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Introduction to 2 Corinthians 8–9 History and Geography
The Greek city of Corinth has never lacked self-confidence, but that lofty opinion has not always served her well. Mighty Corinth led the Achaean League of Greek cities and defied the Romans when they said to break up the League. Roman consul Lucius Mummus took Corinth in 146 B.C., destroyed it, and killed the male population. The women and children were sold into slavery.1 That was the city’s first failure in humility.
Julius Caesar — ever a strategic thinker — rebuilt Corinth in 44 B.C. as a Roman colony formally named Colonia Laus Julius Corinthiensis, meaning colony of Corinth in Honor of Julius.2 Eventually, Rome sent many members of the freedman class (predominantly poor), military veterans, urban tradesmen and laborers to populate the colony. As a result, Latin was the official language of Corinth even beyond the time of the Apostle Paul.3 New Testament scholar David Garland says, “When Paul visited, the city was geographically in Greece but culturally in Rome.” This history is vital in understanding the many problems Paul confronted in his letters to the Corinthian church.
1 David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2003) 1. 2 Anthony Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand
Rapids: William. B. Eerdmans publishing Company, 2000) 3. 3 Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987) 1, footnote 3.
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By looking at the map, you will see that Corinth was sited at the end of a narrow land
bridge — roughly ten miles in length — connecting the Greek mainland to the massive peninsula named Peloponnesus, a place known as the ancient home of the Spartans. Corinth had a sheltered harbor and was just a mile away from a paved track used to haul cargo from the other harbor on the eastern side of the land bridge. This favorable geography made Corinth the main trade hub between Rome and Asia (modern Turkey). Springs provided an ample source of fresh water. Opportunities for gaining wealth abounded in Corinth.
The only alternative to shipping goods east or west through Corinth was the deadly trip around the Peloponnese peninsula. Those waters produced the violent storm that later swept Paul all the way to Malta where God intervened to save the lives of all aboard (Acts 27).
New Testament scholar Linda Belleville informs us: “Numbering some 500,000 slaves and 200,000 nonslaves at its height, Corinth’s cosmopolitan population was made up of a mix of local Greeks, Orientals (including a large number of Jews) and Italians.”4 She compares it to San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.
Cultural Influences
A building boom made Paul’s Corinth the most dazzling of the Greek cities. Various types
of stone were locally available for building. At its core Corinth centered on the pursuit of success using trade, business and entrepreneurial skill. This environment interacted with Roman culture through the Corinthians’ desire to have public status, to promote their own honor, and to have numerous clients or adherents of their faction. Garland summarizes the Corinthian attitudes by quoting what the Roman poet Horace said about the Roman populace: “[They are] ‘absurd slaves to fame, who are stupefied by titles and masks.’”5
4 Linda L. Belleville, 2 Corinthians, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL.: InterVarsity
Press, 1996) 14–15. 5 Garland, 1 Corinthians, 4.
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Religious Setting Corinth drew both people and religions from all over the Roman Empire. Most people
“believed that there was safety in numbers: the more gods that one appeased and had on one’s side the better.”6 Capping them all was the Roman imperial cult, which worshipped the power and genius of the emperor. New Testament scholar Craig Keener capably describes Roman commercial practices, which directly affected the Corinthians, when he says: “Pagan symbols were prominent at major Mediterranean ports, and activities of the shipping lines and merchant guilds involved aspects of the [Roman] imperial cult.”7 Anyone who wanted in on the wealth had to play the game of idolatrous patriotism. The imperial cult applied such terms as “Lord,” “savior,” and “son of God” to Caesar, not Jesus.
All had to honor the emperor, but there were also sacred places for the Roman-Greek pantheon of gods (at least 20, including Zeus, Neptune and Venus), Egyptian mystery cults, Asian mystery cults, as well as a Jewish synagogue and the ever-present magicians. In short, Corinth had every possible combination of religions in the Roman world. The city was full of temples.
Establishing the Dates of Paul’s Ministry in Corinth
Paul’s ministry in Corinth is described in considerable detail in Acts 18:1–18. Acts 18:2
explains how Paul met two Jews recently expelled from Rome by order of Emperor Claudius. This decree was issued in A.D. 49. Garland says, “Acts 18:12–17 also refers to Gallio as the proconsul of Achaia [Greece], and an inscription fragment dates his tenure in office from July 1, A.D. 51, to June 30, A.D. 52.”8 Garland goes on to suggest that the church in Corinth was founded in February/March, A.D. 50 and that Paul left for Ephesus by ship in September, A.D. 51. Paul taught the word of God for 18 months in Corinth (Acts 18:11). See the next section for the dates of other brief visits by Paul to Corinth.
Since Jesus was crucified in A.D. 33, Paul was proclaiming salvation in the name of Jesus just 17 years later.
Paul’s relationship to Corinth
Belleville vary capably summarizes Paul’s relationship to Corinth by saying, “The Paul-
Corinthian relationship spanning seven years, three personal visits and four letters, is one of the most complex topics in New Testament studies.”9 The two early stages of the relationship, as defined by Belleville, are summarized below.
Stage One “After a forced exit from Thessalonica and again from Berea (Acts 17:1–15; 1 Thess. 2:17–18), Paul made his way down the Aegean coast to Athens for a short layover (Acts 17:16–34; 1 Thess. 3:1–2) and then to Corinth where he settled down for about a year and a half (A.D. 50–52); Acts 18:1–18). … At some point he received enough financial support that he was able to drop his trade and give full attention to evangelism (Acts 18:5).”10
6 Garland, 1 Corinthians, 9. 7 Craig Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000) 427. 8 Garland, 1 Corinthians, 18. 9 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 15. 10 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 16.
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Stage Two “About 52 A.D. Paul left Corinth to briefly visit Jerusalem and then Antioch, his home base and supporting church. From there he went to Ephesus and set up his base of operations in the lecture hall of a local philosopher named Tyrannus (literally ‘the tyrant’). Three years were spent evangelizing, as Luke reports, ‘all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia’ (Acts 19:10). It was during this three-year period that Paul wrote the Corinthians three letters and made his second visit to the city.”11
The biblical books of First Corinthians and Second Corinthians are apparently the second and third of the three letters Paul wrote to the Corinthian church from Ephesus, about 250 miles by sea to the east. First Corinthians was written partly to reply to a letter sent from the Corinthian church to Paul and carried by three of its members (1 Cor. 16:7). They probably took back Paul’s answer (First Corinthians) in A.D. 54.
Later in A.D. 54 (summer or fall), Paul made a “painful visit” (2 Cor. 2:1; 12:14, 21; 13:1–2) to Corinth and then returned to Ephesus. In A.D. 55 or 56, while in Macedonia, Paul wrote Second Corinthians in answer to further (false) charges made by some in Corinth. Finally, in the winter of A.D. 56, Paul visited Corinth for the last time, staying about three months.
The Context of 2 Corinthians 8–9
As stated in the previous paragraph, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians while staying in Macedonia. Belleville confirms this by saying, “This is clear from 7:5 (‘when we came into Macedonia’), 8:1 (‘we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches’) and 9:2 (‘I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians’).”12
The bulk of Paul’s writing in chapters 1–7 presented a defense of his ministry in light of serious criticism of his leadership by opponents in Corinth. Belleville summarizes, “It was at Corinth that he encountered his most formidable pastoral challenge in the form of traveling Jewish Christian preachers who not only invaded his territory but also claimed credit for his work, stressed sensationalism and challenged his credentials and his authority.”13
Belleville identifies the basic message of 2 Corinthians and its cool reception in the Christian West: “The central theme of 2 Corinthians is divine power in weakness. It is a theme that the church in the West has tended to shrug off as appropriate only for Christians living under oppressive political regimes. … For Paul it is when he is ‘weak’ that he is ‘strong’ (12:10). Like many nowadays, the Corinthians did not want to hear this message.”14
In response to the hesitant response from the Corinthian church, Paul uses every means to appeal to them. The love and kindness of God lie at the center of the life of Christ, and it is to the ways of Christ crucified that Paul returns in 2 Corinthians 8–9.
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11 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 16. 12 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 20. 13 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 33. 14 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 36.
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Learning God’s kindness – Week 1 2 Corinthians 8:1–15
In Christ we have received more blessings from the Father than most of us realize. Many of us walk around drained and depleted, without the love, joy and hope available to us through the Spirit. We act as though we are empty buckets, barely able to sustain ourselves, much less to satisfy the thirst of others. We feel low on generosity, and find the pull of compassion draining. But, what if we recognized that we are fuller than we realize? What if we placed ourselves under the shower of God’s love and grace so that we were filled to the brim, overflowing with kindness and generosity for others? We will spend the next three weeks looking at part of 2 Corinthians, a passage that is often connected with giving money. But in our study, we will discover that these chapters are about so much more. Day 1: Read and react Once again we find the apostle Paul writing a letter to the vibrant but volatile church in Roman Corinth. He wrote from Macedonia, a region of Greece which lies almost 200 miles north of Corinth. In 1 Corinthians, Paul showed how every aspect of spiritual life in Corinth was based on the death and resurrection of Christ. When the Corinthians went astray in their behavior, it was because they were not following the example of Jesus. They were too quick to cling to their own pagan customs and to attempt to justify the continuation of such behavior as part of their new lives in Christ. We in the west are so pragmatic and so focused on shaping the application of biblical truth — often attempting to justify our own behavior — that we can easily miss what is actually being said in God’s Word. A good example of this occurs when 2 Corinthians 8–9 is discussed, because it is often presented as being about giving money. But the passage offers some clear clues that this emphasis is a bit off the mark. Belleville says: “To speak of ‘Paul’s fundraising appeal,’ though, is to employ a kind of misnomer, for no direct appeal for funds occurs in these chapters. In fact, Paul does not even once use the term ‘money.’”15 Instead, following the same approach he used in 1 Corinthians, Paul aimed deeper by establishing his request on the character of God. With that caution, it is also true that “an unprecedented two chapters of 2 Corinthians are devoted to the Jerusalem relief fund.”16 Indeed, Paul spent about ten years seeking funds from
15 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 209. 16 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 208.
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“Gentile churches to help Judean believers who were facing harder than usual economic times as a result of a famine during the mid to late 40s.”17 Since most of us have never been hungry for any meaningful length of time, our empathy may be lacking. Some may say that the Judean Christians should have worked hard to raise crops. Oh, they did, but the crops were often appropriated as part of the common arrangement that tribute be sent to Rome, a city which seldom felt hunger. Grain ships constantly crossed the “Mare Nostrum” [Latin for “Our Sea”] as the Mediterranean Sea was called by the Romans. New Testament scholar Murray Harris explains that chapters 8 and 9 of 2 Corinthians are divided into three sections, using an A-B-A literary pattern: A 8:1-15 } the need for generosity
B 8:16–9:5 } commendation of those involved in the relief effort A 9:6–15 } the result of generosity.18
Read 2 Corinthians 8:1–15 1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given
the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you — see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
17 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 207. 18 Murray J. Harris, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, The New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005) 558 and footnote 12.
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What are your initial impressions of this passage? What was Paul asking and why?
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Day 2: Overflowing with generosity How do you respond in tough times? It doesn’t paint a flattering picture, but many of us would have to admit to throwing a good old pity party. We relate our stories of woe to anyone who will listen, and while we may give lip service to the idea of considering it “pure joy” when we encounter difficulties (James 1:2), deep down we are anything but joyful. And certainly, the last thing on our minds is helping anyone else. We are far too focused on ourselves. But what if this didn’t have to be the way we responded? What if we could find joy in our sorrow and discover grace to share with others? Is such behavior even possible? Let’s see what Paul can teach us from the ancient Macedonian churches.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 8:1–5
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
What did Paul want the Corinthian church to know?
How did he describe the Macedonian churches? What did they do and why?
What does it mean?
Spreading God’s kindness In 2 Cor. 8:1, Paul introduced the theme of this section: God has given grace [Greek charis] to the Macedonian churches. The Greek noun charis occurs ten times in chapters 8–9, seven times in chapter 8 alone, with various meanings. New Testament scholar David Garland accurately
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explains, “Grace is God’s unconditional benevolence toward us.”19 We can define benevolence as “a gift given out of generosity.”20 With these ideas in mind, the meaning of verse 2 flows directly out of verse 1 along the following line: “When people are spontaneously generous toward others, Paul takes it as clear evidence that God’s grace is working in and through them.”21 This is a very deep idea!
Have you witnessed someone who behaved as the Macedonians did — someone whose actions must have come from God’s grace working in and through them?
Giving does not start with us; it starts with the generous kindness of God toward us in Jesus Christ. To the extent God’s grace has penetrated our hearts and transformed our lives, we will exhibit generous kindness toward others. The question “How much should I give?” is not the first question; the first question is “What has God’s generous kindness done to transform my life and make me more like Christ?” The issue is spiritual, not financial.
Why is it important to understand that the issue is not financial, but spiritual? What difference does that make in how we act and why?
It was important for Paul to establish that the remarkable things that happened in the Macedonian churches were the result of God’s gracious acts, his past gifts of kindness, working their way among the Macedonians. For that reason, he used the Greek perfect tense (“God has given,” verse 1) to emphasize that these past acts by God have ongoing effect in the present. The desire of the Macedonians to participate in the Jerusalem relief fund was all the more remarkable due to their current circumstances of “very severe trial” and “extreme poverty” (verse 2). Yet their remarkable generosity did not come through persuasion by Paul but rather “entirely on their own” (verse 3). Rather than Paul pleading with the Macedonians, they were pleading with him (verse 4) for the opportunity to give beyond their ability. Buried in the translation of verse 4, we again find the Greek noun charis, and Harris explains its meaning here: “Here charis refers to a favor sought from Paul, ‘the favor of being allowed to participate’ in his relief project.”22 We point out this detail to show that the generous kindness of
19 David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians , The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999) 365. 20 “benevolence,” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011). 21 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 365. 22 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 566.
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God toward the Macedonians had captured their thinking, so that they were asking Paul for the “gift” of being able to give gifts themselves! The generous kindness of God is contagious! Verse 5 is a bit harder than it looks. In this context, the clause “they gave themselves first of all to the Lord” likely means that they eagerly embraced God’s gift to them and let it sweep them onward toward similar generosity. Garland explains the rest of the verse: “They also gave of themselves ‘to us,’ which means that they dedicated themselves to Paul’s project. … With the phrase ‘by the will of God’ Paul makes more specific that the impetus for generosity comes from God and is related to God’s grace.”23 Next Paul would see whether this contagious generosity of God could spread from Macedonia to Roman Corinth. And as we work through the week, we will have to see if it can spread to us as well.
ĦĦ Day 3: Poor for our sake From children emptying their piggy banks to help the homeless, to companies donating millions to disaster relief, it’s not hard to find examples of generosity. But, as moving as these stories might be, none compares to the kindness and generosity Jesus Christ showed by leaving his rightful place as God, living among us and dying for us. He is our ultimate example of generosity, and in him and through him we can respond as he would to the needs of others.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 8:6–12
6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you — see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the
first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
What did Paul say the Corinthians excelled at? What was he challenging them to do?
23 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 370.
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Why was he not commanding them?
How did he encourage them to follow through in verses 10–12?
What does it mean?
Grace as God’s generous kindness in Christ To understand the tone and intent of Paul’s words in this section, it is helpful to jump ahead to 2 Cor. 8:10, where we learn that the Corinthian believers “were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.” This is why Belleville says, “The strategy Paul employs is intended to motivate the Corinthians not to new giving but to follow through on a commitment already made.”24
Why is keeping such a commitment a test of spiritual maturity?
It also helps to look back at 2 Cor. 7:4–16 where Paul talked at length about the positive report he received from Titus about the response of the church in Roman Corinth to the “painful visit” (2 Cor. 2:1) and a severe letter Paul had written, both of which follow the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. Paul’s remarks in 2 Cor. 7:4–16 were very positive and cordial and set the stage for what he asked in 2 Cor. 8:6–12. Verse 6 makes it clear that Titus had previously been involved with the commitment made by the Corinthians, and that fact — combined with the great success Titus had during his recent visit to Corinth — led Paul to send him back to help the Corinthians finish what they had started. The Greek noun charis appears again in verse 6, and is effectively translated by the NET Bible (see italicized words) as follows: “Thus we urged Titus that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you.” We emphasize this repetition of charis to again make the point that kindness started with God’s generosity toward us in Christ and then becomes part of our lives in relation to others. We can understand verses 7–8 by keeping two facts in mind. First, Belleville reminds us of the history shared by Greece (including Corinth) and Macedonia: “Paul seeks to motivate the Corinthians by making reference to a longstanding competitor. Greece and Macedonia (called the ‘barbaric North’) have a lengthy history of political rivalry.”25 Not least, Philip of Macedon
24 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 210. 25 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 211.
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conquered all of Greece in 338 B.C. Paul wanted the two regions to compete in showing Christian kindness rather than in prowess with weapons. Few things were better suited than a Macedonian to motivate a Corinthian! Second, we must always keep in mind that Greco-Roman society in this period was centered on maintaining honor while preventing shame. In verse 7, Paul described in honorable terms the growing reputation of the Corinthian church. Paul was the first of many who would judge the behavior of the Corinthians by comparing it with the Macedonians (verse 8). The Corinthians, already competitive and capable, had a reputation to think about! Paul said, “Make sure that you excel in this act of kindness [charis] too” (2 Cor. 8:7b, NET). Paul was “not commanding” (verse 8) the Corinthians to give because that would take away the opportunity to show voluntary generosity toward others. Instead, he reminded them of how Jesus gave himself voluntarily and sacrificially — even enduring the shame of death on a Roman cross — for their eternal benefit (verse 9). All this was expressed in the figurative language of extreme poverty and great wealth. The generous gift [charis] of “our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 9) stands as our ultimate example of what pleases God. The way NIV translates verse 10 virtually makes it into the very kind of command that Paul had just disavowed in verse 8. Rather than offering his “judgment,” which sounds official and final in English, Paul was offering his “considered opinion.”26 Rather than saying what was “best” (NIV), Paul was using the language of commerce in saying “this benefits you” (ESV) or “it is to your advantage” (NET). That language was persuasive to the status-conscious, business-minded Corinthians. The content of Paul’s considered opinion about what was to the Corinthians’ advantage is expressed in verse 11. The only phrase needing clarification is giving “according to your means.” Garland summarizes: “The phrase translated ‘according to your means’ (literally, ‘out of what you have’) parallels the phrase in 8:3, ‘according to their ability.’ … In the New Testament the principle ‘in proportion to what you have’ (see also 1 Cor. 16:2) replaces the principle of the tithe found in the Old Testament.”27 Verse 12 qualifies and clarifies the phrase “according to your means” in verse 11. The Corinthians needed not go beyond their means as the Macedonians had done (2 Cor. 8:3). What was more important to God was their “willingness” [Greek prothumia] to give. Harris explains this idea by saying, “Prothumia is not merely a willingness or eagerness to give, but an enthusiastic willingness to give that results in actual giving.”28 The Corinthians had not yet met that standard.
26 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 581. 27 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 380–1. 28 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 586.
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It’s easy to be moved to feel compassion when we hear of a need, particularly within the body of Christ. But pity is not enough. We must act to help. Like the Corinthians, we can lack the follow-through to share the grace that has been given to us with others. Let Paul challenge you with the same message he gave the church at Corinth.
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Day 4: Plenty to share We are connected to every member of the body of Christ, whether they are down the road or across the globe. We are all equally-loved children of God, working to enlarge our Father’s kingdom and waiting for Christ’s return. It is a unique bond that we share with one another. When someone in the body is suffering, we should feel compelled, out of the love for Jesus and for each other, to act.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 8:13–15
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
How did Paul address possible fears the Corinthians may have had in verse 13?
What principle did Paul explain in verses 14–15?
What does it mean?
What sharing is fair to all? Paul was well aware that some in Corinth may object that he was merely shifting the misery from Jerusalem to Corinth, so he blocked that objection by stating that his overall goal was fairness or equity. Belleville discusses the Greek noun isotēs, which occurs in both verses 13 and 14, by saying, “[Isotēs] denotes what is ‘equitable’ and ‘fair.’ So it is equity and not equality that is at issue here.”29 This word group originated in ancient Greece in the division of booty during war. Each man got a fair share, but there was no attempt to determine strict equality. These issues are hardly trivial, because concern over unfair division of benefits is a frequent cause of strife in human history. Paul supported his position by showing that equity was
29 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 223.
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established during the Exodus for the division of manna among God’s people (Exodus 16:16–18). Each person obtained what they could eat, and the nature of manna was such that it could not be accumulated because it would rot overnight. So, Paul’s focus was on meeting basic needs, not luxuries, and that each would have what they needed, even if the amounts may differ slightly. David Garland explains how the Old Testament pattern was applied by Paul:
The divine principle — no one has a surplus; no one has a shortage — was enforced by God in the time of the wilderness. Now it is voluntary, dependent on the working of God’s grace in the hearts of Christians. … If they lack anything, they need not fret. God has provided other Christians an abundance so they can help. God has also poured out grace to make Christians generous.30
How do you understand the idea of “equity” or fairness as Paul presented it here?
What should this look like in the body of Christ? We can think that the enjoyment of our material wealth is the blessing God intends. But what if the real blessing comes when we give what we have to others? What if being a part of seeing needs met and spreading the love of Christ is where the real joy is found? Perhaps that’s what made the Macedonians so joyful. Maybe they knew that true joy comes when you share in the generosity of Christ.
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Day 5: Reflect, connect, respond Spend time with God today reflecting on what he is saying to you through this passage.
Reflect
What was Paul asking of the Corinthians? Why?
How does this passage relate to us today?
What has been your biggest “takeaway” from your study this week?
30 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 386.
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Connect It seems ridiculous that we can fail to recognize the source of all the good in our lives is God. Each breath we take on this earth, and the promise of life in eternity should prompt deep joy and satisfaction. He is showering us with kindness, and we so often overlook it. In Ephesians, Paul prayed that those believers might grasp how high and wide and long and deep the love of Christ is, and by knowing this love, they would be filled with the fullness of God (Eph. 3:18–19). We can know a love that is boundless and more than enough to meet our every need. Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross should make it abundantly clear how precious we are to God, and the gift of his Spirit should show us how important he has made us to his kingdom. God allows us the privilege of caring for each other out of the abundance he has given us. We are a conduit of Christ’s generosity and kindness. God pours overflowing grace into us to enable us to bless those around us.
Respond How are you growing?
How can you better recognize and appreciate all that Christ has done for you?
Who are you impacting?
How can you generously share your blessings with others? When you see a need, how can you better convert compassion into action?
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Generosity and team play – Week 2 2 Corinthians 8:16–9:5
Day 1: Read and react One of the amazing things about God’s overflowing kindness is that he has designed ways for us to participate in the process. He could do everything just by tossing off one miracle after another, but he has chosen to do a significant part of his work through us. This week we will examine some of the roles God has given us, and see how one group of believers did what was required of them and more.
Read 2 Corinthians 8:16–9:5 16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. 22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. 1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord's people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we — not to say anything about you — would be ashamed of having been so confident. 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. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
Recall what you studied last week in 2 Corinthians 8:1–15. What was Paul asking of the Corinthians? Why? How was he trying to motivate them to take part?
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From this passage, what issues was Paul addressing? What arrangements was he making? What concerns did he seem to anticipate? Because we have the entirety of Scripture, often bound for us in leather with gilded pages, it can be easy to forget that we are reading documents of a practical nature. Our passage this week comes from a letter in which arrangements needed to be made for the good of the churches in that time. By including them in his Word, God gives us a helpful lesson in how the church should come together to help one another by using the abundance of grace he’s given us.
ĦĦ Day 2: All together To us, with all our modern conveniences, it can be hard to relate to the difficult task the churches were embarking on when they accepted the mission of providing financial aid to the believers in Jerusalem. They could not simply drop a check in the mail, and there were no ATMs to rely on. Paul had to make arrangements for the funds to safely reach those in need.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 8:16–21 16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
Who was Paul sending to the Corinthians? Why?
What concerns did Paul express?
What does it mean?
Joint operations to honor God It should be obvious that Paul could not, by himself, carry out so complex an operation as bringing significant monetary help to the poor believers in Jerusalem. Paul credited God as the one who “put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you” (verse 16). Nor was Titus a reluctant draftee! He eagerly volunteered (verse 17).
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Belleville makes a helpful pair of observations about the situation: “Fundraising is not an enjoyable activity, even in the best of circumstances. The fact that Titus had seen the need for a visit to Corinth so soon after the last one says that the significance of the collection and Corinth’s contribution to it goes beyond relief of economic need.”1 The added significance comes from working together to spread God’s overflowing generosity. God’s way of doing things is to work through the Spirit-empowered hands of many to accomplish the spread of the Gospel and the extension of kindness to others. Our passage is a beautiful example of ancient rivals, Greece (Corinth) and Macedonia, joining hands to meet a critical need among Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. When God’s kindness overflows, it crosses social, ethnic and class boundaries to demonstrate the unity of all believers in Christ.
Reflect on the idea that God’s kindness should demonstrate the unity of all believers. Have you seen this in action in our day?
Among those populating this mission of solidarity was a man chosen by the churches of Macedonia — not by Paul — for his proven service to the cause of the Gospel (verses 18–19). That said, it is odd that NIV and most other translations — except for NLT — seem to agree that Paul “was, in the final analysis, its sole administrator … responsible for its genesis, its organization, its completion, and its safe delivery to Jerusalem.”2 But, the Greek verb in question (diakoneō) ordinarily means, “to function as an intermediary, act as go-between/agent, be at one’s service” (where the italics are original and are the suggested translation).”3 Indeed, the standard Greek lexicon does not offer the meaning “administer.” Further, this more collaborative emphasis fits better with the word “we,” making it refer to Paul and others (such as Titus) rather than “we” meaning only Paul (what we call a royal “we” in English). The one who administers this gift is named in the verse: “the Lord.” The verb we have been discussing (diakoneō) occurs again in verse 20, and we can learn from how NLT translates it: “We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift.” Paul was facilitating this gift, not trying to run everything, and we should recall that Paul criticized the Corinthians for their tendency to try to take high-status positions and seize control (1 Corinthians 4). Having dealt with the theme of collaboration in the Lord’s work, we pause to consider the circumstances surrounding the facilitation of this gift. The ancient world had nothing comparable to our electronic means of transferring money over large distances. This gift had to be converted into some form that could be hand-carried from Greece to Jerusalem. Bandits were common, sea voyages were risky, and pirates plied the seas just like bandits roamed the land. All these who were eager to
1 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 226–7. 2 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 604. 3 BDAG-3, diakoneō, act as a go-between, q.v.
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carry out the task were willingly taking a risk and doing so while also trying to avoid the nit-picking that often accompanies any financial project. But more than physical safety and insulation against criticism is involved in verses 20–21. Remember that Greco-Roman society put primary emphasis on shame and honor. That is why Paul spoke of honoring God in verse 19. The cause of Christ had to gain honor in this gift, and shame had to be avoided at all costs. The reputation of God was at stake!
ĦĦ Day 3: Proof of love We can be moved by a plea and promise our help, but sometimes when the initial surge of compassion is over, we can forget our commitment. We have learned from Paul that the Corinthian church had already promised a gift to the Jerusalem church. They had pledged to help, and Paul was encouraging them to follow through.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 8:22–24 22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
Look carefully at verses 23 and 24. How was Paul motivating the Corinthians?
What does it mean?
Serving together to honor Christ In verses 22–24, Paul continued his effort to prepare the Corinthian churches to receive the delegation he was sending to take custody of their part of the financial relief to Christians in Jerusalem. He commended an additional brother by saying he had been tested many times. This man was probably a Macedonian because he was one of the “representatives of the churches” (verse 23). One way of analyzing verse 23 is to see that Paul identified one or more people (e.g. Titus) and then gave a double description of them. This makes it obvious that he was recommending these people as worthy of the Corinthians’ trust on the basis of Paul’s endorsement and that of the sending churches. When someone seeks your financial or prayer support for Christian ministry, it is best practice to determine who is sending them and endorsing them. As modeled by the Apostle Paul, Christian ministry is not done by a lone individual who claims to have a sending from God; instead, it comes through the joint efforts of the body of Christ as empowered by the Holy Spirit.
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The NIV (also CEB and NLT) correctly says that the representatives of the churches are “an honor to Christ,” against ESV and HCSB, which say “the glory of Christ.” This preference flows from two things we have discussed before: (1) the preoccupation of Greco-Roman culture to think in terms of honor and shame, and (2) Paul’s focus here on endorsing members of the relief team rather than making a theological statement about Christ. It is often best in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians to express the Greek noun doxa by “honor” rather than “glory.” After describing the all-star team he was sending to Roman Corinth, Paul challenged the Corinthians to make a showing to the team of two things: (1) “the proof of your love,” and (2) “the reason for our pride in you” (verse 24). The concept of pride is a slippery one in Christian circles, but here Paul made reference to the expectation he had created among the churches by the way he had given honor to the Corinthians by praising their previous pledge to give (2 Corinthians 9:2). Belleville explains: “They are now called on to justify his boasting by fulfilling their pledge from the year before. And they are to do it so that the churches can see it.“4 Garland describes how this approach counters certain issues the Corinthians have demonstrated in the past: “Accountability to others keeps us from always doing what we want and serving our own selfish desires. Paul assumes that Christians live and act out of a communal context and that they are answerable to each other.”5 This assumption by Paul runs counter to the way some Christians in America think. You need only ask what happens when Christians are held accountable for their behavior by a church or small group of believers. Accountability is a strategy that honors Christ and deserves our support and participation.
Are there people in your life that you allow to hold you accountable? If so, how? If not, why are you reluctant?
What about in how you give and serve? Are you comfortable being reminded about your commitments to your local church, or do you find yourself getting defensive? Why?
Another important element that ties this section to verses 16–21 is the eagerness to serve together in a great cause. Titus is said to have this enthusiasm in 2 Corinthians 8:17, and the unnamed brother from Macedonia is similarly described in 2 Corinthians 8:22. Paul spoke of his own readiness to help in verse 19. When believers gather as a team to bring honor to Christ, they are infused with an infectious enthusiasm that comes from God.
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4 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 230. 5 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 396.
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Day 4: Friendly competition A little friendly competition can be a good thing. It can encourage us to work harder and go farther. Paul reminded the Corinthians that their rivals to the north had heard of their pledges to help the Jerusalem church and that they needed to follow through.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 9:1–5 1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord's people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we — not to say anything about you — would be ashamed of having been so confident. 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. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
What had Paul been boasting about to the Macedonians?
What was concerning Paul according to verses 3 and 4?
What does it mean?
Real consequences of our generosity The social values of the Greco-Roman world were unlike ours today. Being generous to the poor was not considered praiseworthy; instead, the real purpose of such actions was to show off the donor’s social power. Garland quotes an authority on Roman values: “’The most basic premise from which the Romans started was that honor and prestige derived from the power to give to others what they needed or wanted.’ Good works, therefore, were normally done to bring praise to oneself.”6 The usual payback was public praise of the donor by the recipients. Helpfully, Garland explains how these cultural ideas collided with Christian values: “By contrast, Paul expects the Corinthians to do good works to poor people whom they have never met to bring praise to God and not to themselves. … It is a new concept for most Corinthian Christians that sharing with others in need is a service to God.”7 We have a similar issue in America in that giving by Christians to help the poor is often seen through the lens of politics rather than through what God has revealed.
6 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 398–9, quoting R.P. Saller. 7 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 399.
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Understandably, the radically different viewpoint about generosity revealed by Paul to the Corinthians needed periodic reinforcement. Cross-cultural ideas do not win adherents overnight. Verse 1 is a polite reminder that this subject of a gift for the Lord’s people is not new. There is irony in the fact that, while Paul said he didn’t need to write about this gift, he proceeded to do so. But, he had a reason for continuing. The believers in Roman Corinth needed to be advised about what Paul had been saying about them to their cultural rivals, the Macedonian Christians. Garland explains: “He also needs to warn them that he has been boasting to others that Achaia has been ready [to give] for some time. That boasting could come back to haunt them and bring shame if it should prove hollow.”8 Note that the earlier enthusiasm of Christians in Corinth had moved “most” (verse 2) in Macedonia to action. Paul was quite methodical in sending the advance party that included Titus to make sure that his own arrival, possibly with more Macedonians, found everything in order (verses 3–4). He tied his own honor to the honor of the Corinthians (verse 4) and mentioned the shame that both sought to avoid. There are different opinions about the last half of verse 4. We can see the issue by comparing other versions to the NIV for 2 Corinthians 9:4b: (NIV) “We--not to say anything about you--would be ashamed of having been so confident” (HCSB) “We, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation” (CEB) “We (not to mention you) would be embarrassed as far as this project goes” Garland prefers something very close to the CEB (“project”) and explains why: “Paul is not solely concerned with the prospect of embarrassment if his faith in them is shown to have been misplaced. If they back out on their original commitment, the whole project could falter.”9 Loss of face in Corinth was a concern, but loss of food in Jerusalem was a disaster. The standard Greek lexicon explicitly discounts the meaning “confidence” for lack of any examples in Greek literature.10 Paul was focused on the needs of God’s people and not on his own confidence levels. While verse 5 appears quite clear, the final clause is difficult. By doing things in advance, the Corinthians could prevent a last-minute scramble that brought out the worst. The idea of a “generous gift” is obvious enough but the term “one grudgingly given” expresses the Greek noun pleonexia, often translated “greed, covetousness.” What would a “[gift] of greed” be? We have already discussed the honor-shame pressures on the Corinthians. By making a pledge, they had put pressure on themselves. In fact, Garland reports that the names of pledge dodgers were published in the public square!11 As a result, an unwilling giver might have been tempted to make a token gift simply to avoid the shame. Such a gift would clearly signal their desire to keep the money for their own purposes, and thus become a “gift smelling of greed.”
8 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 401. 9 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 403. 10 BDAG-3, hupostasis, plan, project, q.v. 11 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 403, citing Betz.
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Context also comes to our rescue! In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul mentioned “whoever sows sparingly” will reap sparingly as well. The set of ambitious Corinthians who wanted to reap sparingly was an empty set! Being generous would save them from their own greed.
Are the methods Paul used to help motivate the Corinthians effective to motivate us to give? Why or why not?
How can you respond more generously to those in need? What obstacles stand in your way? How can you be more consistent in following through on your desire to give?
No gift is given in a vacuum. Next week we will see how God regards generosity.
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Day 5: Reflect, connect, respond Take time today to pray and seek God. Ask him to reveal to you how you should respond to his Word through worship and action.
Reflect Summarize the main points of this passage. How would you explain them to someone else?
What is your biggest “takeaway” from this week?
Connect Coming from a culture that takes pride in independence, individualism and resourcefulness, it can be difficult for us to admit that we need help. But one of the many blessings God has given us as Christians is the opportunity to rely on other believers to show us God’s kindness. We get to come together and honor our Savior by sharing his grace with each other. When we are in need and we pray for God’s help, what do we expect to happen? A check will miraculously show up in the mailbox? A stranger will offer us funds? While God can and does answer our prayers in a miraculous and unexpected fashion, often he uses the ordinary avenues of
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grace to help us. He has gifted us by placing us in a body of believers and may choose to provide for us through his church. We shouldn’t discount the significance of this body. That people from different ethnicities, backgrounds and socio-economic classes can come together to help one another is a true miracle of God. God has given us so much through Christ. We have forgiveness, new life, peace with God and the Holy Spirit who empowers us to be like Jesus. We are not tapping an empty well, but a spring of living water that will never run out. We can be compassionate, generous and loving because our God is, and we need to look on the call to help each other as a blessing, not a duty. Out of the abundance that God has given us in Christ, we get to overflow into the lives of others.
Respond How are you growing?
How can you grow in compassion, love and generosity toward others? How can you better appreciate the gifts you’ve been given in Christ and grow in your relationship with him?
Who are you impacting?
How can you allow the impulse toward generosity to translate into action? For example, could you free up funds each month in order to give to those in need? Or are there services or other gifts you could provide? Pray for creativity in how you can overflow in generosity.
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Overflowing grace spans an ocean Week 3 2 Corinthians 9:6–15
Day 1: Read and react We are wrapping up our study of 2 Corinthians 8-9 this week by looking at Paul’s final appeal to the church in Corinth. As we have learned, a severe famine was causing serious hardships for the believers in Jerusalem and Paul had been collecting funds from the surrounding churches to help. But Paul had been very careful to establish that any contributions the Corinthians made should be done voluntarily and out of the abundance God had granted them through Christ. The same principles apply to us today. In this final section of the passage, Paul further motivates us to generosity by emphasizing its source and benefits. Those who are filled by the grace of God overflow into the lives of others and bring praise to their Father.
Read 2 Corinthians 9:6–15 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for
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you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
What is your initial reaction to this passage? How does it fit in with what we studied for the last two weeks?
How does God want us to give? Why? It’s all about Jesus. Generosity is not about us, and it’s not even about the person we’re treating generously. Ultimately, it is all about the God from whom all good things flow, and to whom all glory and praise are due. Pray that you will focus on God as your provider this week and respond to his generosity with a heart that longs to share with others.
ĦĦ Day 2: Scatter your gifts Whether you express it as, “What goes around comes around,” “Garbage in; garbage out,” or some other way, the idea is that consequences are tied to our actions. In our passage from this week, Paul expressed this concept using a metaphor that would have made sense to his audience. The amount of crops that you harvest is directly proportional to the amount of seed that you plant. This principle comes into play in God’s kingdom as well.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 9:6–9 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever."
What principles did Paul establish in verses 6 and 7?
Circle or highlight each occurrence of the word “all” in verse 8. The phrase “so that” indicates a cause and effect relationship. What is the effect of God’s abundant blessing?
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What does it mean?
A flood or a trickle A neglected resource for framing the teachings of the Apostle Paul is to examine the teachings of Jesus. For example, when Paul finally departed Ephesus, he told the elders of the church, “We must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). Linda Belleville talks about how part of the Sermon on the Mount clarifies 2 Corinthians 9:6: “The closest parallel actually appears in the teaching of Jesus: ‘Give, and it will be given to you. … With the measure you use, it will be measured to you’ (Luke 6:38).”1 The measure-for-measure principle appears over and over in the New Testament and is further developed in verses 7–15. The casual reader might assume that “remember” (verse 6) was a command from Paul to the Christians in Roman Corinth, but no such verb occurs in the Greek text. Better than “Remember this” (NIV) would be the more accurate “The point is this” (verse 6, ESV with NET similar).2 To learn biblical interpretation requires that you become sensitive to the presence of metaphors. In verse 6, Paul used a farming metaphor to represent different approaches to giving in response to the needs of others. To sow seed generously will initially cost more, but a bountiful harvest will — subject to the risks of time and circumstances — strongly reward the farmer with the multiplied rewards of a big harvest. We will have more to say about the risks and circumstances when we discuss verse 8. Verse 7 has many fascinating details. First, “each of you” makes this a personal and not a corporate matter; such an individual focus was more uncommon in the ancient world than in our time. Though the NIV’s addition of the verbs “should give” offers the correct sense, Paul did not use such verbs. The NET Bible Notes say, “The words … ‘should give’ are not in the Greek text, which literally reads, ‘Each one just as he has decided in his heart.’” Garland observes, “Throughout these two chapters, Paul goes out of his way to avoid giving the impression that he is trying to force this project upon them.”3 By suggesting the verb and not stating it, Paul made the matter softer. Verse 7 offers further pitfalls. When Paul said, “What you have decided in your heart,” it is easy for Christians to miss the trail if they have been mistakenly trained to think of the heart as the emotional component of their being and the head as the rational part. Such erroneous ideas arose long after Paul passed from the scene. Instead, the heart encompasses emotions, rationality, decision-making, will and intentions — in short, everything! The next relevant phrase in verse 7 informs us that giving should occur “not reluctantly” (NIV), a phrase that in Greek roughly means “not from grief.” If in your giving you are inwardly
1 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 236. 2 BDAG-3, houtos, this, q.v. 3 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 406.
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shedding a tear when the money passes out of your control, then reluctance is exactly what you feel! Nor should you give “under compulsion,” a phrase that here refers to pressures coming from outside yourself. You give because it is what you want to do in light of God’s overflowing generosity to you in Christ. The phrase “what you have decided in your heart” (verse 7) uses a verbal form that “points to a settled decision to contribute a certain amount,”4 and not to some last-minute decision foisted on you unexpectedly. In fact, the closing clause “God loves a cheerful giver” is strongly clarified by (1) the presence of a prior decision, and (2) the absence of reluctance or external pressure. To use an analogy from the Old Testament, a man who did not want to give to God the best of his flock would be better off not going to the altar at all! Such a cheerless gift offends the Lord.
Why would cheerless giving offend God?
In verse 8, Paul introduced a factor that strongly modifies the risk and uncertain circumstances faced by those who would sow generously (see verse 6).
Think like a farmer. What risks do you face when you invest in sowing a large amount of seed?
What risks do we face when we give generously?
Look again at verse 8. How do God’s assurances help us deal with this risk?
The factor that strongly modifies the risk is none other than the overflowing generosity of God! Garland explains, “God is lavishly generous and abundantly supplies us with everything necessary to have enough for our own needs and to be generous with others.”5 NIV makes an odd and conceptually vague choice in translating verse 8a, and this may be seen by comparison with other translations:
(NIV) God is able to bless you abundantly (ESV) God is able to make all grace abound to you (NET) God is able to make all grace overflow to you
4 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 635. 5 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 407.
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Both ESV and NET make “grace” explicit, as in the Greek text, and avoid the rather churchy English verb “bless” that is not within the semantic range of the Greek verb used in this passage. Greek has a verb that means “bless,” but it is not used here. NET is excellent here. We invite you to marvel at the numerous uses of “all” and “every” in verse 8. In the midst of this abundance is the Greek noun autarkeia, meaning “all that you need” (NIV). It means (externally) having all that is necessary to support yourself, or (internally) being content. Two powerful philosophies of Paul’s day, the Cynics and the Stoics, “aimed at the kind of self-sufficiency that permitted indifference to other people and to circumstances.”6 Such views are still popular among some groups in America. To the contrary, Garland summarizes Paul’s claim: “Self-sufficiency does not come from one’s own earnest self-discipline. It is a gift of God. Therefore, ‘self-sufficiency’ is a misnomer, since it is sufficiency that comes from God not from the self (see Phil. 4:11–13).”7 Paul “pursued God-dependency rather than self-sufficiency.”8 What is more, this overflowing generosity that we have received from God is meant to be shared with others. To do otherwise would be to sow sparingly and receive less of God’s super-abounding generosity (verse 6). Paul drove home his point by quoting Psalm 112:9. The verse commends generosity to the poor, meaning here a person who must work to live. Garland explains: “The Greco-Roman culture assumed that it was pointless to give anything to a pauper. The only repayment he could make was with his praise, which was worthless.”9 God’s evaluation is opposite; the one who gives freely to the poor manifests an enduring righteousness. This is not the saving righteousness discussed in Romans. Instead, righteousness in the Old Testament consisted of behavior that satisfied God’s covenant with his people, including the obligation to love your neighbor as yourself and to care for the poor among the people. Old Testament scholar Bruce Waltke explains: “The ‘righteous’ … willingly disadvantage themselves for the sake of … their neighbors and their heavenly King. Jesus Christ is the supreme example of righteousness.”10 By contrast, the wicked live for themselves. It is more than unfortunate that today some Christians not only fail to care for the poor but actively work against efforts to do so. They are sowing sparingly. What about you? Do you regularly seek out ways to help those in need? Are you sowing generously?
ĦĦ 6 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 238. 7 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 408–9. 8 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 240. 9 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 410. 10 Bruce K. Waltke, An Old Testament Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007) 289.
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Day 3: The key to generosity It’s not hard to rationalize holding on to our money and possessions. In a certain light, giving them away seems like a crazy thing to do. After all, we earned what we have and it’s ours. We face risks in this life, and how will we deal with those if we’ve given our money away? What’s more, material possessions provide comfort and pleasure that we value. To give anything more than what we won’t really miss seems excessive. The problem with this thinking is that it ignores the greater reality that God is the source and true owner of everything we have, and he gets to direct what we do with what is his.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 9:10–11 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
What will God supply according to verse 10?
Notice the “so that” in verse 11. Why will “you be enriched in every way”?
What does it mean?
Increasing the flow Paul continued to use the metaphor of a farmer sowing seed and having a harvest. The unnamed person who supplied the seed is God, a point made clear in some translations (NET and HCSB). But what Paul said that God will do is astonishing: he will be even more generous to those who are generous with others. God is responsible for the flow at every point. First, he supplies the (figurative) seed to the sower as well as their sustenance (verse 10a). But, for those who act with generosity, he increases the flow of (figurative) seed and enlarges the (figurative) harvest of righteousness (verse 10b). Garland explains the phrase “the harvest of your righteousness” by saying: “The righteousness that we become through Christ’s sacrificial death (2 Cor. 5:21) works itself out in our sacrificial generosity to others. A lack of generosity calls into question whether or not we have truly received the righteousness of God.”11
How does acknowledging the source of our salvation help us be more generous?
11 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 411.
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Verse 11 contains what is known as a “divine passive” — here it is, “you will be enriched” — which is a structure that always points to God’s hidden action, here revealed to our sight. Belleville clarifies what is happening here by saying: “We do well to observe what Paul does not say. He does not say that wealth or surplus income is a sign of God’s blessing. Nor is it giving per se that is applauded. It is, rather, a lifestyle of generosity that Paul commends.”12
Why is it important to recognize that wealth is not necessarily a sign of God’s favor?
What is the difference between merely giving and a “lifestyle of generosity”?
The result of behavior that imitates the generous sacrifice of Christ is not praise for the donor — the culturally accepted goal of most Greco-Roman giving — but thanksgiving to God. Once again, Christian values are countercultural. God deserves all our thanksgiving as the source of all the good things in our lives. When we live generously, we bring God’s generosity full circle.
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Day 4: Overflowing thanks When you give a large donation to a nonprofit organization, you often get some kind of public praise and recognition. Visit any university, museum or zoo and you can probably find some place where the names of donors are listed for everyone to see. The Corinthians were not promised such name recognition for their generosity to the poor in Jerusalem. Instead, because God’s kindness had supplied both their wealth and their willingness to give, he is the one who gets all the honor.
What does it say? Read 2 Corinthians 9:12–15 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
12 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 241.
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What is overflowing, according to verse 12?
What will God be praised for, according to verse 13?
What does it mean?
God’s generosity rebounds in praise It was common for the rich to do public works at their own expense in Roman Corinth. For example, a certain Erastus — who may have been a Christian — paved the plaza in the theater area with limestone. As we said earlier, such acts were done to gain honor before the community. Garland relates such acts to verse 12 by explaining a certain word in that verse: “The word translated ’service’ (leitourgia) was used in Paul’s day for public service, such as the contributions of money or services for a specific cause by the wealthier residents.”13 But Paul used the word to refer to gifts given even by the very poor for the needs of the Lord’s people, and the overflowing thanks went to God whose generosity moved them to act. Verse 13 further explains and describes verse 12. “Service” is the same word we see in verse 12 and refers to the gift being prepared for the Judean Christians. Since verse 13 is complex, we look to Harris for a summary: “Paul anticipates that after the collection has been completed at Corinth and the whole collection delivered to Jerusalem, the believers there, along with others, would give glory to God because of the evidence of genuine faith and love in the Corinthians as demonstrated by their service of generous giving.”14
Why is evidence of “genuine faith and love” something to give thanks to God for?
The completion of the gift by the Corinthians would make evident to all their obedience, their confession (“Jesus is Lord” — 1 Corinthians 12:3) and their generosity. Belleville explains, “Paul’s point is that the church at large recognizes the collection for what it is: God’s grace at work in the lives of the contributors.”15
13 Garland, 2 Corinthians, 413. 14 Harris, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, 655–6. 15 Belleville, 2 Corinthians, 243.
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Such behavior by the Corinthians brought out both prayer and warm feelings on their behalf (verse 14). The reason is simple: God’s people recognize his surpassing grace in action and are moved by it. Their response resembled Paul’s expression in verse 15: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”
How can you show thanks to God for his indescribable gift to you?
Who benefits when God is praised? Everyone. When God is shown to be the magnificent, gracious, powerful, loving creator that he is, more people are drawn to him and give their lives to him. A generous lifestyle does not just benefit the recipient of the gift, or even the giver, but by bringing honor to God, it shows the world who he is.
ĦĦ Day 5: Reflect, connect, respond As you reflect on the passage we studied this week, consider all God is teaching you through 2 Corinthians 8–9. How will you respond to God’s Word?
Reflect
What principles did Paul share that would help us become more generous?
What is your biggest “takeaway” from this series?
Connect Why aren’t we more generous? What is at the root of our lack of compassion and reluctance to help those in need? Selfishness? Stinginess? Pride? A sense that we don’t have enough and have nothing to give to others? As Paul made clear in 2 Corinthians 8–9, our giving should not only be voluntary but cheerfully done. But if our focus is narrowed to only this life, then hoarding what we think of as our money and our stuff is easily rationalized. It is only when we find our identity in Christ and adopt his view that a life of generosity is not only possible, but compelling. A clear principle has been established for us in this passage: generosity is not self-generated. God does not ask us to conjure up the correct feelings and happily give out of our poverty. We give out of what we’ve been given, and our Lord has not been stingy with what he has provided. In Christ, we are rich in every way and have an abundance of what really matters — peace with God through Christ, adoption into God’s family, joy in our salvation, and the
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presence of our Savior who has given us his Spirit. In light of these gifts, we should overflow with generosity so that God may be praised for all to see. As Christians we are blessed beyond our understanding and filled with the goodness of Christ. Let’s let the world see the difference our Savior makes in the lives of those who love him by being a conduit of his grace. Allow God’s kindness to flow in and through you.
Respond How are you growing?
How can you acknowledge God as the source of all your blessings in the way you think and act? How can your relationship with him translate into a more generous lifestyle?
Who are you impacting?
Who can you show generosity to? What is something you can do this week to show Christ’s love to those in need?
