College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
2 Corinthians 8 - Introduction
Butler's Commentary
Chapter Eight
THE PROBLEM OF STEWARDSHIP PART I
IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:
1.
Does God expect people to give beyond their means?
2.
What is the point at which one excels in benevolence?
3.
If the readiness is in our heart is that acceptable whether we give or not?
4.
Why should administrators of what has been given be blameless?
5.
Paul mentions twice that giving is a proof of love? Is it?
APPREHENSIONS:
1.
What problem was Paul having with the Corinthians about their giving?
2.
Why was Paul asking for an offering from the Corinthians? What was he going to do with the offering?
3.
How widely known was this effort of Paul to take up such a collection?
4.
How extreme was the poverty of the Macedonians? Why?
5.
How seriously were the Macedonians about wanting to give to Judean brethren?
6.
Why didn-'t Paul expect the Macedonians to give as they did?
7.
If Paul does not command the Corinthians, is any Christian giving or stewardship to be commanded?
8.
Why does Paul mention the poverty of Jesus? How poor was Jesus?
9.
What is readiness? How is that acceptable?
10.
Why is completing what one has started so important to Paul?
11.
What is equality in this text? How is it to be accomplished?
12.
Why does Paul mention Titus and the brothers who are going to help him deliver this collection?
13.
Why is it important that these brothers were appointed by the churches?
14.
What does Paul mean by saying he intends no one should blame him?
15.
What has giving or stewardship to do with proving one's love?
APPLICATIONS:
1.
How often do you remind yourself that you are a steward, responsible to God, for everything in your life? What is a steward anyway?
2.
Do you know any Christians as destitute as the Macedonians? Do you think they should be giving to help others?
3.
If poor people give beyond their ability, who will take care of them?
4.
How much does the Lord expect Christians to give?
5.
Have you ever begged the church to take your money? Have you ever known anyone who did?
6.
Have you ever been surprised to learn the sacrifices some people make to give? Why were you surprised?
7.
Do you have any excellent givers in your church? Who is an excellent giver?
8.
What approach moves you to givecommand or example or advice? Are there certain approaches which irritate you?
9.
Have you ever been guilty of deciding to respond to a plea for help and never completing it? Why? Is completing a work important?
10.
Do you practice proportionate giving of that with which God has entrusted you?
11.
What proportion should Christians give?
12.
Should every member of the church contribute to congregational offerings? Why? Does every member in your church? How may this ideal be attained?
13.
Do you determine the integrity of those administering funds received before you give? How?
14.
Is it possible that some money sincerely given has been misused? Who is responsible? What is the giver's responsibility?
15.
Should the giver be concerned if those administering his gifts offer no public accountability? Why? What should the giver do?
16.
Have you ever thought that you prove your love for Christ and others by how you give more than what you give?
Applebury's Comments
CHAPTER EIGHT
Analysis
A.
Paul told about the gracious privilege God had given the Macedonian churches, permitting them to share in helping the saints in Judea (2 Corinthians 8:1-6).
1.
The result of God's grace (2 Corinthians 8:1-2).
a)
The gracious privilege of sharing had been given by God and was still operating in the churches of Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1).
b)
Their great joy over this gift, even though they were being put to the test by much affliction and deep poverty, resulted in single-minded devotion expressed in the overflowing wealth of their liberality (2 Corinthians 8:2).
2.
Paul's testimony as to their response to God's grace (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).
a)
It was according to their ability, even beyond their ability.
b)
It was of their own accordthey chose to do it.
c)
It was with great urgency that they begged for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints.
d)
It was a response beyond anything Paul had hoped for.
e)
It was the result of having first given themselves to the Lord and to Paul by the will of God.
3.
Paul's exhortation to Titus to complete the task he had already begun at Corinth (2 Corinthians 8:6).
B.
He gave instruction to enable them to determine the amount of their giving (2 Corinthians 8:7-15).
1.
Giving in relation to other gracious privileges in which they had abounded (2 Corinthians 8:7).
a)
The principle: They abounded in (1) faith, (2) utterance, (3) knowledge, (4) earnestness, and (5) love.
b)
The exhortation: Abound in this gracious privilege also.
2.
Love as the motivating force in giving (2 Corinthians 8:8-9).
a)
Paul did not issue a command for them to be generous, but appealed to them to show the sincerity of their love (2 Corinthians 8:8).
b)
He reminded them of the example of Christ who, although he was rich, became poor for their sakes that they might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
3.
Advice about completing the work which they had already begun (2 Corinthians 8:10-15).
a)
The advice: Since they were the first to begin, Paul's opinion was that they should complete the task according to their ability (2 Corinthians 8:10-11).
b)
The measure:
(1)
Willingness to give makes the gift acceptable, not the amount (2 Corinthians 8:12).
(2)
Equality (2 Corinthians 8:13-15).
(a)
Not that one should be distressed and another eased (2 Corinthians 8:13).
(b)
Equality that balances want and abundance (2 Corinthians 8:14).
(c)
Example: Scriptural reference to the manna (2 Corinthians 8:15).
C.
Paul told them of the mission of Titus and his associates whom he had urged to go to Corinth to assist in this gracious privilege of giving (2 Corinthians 8:16-24).
1.
His thanks to God for the concern of Titus for them (2 Corinthians 8:16-17).
a)
God had put the same earnest care in the heart of Titus (2 Corinthians 8:16).
b)
Titus had accepted the task because of his earnest desire to help them (2 Corinthians 8:17).
2.
His commendation of Titus and his associates (2 Corinthians 8:18-23).
a)
The first brother (2 Corinthians 8:18-21).
(1)
He had been praised for his work in the gospel throughout all the churches (2 Corinthians 8:18).
(2)
He had been appointed by the churches to go on this mission (2 Corinthians 8:19).
(3)
Paul was thus avoiding any criticism of his handling of the funds (2 Corinthians 8:20-21).
b)
The other brother: With Titus and the first associate, Paul also sent another proven brother who had great confidence in the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:22).
c)
Paul's commendation of Titus and the others (2 Corinthians 8:23).
(1)
Titus was his partner and fellow-worker.
(2)
The other brethren were ones who had been sent by the churches to do a work for the glory of Christ!
3.
His plea for them to give a demonstration of the love and justification of his boasting about them (2 Corinthians 8:24).
Questions
1.
What are the three principal topics discussed in this epistle?
2.
What Chapter s are given over to the discussion of the collections for the saints?
3.
What characterizes Paul's mood as he wrote about the postponement of his visit to Corinth?
4.
How account for the change of mood as he wrote about giving?
5.
How did his mood change again as he took up the defense of his apostleship against the charges of false teachers?
6.
What did Paul mean by the grace of God that had been given in the churches of Macedonia?
7.
In what way does this differ from the usual approach to the subject of giving?
8.
How did God provide for the children of Israel in the wilderness?
9.
Why didn-'t He provide for the saints in Judea in the same way?
10.
What was the basic principle in the distribution of material goods by the church in Jerusalem?
11.
How was it abused by Ananias and Sapphira?
12.
Why was it necessary to appoint deacons in the church at Jerusalem?
13.
What experience had Paul already had in famine relief in Judea?
14.
What had he promised Peter and John with reference to helping the poor in Judea?
15.
What does Acts reveal about the churches in Macedonia?
16.
What is known about the hardship and poverty which Macedonia was enduring?
17.
Is poverty an excuse for not participating in the privilege of sharing with others?
18.
What did Paul mean by liberality?
19.
What caused Macedonia to give even beyond their ability?
20.
Who determined what they were to give?
21.
What was their attitude toward the privilege of giving?
22.
What about the begging approach to budget raising?
23.
What is the place of fellowship in the matter of giving?
24.
What had Paul hoped for from Macedonia? What happened?
25.
What was the secret of their generous response?
26.
What did Paul mean when he said that they gave themselves to the Lord by the will of God?
27.
How had they given themselves to Paul also?
28.
To whom was the money given?
29.
What had Titus done to help the Corinthians in the matter of giving for the saints?
30.
Why was Paul sending him back to Corinth?
31.
What had the grace of God done for the Corinthians?
32.
Define faith, utterance, and knowledge? What had these to do with the grace of giving?
33.
Why did he say, I speak not by way of commandment?
34.
How harmonize this with the fact that he had ordered the churches of Galatia to prepare for the relief of the saints?
35.
What is the motivating force in generosity?
36.
Why did he appeal to the example of the Lord?
37.
Why did Paul express his opinion to the Corinthians instead of commanding them to act?
38.
What does God look for in the hearts of those who are privileged to give?
39.
What was Paul's motive in asking Gentile congregations to help the needy Christians in Judea?
40.
In what way were Gentile Christians indebted to those of Jewish background?
41.
What are some of the ways in which the offering for the saints in Judea might bring about equality?
42.
How does the reference to the giving of the manna explain the issue of equality.
43.
What are some of the things for which Paul thanked God?
44.
Why did he thank God for Titus?
45.
How did God put earnest care for the Corinthians in the heart of Titus?
46.
What does the attitude of Titus show as to the essential qualifications of those who may be asked to serve in the church?
47.
What did Paul say about the two who were sent with Titus?
48.
How can this serve as a guide to churches in selecting workers?
49.
How did the churches appoint the brother to travel with Titus?
50.
What does this show about cooperation between congregations?
51.
What was Paul's concern in handling these funds?
52.
What does it suggest to those who handle the funds of the church?
53.
Why did Paul use the word bounty to describe the offering?
54.
What do we know about Paul's attitude toward his fellow-workers? toward Titus? toward Apollos? toward Timothy?
55.
What is the literal meaning of the word translated messenger?
56.
Why not use the literal translation?
57.
For whose glory were these messengers to work?
58.
What demonstration did Paul want the churches to make?
59.
To whom had Paul been boasting about Achaia?
60.
What was his purpose in mentioning it at this point?
For Discussion
1.
What factors affect the distribution of food to the hungry peoples of the world?
2.
How would the evangelization of the worldthat's what Jesus said to doaffect the problem of caring for the needy?