Bible Commentaries

Verses 1-5

1 5. ] He recurs to the collection itself, and prays them that they would make good before the brethren his boasting of them, and prepare it before his own coming .

Verses 1-15

2Co 8:1 to 2 Corinthians 9:15 . ] SECOND PART OF THE EPISTLE: CONCERNING THE COLLECTION FOR THE SAINTS.

Verse 2

2. ] For (ground of περισσόν ἐστι ) I am aware of your readiness of which (reff.) I am in the habit of boasting concerning you to Macedonians (Bengel remarks on the pres., ‘adhuc erat Paulus in Macedonia’) that Achaia (not ὑμεῖς he relates his own words to the Macedonians) has been ready (viz. to send off the money : καὶ οὐδὲν λείπει εἰ μὴ τὸ ἐλθεῖν τοὺς δεξομένους τὰ χρήματα , Theophyl. The Apostle, judging by their readiness, had made this boast concerning them, supposing it was really so. That this is the sense is shewn by ἀπαρασκευάστους below, 2Co 9:4 ) from last year (reff.): and the zeal which proceeds from you (‘which has its source in you and whose influence goes forth from you:’ so ὁ ἐκ Πελοποννήσου πόλεμος , οἱ ἐκεῖθεν , and the like) stirred up the greater number of them (but not only the example of your zeal: see ch. 2Co 8:1 ).

Verse 3

3. ] But (contrast, not to μέν in 2 Corinthians 9:1 , but to καυχῶμαι above; implying fear lest he should have been making a vain boast concerning them) I sent (epistolary past, as in ch. 2 Corinthians 8:18 ; 2Co 8:22 ) the brethren, in order that our matter of boasting concerning you ( καύχημα , our whole ‘materies gloriandi,’ not = καύχησις ) may not in this particular be proved empty ( ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ , does not belong to καύχημα , but to κενωθῇ ‘that our boast of you, so ample and various ch. 2 Corinthians 7:4 , may not break down in this one department.’ Estius, in marg., well calls it ‘acris cum tacita laude exhortatio apostolica’); that, as I said (when? in 2Co 9:2 ? or, in his boasting to the Macedonians? or, in 1Co 16:1 ?

Most naturally, in 2 Corinthians 9:2 . If he had meant, to the Macedonians , it would probably have been λέγω , as καυχῶμαι above: if in 1 Corinthians 16:0 , it would have been more clearly expressed.

If so, ἔλεγον refers merely to the word παρεσκ .), ye may be prepared , (see above on 2Co 9:2 ),

Verse 4

4. ] lest perchance if Macedonians should come with me (to you: to bring me on my way, or to bear the Macedonian collection.

We may infer from this expression, that neither of the two brethren above mentioned, ch. 2 Corinthians 8:18 ; 2 Corinthians 8:22 , was a Macedonian), and should find you unprepared (with your collection, see 2Co 9:2 ) we (who have boasted), not to say you (who were boasted of), should be put to shame, in the matter of this confidence (respecting you. ὑπόστασις , as elsewhere in N. T. and LXX, see reff., subjective : the attempt to give it here the meaning of ‘ foundation ,’ ‘ matter boasted of ,’ as Chrys., Theophyl., Erasm., Grot., al., Rück., Olsh., is unnecessary, and has probably been induced by the gloss τῆς καυχ inserted from ch. 2 Corinthians 11:17 ; but see there also).

Verse 5

5. ] I therefore (because of 2Co 9:4 ) thought it necessary to exhort the brethren (Titus and the two others) that they would go before (my coming) to you, and previously prepare your long announced beneficence (i.e. long announced by me to the Macedonians, 2 Corinthians 9:2 .

εὐλογία , blessing ; not used only of a blessing in words , but of one expressed by a present , as Genesis 33:11 ; Judges 1:15 . (See Stanley.) But beware of the blunder of connecting it with εὖ and λογία , ‘ a good collection .’ This sense of blessing , combined with the primitive sense, affords the Apostle an opportunity for bringing out the true spirit in which Christian gifts should be given), that this same may be ready (the construction is unusual: ταύτην refers back to εὐλ . and the inf. must have ὥστε supplied. De W. compares Hebrews 5:5 . Perhaps the nearest is Col 4:6 ) in such sort as beneficence, and not as covetousness (i.e. as the fruit of blessing, poured out from a beneficent mind, not of a sparing covetous spirit which gives no more than it need. There is no need to alter the primitive meaning, or to make the word signify ‘tenacity,’ as Calv., De Wette, al.: he who defrauds the poor by stinting them πλεονεκτεῖ , in the literal sense. Still less must we with Chrys., al., refer πλεονεξ . to the Apostle, μὴ νομίσητε , φησίν , ὅτι ὡς πλεονεκτοῦντες αὐτὴν λαμβάνομεν , Hom xix. p. 573, which is inconsistent with the interpretation φειδομένως below, and with εὐλογίαν , the corresponding word, which applies to the spirit of the givers).

Verses 6-7

6, 7. ] He enforces the last words by an assurance grounded in Scripture and partly cited from it, that as we sow, so shall we reap .

τοῦτο ] Some supply φημί , as in ref.: others, as Meyer, would take it as an accus. absol., ‘ as regards this ,’ viz. what has gone before. But I would rather take it as an imperfect construction, in which τοῦτο is used merely to point at the sentiment which is about to follow: But this (is true), or But (notice) this …

ἐπ ʼ εὐλογίαις ] with blessings : ἐπί denoting the accompanying state or circumstances, as in ref.: not, ‘ with a view to blessings ,’ which will not suit the second ἐπ ʼ εὐλ .: nor as Theophyl., Œc [14] , and E. V. μετὰ δαψιλείας , bountifully : which gives indeed the sense , but misses the meaning of the expression: see above. It refers to the spirit of the giver, who must be ἱλαρὸς δότης , not giving murmuringly, but with blessings , with a beneficent charitable spirit: such an one shall reap also with blessings, abundant and unspeakable. The only change of meaning in the second use of the expression is that the εὐλογίαι are poured on him , whereas in the first they proceeded from him : in both cases they are the element in which he works. So, we bestow the seed, but receive the harvest. The spirit with which we sow , is of ourselves: that with which we reap , depends on the harvest . So that the change of meaning is not arbitrary, but dependent on the nature of things.

[14] Œcumenius of Tricca in Thrace, Cent y . XI.?

Verse 7

7. ] Not, as Meyer and De W., a limitation of the foregoing, or else it would be expressed by some connecting particle, but a continuation of the thought: φειδομένως and ἐπ ʼ εὐλογίαις referred to the spirit of the giver; so does this verse, ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀν . corresponding to φειδομένως , ἱλαρός , to ἐπ ʼ εὐλογίαις .

καθὼς προῄρηται ] as he hath determined in his heart ; supply, ‘so let him give:’ i.e. let the προαίρεσις , the full consent of the free will, go with the gift; let it not be reluctant offering, given ἐκ λύπης , out of an annoyed and troubled mind at having the gift extorted, nor ἐξ ἀνάγκης , out of necessity, because compelled. Such givers, that is implied, God does not love.

δότης is not a classical word. δότηρ , δωτήρ and (Hes. Op. 353) δώτης , are used (Meyer).

Verse 8

8. ] δυνατεῖ has the emphasis. I adopt the reading because after all it is difficult to imagine how so easy a construction as δυνατὸς ὁ θεός , should have been altered to δυνατεῖ , as Meyer supposes, or why the transcriber need have written δυνατός ἐστιν if the latter were a correction for δυνατεῖ , seeing that the verb substantive is just as frequently omitted in such clauses as inserted.

πᾶσαν χάριν , ‘etiam in bonis externis,’ Bengel, to which here the reference is: not excluding however the wider meaning of ‘ all grace.’

περισσεῦσαι , to make to abound , reff.

ἵνα κ . τ . λ .] in order that, having at all times in every thing all sufficiency (of worldly substance; αὐτάρκ . is objective; not contentedness , subj.) ye may abound towards (‘have an overplus for;’ which is not inconsistent with αὐτάρκεια , seeing that αὐτ . does not exclude the having more , but only the having less than is sufficient: the idea of a man’s having at all times and in all things a sufficiency, would presuppose that he had somewhat to spare) every good work: