The Letters · New Testament

2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8: the Macedonian example and the collection for the saints

General context

Paul reports the grace given to the churches of Macedonia, where a great trial of affliction and deep poverty produced abundant liberality. He testifies that they gave beyond their power, of their own will, and begged to share in the ministering to the saints, having first given themselves to the Lord. Because of that he asked Titus to finish among the Corinthians the same work he had begun, and urges them to abound in this grace as they abound in faith, utterance, knowledge, diligence and love. He says this is not a command but a test of the sincerity of their love, and points to the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was rich and became poor so they might be rich. His advice is that those who began a year ago should now complete the doing, since a willing mind is accepted according to what a person has and not what they do not have. He denies that others should be eased while the readers are burdened, argues instead for equality in which present abundance supplies another's want, and quotes a written line about gathering much and little. He thanks God for putting the same care into the heart of Titus, who went of his own accord, and reports two companions sent with him: a brother praised in the gospel throughout the churches and chosen by them to travel with the gift, and another brother often proved diligent. Paul says the arrangement avoids blame and provides for honest things before both the Lord and men, names Titus his partner and fellowhelper, calls the others messengers of the churches, and asks the readers to show them proof of their love.

Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 8:1, 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 8:3, 2 Corinthians 8:4, 2 Corinthians 8:5, 2 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 2 Corinthians 8:8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 8:10, 2 Corinthians 8:11, 2 Corinthians 8:12, 2 Corinthians 8:13, 2 Corinthians 8:14, 2 Corinthians 8:15, 2 Corinthians 8:16, 2 Corinthians 8:17, 2 Corinthians 8:18, 2 Corinthians 8:19, 2 Corinthians 8:20, 2 Corinthians 8:21, 2 Corinthians 8:22, 2 Corinthians 8:23, 2 Corinthians 8:24

2 Corinthians 8 (KJV)

¹Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

²How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

³For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

⁴Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

⁵And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

⁶Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

⁷Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

⁸I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

⁹For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

¹⁰And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

¹¹Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

¹²For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

¹³For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

¹⁴But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

¹⁵As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

¹⁶But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

¹⁷For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

¹⁸And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

¹⁹And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

²⁰Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

²¹Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

²²And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

²³Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

²⁴Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

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Historical context

The chapter establishes a collection being gathered for the saints, that the churches of Macedonia have already contributed, and that the Corinthians began a year ago and have not finished. It names Titus and describes him as my partner and fellowhelper concerning you. Two other delegates travel with him and neither is named: one is identified only as the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, and who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace; the other only as our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things. The chapter says why the delegation exists, to avoid blame over the money, but it gives no amounts, no destination city and no date. It quotes one written line, introduced as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack, without naming a book. Exodus 16:18 prints he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack, so the letter reads had gathered where Exodus reads gathered.

Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 8:1, 2 Corinthians 8:4, 2 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 8:10, 2 Corinthians 8:15, 2 Corinthians 8:18, 2 Corinthians 8:19, 2 Corinthians 8:20, 2 Corinthians 8:22, 2 Corinthians 8:23, Exodus 16:18

Literary context

The appeal never issues an order. Paul says outright that he speaks not by commandment, and builds pressure instead by example and comparison. Macedonia comes first, described in terms that should cancel each other, deep poverty producing riches of liberality. Then the Corinthians' own strengths are listed so that generosity can be added to them. Then a single sentence about Christ, rich and becoming poor, puts the whole request inside a reversal. The economic vocabulary is dense throughout, poverty, riches, abundance, want, equality, and the quoted line about gathering closes that thread. The last third turns administrative, naming who is coming and why the accounting is public, and the phrase in the sight of men sits next to in the sight of the Lord rather than beneath it.

Cited passages: 2 Corinthians 8:2, 2 Corinthians 8:7, 2 Corinthians 8:8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 2 Corinthians 8:13, 2 Corinthians 8:14, 2 Corinthians 8:15, 2 Corinthians 8:18, 2 Corinthians 8:20, 2 Corinthians 8:21, 2 Corinthians 8:23

Key moments

Poverty and liberality (2 Corinthians 8:2). Paul reports that affliction and deep poverty in Macedonia produced abundant giving.
They gave themselves first (2 Corinthians 8:5). He says the Macedonians first gave their own selves to the Lord.
Not by commandment (2 Corinthians 8:8). Paul says he is not ordering them but testing the sincerity of their love.
Rich, and became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). He points to Christ becoming poor so that others might be rich.
An equality (2 Corinthians 8:14). He argues that present abundance should supply another's want, and later the reverse.
Honest things before men (2 Corinthians 8:21). Paul says the handling of the gift is arranged to be honest before the Lord and before men.

For reflection

Paul says the Macedonians first gave their own selves to the Lord, and that a willing mind is accepted according to what a person has. What changes when the question is not how much you can give but what you have already handed over?