The Macedonians gave in much affliction; they gave joyfully and sacrificially. "In a great trial of affliction (thipseos) or tribulation the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty (ptocheia) or extreme poverty abounded (eperisseusen) or abundance unto the riches (ploutos) or wealth of their liberality (aplotetos) or generosity." "Into this situation we introduce two seemingly contradictory ingredients: (the Macedonians) had overflowing joy and poverty that extended down to the very depths of subsistence living...Christians who give money for pretense never give their last dime, when they have not enough to eat. To give under these circumstances demonstrates great sincerity" (Yeager, Volume XIII, p. 413). A paradox is observed in this verse - (1) in the midst of "a trial of affliction" or in the sense of testing the Macedonian Christians knew an "abundance of joy;" (2) and in their rock-bottom or "deep poverty" there was the opportunity for abounding in "the wealth of generosity." Christian giving is estimated in terms not of quantity but of sacrifice.
3 - 5 Paul can testify (marturo) or bear record that the Macedonians gave beyond their power (dunamin) or ability; they were willing of themselves (authairetoi) or of their own accord." In other words, they gave to the fullest extent of their ability, and they were sorry that they were unable to give more. One is reminded of the Israelites who gave willingly of their gold, silver and other items when Moses asked of them an offering to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Exodus 25:2 reads, "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering." In fact, the Israelites brought more than enough to build the tabernacle (Exodus 36: 5, 6); they had to be restrained from bringing "for the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exodus 36:6, 7).
In verse 4 the Macedonians besought (parakleseos) or with much pleading to Paul that he "would receive the gift (charin) or favor; and take upon (him) the fellowship (koinonian) or communion of the ministering (diakonias) or administration to the saints." The Macedonians gave with urgency; they urged Paul to take their contributions to Jerusalem. "It appears that Paul was reluctant to take the money because he realized the extent of their own personal sacrifice in giving it. Only under great pressure did Paul agree to take it and carry it to Judea" (Yeager, p. 415). "Apparently Paul had been reluctant to press the Macedonians because of their manifest poverty. They demanded the right to have a share in it" (Robertson, Volume IV, p. 243). Truly did the Macedonians give out of poverty, not affluence; of course, they first gave themselves to the Lord, then the money was forthcoming (See Romans 15:26; II Corinthians 9:1 and Acts 11:29).
Paul seems to be somewhat surprised at the generosity of the Macedonians, (they exceeded his own expectation); however, they, "first gave (edokan) or yielded their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God." They gave themselves to God, the primary essential thing to do, and to Paul and his associates; thus making themselves available to assist them in their work. Once the believer gives himself to the Lord, his tithes and offerings will follow. I Corinthians 6:19, 20 reads, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." "Instead of the small gift, which was all that the apostle had hoped out of their poverty, they gave in such a way as to involve and exhibit absolute self-consecration and self-sacrifice" (Gould, p. 192). This reminds us of the widow's mites in Mark 12:44, "(the rich) gave out of their abundance, but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." "The giving of themselves was first in time as well as first in importance. The latter is the expression, the manifestation, of the former" (Hughes, p 292).
6 - 8 "Inasmuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun (proenerxato) or made a beginning (R. S. V.), so he would also finish (epitelese) or accomplish in you the same grace also." The apostle's request was that Titus should complete his work with the Corinthians leading them to make contributions as the Macedonians had done. Paul speaks of the offering as a grace; "...that is, this work of charity. Already, then, in the first half-dozen verses of this chapter the word 'grace' (charis) has been used with three different, though not unrelated connotations: (1) of grace given by God - verse 1; (2) of a favor sought from the Apostle - verse 4; and (3) of a charitable gift contributed by men to their fellows - verses 6, 19. To those a fourth will later be added, namely, (4) that of thanksgiving - verse 16" (Hughes, p. 294).
"Therefore, as ye abound (peirsseuete) or excel in everything, in faith, and utterance (logo) or speech, and knowledge, and in all diligence (spoude) or earnest care, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace (chariti) or liberality also." Paul wants the Corinthians to grow in the grace of giving as well as other graces (such as faith, communication, knowledge, diligence and love). The ungenerous Christian is far from being a complete Christian. Paul is not giving this as a "commandment (epitagen) or by authority but by occasion of the forwardness (spoudes) or earnestness of others, and to prove the sincerity (gnesion) or genuineness of your love." Paul urges them to be eager to communicate and prove their genuine love as the Macedonians had done. He is not encouraging a spirit of rivalry between Corinth and Macedonia; he is implying rather that the wonderful liberality of the Macedonians in the face of their own extreme poverty should be an example and an incentive to the Corinthians to show a liberality of comparable quality. An offering is a test of one's love for Christ, not the only test, but a real one.
9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor (eptocheusen) or beggarly, that ye through his poverty might be rich (ploutesete) or to have abundance." Christ Jesus, the Plutocrat of Glory (John 1:1 - 3 and Colossians 1:14 - 19), became poor that He might give us the riches of abundant life and a home in heaven. He did it through His death on Calvary; this is a true picture of giving. His self-sacrifice is shown in a single act of giving (on the Cross). "(Christ) emptied Himself, humbling Himself by His incarnation, assuming the role of a servant, and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:6ff). "From highest heaven He descended to Calvary and the grave. None was richer than He; none became poorer than He...If He did all this for me, then nothing I give or do for Him can be too much; such love constrains me; redeemed at incalculable cost, I am no longer my own; all that was mine is now His, for Him to make use of in accordance with His holy purposes" (Hughes, pp. 299, 300). Since He did so much for us, can we or the Corinthians do any less?
Under the caption, "The Best Law of Liberality" Doctor Payson wrote, "It has been frequently wished by Christians that there were some rule laid down in the Bible, fixing the proportion of their property which they ought to contribute to religious uses. This is as if a child should go to his father, and say, 'Father, how many times in the day must I come to you with some testimonial of my love? How often will it be necessary to show my affection for you?' The father would of course reply, 'Just as often as your feelings prompt you, my child, and no oftener.' Just so, Christ says to His people, 'Look at Me, and see what I have done and suffered for you, and then give Me just what you think I deserve. I do not wish anything forced'" (Biblical Illustrator, Volume XLIV, p. 378).
10 - 12 Now Paul wants the Corinthians to perform the doing of their commitment. "And in this I give my advice; for this is expedient (sumpherei) or profitable for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be willing or forward a year ago (perusi) or since last year." Paul was not making a command but a deliberate opinion. The Corinthians are now on the spot; they pledged a year ago, probably before any others, to receive an offering for the poor saints at Jerusalem, now they need to perform the doing of their pledge.
Verses 11, 12 read, "Now, therefore, perform (epitelesate) (finish the task or complete) the doing of it, that as there was a readiness (prothumia) or willingness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have." Paul wants them to complete the actual work now. Whatever they can give, give it now. They were quick to pledge, now Paul is saying, "let's see if you meant it." "For if there be first a willing mind (prothumia) or a readiness of mind, it is accepted (euproskektos) or well received according to that which a man hath, and not according to that which he hath not." Yeager translates this verse, "For if the willingness to give is there first, according to whatever he may have, it is accepted: not in accord with what he does not have." God considers not the magnitude of the gift, but the proportion which it bears to the means of the giver. A wealthy person may be able to give fifty percent or ninety percent and still have enough left over to make his living or sustain his business. A pauper may give five percent or ten percent and gives more proportionately that the rich man. God knows what we can give, and we need to give proportionately. "If he is a good steward he is willing to give it all since the essence of stewardship is that the child of God owns nothing, but is appointed by the Lord as a steward over that which belongs to God" (Yeager, p. 425). It is clear that God does not expect of any to give what they do not have.
13 - 15 "For I mean not that other men be eased (anesis) or at rest, and ye burdened (thipsis) or troubled, but by an equality (isotetos) or fairness, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want (husterema) or that which is lacking, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as it is written, He that had gathereth much had nothing over (eplonasen) or abundance; and he that had gathered little (oligon) or a small amount had no lack (elattonesen) or no less." Paul did wish that the Corinthians should distress themselves to set others at ease. Herein is an admonition to share and share alike. He quotes from Exodus 16: 17, 18 which had to do with the gathering of manna in the desert; it reads, "And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did measure it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating." A man with a large family gathered what his family would need and the man with a small family gathered what his family would need; each gathered according to his needs. Of course, hoarding was forbidden; some tried to do so and their manna bred worms and was no good, it became odious.
16 - 19 Paul thanks God again for the care and the zeal that Titus has for the Corinthians; his zeal for them continues. Titus accepted the exhortation, on the one hand, and was forward or zealous, on the other hand, to encourage the Corinthians; he was further willing to visit (exelthen) or to come to encourage them and was willing (authairetos) of his own accord to pick up their collection for the Jerusalem saints. They had been more earnest than ordinary. In verse 18 furthermore, Paul dispatched (sunepempsamen) or sent with Titus another brother to assist him with the offering of the Corinthians. Just who that brother was is not revealed to us. It could have been Silas, Timothy, Tychicus, Apollos, Aristarchus or Luke. Whoever that brother may have been, he was chosen (cheirotonetheis) or ordained of the churches to travel with (sunekdemos) or to be a companion in travel with Paul and Titus as helpers to the glory of the same Lord.
20, 21 In order to avoid (stellomenoi) or forestall false criticism (momesetai) or moral blame and to assure the safety of the collection, Paul asked for assistance by several workers. Paul wanted to safeguard against any question about the collection. He wanted to provide (pronooumen) or plan ahead "for honest things (kala) or honest dealing, not only in the sight (enopion) or before the face of the Lord, but also in the sight of men." Especially where money is involved, it is best to avoid criticism from all fronts.
22 - 24 So Paul sent his brother, "whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence (pepoithesei) or trust which I have in you." Both Paul and his associates were eager to visit Corinth because they had faith in the Corinthians that they would respond generously to the need; furthermore, they were sound help. Titus and all of his helpers could be trusted with the collection for the saints at Jerusalem. All were honest laborers and had the interest of the Lord's work at heart. If any question arises Paul can vouch for their honesty and integrity, and they were duly authorized and qualified to do the work. Paul can endorse them to the hilt.
Verse 24 reads, "Wherefore, show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and our boasting (kaucheseos) or glorying on your behalf." All of the workers could be trusted and the Corinthians could know that they could be trusted to receive the collection and take it to Jerusalem. Titus, especially, had been Paul's fellow laborer in the Lord; he was sound help as were his fellow-travelers. The Corinthians could rest assured that the offerings collected would reach its destination with the poor saints in Jerusalem.
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