Their gratitude towards their benefactors, expressed in earnest prayers to God for their happiness:-And the cordial union which is produced between the rich and the poor by this intercourse of good offices: All these considerations are displayed in this excellent exhortation, with a tenderness and feeling, which nothing but a heart filled with goodness was capable of expressing. With the above mentioned affecting motives, which are suited to every ingenuous mind, the apostle intermixed a variety of other incitements to works of charity, adapted to the particular circumstances of the Corinthian brethren, which, therefore, must have made a strong impression on them:-Such as their former readiness to do good works:-Their being enriched with every spiritual gift; a kind of riches vastly superior to the riches which the apostle wished them to impart to their needy brethren:-Their love to him their spiritual father, whose reasonable desires it was their duty to comply with:-His having boasted of their good dispositions to the churches of Macedonia:-His anxiety that the messengers from these churches, who were coming to Corinth, might find them such as he had represented them:-And the shame with which the apostle himself, as well as the Corinthians, would be overwhelmed, if, when the Macedonian brethren arrived, they were found to have been negligent in making the collection for the poor in Judea. He therefore entreated them to prove the truth of their love to him, and of his boasting concerning them before these worthy strangers, and before the churches whose messengers they were, by their finishing the collection with cheerfulness, that what they gave might appear to be a gift willingly bestowed, and not a thing extorted from them by his importunity. Upon the whole, if any minister of the gospel, who is himself animated by a benevolent disposition towards mankind, has occasion to excite his people to works of charity, let him study with due attention the viiith and ixth chapters of St. Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians; for no where else will he find so fine a model to form his exhortation on, as that which is exhibited in these excellent chapters. NEW TRANSLATION. CHAP. IX. 1 (Mev yag, 238. 94.) But indeed, concerning the ministry which Is to the saints, it is super COMMENTARY. CHAP. IX. 1 But indeed, concerning the propriety of the ministry to the saints in Judea, it is superfluous for me to write to you. What I have now the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2 For I know the for ρισσον μοι εςι το γραφειν ὑμῖν. 2 Οιδα γαρ την προθυμίαν wardness of your mind, for ὑμων, ἣν ὑπὲρ ὑμων καυχω 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 μαι Μακεδόσιν, ότι Αχαια παρεσκευαςαι απο περυσι και ὁ ἐξ ὑμων ζηλος ηρέθισε εξ τους πλείονας. 3 Επεμψα δε τους αδελ brethren, lest our boasting φους, ἵνα μη το καυχημα ήμων 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, you) 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 το ὑπερ ύμων κενωθῇ ἐν τῷ μερει τουτῳ· ἱνα (καθως ελε γον) παρεσκευασμενοι ητε 4 Μηπως εαν έλθωσι συν εμοι Μακεδονες, και ευρωσιν μας απαρασκευάςους, καται σχυνθωμεν ἡμεις (ἵνα μη λεγωμεν ύμεις) εν τῇ ὑποςασει ταυτή της καυχήσεως. 5 Αναγκαιον ουν ήγησαμην παρακαλεσαι τους αδελφους, ἵνα προελθωσιν εις ύμας, και προκαταρτίσωσι την προκα Ver.2.1. That Achaia was prepared since the last year. So the apostle thought, when he boasted of the Corinthians to the Macedonians. For in his former letter, which was written in the end of the preceding year, he, had exhorted them to make the collection, and had given it in charge to Titus who carried that letter, to encourage them in the work. Besides, the Corinthians having expressed the greatest respect for the apostle in the letter which they sent to him, and the messengers who brought that letter having assured him of their disposition to obey him in every thing, he did not doubt of their having complied with his request. And therefore, when he went into Macedonia the following spring, after Pentecost, he told the Macedonian churches, that Achaia was prepared since the end of the last year, firmly believing that it was so. What is meant by Achaia, see 1 Thess. i. 7. note. Ver. 3.—1. That our boasting which was concerning you. When the aposthe left Ephesus, he went into Macedonia, in the expectation of meeting fluous for me to write to you. 2 For I know your willingness, of which I boasted on your behalf to the Macedonians, that Achaia was prepared since the last year; and your zeal hath stirred up very many. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, that our boasting which was concerning you,' may not be rendered false in this particular; BUT that, as I said, ye may be prepared: 4 Lest, perhaps, if the Macedonians come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not ye) should be put to shame (ev) by this confident1 boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to entreat the brethren, that they would go before to you, and in view, is to persuade you to finish speedily what you have begun. 2 For I am so convinced of your willingness, that in the persuasion ye had actually made the collection, I boasted of you to the Macedonians, that the churches of Achaia were prepared since the last year. And my account of your zeal in this matter, hath stirred up very many to follow your example. 3 Yet, as ye have not finished your collection, I have sent the brethren (chap. viii. 18. 22.) to inform you of my coming, that our boasting which is on your behalf, may not be rendered false in this particular, by your making unnecessary delays; but that, as I said, ye may be prepared when I come: 4 Lest, perhaps, if the Macedonian brethren, to whom I boasted concerning your readiness, come with me to Corinth, and find you unprepared, I (that I say not ye) should be put to shame by this confident boasting concerning your zeal, whereby I stirred them up. 5 For that reason, I thought it necessary to entreat the brethren, that they would go before me to you, and excite you to complete before my ar Titus on his return from Corinth. In Macedonia he remained some months before Titus arrived; and during that time, we may suppose, he exhorted the Macedonian churches to make the collections, and excited them to the work, by boasting of the forwardness of the Corinthians. Ver. 4.—i. By this confident boasting. The word iwosaris, is often used by the LXX. to denote confident expectation, or firm hope. Our translators, therefore, have rendered it properly here, by confidence. Beza's translation is, in boc fundamento gloriationis, in this foundation of boasting. The Vulgate, substantia gloriæ, matter of boasting. The literal translation is, In this confidence of boasting. bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 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 towards 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. τηγγελμένην ευλογίαν ύμων, ταυτην ἑτοιμην είναι έτως ὡς ευλογίαν, και μη ώσπερ πλεονεξίαν. 6 Τουτο δε, ὁ σπειρων φειδομένως, φειδομενως και δε ρίσει και ὁ σπειρων επ' ευλογιαις, επ' ευλογίαις και περι σει. 7 Εκαςος καθως προαιρειται τῇ καρδια μη εκ λύπης, η εξ αναγκης ἱλαρον γαρ δότην αγαπᾳ ὁ Θεός. 8 Δυνατος δε ὁ Θεὸς πασαν χαριν περισσευσαι εις ἱμας· ἵνα εν παντι παντοτε πασαν αυταρκειαν εχοντες, περιστ σεύητε εις παν έργον αγαθον 9 Καθως γεγραπται· Boκορπισεν, έδωκε τοις πενησιν ἡ δικαιοσυνη αυτου μενει εις τον αιώνα. Ver. 5.1. And not as, πλεονεξίαν, a thing extorted. Estius thinks the proper translation of this clause is, Not as of covetousness, because, according to him, the apostle's meaning is, that the alms given by the Corinthians, should be large, as proceeding from a liberal dispositon, and not small, as proceeding from covetousness. But the word πλεονεξίαν, being in the accusative case, hinders us from supplying the preposition of. Theophylact interprets this, by a Greek word signifying circumvention, in which he is followed by Erasmus. But Stephen in his concordance, citing this verse, translates it extortum aliquid, a thing extorted; which I take to be the proper translation. See chap. ii. 11. note 1. Ver. 8.1. Το make every blessing. The word χαριν, which I have translated blessing, our translators have rendered by the word benefit, 2 Cor. i. 15. and chap. viii. 4. by the word gift. That it is used here to denote temporal gifts or blessings, is evident from the remaining part of the verse, and 6 Now, this I SAY, He who soweth sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who soweth bountifully, bountifully also shall reap. 7 Every one according as he purposeth in HIS heart, OUGHT TO GIVE ; not with grief, nor by constraint: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make every blessing' abound (s) to you; that in every thing always having all sufficiency,2 ye may abound (s) in every good work: 9 As it is written, (Psal. cxii. 9.) He hath dispersed; he hath given to the poor : his righteousness remaineth for ever. 2 rival. your formerly announced gift to the saints in Judea, that the same might be thus prepared at my coming to Corinth, as a gift willingly bestowed, and not as a thing extorted from you by my importunity, as from persons of a covetous disposition. 6 Now, to encourage you to give, this I say, It is in almsgiving as in agriculture, he who soweth sparingly, sparingly also shall reap ; and he who soweth bountifully, bountifully also shall reap the rewards promised to charitable men. 7 By recommending liberality, I mean that Every one, on examining his own circumstances, according as he hath determined what to give, ought to give it, not with grief nor by constraint, but with good will: for in matters of charity, God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 On this occasion, ye should not look forward to the evils which may God is able and befall yourselves. willing to make every temporal blessing abound to you ; that in every respect, always having all sufficiency, ye may abound in every work of charity, without needing relief from others. 9 By this consideration, the Israelites were encouraged to liberality; For, of the charitable man, it is written, He hath dispersed; he hath given to the poor; his beneficence remaineth as long as he liveth. from the scope of the apostle's argument.-The repetition of the words every and all in this passage, renders it beautifully emphatical. 2. Sufficiency. The Greek word auтapxuar, properly signifies sufficiency in one's self. Ver. 9.-1. As it is written, He hath dispersed. This is an allusion to one VOL. II. 52 |