2 Corinthians 9:10

σπέρμα (אCD3D3KLP) rather than σπόρον (BDFG), which obviously comes from what follows; and χορηγήσει, πληθυνεῖ, αὐξήσει (אBDP, Latt. Copt. Arm.) rather than χορηγήσαι, πληθύναι, αὐξήσαι (א3D3KL).

10. ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν. Assurance that He who can do this (2 Corinthians 9:8), will do it. The A.V. here follows the wrong reading (see critical note) and distributes the optatives wrongly. The sentence is amphibolous, but the verbs are fut. Indic.; and Isaiah 55:10 shows that ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν goes with ὁ ἐπιχορηγῶν, not with χορηγήσει. Now he that bountifully supplieth (Galatians 3:5; Colossians 2:19; 2 Peter 1:5; 2 Peter 1:11) seed to the sower and bread for eating, will supply and multiply your sowing. The change from σπέρμα to σπόρον should be marked in translation, all the more so because the first is literal, whereas τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν is figurative of the gifts which the Corinthians are to ‘scatter,’ and which will bring a rich harvest. It is also worth while marking the difference between ἐπιχορηγεῖν and χορηγεῖν: compound augments the idea of liberality, which is conspicuous in the simple verb. But in late Greek compounds often take the place of simple words without much access of meaning (see Bigg on 2 Peter 1:5), and there is perhaps not much difference here. In the LXX. ἐπιχορηγεῖν occurs in Sir 25:22 of a wife who entirely supports her husband, and as a variant 2Ma 4:9. Comp. ἐπιχορηγία (Ephesians 4:16; Philippians 1:19). In the LXX. χορηγεῖν is common; in the N.T., here and 1 Peter 4:11 only. Originally it meant ‘to lead the chorus’, and then ‘to supply the chorus’ for the exhibition of a drama, an act of public munificence involving great expense. Hence it came to mean ‘to supply necessaries with liberality,’ ‘to equip bountifully.’ Aristotle uses the metaphor several times; Eth. Nic. I. viii. 15, x. 15; x. vii. 4 (in the last passage in connexion with αὐτάρκεια: see on 2 Corinthians 9:8); Pol. IV. i. 1; VII. i. 13; &c.

In this late Greek the difference between βρῶσις and βρῶμα, as between καύχησις and καύχημα, is not sharply maintained (John 4:32; John 6:27; John 6:55). But S. Paul seems to distinguish both βρῶσις and πόσις (Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Colossians 2:16) from βρῶμα and πόμα (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 3:2; 1 Corinthians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 10:3-4); and therefore βρῶσις here should be rendered ‘eating’ rather than ‘food.’ Nowhere else does he use πληθύνειν, which is fairly common in Acts (Acts 6:1; Acts 6:7; Acts 7:17; Acts 9:31; Acts 12:24), and very common in the LXX.

τὰ γενήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑμῶν. From the LXX. of Hosea 10:12 : God will make the fruits of your righteousness to grow. Not only the goods with which to do acts of benevolence, but also the good will to do them, will be increased by Him. For αὐξάνειν transitive comp. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 : it is ὁ αὐξάνων θεός, ‘God who in all things giveth the growth,’ that is spoken of here. In the LXX. αὐξάνειν is always transitive; αὐξανῶ αὐτὸν καὶ πληθυνῶ (Genesis 17:20; comp. Genesis 1:22; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 8:17; Genesis 9:1; Genesis 9:7; &c.). The intransitive use begins with Aristotle; αὐξάνει δὲ ἡ σελήνη (Anal. Post. i. xiii. 4), and is usual in the N.T. Comp. τὸ σῶμα … ἐπιχορηγούμενον … αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ θεοῦ (Colossians 2:19), which is somewhat close to Aristotle’s σώματι κάλλιστα πεφυκότι καὶ κεχορηγημένῳ (Pol. iv. i. 1).