Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 8:2

τὸ πλοῦτος (אBCP) rather than τὸν πλοῦτον (א3DFGKL).

2. ὅτι ἐν πολλῇ δοκιμῇ θλίψεως. That in much proof of affliction. The ὅτι depends upon γνωρίζομεν. For δοκιμῇ see on 2 Corinthians 2:9 : but it is not clear whether it here means ‘proof’ (R.V.), or ‘trial’ (A. V.), or ‘approvedness’ (Chrysostom and some moderns). Comp. James 1:3. The sense of the whole is “that tribulation has brought out the genuine Christian qualities of the Macedonian Churches” (Lias). Neither ἐστί nor ἦν is to be supplied; that in much proof of tribulation is (was) their abundance of joy, and their deep poverty abounded &c. This spoils the balance between ἡ περισσεία τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτῶν, and ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία αὐτῶν, which are the subject of ἐπερίσσευσεν (A.V., R.V.), and to which τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν is parallel, as is shown by the threefold αὐτῶν. The αὐτῶν qualifies the main subject in each case, as a parallel arrangement shows.

Their abundance of joy and
their down-to-depth poverty

abounded unto

their riches of simplicity.

ἡ κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία. A rare and rhetorical expression. It means that their indigence has reached the bottom of their fortunes: they cannot well be poorer. And there is nothing unsuitable, either in the apparent tautology of ἡ περισσεία ἐπερίσσευσεν, or in the apparent contradiction of ἡ πτωχεία ἐπερίσσευσεν. With the latter comp. the poor widow giving ἐκ τοῦ ὑστερήματος αὐτῆς (Luke 21:4). S. Paul means that ‘their wealth of singlemindedness’ had two sources from which it flowed abundantly,—‘their abundance of joy and their down-to-depth poverty.’ Comp. Hebrews 10:34.

τὸ πλοῦτος τῆς ἁπλότητος αὐτῶν. Their riches of singlemindedness, or simplicity (2 Corinthians 11:3), or singleness (Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22) of purpose. Here, and 2 Corinthians 9:11; 2 Corinthians 9:13, and Romans 12:8, ἁπλότης denotes the singleness of aim which looks only at the needs of others with a view to their relief, and hence comes almost to mean ‘liberality.’ See Sanday and Headlam on Romans 12:8. Josephus (Ant. VII. xiii. 4) uses it of Araunah’s offer to David (2 Samuel 24:22-23). In the LXX. it commonly means ‘innocency’ (2 Samuel 15:11; 1 Chronicles 29:17; Wis 1:1; 1Ma 2:37; 1Ma 2:60). In the N.T. it is peculiar to S. Paul. The form τὸ πλοῦτος (see critical note) is found in the best texts of Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:7; Ephesians 3:8; Ephesians 3:16; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27; Colossians 2:2). S. Paul uses πλοῦτος fifteen times, and, excepting 1 Timothy 6:17, always of moral and spiritual wealth.

The two verses may be paraphrased thus; ‘Now I must tell you of God’s goodness manifested in the Churches of Macedonia, how that, proved as they were again and again by affliction, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty produced a rich overflow of generosity.’ And there should be a colon or full stop at the end of 2 Corinthians 8:2. The ὅτι of 2 Corinthians 8:3 is not coordinate with the ὅτι of 2 Corinthians 8:2, but = ‘because, for,’ introducing the explanation of 2 Corinthians 8:2.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Corinthians 8:2

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