7 each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,
`Speak unto the sons of Israel, and they take for Me a heave-offering; from every man whose heart impelleth him ye do take My heave-offering.
for if the willing mind is present, according to that which any one may have it is well-accepted, not according to that which he hath not;
or he who is exhorting -- `In the exhortation!' he who is sharing -- `In simplicity!' he who is leading -- `In diligence?' he who is doing kindness -- `In cheerfulness.'
all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth `us' to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
`When there is with thee any needy one of one of thy brethren, in one of thy cities, in thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother; for thou dost certainly open thy hand to him, and dost certainly lend him sufficient for his lack which he lacketh. `Take heed to thee lest there be a word in thy heart -- worthless, saying, Near `is' the seventh year, the year of release; and thine eye is evil against thy needy brother, and thou dost not give to him, and he hath called concerning thee unto Jehovah, and it hath been in thee sin; thou dost certainly give to him, and thy heart is not sad in thy giving to him, for because of this thing doth Jehovah thy God bless thee in all thy works, and in every putting forth of thy hand; because the needy one doth not cease out of the land, therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Thou dost certainly open thy hand to thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy one, in thy land.
Take ye from among you a heave-offering to Jehovah; every one whose heart `is' willing doth bring it, -- the heave-offering of Jehovah, -- gold, and silver, and brass,
thou dost certainly encircle him out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy wine-vat; `of' that which Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou dost give to him,
The good of eye -- he is blessed, For he hath given of his bread to the poor.
Eat not the bread of an evil eye, And have no desire to his dainties, For as he hath thought in his soul, so `is' he, `Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart `is' not with thee. Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that `are' sweet.
And the noble counselled noble things, And he for noble things riseth up.
murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.
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?