6 And this: He who is sowing sparingly, sparingly also shall reap; and he who is sowing in blessings, in blessings also shall reap;
The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
`Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed, and shaken, and running over, they shall give into your bosom; for with that measure with which ye measure, it shall be measured to you again.'
The wicked is getting a lying wage, And whoso is sowing righteousness -- a true reward.
for God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labour of the love, that ye shewed to His name, having ministered to the saints and ministering;
Be not led astray; God is not mocked; for what a man may sow -- that also he shall reap, because he who is sowing to his own flesh, of the flesh shall reap corruption; and he who is sowing to the Spirit, of the Spirit shall reap life age-during; and in the doing good we may not be faint-hearted, for at the proper time we shall reap -- not desponding;
Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.
and this I say, A covenant confirmed before by God to Christ, the law, that came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not set aside, to make void the promise,
In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike `are' good.
Whoso is lending `to' Jehovah is favouring the poor, And his deed He repayeth to him.
To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. O the happiness of him Who is acting wisely unto the poor, In a day of evil doth Jehovah deliver him. Jehovah doth preserve him and revive him, He is happy in the land, And Thou givest him not into the will of his enemies. Jehovah supporteth on a couch of sickness, All his bed Thou hast turned in his weakness.
and this I say, that no one may beguile you in enticing words,
This, then, I say, and I testify in the Lord; ye are no more to walk, as also the other nations walk, in the vanity of their mind,
And now, Christ hath risen out of the dead -- the first-fruits of those sleeping he became,
`And the first came near, saying, Sir, thy pound did gain ten pounds; and he said to him, Well done, good servant, because in a very little thou didst become faithful, be having authority over ten cities. `And the second came, saying, Sir, thy pound made five pounds; and he said also to this one, And thou, become thou over five cities. `And another came, saying, Sir, lo, thy pound, that I had lying away in a napkin; for I was afraid of thee, because thou art an austere man; thou takest up what thou didst not lay down, and reapest what thou didst not sow. `And he saith to him, Out of thy mouth I will judge thee, evil servant: thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow! and wherefore didst thou not give my money to the bank, and I, having come, with interest might have received it? `And to those standing by he said, Take from him the pound, and give to him having the ten pounds -- (and they said to him, Sir, he hath ten pounds) -- for I say to you, that to every one having shall be given, and from him not having, also what he hath shall be taken from him,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
2Co 9:1-15. Reasons for His Sending Titus. The Greater Their Bountifulness, the More Shall Be the Return of Blessing to Them, and Thanksgiving to God.
1. For—connected with 2Co 8:16: "Show love to the messengers of the churches; for as concerns the ministration for the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you who are so forward already."
write—emphatical: It is superfluous to "write," for you will have witnesses present [Bengel].
2. ready a year ago—to send off the money, owing to the apostle's former exhortation (1Co 16:1, 2).
your zeal—Greek, "the zeal from you," that is, on your part; propagated from you to others.
provoked—that is, stimulated.
very many—Greek, "the greater number," namely, of the Macedonians.
3. have I sent—we should say, "I send"; whereas the ancients put it in the past, the time which it would be by the time that the letter arrived.
the brethren—(2Co 8:18, 22)—Titus and the two others.
should be in vain in this behalf—"should be proved futile in this particular," however true in general (2Co 7:4). A tacit compliment, softening the sharp monition.
as I said—as I was saying (2Co 9:2).
4. if they of Macedonia—rather as Greek, "if Macedonians."
unprepared—with your collection; see 2Co 9:2, "ready," Greek, "prepared."
we, not to say ye—Ye would naturally feel more ashamed for yourselves, than we (who boasted of you) would for you.
confident boasting—The oldest manuscripts read simply "confidence," namely, in your liberality.
5. that they would go before—Translate, "that they should," &c.
whereof ye had notice before—rather, "promised before"; "long announced by me to the Macedonians" (2Co 9:2) [Bengel]. "Your promised bounty" [Ellicott and others].
not as of covetousness—Translate, "not as matter of covetousness," which it would be, if you gave niggardly.
6. I say—Ellicott and others supply the ellipsis thus: "But remember this."
bountifully—literally, "with," or "in blessings." The word itself implies a beneficent spirit in the giver (compare 2Co 9:7, end), and the plural implies the abundance and liberality of the gifts. "The reaping shall correspond to the proportions and spirit of the sowing" [Bengel]. Compare Eze 34:26, "Showers of blessing."
7. according as he purposeth in his heart—Let the full consent of the free will go with the gift [Alford]. Opposed to "of necessity," as "grudgingly" is opposed to "a cheerful giver" (Pr 22:9; 11:25; Isa 32:8).
8. all grace—even in external goods, and even while ye bestow on others [Bengel].
that—"in order that." God's gifts are bestowed on us, not that we may have them to ourselves, but that we may the more "abound in good works" to others.
sufficiency—so as not to need the help of others, having yourselves from God "bread for your food" (2Co 9:10).
in all things—Greek, "in everything."
every good work—of charity to others, which will be "your seed sown" (2Co 9:10).
9. As it is written—realizing the highly blessed character portrayed in Ps 112:9.
He—the "good man" (Ps 112:5).
dispersed—as seed sown with full and open hand, without anxious thought in what direction each grain may fall. It is implied also that he has always what he may disperse [Bengel]. So in Ps 112:9.
the poor—The Greek word is found here only in New Testament, "one in straitened circumstances, who earns his bread by labor." The word usually employed means "one so poor as to live by begging."
his righteousness—Here "beneficence": the evidence of his being righteous before God and man. Compare De 24:13; Mt 6:1, "alms"; Greek, "righteousness."
remaineth—unexhausted and unfailing.
10. Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating").
minister—rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply."
your seed—your means for liberality.
the fruits of your righteousness—the heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mt 10:42). Righteousness shall be itself the reward, even as it is the thing rewarded (Ho 10:12; Mt 5:6; 6:33).
11. Compare 2Co 9:8.
bountifulness—Greek, "single-minded liberality." Translated "simplicity," Ro 12:8.
causeth through us—literally, "worketh through us"; that is, through our instrumentality as the distributors.
thanksgiving—on the part of the recipients.
12. Greek, "The ministration of this public service (on your part) is not only still further supplying the wants of the saints (besides the supplies from other quarters), but is abounding also (namely, in respect to relieving the necessities of others in poverty) through many thanksgivings to God."
13. by—through occasion of.
experiment—Translate, "the experience" [Ellicott and others]. Or, "the experimental proof" of your Christian character, afforded by "this ministration."
they—the recipients.
for your professed subjection—Greek, "for the subjection of your profession"; that is, your subjection in accordance with your profession, in relation to the Gospel. Ye yield yourselves in willing subjection to the Gospel precepts, evinced in acts, as well as in profession.
your liberal distribution—Greek, "the liberality of your contribution in relation to them," &c.
14. Translate, "Themselves also with prayer for you, longing after you on account of the exceeding grace of God (resting) upon you." English Version is, however, good sense: They glorify God (2Co 9:13) by the experimental proof, &c., "and by their prayer for you." But the Greek favors the former.
15. his unspeakable gift—the gift of His own Son, which includes all other inferior gifts (2Co 8:9; Ro 8:32). If we have received from God "His unspeakable gift," what great thing is it, if we give a few perishing gifts for His sake?