2 Corinthians 9
DOYLYVer. 5. — and not as of covetousness.] Not as a niggardly gift extorted from covetous persons. Dr. Wells. Because riches begat covetousness, the Apostle here arms the Corinthians, who were a very opulent people, against that vice. It may be here observed, that to give alms only out of shame, or to satisfy the importunity of others, rather than out of love and goodwill, is a symptom of a covetous temper. Dr. Whitby.
— who in presence am base among you.] Whose presence, as my adversaries say, is mean and contemptible amongst you, however in my absence I take upon me to deal severely with you. Bp. Hall.
2 Corinthians 9:2
- — that I may not be bold when I am present &c.] That at my coming I may not have occasion to exercise that severity, which I think myself obliged to exercise against some, who accuse me of weak behaviour in my Apostleship: now saying one thing, and then another, according to our carnal interests, chap. i. 17. Drs. Hammond and Whitty.
2 Corinthians 9:3
- For though we walk in the flesh, &c.] Though I am but a man, and a mean one as to bodily appearance, I do not perform my Apostolical office by human policy and qualifications. Pyle.
2 Corinthians 9:4
- (For the weapons of our warfare] That is, the means whereby we propagate and defend the Gospel, “are not carnal,” as the excellency of speech or of human wisdom, &c.; but the miraculous gifts and powers of the Holy Ghost. Dr. Wells. The powerful weapons, of which the Apostle speaks, were the gifts of inspiration and miracles, the faculty of speaking all kinds of languages, and the ability of communicating miraculous powers and spiritual gifts to others. These mighty weapons he opposes in this verse to the fleshly or weak weapons of swords, and spears, and military engines, and cunning stratagems, and false speeches, with which the men of this world carry on their wars. Dr. Macknight.
— to the pulling down of strong holds;] That is, of whatever opposition is made to the Gospel. Dr. Wells. The original phrase denotes the beating down of fortresses by means of military engines. There is here perhaps an allusion to Josh. vi. 20. Dr. Macknight.
2 Corinthians 9:5
- Casting down imaginations.] That is, all the disputings and reasonings of men’s understandings against the Christian doctrine. Dr. Hammond. The Apostle does not mean the candid reasonings of those, who attentively considered the evidences of the Gospel, but the sophisms of the Greek philosophers, and the false reasonings of all who from bad dispositions opposed the Gospel by argument. These the Apostle overturned, not by forbidding men to use their reason, but by opposing to them the most convincing arguments, drawn from the inspiration and miraculous powers, with which the preachers of the Gospel were endowed. Dr. Macknight.
— and every high thing] The Apostle probably alludes to the turrets, raised on the top of a besieged city or fortress, from which the besieged annoyed their enemies. To these he compares the proud imaginations
2 Corinthians 9:6
- — He which soweth sparingly &c.] “To sow,” in these words signifies to do good works, particularly works of charity; “to reap,” to receive the reward, the future eternal reward of such works; and the Apostle elsewhere interprets himself to this sense, Gal. vi. 8. So that he here expressly asserts, that, as our sowing is more sparing or more liberal, so shall our reaping be also: the greater charity exercised by us in this world, the greater felicity and happiness attends us in the world to come. And so, on the contrary, the thinner our seeds of charity are sown here, the lesser will be our harvest of glory hereafter. Bp. Bull.
2 Corinthians 9:8
- — to make all grace abound toward you;] To make you the richer, not the poorer, by your liberality. Dr. Hammond.
2 Corinthians 9:9
- — his righteousness] That is, His liberality, as the word often signifies in the Septuagint. Dr. Whitby.
2 Corinthians 9:12
- — but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;] That is, it is an invitation and obligation of
many men’s gratitude to God, and so an occasion, if not a special act, of piety also. Dr. Hammond.
2 Corinthians 9:14
- And by their prayer for you, &c.] As if he had said, This charity of yours redounds even to the glory of God, both by occasioning many thanksgivings to God for the same, and also by occasioning their prayer for you. Dr. Wells.
— which long after you] Or, have a great affection for you. Dr. Wells. In this passage the Apostle mentions four different fruits of almsgiving; the relief of the poor; thanksgivings to God from the poor for that relief; the honour done to God by good works; and the prayers of the poor for their benefactors, proceeding from gratitude and love. Dr. Macknight.
2 Corinthians 9:15
- Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.] That is, this admirable charity, by which God is so much glorified, the Gospel receives such credit, others are so much benefited, and you will be so plentifully rewarded by God. Dr. Whitby, Burkitt.
The exhortation to works of charity, which St. Paul addressed to the Corinthians in this and the preceding chapter, is extremely strong and affecting. The example of the Christians in Macedonia, who, notwithstanding they were themselves in very straitened circumstances, had contributed liberally towards the relief of the saints in Judea: the great love of the Lord Jesus Christ, who though He was rich, yet for their sakes became poor,
Paul’s spiritual might and authority. Anno DOMINI 60. # CHAP. X.
Against the false apostles, who disgraced the weakness of his person and bodily presence, he setteth out the spiritual might and authority, with which he is armed against all adversary powers, 7 assuring them that at his coming he will be found as mighty in word, as he is now in writing being absent, 12 and withal taxing them for reaching out themselves beyond their compass, and counting themselves into other men’s labours.
ward appearance. NOW I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who || in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
that they through His poverty might be rich: God’s acceptance of works of charity, not according to the greatness of what is bestowed, but according to the willingness with which it is bestowed: the reward which God will confer on beneficent men in the life to come, in proportion to the number and greatness of the good actions which they have performed in this life: His supplying the with a sufficiency of this world’s goods for their own maintenance, and for enabling them to continue their good offices towards the indigent: His blessing their ordinary labour for that end: the joy which is occasioned to the poor, whose wants are relieved by the alms of the charitable: the thanksgivings which other good men will offer to God when they see works of this sort done, but especially thanksgivings to God from the poor, who are relieved in their straits by the charitable: 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; so that upon the whole a benevolent disposition towards mankind will no where find so fine a model for an exhortation to works of charity, as is exhibited in these two excellent chapters. Dr. Macknight.
Chap. X. The remaining chapters of this Epistle are spent in confuting the suggestions of their false teachers, who yet stood out against the Apostle; and in endeavours to reduce them, both by threatenings and persuasions. He here upbraids them for undervaluing him, on account of the meanness of his personal appearance, without duly weighing the strength of his doctrine and writing: as also for their practice of running from one church to another: not for the sake of converting more people to the Christian faith, but to pervert such as were already converted by the true Apostles of Christ. Pyle.
Ver. 1. — beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.] St. Paul, thinking it fit to appear all severity, till he had by fair means reduced as many of the contrary party as he could to a full submission to his authority, begins here his discourse by conjuring them, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, as an example, that might excuse his delay of exemplary punishment