2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8:1

Being thus confident of your distinguished love and regard, I must again recommend to your Christian compassion the poor saints at Jerusalem; and for your excitement, inform you, that the powerful influence of God’s grace hath determined the Christians of Macedonia to make a very liberal collection for them. 2, 3. And that, notwithstanding their own grievous persecution and deep poverty, they have, with uncommon generosity and gladness, bestowed their part, not only answerable to, but even beyond, their ability: 4. Yea, so far were they from needing any excitement from me or my fellow-ministers, that they importunately urged us to accept their free-will-offering, and take the trouble of conveying and distributing it to their poor brethren

2 Corinthians 8:5

And this they did with the greatest cheerfulness and generosity that could be expected, and not merely so, but, acting herein upon truly religious principles, before they put their contributions into our hands, they made a joint and solemn surrender of themselves, and all that they had, to the honour, service, influence, government, and disposal, of the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Head, Saviour, and King; and then, according to the will and directing influence of God, to us as his servants, to conduct them in their spiritual concerns according to the rules of his word

2 Corinthians 8:6

This their excellent behaviour made us to entreat Titus, our fellow-minister of Christ, who had been so acceptable among you, and had begun your charitable collections, to return to you, and by his advices and encouragements, to complete them

2 Corinthians 8:7

And, as many of you, by the grace of God, are remarkable in the knowledge and faith of gospel-mysteries, in eloquence of speech, in earnest endeavours to reform your church, in your affectionate regard to faithful ministers, and in other excellencies, I beg and hope that ye will proportionally abound in this grace of Christian benevolence

2 Corinthians 8:8

And, as I mean that it should be wholly a free gift, I lay no command upon you, nor impose any particular sum; but wish that, by shewing yourselves equally forward with your poor brethren of Macedonia, ye may give further proof of your love to me and to the saints, and especially to Christ, in imitation of, and thankful return for, his unparalleled and endearing love towards you

2 Corinthians 8:9

For, by infallible information and your own experience, ye know the astonishing favour, love, and bounty, of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who, though he was the eternal Son of God, possessed of all the riches, glory, and blessedness, of the Godhead, and rightful Proprietor of all the riches of the universe; yet, to effect your salvation, assumed our nature in a most debased and impoverished condition, veiled his divine glory, and submitted to poverty, meanness, and suffering, that by this mean ye might be enriched with all the abundant blessings of grace and glory, and even with those temporal benefits which we enjoy in a new-covenant state. 10, 11. Affected with his engaging example, I expect that ye will now complete and put into one sum the collections which ye began to lay by you about a year ago when ye received my former epistle

2 Corinthians 8:12

For wherever there is a cheerful and determined inclination to acts of benevolence, and sincere contrivances and endeavours to be able to distribute somewhat to the glory of God and the necessities of his people, it is acceptable not only to ministers and churches, but even to Christ himself, be it more or less, if answerable to men’s circumstances and abilities

2 Corinthians 8:13

For I do not wish that ye should reduce yourselves to poverty by giving too largely to the enriching of these poor saints in Judea, nor that the whole burden of supplying them should fall on you to ease or excuse other churches that are able to assist in it: 14. But I am desirous, that at this time ye, out of your abundance, should supply their extreme necessities, that if ever, by the providence of God, ye should be reduced to like straits, they or others may be able and inclined to supply your need

2 Corinthians 8:15

Of which brotherly communication we have an agreeable example in the Israelites’ distribution of the manna, giving whatever they gathered more than enough for themselves to such as, through age and infirmity, could not gather what was sufficient for their daily support. 16, 17. And blessed be God that he hath inspired our beloved brother Titus with the same fervent zeal as myself to engage you in this excellent service, for your own profit as well as the relief of the poor Jews: and indeed, such was his abundant affection for you, and zeal for this work, that he scarcely needed to be urged to promote it. 18, 19. And I and my brethren who are concerned in it have sent along with him, on the same errand, another eminent minister, of great repute in the churches, for his insight into the gospel, and his zeal, faithfulness, and diligence, in promoting the interests of it; and who hath been chosen by the churches here to attend and assist us in distributing their collection to the poor Christians in Judea, to the honour of Christ and of all the cheerful contributors; 20, 21. We being desirous to have some other respectable ministers of Christ joined with us, in bearing and distributing these large collections, that none might have occasion to suspect we had embezzled or misapplied any part of them: for we wish to execute this important trust in such a manner as may approve itself not only to God, who knows our hearts and ways, but also to the consciences of all mankind, whether friends or foes, who may observe our conduct

2 Corinthians 8:22

And with these two brethren we have sent a third, of whose activity and faithfulness we have had the strongest proofs, and who, from the commendations of you which he hath heard from me, will exert himself to the utmost to complete your honourable liberality

2 Corinthians 8:23

If any strangers desire to know the character of these three brethren, let them understand that Titus is my assistant in every thing relating to your comfort and edification, and that of other Christians; and that the other two are approved messengers of the churches here in Macedonia, who also have been greatly instrumental in promoting the glory and honour of Christ

2 Corinthians 8:24

Receive them therefore in such a respectful manner as will manifest to them and to the churches your love to Christ, to them, and to me, and to the poor Jewish saints; and shew that my boasting of you as a generous, faithful, and kind people, hath been perfectly just and well grounded

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VIII.—What an excellent virtue is Christian benevolence! Wrought in us by the power of divine grace, it proves the sincerity of our love to Christ, and to his members for his sake. It is a delightful imitation of him in his redeeming kindness, and never fails to turn out to men’s own advantage. But it is shameful to be outdone in it by persons poorer than ourselves. It is highly honourable for professors, first solemnly to give up themselves to Jesus Christ as his members and subjects, and, in consequence thereof, to the direction of his faithful ministers. And happy is it when every thing in charitable benevolences, or other church matters, is managed with such prudence, faithfulness, and disinterestedness, as leaves not the least ground for a suspicion of fraud, partiality, or selfishness; and when ministers and saints so behave as to be generally beloved and extensively commended