S
E C O N D C O R I N I T H I A N S
CHAP. IX.
In
this chapter the apostle seems to excuse his earnestness in pressing the
Corinthians to the duty of charity (ver. 1-5), and proceeds to give directions
about the acceptable way and manner of performing it, namely, bountifully,
deliberately, and freely; and gives good encouragement for so doing, ver. 6,
to the end.
1 For as touching the ministering to the
saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the
forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that
Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in
this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 4 Lest haply if
they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not,
ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 5 Therefore
I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto
you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that
the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of
covetousness.
In these verses the apostle speaks very respectfully to the Corinthians, and
with great skill; and, while he seems to excuse his urging them so earnestly
to charity, still presses them thereto, and shows how much his heart was set
upon this matter.
I. He tells them it was needless to press them with further arguments to
afford relief to their poor brethren (v. 1), being satisfied he had
said enough already to prevail with those of whom he had so good an opinion.
For, 1. He knew their forwardness to every good work, and how they had
begun this good work a year ago, insomuch that, 2. He had boasted of their
zeal to the Macedonians, and this had provoked many of them to do as they had
done. Wherefore he was persuaded, that, as they had begun well, they would go
on well; and so, commending them for what they had done, he lays an obligation
on them to proceed and persevere.
II. He seems to apologize for sending Titus and the other brethren to them. He
is unwilling they should be offended at him for this, as if he were too
earnest, and pressed too hard upon them; and tells the true reasons why he
sent them, namely, 1. That, having this timely notice, they might be fully
ready (v. 3), and not surprised with hasty demands, when he should come
to them. When we would have others to do that which is good we must act
towards them prudently and tenderly, and give them time. 2. That he might not
be ashamed of his boasting concerning them, if they should be found unready, v.
3, 4. He intimates that some from Macedonia might haply come with him:
and, if the collection should not then be made, this would make him, not to
say them, ashamed, considering the boasting of the apostle concerning them.
Thus careful was he to preserve their reputation and his own. Note, Christians
should consult the reputation of their profession, and endeavour to adorn
the doctrine of God our Saviour.
6 But this I say, He which soweth
sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall
reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in
his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God
loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all
grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things,
may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath
dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for
ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister
bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the
fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to
all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the
saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13
Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your
professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal
distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their
prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in
you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Here we have,
I. Proper directions to be observed about the right and acceptable manner of
bestowing charity; and it is of great concernment that we not only do what is
required, but do it as is commanded. Now, as to the manner in which the
apostle would have the Corinthians give, observe, 1. It should be bountifully;
this was intimated, v. 5, that a liberal contribution was expected, a
matter of bounty, not what savoured of covetousness; and he offers to their
consideration that men who expect a good return at harvest are not wont to
pinch and spare in sowing their seed, for the return is usually proportionable
to what they sow, v. 6. 2. It should be deliberately Every man,
according as he purposes in his heart, v. 7. Works of charity, like
other good works, should be done with thought and design; whereas some do good
only by accident. They comply, it may be hastily, with the importunity of
others, without any good design, and give more than they intended, and then
repent of it afterwards. Or possibly, had they duly considered all things,
they would have given more. Due deliberation, as to this matter of our own
circumstances, and those of the persons we are about to relieve, will be very
helpful to direct us how liberal we should be in our contributions for
charitable uses. 3. It should be freely, whatever we give, be it more or less:
Not grudgingly, nor of necessity, but cheerfully, v. 7. Persons
sometimes will give merely to satisfy the importunity of those who ask their
charity, and what they give is in a manner squeezed or forced from them, and
this unwillingness spoils all they do. We ought to give more freely than the
modesty of some necessitous persons will allow them to ask: we should not only
deal out bread, but draw out our souls to the hungry, Isa. lviii. 10. We
should give liberally, with an open hand, and cheerfully, with an open
countenance, being glad we have ability and an opportunity to be charitable.
II. Good encouragement to perform this work of charity in the manner directed.
Here the apostle tells the Corinthians,
1. They themselves would be no losers by what they gave in charity. This may
serve to obviate a secret objection in the minds of many against this good
work who are ready to think they may want what they give away; but such should
consider that what is given to the poor in a right manner is far from being
lost; as the precious seed which is cast into the ground is not lost, though
it is buried there for a time, for it will spring up, and bear fruit; the
sower shall receive it again with increase, v. 6. Such good returns may
those expect who give freely and liberally in charity. For, (1.) God loveth a
cheerful giver (v. 7), and what may not those hope to receive who are
the objects of the divine love? Can a man be a loser by doing that with which
God is pleased? May not such a one be sure that he shall some way or other be
a gainer? Nay, are not the love and favour of God better than all other
things, better than life itself? (2.) God is able to make our charity
redound to our advantage, v. 8. We have no reason to distrust the
goodness of God, and surely we have no reason to question his power; he is able
to make all grace abound towards us, and abound in us; to give a large
increase of spiritual and temporal good things. He can cause us to have a
sufficiency in all things, to be content with what we have, to make up what we
give, to be able to give yet more: as it is written (Ps. cxii. 9) concerning
the charitable man, He hath dispersed abroad. He hath given to the poor.
His righteousness, that is, his almsgiving, endureth for ever. The
honour of it is lasting, the reward of it eternal, and he is still able to
live comfortably himself and to give liberally to others. (3.) The apostle
puts up a prayer to God in their behalf that they might be gainers, and not
losers, v. 10, 11. Here observe, [1.] To whom the prayer is made--to
God, who ministereth seed to the sower, who by his providence giveth
such an increase of the fruits of the earth that we have not only bread
sufficient to eat for one year, but enough to sow again for a future supply:
or thus, It is God who giveth us not only a competency for ourselves, but that
also wherewith we may supply the wants of others, and so should be as seed to
be sown. [2.] For what he prayeth. There are several things which he desires
for them, namely, that they may have bread for their food, always a
competency for themselves, food convenient,--that God will multiply
their seed sown, that they may still be able to do more good,--and that
there may be an increase of the fruits of righteousness, that they may
reap plentifully, and have the best and most ample returns of their charity,
so as to be enriched in every thing to all bountifulness (v.
11),-- that upon the whole they may find it true that they shall be no losers,
but great gainers. Note, Works of charity are so far from impoverishing us
that they are the proper means truly to enrich us, or make us truly rich.
2. While they would be no losers, the poor distressed saints would be gainers;
for this service would supply their wants, v. 12. If we have
reason to think them to be saints, whom we believe to be of the household of
faith, whose wants are great, how ready should we be to do them good! Our
goodness can not extend unto God, but we should freely extend it to these excellent
ones of the earth, and thus show that we delight in them.
3. This would redound to the praise and glory of God. Many thanksgivings would
be given to God on this account, by the apostle, and by those who were
employed in this ministration, v. 11. These would bless God, who had
made them happy instruments in so good a work, and rendered them successful in
it. Besides these, others also would be thankful; the poor, who were supplied
in their wants, would not fail to be very thankful to God, and bless God for
them; and all who wished well to the gospel would glorify God for this
experiment, or proof of subjection to the gospel of Christ, and
true love to all men, v. 13. Note, (1.) True Christianity is a
subjection to the gospel, a yielding of ourselves to the commanding influence
of its truths and laws. (2.) We must evince the sincerity of our subjection to
the gospel by works of charity. (3.) This will be for the credit of our
profession, and to the praise and glory of God.
4. Those whose wants were supplied would make the best return they were able,
by sending up many prayers to God for those who had relieved them, v.
14. And thus should we recompense the kindnesses we receive when we are not in
a capacity of recompensing them in any other way; and, as this is the only
recompence the poor can make, so it is often greatly for the advantage of the
rich.
Lastly, The apostle concludes this whole matter with this doxology, Thanks
be to God for his unspeakable gift, v. 15. Some think that by this
unspeakable gift he means the gift of grace bestowed on the churches, in
making them able and willing to supply the necessities of the saints, which
would be attended with unspeakable benefit both to the givers and receivers.
It should seem rather that he means Jesus Christ, who is indeed the
unspeakable gift of God unto this world, a gift we have all reason to be very
thankful for.
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