of personal integrity. Paul speaks of his being hurt emotionally most by the fact that the church did not side with him (2 Cor 2:5-11).

Upon his return, Paul wrote a third letter to the Corinthians, "the severe letter" (2 Cor 2:4; 7:8). Although not existing today, as described in 2 Cor 2:4-11 and 7:5-13, it was undoubtedly the most emotional and strident of any of Paul's letters. Apparently, he unleashed his anger and disappointment, scolding the church for not supporting him and demanding that the majority of the church take charge and discipline the offender as well as apologize to him. The letter is so harsh that Paul seems genuinely afraid ("fears within" - 2 Cor 7:5) that it will drive the church farther away from him and from Christ. But he sees no choice; this situation can't be left like it is.

Titus received the formidable task of delivering this explosive letter into the charged atmosphere of the Corinthian church and carrying out its demands. Paul's anxieties over Titus's success seem to overwhelm him as he waits for news. Apparently, the arrangements with Titus were that they would meet in Troas after a set period of time, maybe as long as six months. Second Corinthians 2:12 tells us that Paul went by land up to Troas, probably in A.D. 55 but was crushed to find Titus was not there. Remaining for some time evangelizing, maybe a month or so, he crossed over to Macedonia, probably Philippi, desperate to find Titus there. Finally, Titus arrived with the great news that the Corinthians - or most of them - were back in the fold. Genuinely remorseful over their hurtful behavior toward Paul, they had, indeed, dealt with the offender and expressed their renewed devotion to him (2 Cor 7:7,11,12).

The letter we call 2 Corinthians historically comes as Paul's fourth letter to Corinth. Buoyed by Titus's positive report, Paul writes this highly emotional letter, sending it back with Titus (2 Cor 7:17), probably A.D. 56. The letter interacts over and over with the events of the Painful Visit and the Severe Letter. Paul gushes with joy over the Corinthians' response (2 Cor 7:7,13-16), even recommending that they lift the punishment on the person who offended him (2 Cor 2:7). However, the tone of the letter is extremely defensive as Paul squirms under pressure from the Corinthians (most likely as advised by Titus) to toot his own horn regarding his own apostolic credentials. Out of his love for them, but against his own convictions against boasting, he is willing to explain the superiority of his apostleship in terms the Corinthians seem to require. These terms - such as providing letters of recommendation (2 Cor 3:1) and lists of accomplishments (2 Cor 6:3-13; 11:16-12:10) - Paul regards as superficial and unnecessary (2 Cor 3:2-3; 10:7) and probably reflect the influence of the conservative agitators upon the Corinthians. Paul seems to know he must respond, however uncomfortable it is for him, in order to block any further inroads from these outsiders and thus reinforce his renewed relationship with the Corinthians.

Titus brought 2 Corinthians to Corinth armed with Paul's commendation within the letter to spur the church to complete its collection of the offering for the Jerusalem Christians (1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8:10-24). Paul followed a few months later (2 Cor 12:14; Acts 20:3) and remained in Corinth three months. During this period, he wrote Romans, but we know nothing of his interaction with the Corinthian church. Presumably, he finalized the Corinthian offering, but he must have worked diligently to solidify this troubled church and contend personally with the outside agitators and their remaining pockets of influence. At any rate, once the various representatives from the Greek and Asian churches arrived in Corinth with their offerings (Acts 20:1-6), he tried to set sail with them to Syria but, discovering treachery from the Jewish community in Corinth, he and the others traveled first to Troas, and, then, set sail from there.

We have no certainty of further communication or visitation between Paul and the Corinthian church after this. Possibly, following release from his first Roman imprisonment, he returned to Corinth and other churches in Greece and Asia Minor, as the Pastoral epistles suggest (1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:20).

THE UNITY OF 2 CORINTHIANS

One may rightly comment that the literary unity of 2 Corinthians "cannot just be presupposed." Analyses which question whether various sections of 2 Corinthians are original to it have come long and hard during the past two centuries of critical scholarship. Second Corinthian's sharp shifts in content and uneven tone make it the most susceptible of all the NT books to patchwork theories despite the fact that none of the Greek manuscripts (dating back to the third century) give the slightest hint that 2 Corinthians was ever anything different than what we read today. Although the ebb and flow of research has sidelined many conjectures, questions still remain regarding some parts of 2 Corinthians. As many as nine sections of 2 Corinthians have been scrutinized. However, just five will be discussed here.

First, 2 Cor 2:14-7:4 has been noted as at one time existing separately from 2 Corinthians. Even a casual reader is jolted at the jump between the travelogue commentary in 2:12-13 and the military parade description of the gospel in 2:13-17 which opens a five-chapter philosophy of apostolic ministry. It is all the more noticeable when, beginning at 7:5, the travelogue picks up again and continues on until 7:16. However, upon closer perusal, scholars are increasingly reluctant to name this as part of a separate letter. Despite the abruptness between 2:13 and 2:14, the theme of human weakness and divine power in 2:12-17 connects to 1:8-10, and the theme of divine ownership connects 1:22 and 2:14. Despite the change of subject between 7:4 and 7:5, the verbal links supplied by "encouragement" (7:4,13), "joy" (7:4,7) and "troubles" (7:4,5) supply sturdy connections. Besides, the efforts to postulate yet another letter between 1 and 2 Corinthians or to connect this to the Severe Letter are unwarranted. More recent efforts to anaylze 2 Corinthians 1-7 through the eyes of Roman rhetoric as well as chiastic structure loudly confirm separation of 2:14-7:4 as ill-conceived. Certainly, it is a digression but not without purpose and point to the context as a whole.

Second, perhaps less obvious to the casual reader because it is such a short section is 2 Cor 6:14-7:1. Here, again, though, the careful reader observes an interruption between 6:13 ("Open wide your hearts also") and 7:2 ("Make room for us in your hearts"). Scholarly analysis of these six verses suggests that not only are they out of place, they don't sound like Paul, using six words he never uses elsewhere in his writings nor used by anyone else in the NT ( hapax legomenae ). Is this a snippet of something someone else said or wrote that Paul has adapted into his material, or is it something Paul wrote or spoke at another time and place that he decides to use here?

Despite some of the unusual language, Pauline themes do appear here: the church as the temple of God, the polarization of righteousness and unrighteousness as well as between light and dark. Also, plenty of characteristic Pauline language occurs: "living God" (2 Cor 3:3; 1 Thess 1:9), "unbeliever" (twelve other occurrences in 1 and 2 Cor), and "holiness" (Rom 1:4; 1 Thess 3:13). Although conclusions vary, many today incline toward this section being from Paul.

Eyeing the language of separation from unrighteousness, some have been tempted to conclude that 6:14-7:1 is part of the "previous" letter mentioned in 1 Cor 5:9. However, the point is explicitly different. Paul emphasizes that in the previous letter he urged separation from the immorality of believers not dissociation from unbelievers as emphasized in 6:14-7:1.

Most likely, then, Paul himself has inserted this pre-formed, self-contained unit of material from previous teaching, either oral or written, perhaps influenced by others. Interesting comparisons to Qumran materials as well as writings of Philo have been made. The placement exactly here in 2 Corinthians is so awkward as to be unlikely to come from anyone other than Paul. However, two points should be kept in mind. One is that Paul dictated this letter as he did all his letters. This fact enhances the potential for distraction, interruption, and loose digressions such as this. A second point is that although the section's relationship to the immediately previous verses is not obvious, as one backs up to 6:1 and reads of Paul's concern about receiving "God's grace in vain" or to 5:19 to see Paul's emphasis on people "no longer living for themselves but for him who died for them," Paul's emphasis on separation and holiness in 6:14-7:1 fits well.

Probably inconceivable to the casual reader is the suggestion that 2 Corinthians 8 and 2 Corinthians 9 both were not originally part of 2 Corinthians. Arguments regarding 2 Corinthians 8 - repetition of information about Titus (7:13-15; 8:16-17), presumption of knowledge about the two brothers coming with him (8:18,22), or even evidence that 2 Corinthians 8 as well as 2 Corinthians 9 are formal business letters - do not convince many. Arguments regarding 2 Corinthians 9, first proposed by Semler 200 years ago, that 2 Corinthians 9 was originally a letter sent to Christians outside Corinth, are more formidable, and give scholars more pause.

What pulls them up short is the language Paul uses to refer to the collection ("service") in 9:1, which, in Greek, reads like a first mention of the collection. In addition to that, the regional reference to Achaia in 9:2 and the repetition of information from chapter 8 in chapter 9 regarding the collection give added support to the idea of chapter 9 being originally independent.

On the other side of the question is the fact that Paul's reference to the collection in 9:1 is modified by ( men gar , "and for") which suggests a resumption of a previous subject perhaps after a brief pause in dictation. The repetition of details regarding the collection is probably emphatic, and the regional reference to Achaia seems unlikely to exclude Corinth. Tipping the scale against an independent chapter 9, as noted by Furnish, are two references in chapter 9 which presume information from chapter 8: the mention of the brothers (9:3; 8:18) and the emphasis on their completing the collection (9:4-5; 8:7-15).

Admittedly, this is a close call. However, the evidence does not demand that chapters 8 and 9 are two separate letters about the collection, one to Corinth, and one to Achaia. Rather, these are interdependent chapters in 2 Corinthians, chapter 8 dealing with the details of the collection project and chapter 9 emphasizing motivation for the project, as noted by Danker.

Fourth, without a doubt the most serious challenge to the unity of 2 Corinthians comes from chapters 10-13. As long ago as 1870, Hausrath broadcast his belief that in these chapters, he had discovered the missing "severe" letter to the Corinthians. No doubt, in chapters 10-13 Paul erupts into harsh tones of anger and disappointment which seem to undercut completely the exuberance and joy which he builds up to by chapters 7, 8, and 9.

But Hausrath looked closer and pointed to evidence that chapters 10-13 were written previous to chapters 1-9. Particularly he saw passages in chapters 1-9 written in the past tense which appear to allude to passages from chapters 10-13 written in future tenses, such as 1:23 which says that Paul "did not return" to them in order to spare them, corresponding to 13:2 in which Paul asserts that he "will not return" in order to spare them or when Paul says in 2:3-4 that he "wrote" them out of great distress and in 13:10 when he says "I write" so that I may not have to be harsh. Hausrath also contends that Paul's reference to Rome (west of Corinth) as "regions beyond you" in 2 Cor 10:16 makes much better sense if he is in Ephesus (east of Corinth), where he wrote the Severe Letter, rather than Macedonia (north of Corinth), where he wrote 2 Corinthians.

Criticism against Hausrath's identification of 2 Cor 10-13 with the "severe" letter has withered its persuasiveness among scholars. Primarily, chapters 10-13 do not contain something we know specifically was in the Severe Letter: Paul's demand that an individual who offended him be punished (2:5-6; 7:12). Also, chapters 10-13 promise a visit (12:14; 13:1), but the Severe Letter was sent in place of a Painful Visit (1:23; 2:1). Regarding "regions beyond you," the language need not be taken so literally and the Macedonian region should be recognized as much more culturally distinct from Achaia than it looks like on a map.

More appealing to scholars of all stripes, including many conservatives, is to view 2 Cor 10-13 as a separate, fifth letter, written after Titus returns with new, bad news after delivering 2 Corinthians 1-9. This position still takes into account Hausrath's future tense passages. It helps make sense of 2 Cor 12:18 which refers to Titus's visit in the past tense when it was in the planning stage in 2 Corinthians 7-9. Also, it explains the increased strident tones of chapters 10-13 as Paul's response to new, outside influences claiming some kind of rival apostolic authority to Paul's (11:13; 12:11) rather than to internal problems which seem to be his concern in chapters 1-9.

This way of viewing chapters 10-13 is attractive but is not demanded by the evidence. As Witherington points out, the past (aorist) tenses describing Titus's visit in 12:17-18 need not be real. Especially as Paul reaches the end of the book, they could well be epistolary (spoken from the standpoint of the audience reading the letter). The mention of the unnamed brother traveling with Titus does correspond with 2 Cor 8:18,22. Reading 12:17-18 this way opens up the very real possibility that Paul could have received new information about problems in Corinth before sending 2 Corinthians but after writing chapters 1-9. This could explain the gulf between chapters 10-13 as well as an entirely separate letter.

Other ways which account for the change of tone in chapter 10-13 have to do with how one reads the letter. Perhaps chapters 1-9 are directed to the majority of the church which has fallen into line with Paul after the Painful Visit, the Severe Letter, and Titus's hard work while chapters 10-13 are to the minority who are still under the sway of outside opposition to Paul. After all, 2 Cor 2:6 does speak of "the majority" which imposed discipline upon the offender named in the Severe Letter.

Perhaps, as a growing group of scholars are showing, Paul's heightened criticism of the Corinthians in chapters 10-13 concludes a calculated rhetorical plan employing counterattack ( synkrisis ) or strong emotional appeal ( peroratio ) to win his defense against the charges being leveled at him by the Corinthians. One must admit that Paul never relaxes from a defensive posture in 2 Corinthians from the beginning to the end. While Paul's harsh tones in chapters 10-13 following the lead up in chapters 7, 8, and 9 may seem abrupt, his concerns from early in the letter haven't really changed, just his emotionalism. The issue of his character raised in chapter 1 and of the legitimacy of his apostleship raised in chapter 3 remain the object of his defense in chapters 10-13.

The correspondence of these issues is enough to suggest that even though outside influence of "false apostles" (11:13) is not named earlier, they influence the minority of the Corinthian church and provide the ammunition against Paul observed in the earlier chapters. Who else would have brandished "letters of recommendation" (3:1)? Their earliest influences could even be in the background of Paul's problems associated with the Painful Visit.

As evident from 2 Cor 7:8-13, the offending individual merely became the pretext for the whole church failing to rally behind Paul until after the Severe Letter. Although Paul can be ecstatic that most of the church has recommitted themselves to him and to the gospel by the time he writes 2 Corinthians, nevertheless, pockets of opposition likely remain under the growing influence of the outside agitators. With chapters 10-13 Paul intends to level a decisive blow against this opposition not only to bring the remainder of the church back to the true gospel but also to shore up any lingering doubts from those who have pledged their loyalty.

Paul's transition to chapter 10 indeed is rocky but, as Danker points out, no more so than Phil 3 or Rom 9. In this commentary, therefore, we will treat 2 Corinthians as a unity and will treat chapters 10-13 as primarily aimed at responding to a vocal minority of the church who remain mesmerized by the outsiders' criticisms of Paul.

PAUL'S OPPONENTS

Second Corinthians resounds with the echo of outside voices filling the Corinthians' heads with notions geared to sever their relationship with Paul. Since Paul originally brought the gospel to Corinth and made it possible for people there to be reconciled with God through Christ and begin a vibrant church meeting in homes throughout the city, others have come to Corinth presenting themselves as superior in authority to the apostle Paul himself. Presuming the opponents in 2 Cor 10-13 and 1-9 are the same, they supposedly have letters of authentication from Jerusalem (3:1-3), Paul blasts them as "false apostles" (11:13) and sarcastically as "super apostles" in 12:11. Nevertheless, they have influenced and confused the Corinthians enough to force Paul to write 2 Corinthians and fill it with self-commendation regarding his integrity and his "superior" apostolic credentials over theirs. He does this because he feels he must in order to win the Corinthians back, but he finds doing so personally disturbing and repugnant.

Whereas Paul finds it difficult to boast about himself, self-commendation seems to be the chief characteristic of these outsiders. Clues from 2 Corinthians indicate that they were proud of their Jewish heritage (11:22), their "Christian" service (11:23), their oratorical skill (11:6), their self-confidence (1:15-17), and their charismatic experiences (12:12). They preached a different gospel than Paul's (11:4). They also accepted money from the Corinthians, unlike Paul who refused it (12:16). They may have viewed Paul's effort to collect money from the Corinthians for the Jerusalem Christians as cutting off their own purse strings and threatening their prosperity in Corinth.

Their heated, personalized efforts to undercut Paul sound like Paul's opposition in Galatians, commonly called Judaizers (Gal 4:17). However, no mention of the law or circumcision in 2 Corinthians clouds this identification and requires that, if these are the same people, they have changed their tune considerably since Galatians. The fact that they tout letters of recommendation - where else but from Jerusalem - makes it difficult to lay aside the picture of a band of renegade, conservative Jewish Christians who first followed Paul to Galatia and now to Corinth with the expressed purpose of replacing Paul's gospel and his authority to represent true Christianity (Gal 1:6-7).

It is going too far to say that their credentials were currently legitimate or that they were actual apostles since Acts 15:24 reports that a faction of Jewish Christians had gone out falsely representing the church to new, Gentile congregations. It is possible, though, that they do have apostolic credentials - perhaps even knew Jesus before his crucifixion - but now are misusing these credentials to subvert Paul's successful mission to Gentiles in Galatia and now also in Corinth and other churches as well.

The picture of these Corinthian opponents as ultraconservative Jewish Christians clashes with a considerable amount of the evidence which points to their Greek or even gnostic origins. Their connection to revelations and wonders, rhetorical skills, "worldly" wisdom, and just their overall egotistical posture must be reckoned with. Undermining at least the gnostic element is the positive use of "knowledge" in 2 Corinthians. Nevertheless, a typical result when these ingredients are combined emerges with a conclusion that they were "Hellenistic Jews who were propagating . . . a 'spiritual gnosticism.'"

However, it seems inconceivable that ultraconservative Jewish Christians coming out of Jerusalem could be pushing a gospel so infiltrated with Greek ideas as to be outside the bounds of Paul's own radicalized message which had stripped unnecessary Jewish elements. Could these Jewish agitators be so clever as to be able to manipulate the Corinthians against Paul by successfully incorporating elements from Greek culture into their opposition to Paul which they themselves don't believe? It doesn't seem likely, but then no identification satisfactorily combines the paradoxical elements of these opponents as currently gleaned from the information we have from 2 Corinthians and the first century. As one commentator astutely points out, any final resolution is also hampered considerably by the fact that 2 Corinthians provides no information about the doctrine or theology of these opponents. Most current discussion recognizes the limitations involved in this discussion and offers no more than conjectures as has been done here.

It's best, then, to keep in mind the characteristics of Paul's opponents available from reading 2 Corinthians without any adamant historical identification until better information becomes available. They were Jewish. They were Greek. They considered themselves Christians. They hated Paul. They hurt Paul, and he feared what more they could do. It was up to him to marshal all the strength and the skills he had to prevent them from doing any further damage. They had backed him into a corner, and he responds with ferocity and emotion in 2 Corinthians, compelled out of his deep love for the Corinthians and his commitment to true, saving Christianity and humble, self-sacrificing leadership.

RELEVANCE

Christians treat 2 Corinthians like the ugly twin sister of 1 Corinthians. First Corinthian's poignant theology about challenging issues attracts everyone's constant attention. Meanwhile, 2 Corinthians sits in the corner waiting for someone to ask it to dance. Yet, once we make some effort to get to know 2 Corinthians, we will be pleasantly surprised.

Today, as in the days of the early church, various outside forces threaten to sever people's loyalty to Christ and cut away at the fabric of the church. It might be a cult like Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. It might be cultural forces like the challenges of postmodernism or the mind-set of the so-called Generation X which questions absolutes like God and salvation in Christ alone. It might just be an obstinate person who envies the authority of the minister, elders, or deacons and questions their integrity and decision-making at every turn and who draws around him or her an anti-faction.

If you are someone who cares deeply about your local church and would do almost anything to maintain its success and its integrity as a body of Christian believers, then 2 Corinthians will speak to your heart and nourish your soul. You will relate to Paul's agony over this church , feel his compassion, and be engulfed by his intense emotion in this letter. You will take in the principles of genuine church leadership and apply them to your life responsibly to enable you to enrich the quality of your local church.

The comments which follow are intended to help you both to understand 2 Corinthians in its own historical context and to apply its key principles to your own personal context in the church today.

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

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-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

ABBREVIATIONS

1 Clem 1 Clement

1QH The Thanksgiving Hymns (Dead Sea Scroll)

1QM The War Scroll (Dead Sea Scroll)

1QS Rule of the Community (Dead Sea Scroll)

2 Clem 2 Clement

AJP American Journal of Philology

ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der römishen Welt, ed. Temporini and Haase

AusBR Australian Biblical Review

AUSS Andrews University Seminary Studies

BA Biblical Archaeologist

BBR Bulletin for Biblical Research

BSac Bibliotheca Sacra

BT Bible Translator

BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin

CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly

CD The Damascus Document (Dead Sea Scroll)

DPL Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, ed. Hawthorne, Martin, and Reid

Ebr. De Ebrietate (Philo)

EvQ Evangelical Quarterly

ExpTim Expository Times

HBT Horizons in Biblical Theology

Heres Qui Rerum Divinarum Heres sit (Philo)

HTR Harvard Theological Review

ICC International Critical Commentary

Int Interpretation

JB Jerusalem Bible

JBL Journal of Biblical Literature

JRH Journal of Religious History

JSNT Journal for the Study of the New Testament

JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

JTS Journal of Theological Studies

LB Living Bible

NAB New American Bible

NASB New American Standard Bible

NEB New English Bible

Neot Neotestamentica

NICNT New International Commentary on the New Testament

NIDNTT New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, ed. Brown

NIV New International Version

NLT New Living Translation

NovT Novum Testamentum

NovTSupp Novum Testamentum Supplements

NRSV New Revised Standard Version

NTS New Testament Studies

RB Revue Biblique

ResQ Restoration Quarterly

RSV Revised Standard Version

SCJ Stone-Campbell Journal

SJT Scottish Journal of Theology

Spec.Leg. Philo, De Specialibus Legibus

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Kittel and Friedrich

TEV Today's English Version

T.Jos Testament of Joseph

T.Levi Testament of Levi

T.Naph Testament of Naphtali

TS Theological Studies

TynBul Tyndale Bulletin

WW Word and World

ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenshaft

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

College: 2 Corinthians (Outline)

OUTLINE

I. OPENING - 1:1-2

II. THANKSGIVING - 1:3-11

A. GOD COMFORTS - 1:3-7

B. GOD DELIVERS - 1:8-11

III. DEFENSE OF INTEGRITY - 1:12-2:13

A. CLARITY SOUGHT - 1:12-14

B. SECOND TRAVEL ITINERARY EXPLAINED - 1:15-17

C. CANDOR DEMANDED - 1:18-22

D. THIRD TRAVEL ITINERARY DEFENDED - 1:23-2:4

E. THE OFFENDER FORGIVEN - 2:5-11

F. ACTUAL TRAVEL DESCRIBED - 2:12-13

IV. DEFENSE OF APOSTOLIC MINISTRY IN PRINCIPLE - 2:14-7:4

A. SUFFICIENT FOR MINISTRY - 2:14-3:6

1. The Aroma of Christ Spread - 2:14-17

2. A Living Letter of Recommendation Sent - 3:1-3

3. A Personal Reference Provided - 3:4-6

B. SUPERIOR TO THE OLD COVENANT - 3:7-18

1. Glory Unsurpassed 3:7-11

2. Glory Unobstructed 3:12-18

C. TENACIOUS DESPITE SHORTCOMINGS - 4:1-5:10

1. Christ Preached Plainly - 4:1-6

2. Hardships Overcome because of Jesus' Death - 4:7-12

3. Increasing Multitudes Brought to Life - 4:13-15

4. Driven by Unseen, Eternal Reward - 4:16-18

5. Confident in Eternal Home - 5:1-10

a) Permanent Home Guaranteed - 5:1-5

b) Pleasing the Lord Prioritizes Life - 5:6-10

D. PREACHING RECONCILIATION THROUGH CHRIST - 5:11-6:2

1. Motivated by Christ's Love - 5:11-15

2. Christ's Message of Reconciliation Delivered - 5:16-6:2

E. HARDSHIPS IN MINISTRY - 6:3-10

F. AN APPEAL FOR OPENNESS AND RECONCILIATION - 6:11-7:4

1. Paul's Heart Opened - 6:11-13

2. Holiness Demanded - 6:14-7:1

3. Paul's Trust Expressed - 7:2-4

V. ENCOURAGING NEWS: RELATIONSHIP FULLY RESTORED - 7:5-16

A. TITUS REPORTS LOVE FOR PAUL - 7:5-7

B. TRUE REPENTANCE DEMONSTRATES INNOCENCE - 7:8-13a

C. TITUS EXPRESSED DEEP AFFECTION - 7:13b-16

VI. PREPARATION FOR THE COLLECTION - 8:1-9:15

A. INCENTIVES TOWARD GENEROSITY - 8:1-15

1. Excel Like the Macedonians - 8:1-7

2. Give Like Christ - 8:8-9

3. Complete Your Offering - 8:10-12

4. Achieve Equity - 8:13-15

B. TITUS PLUS TWO OTHERS SENT TO CORINTH TO HELP - 8:16-9:5

1. Criticism to Be Thwarted - 8:16-21

2. Measure Up to Expectations - 8:22-24

3. Follow Through on What Was Begun - 9:1-5

C. MORE INCENTIVE TO BE GENEROUS - 9:6-15

1. God Will Be Generous - 9:6-11

2. God Will Be Praised - 9:12-15

VII. FINAL DEFENSE OF MINISTRY - 10:1-13:10

A. LAUNCH OF A MASSIVE COUNTERATTACK - 10:1-18

1. Powerful Weapons Employed - 10:1-6

2. Forceful Personal Presence Warned - 10:7-10

3. God's Expansion of the Gospel Boasted - 10:12-18

B. COMPARISON TO FALSE APOSTLES MADE - 11:1-15

1. True Message of Jesus Preached - 11:1-6

2. No Money Accepted - 11:7-12

3. The False Apostles Serve Satan - 11:13-15

C. BOASTING AS A "FOOL" - 11:16-33

1. Rationale Provided - 11:16-21a

2. Ancestry and Hardships Listed - 11:21b-29

3. Weakness Boasted - 11:30-33

D. MORE BOASTING - 12:1-10

1. A Vision Divulged - 12:1-6

2. An Irremovable Thorn Remains - 12:7-10

E. "BOASTING" RETROSPECTIVE - 12:11-13

F. PREPARATION FOR THE THIRD VISIT - 12:14-13:10

1. No Exploitation Tactics Employed - 12:14-18

2. More Trouble Feared - 12:19-21

3. Harsh Treatment for Sinners Warned - 13:1-4

4. Faith-testing Evidences Paul's Strength - 13:5-10

VIII. CLOSING REMARKS - 13:11-14

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV