2 Corinthians 9

2 Corinthians 9:1-5

In this chapter the apostle seems to accuse his cernestness in pressing the Corinthians to the duty of charity, vers. 1—5. And provoking to give directions about the acceptable ways and manner of performing it, viz. bountifully, deliberately, and freely; and growth good encouragement for so doing, vers. 6, to the end.

1. FOR as touching the ministry to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. 2. For I know the forwardness of your mind, for 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 brethren, lest our boasting 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 bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

The apostle, with admirable address, whilst he seems to wave many arguments he might have urged, yet by his confidence expressed in their readiness to comply with his request, says the strongest obligations on them to these their generosity. He knew their forwardness; he boasted of their zeal; and it had excited a holy ambition in the Macedonians to follow them. For their own sakes therefore, as well as his, he wished them to be ready, and had sent Titus and the brethren for this purpose, that if any of the Macedonians came with them, he, not to say they themselves, would be put to shame in the confident boasting he had made of them, should they be found unprepared, and their collections not compleated. He sent therefore, that having timely notice, all might be ready in the way most honourable for them, and most agreeable to the commendations he had given them; not as an extorted alms, but as a noble, generous, willing contribution, the grateful acknowledgement due to God for all the singular mercies they had received. Note, Alms given with reluctance, or squeezed out by mere importunity, only prove the covetousness, not the charity of the giver.

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 soweth a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to make all gives 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 remained for ever. 10. Now he that a minifieth fend to the lower, both minifire bread for your food, and multiply your feed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 11. Being enriched in every thing to all & bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God. 12. For the administration of this service not only supplicate the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13. Whiles by the experiment of this miniftration, they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14. And by their prayer for you, which long after you, for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

The apostle proceeds to direct them.

1. Concerning the right manner of giving. It must be done, (1.) Bounetfully, according to our abilities. (2.) With deliberation, not inconsiderately, but after weighing well what we can afford, confident with the provision we owe to our own house. (3.) Not prejudingly, or of mischief, as if it was returned by importunity; or that we were ashamed not to do as others; or as if our heart grieved to part with what our hand bestowed: such a spirit would mar the deed.

2. He suggests the strongest reasons to excite their liberality. (1.) It would be highly for their own advantage. He which sought sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sought bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (2.) God breeds a cheerful givory, and his love is the greatest of blessings. (3.) He is able abundantly to recompense you, both in spiritual graces, and worldly goods; so that you shall still have an abundant sufficiency that his good providence, and he enabled to abound in every good work, finding yourselves never the power for what is spent in his blessed service. (4.) They would hereby secure lasting honour, since the scripture testifies of him who liberally dispenses to the poor, that his righteousness, or alms, remained for ever, and shall bring forth the most blessed fruits in everlasting life, when the great judge in the day of his appearing shall remember and reward him. (5.) Much glory will hereby accrue to God, as well as much good be done to the poor saints, who experiencing the riches of your bounty, will be excited to offer their thanksgivings to God for this proof of your fraternal love, and of your real subjection to the gospel of Christ, manifested in such liberality shown to them, and unto all men as occasion required. Now, Where true Christianity is enthroned in the heart, it will ever appear in godlike charity. (6.) This will also engage the prayers of those who partake of your bounty; and an interest in the supplications of the saints at a throne of grace, will abundantly repay us for every kindness done to them. Now, When we can make no other acknowledgment, we must pray for our kind benefactors, that God, the poor man’s friend, may reward them.

3. The apostle offers up his own earnest prayers for them. Now he that minifieth fend to the lower, so that there is corn enough for the year’s provision, and a sufficiency again to bow the ground, hath minister bread for your food, and give you always a supply; and multiply your feed sown, reflecting it a hundred fold into your bottom; and increase the fruits of your righteousness, enabling you to abound in liberality more and more, as I have confidence he will; being enriched in every thing, with all the blessings of grace and providence, which can enable and dispose you to exercise all bountifulness, which consists through us thanksgiving to God, who bless his name both for the abundance he hath bestowed upon you, and for the heart he hath given you to employ it to his glory.

4. He concludes therefore with this doxology; Thanks be unto God for his unspendable gift; for all he hath done for you, in you, and by you; above all, for Jesus Christ, that most transcendently invaluable gift, which comprehends all others, and for which all language is insufficient to express our gratitude.

2 Corinthians 9:7-11

18. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing that as you are partakers of the suffering, so shall ye be also of the confidation. 8. For we would not, herewith, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, inasmuch that we despaired even of life: 9. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which ratifies the dead. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us: 11. You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bejewed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

St. Paul,

1. Expresses his confidence in them, And our hope of you is stedfast, that ye will never be discouraged by any tribulations which you see us endure, or are called to bear yourselves; knowing, that as you are partakers of the sufferings with us, so shall ye be also of the confidation, rejoicing with us here in the experience of God’s love, and shortly to arrive where sorrow shall be for ever banished, and our joys will be perfected.

2. He informs them what a fight of afflictions they had undergone. For we would not, herefrom, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, (see Acts xiv. xvi. xix.) that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, loaded with burdens more than our natural strength could sustain; so that we despaired even of life, not knowing which way to escape, and our care to all experience desperate. But we had the justness of death in ourselves, and concluded we must be destroyed; the Lord in his providence suffering us to be brought to their extremism, that we should not trust in ourselves, feeling by experience our own utter infallicity to help ourselves, but in God which resteth the dead, which wisdom, power, and grace alone could extricate us from our troubles, and save us from the jaws of death. Note, The Lord suffers his people often to be reduced as it were to the left gosp, that he may convince them more deeply of their own helplessness, and magnify his grace and power more signally on their deliverance.

3. He gratefully acknowledges the divine interposition. Who delivered us from so great a death, when to human view it appeared inevitable; and doth deliver, in jeopardy as we stand every hour: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us, content to call our care upon him, in the fullest confidence of his protection and support. You also helping together by prayer for us, and joining in afflictionless supplications on our behalf, that we may be still preserved in the midst of danger; that for the gift of so signal a deliverance as we have experienced, bejewed upon us by the means of many persons, in answer to the prayers of those faithful souls who, ceaseless at a throne of grace, brought the Lord for us, thanks may be given by many on our behalf, and God glorified and praised for the mercy he hath extended towards us. Note, (1.) Path experience of God’s interposition should engage us still to hope in his mercy. (2.) None ever trusted God and were confounded. (3.) We owe much to the prayers of those who intend themselves for us in their approaches to God. (4.) The blessings received in answer to prayer call loud for a due return of praise.