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).220Delegates 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.
Paul was not only proud of the Corinthians but he also rejoiced over the Christians in Macedonia, the Corinthians' neighbors to the north. This joy connects the present section with the former one.
8:1-2 Paul tactfully began his appeal by referring to the good example of others rather than to the duty of his readers. The behavior of the Philippian, Thessalonian, Berean, and perhaps other Christians manifested the grace of God. These believers were both poor and persecuted (cf. 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; Acts 16:20; 17:5). Notwithstanding they demonstrated joy and generosity (cf. Rom. 12:8; Phil. 4:15).
"In 8:1 a similar pattern to that of 4:7-15 is used to describe the Macedonian participation in the collection. Out of their affliction and depth of poverty comes a wealth of liberality. Just as life has come from death in Paul's ministry, so here the Macedonians give liberally from their scarce monetary resources."221
"The paradox of Paul's expression, the abundance . . . of their extreme poverty' (v 2) lies at the heart of this section; and it invites the present-day reader to see how Paul regarded the meaning of Christian commitment in the most practical area of stewardship."222
"Liberality"means generosity that is free of any self-serving motive. Paul did not mention the size of their gift. Their attitude and their sacrifice were more important (cf. Mark 12:41-44).
"Christian giving is estimated in terms not of quantity but of sacrifice."223
The first of ten occurrences of the word "grace"(Gr. charis) in chapters 8 and 9 occurs here. Paul used it to refer to God's enablement to participate in the collection here (cf. 9:8, 14). Elsewhere it refers to the honor and opportunity of giving, which God gives (v. 4), and God's lavish display of His generosity (v. 9). It also refers to the offering itself as an expression of goodwill (vv. 6, 19). Paul further referred to grace as a generous virtuous act of helping by sharing (v. 7). He also used it as a synonym for thanks (v. 16; 9:15). Thus the range of meanings of charisis quite broad.
8:3-5 Three characteristics marked the giving of these Macedonian brethren.
1. They gave sacrificially, beyond their ability (v. 3a). They gave more generously than their limited means and their difficult circumstances might have warranted.
"The meaning of this paradox is that, because of their extreme poverty, the amount collected by them was not huge in quantity; a man possessing only ten pounds cannot be expected to contribute a hundred pounds, for ten pounds is the absolute limit of his ability. In this sense, the Macedonians had given according to their ability'. But the proportion of his goods which a person gives is generally determined by a twofold consideration: (i) a reckoning of the basic necessities for his own immediate existence, and (ii) prudence in setting aside at least something as a measure of security against future needs and emergencies. Such circumspection is justifiable and reasonable. The Macedonians, however, poor though they were, had shown a complete disregard of their own requirements, both present and future. It is in this sense that, impelled by love and compassion for brethren in Christ whom they had never seen, they had given contrary to their ability'. And this was a noteworthy token of their refusal to take anxious thought for the morrow because of their confident dependence on God, who as the Heavenly Father, knows His children's needs even before they ask Him and will not fail to supply those needs from the boundless storehouse of His grace (12:9; Mt. 6:8, 25ff.; Phil. 4:19)."224
2. They gave on their own initiative, before receiving any suggestion or pressure from others that they should give (vv. 3b-4). They wanted to extend "gracious fellowship"(Gr. koinonia) to the poorer saints. (This is a better translation of the Greek hendiadys rendered "the favor of participation"in the NASB.)225Having received grace from God (v. 9) as needy sinners, they desired to extend grace to their needy brethren by sending them material assistance. Evidently Paul had not pressed the Macedonians to contribute in view of their economic condition since they begged him for that privilege.
3. They gave as a part of their larger personal dedication primarily to the Lord but also to Paul for any service he might request of them (v. 5). When people give themselves totally to the Lord and to His servants, their hearts are already open toward others in need. Meeting the needs of others is really service for Christ (Matt. 22:39).
8:6 Titus had begun to lead the Corinthians in assembling their gift sometime before his recent visit to Corinth. He had made this earlier visit a year before the time Paul wrote this epistle (cf. v. 10, 9:2). The Corinthians were not facing persecution nor were they facing financial constraints, as the Macedonians were. Nevertheless they had not yet assembled their offering even though Titus had been with them again recently.
8:7 Paul now called on them to remember the vastness of their spiritual resources and to make sure liberality marked them as a congregation as did so many other gifts of God's Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 1:5, 7; 12:31; 14:37).
"The Corinthians were strong in activities that are local to and centered upon them (miracle-working faith, charismatic speech, and theological understanding), but weak on those that are for the benefit of those outside, in this case the saints of Jerusalem.'"226
This verse elevates giving to the status of a spiritual gift on the same level as faith, speech, knowledge, zeal and even love.
"An ungenerous Christian is far from being a complete Christian."227
Paul cited the example of Jesus Christ's gift of Himself for needy humanity to motivate his readers further to finish their work of assembling the collection.
8:8 Paul wanted his readers to understand that he did not want them to take the following exhortation incorrectly. It was not an apostolic command since obedience to a command is an inferior motive for giving to others. Rather he hoped that the good example of others would motivate them. The others in view are the Macedonians, the Corinthians' themselves in their initial efforts, and Jesus Christ.
Notice that Paul claimed full apostolic authority (cf. 10:8; 13:10), which his critics challenged, but he chose not to use it. It is usually wiser and more effective to appeal for change by citing positive examples rather than by making authoritative demands.
8:9 The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the greatest example of self-sacrificing liberality. He gave up the riches of glory in heaven when He became a man and died on the cross so that we might share His riches of glory in heaven (cf. Phil. 2:1-11). Gratitude to Him for His condescending grace should be the supreme motive for Christian giving.
"Paul depicts the glory of heavenly existence as wealth, in comparison with which the lowliness of earthly existence amounts to poverty.' Thus it is not possible [i.e., proper], from this verse alone, to deduce that Christ's life on earth was one of indigence. In the context the stress is on his voluntary surrender of glory contrasted with the spiritual wealth derived by others (Eph. 1:3) through his gracious act of giving."228
Paul frequently used doctrine to appeal for proper conduct (cf. Rom. 15:2-3; Eph. 5:2; Col. 3:9-10).
The Macedonians gave when they were very poor, but Christ gave when He was immensely rich. The Corinthians fitted between these two extremes. These two examples leave no question that giving is a grace that both the rich and the poor should manifest.
8:10-11 Though he did not command his readers, Paul advised them strongly to complete their collection. They had, after all, both desired to begin a collection and had begun their collection before the Macedonian churches had taken either of those steps.
8:12 The standard by which God would judge their contribution would be how much they gave in relation to how much they had, not just how much they gave (cf. Mark 12:41-44). God does not expect us to give what we do not have. The apostle assumed their giving sprang from proper motivation.
"Paul's sentiment here is entirely in line with the OT prophets' teaching that the right attitude to Yahweh is more important than the sacrifice itself."229
8:13-14 The objective in view was not making the Judean Christians rich and the Corinthian Christians poor. It was that there should be more equality than presently existed. In the future the Corinthians might be in need of help from other Christians who had more than they did. Then it would be their turn to receive. Paul viewed Christians as being brothers and sisters in a large family. As such we have a responsibility to care for each other.
". . . the Scriptures avoid, on the one hand, the injustice and destructive evils of agrarian communism, by recognising [sic] the right of property and making all almsgiving optional; and on the other, the heartless disregard of the poor by inculcating the universal brotherhood of believers, and the consequent duty of each to contribute of his abundance to relieve the necessities of the poor. At the same time they inculcate on the poor the duty of self-support to the extent of their ability. They are commanded with quietness to work, and to eat their own bread.' Could these principles be carried out there would be among Christians neither idleness nor want."230
Some people see any financial demand placed upon them by church leaders, governmental leaders, or others as an evidence of discrimination. Their argument is that they should not have to give since others do not give as much as they are being asked to give. It was to this attitude that Paul responded in these verses. Again note that Paul did not legislate equality. He appealed for it.
8:15 Paul illustrated the fact that God wants all of His people to have enough by citing the Israelites' situation in the wilderness (Exod. 16:18). Some of the Israelites gathered more manna and some gathered less for various reasons. Nevertheless they all had their needs met. God saw to that, though the Old Testament does not explain exactly how He did it. Now the Corinthians needed to see to it that what God had provided them in abundance reached those who did not have enough. As they did this, they would become God's agents in maintaining sufficiency for all.
God has always wanted all His people to have enough and to share with their brethren who have less when they have more. We should implement this principle of relative equality in our giving. God's desire is the same today as it has been throughout history. This is clear from Paul's appeal to the past (v. 15). There are no easy answers to how we can affect this relative equality in our world with its gigantic population and complex socio-economic-political problems. Moreover God's will is not exactly the same for every Christian. Paul appealed implying that the Corinthians could decide what they wanted to do (vv. 10-12). Nevertheless our responsibility is clear.
Having motivated his readers to finish the collection Paul proceeded to explain the practical steps he had taken to pick up their gift. He wanted the Corinthians to know what to do and what to expect. He gave a letter of commendation (cf. 3:1) in which he set forth the credentials of the three delegates who would visit them soon.
8:16 One of Paul's representatives whom he was sending to Corinth to pick up their gift was Titus. His readers had met him, received ministry from him, and would see him again shortly. Paul again affirmed Titus' love for the Corinthians so they would receive him happily. The apostle also expressed thanks to God for working in Titus to give him his good attitude. Titus, as Paul, felt concern for the Corinthians personally, not just for their money (cf. 12:14).
"The Corinthians might think that the zeal of Titus for the relief-fund was zeal on behalf of the Jerusalem poor; but it was really on behalf of the Corinthians. They would be the chief losers if a suitable sum was not raised in Corinth."231
8:17 It is not clear whether Titus had already left Paul for Corinth or whether he was about to do so. The Greek aorist tense permits either translation, and no other textual reference provides a solution. He may have carried 2 Corinthians to its recipients. In any case, it was Titus' desire as well as Paul's (v. 6) that led him back to Corinth.
8:18-19 The famous brother's identity is also a mystery. He may have been Luke (cf. Acts 20:43-46)232or any one of a number of others who assisted Paul. The churches of Macedonia, Asia Minor, and Galatia had chosen this man as a courier. They knew him well, and he had won their respect. Paul personally supervised the project for a double reason. He saw it as an opportunity to promote the glory of the Lord and to lend a hand in helping his needy brethren (cf. Matt. 22:37-39).
8:20-21 Paul was very conscious of his need to guard his project and the people involved in it from any charge of financial mismanagement. Doing what was correct was not enough for Paul. He wanted to make sure that everyone perceived what he did as honest and above board as well. Paul had learned to anticipate the suspicions or accusations of those who viewed his ministry critically and to take necessary precautions.
"Cicero's words (De officiis2.21.75) are appropriate: but the main thing in all public administration and public service is to avoid even the slightest suspicion of avarice' . . ."233
Some observers doubtless wondered if Paul was using the money of other people to his own advantage. Others probably suspected him of skimming a certain percentage of the large gift off the top as his commission. To guard against any misunderstand Paul had originally thought that he would not accompany the delegates who carried the money to Jerusalem (1 Cor. 16:3-4; cf. 2 Cor. 1:16; Rom. 15:25). He had also insisted that the churches rather than he appoint the delegates (1 Cor. 16:3) and that two delegates accompany Titus to Corinth before he arrived (vv. 18-19, 22-23). He sought to apply the wisdom of Proverbs 3:4, which verse 21 virtually restates.
We need to apply Paul's wise caution in our day when so many professed servants of the Lord have proved deceitful. We cannot afford to be naive or careless about doing things that are honorable in the sight of all men. I understand that Billy Graham makes it a policy never to enter a hotel or motel room alone. He always takes an aide with him lest someone try to set him up in a situation with a woman that would appear compromising. Most of us do not need to be that careful, but we do need to be careful and to anticipate what could happen or how some situation could appear to others.
8:22 A third member of the delegation is also unknown to us. His qualifications fit him well for his duties, however, having previously proven himself faithful for significant responsibility. As Titus, this Christian brother also had great confidence in the Corinthians and consequently would have been welcome in Corinth.
Why did Paul not mention Titus' two companions by name? Perhaps the Corinthians already knew who they were, or Paul may have wanted to heighten anticipation for their arrival by keeping their identities a secret. Paul may have sent three delegates to Corinth rather than one or two since his credibility there had been under attack. The anticipated arrival of three visitors would have also provided additional motivation for these previously slack Christians to complete the collection.
8:23 Titus was obviously the man in charge of this project. He was a special representative of the Apostle Paul (cf. Rom. 16:21). The other two delegates were Paul's spiritual brothers, the churches' envoys, and credits to Christ.
This is one place where the Greek word apostolos, usually translated "apostle,"but here rendered "messenger,"occurs in the non-technical sense of someone sent on a mission (cf. Phil. 2:25; Acts 14:4, 14; et al.). Usually it refers to one of the 13 apostles whom Jesus Christ personally commissioned (e.g., 2 Cor. 1:1, et al.).
8:24 Paul concluded his "letter of commendation"(vv. 16-24) with a warm appeal. He charged his readers to grant these messengers a reception that would demonstrate the Corinthians' love for Christ, Paul, and the delegates to all the other churches. They were to be openhearted toward them as Paul had urged them to be openhearted toward himself (6:11-13). Their warm reception of the messengers would confirm the genuineness of their acceptance of Paul and their positive response to his admonition concerning the offering. Other churches were watching the Corinthians and knew of their history. Therefore this positive welcome of the delegates needed to be public to dispel any doubts in the minds of others.
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
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.239The 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."242It 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).
