2 Corinthians 9 - Introduction

Butler's Commentary

Chapter Nine

THE PROBLEM OF STEWARDSHIP PART II

(2 Corinthians 9:1-15)

IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:

1.

Why is Paul so concerned about appearances between the Corinthians and the Macedonians?

2.

Are Christians really free to make up their own minds about their giving to the Lord?

3.

What is a cheerful giver?

4.

Is material prosperity the result of a righteous life?

5.

What has giving to do with our acknowledging the gospel of Christ?

APPREHENSION:

1.

How do we know chapter nine is a continuation of the discussion of chapter 8?

2.

Who are the brethren Paul is sending to Corinth? Why?

3.

Why was Paul uneasy about Macedonians accompanying him to Corinth?

4.

What is an exaction?

5.

Why would Paul use the symbolism of sowing and reaping to teach about giving?

6.

What does the word cheerful mean?

7.

What does the word enough mean?

8.

Who scatters abroad?

9.

How does a giver's righteousness endure forever?

10.

What is the significance of the Greek word eucharist, translated thanksgiving?

11.

Why is the word test used in this discussion about giving?

12.

What does the word acknowledge mean in connection with giving?

13.

What does the word contribution mean?

14.

How does one have the grace of God in him?

15.

Why is thanks for God's gift inexpressible?

APPLICATIONS:

1.

Do believers in your congregation consider their giving as a factor in upholding the reputation of Christ and the Christian faith? Do you?

2.

What do you think the community's evaluation of your church's giving is?

3.

How do the leaders of your congregation get people to give?

4.

Do you think people ought to be told how much to give? Why?

5.

How much emphasis is placed on the grace of God in your preacher's sermons and Sunday School lessons?

6.

Do you think the grace of God can be emphasized too much? Why?

7.

Is each Christian really free to decide for himself what he shall give?

8.

Why do Christians need to give?

9.

Do you give most cheerfully when a need to give is presented, or when you are made aware of God's goodness to you?

10.

Are ways to get people to give alright as long as they work?

11.

Are all the givers in your church cheerful givers? Do you think the church could get along without the giving of grudging givers?

12.

Have you ever had so little that you could not afford to give to the church?

13.

Do you believe God will always give every believer enough so that he may participate in the offerings given to the Lord?

14.

Should the poor give? Why?

15.

If God never needs what we give, why do we give?

16.

What if someone told you that a Christian proves his profession of Christ and his obedience to the gospel by his giving?

17.

Does your giving testify that you believe the gospel, and that you are obeying it?

18.

Is the grace of God in you? How do you know? Do others know? How?

19.

How would you express thanks to God for his inexpressible gift?

Special Study

WHY GIVE MONEY TO GOD?

Bible Teachings On Giving

by Seth Wilson and Boyce Mouton

The Bible is filled with admonitions for God's people to give. It says that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. We are told that we should not give by necessity or requirement, but willingly, because the Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). A thinking person will want to know why?

A.

Recognizes God's ownership.

B.

Shows a willingness to depend upon God's faithfulness (Genesis 28:20-22).

C.

Shows faith that God will supply according to His Word (Philippians 4:19).

D.

Expresses love, honor and worship.

E.

Serves God with the resources that we have to work with.

In Psalms 50:12 the Lord reminds us, If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. In the same context He affirms His ownership of all the beasts of the forest and the cattle upon a thousand hills. God does not need our help because He is weak or wanting; but He depends on us because He takes us into His program for the world.

Consider how much time and money the Jews, under the law, were required to devote to God.

Time Given Completely To God In One Year

A.

Sabbaths

52 days - Leviticus 23:3

B.

Passover

6 days - Leviticus 23:4-8

C.

Feast of Weeks

1 day - Leviticus 23:15-21

D.

Feast of Tabernacles

6 days - Leviticus 23:34-42

E.

Day of Atonement

1 day - Leviticus 23:22-32

F.

Feast of New Moon

11 days - Numbers 28:11-15

G.

Feast of Trumpets

1 day - Numbers 29:1-6

Total

78 days

Really 7 days in Passover, and 7 in the Feast of Tabernacles, and 12 in the monthly Feasts of the New Moon, but we have counted all the Sabbaths and the Feast of Trumpets (which is one of the new moons). This accounts for our total. Add days of travel and preparation for the feasts, and time used in purification rites and offering sacrifices, and there were more then 78.
Property Given To The Lord By The Jews

A.

The Firstborn of Man and Beast; Exodus 13:2; Exodus 13:12-15; Exodus 34:19-20

B.

A Tenth of the Products of the Land; Leviticus 27:30

C.

A Tenth of Increase of Flocks and Herds; Leviticus 27:32-34

D.

A Special tithe every Third year; Deuteronomy 14:28-29

E.

According to ability at Annual Fest; Deuteronomy 16:16-17

F.

Firstfruits of Trees and Land; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Deuteronomy 18:4-5; Numbers 18:12-18

G.

Animals sacrificed; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Deuteronomy 18:4-5; Numbers 18:12-18

H.

The Temple-Tax; Exodus 30:13; Exodus 38:26

I.

Day by day giving to the poor; Deuteronomy 24:15; Deuteronomy 24:21; Deuteronomy 15:11; Deuteronomy 15:13-14

How did all of these sabbath days help God? What did He do with all of the money and what good to Him were the ashes of burned beasts?
The whole point is thisgiving was never intended to benefit God, it was intended to help us. God so loved that He gave. this is the very nature of God and it is also the very nature of love. The man who will not give has neither love nor God; and the miserly are inevitably miserable. Love wants to give. Learn the deep joy of giving as an expression of love.

The Grace of Giving

1.

The Christian should not consider giving a burden, but a grace or a favor.

2.

This is a grace in which we should abound (2 Corinthians 8:7).

3.

If we first give ourselves to the Lord, we will gladly give of our means to Him (2 Corinthians 8:2-5). They of Macedonia gave out of their deep poverty (2 Corinthians 8:2). Not only did these people give out of their deep poverty, but they abounded in their liberality.

4.

This giving of ourselves and of our means to the Lord is our reasonable, or spiritual service (Romans 12:1).

5.

We are not our own, but are bought with a price; therefore, we should glorify God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We can never repay the price that was paid for our redemption, which was the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-20).

6.

If we sow, or give, sparingly, we shall reap sparingly; but if we sow, or give, bountifully, we shall reap bountifully (2 Corinthians 9:6).

7.

Can we not take Jesus at His word when He said It is more blessed to give than to receive, (Acts 20:35) and who has promised that we will receive in proportion to our giving? (Luke 6:1-49). Let us cultivate more and more the grace of giving.

Remember God's promise to the Christian: you will always be rich enough to be generous (2 Corinthians 9:8 NEB).

How Strong Is Your Faith In God?

How strong is your faith in God? How great is your love for Christ and His Church? Jesus said to Peter three times, Do you love me? Peter almost considered it an insult and I am sure many members here would feel the same way if He put the question to them. But the real question is, Is your faith strong enough to let you love enough to walk by faith in this new year? In the eyes of the world, walking by faith is the same as throwing logic out the window. How strong is your faith?

Only a small percent of Christians have enough faith and love to give ten percent of their income to the Lord and His kingdom. Does this mean those who don-'t tithe are afraid God will not help them in their stewardship? Listen, Christian stewardship is a test of logic and faith: How can you believe God will take care of you in the next world if you don-'t believe He-'ll take care of you financially in this world? Faith begins now, in this life. (Mark 10:29-30). If we can not believe in God's promises here and now, how can we trust Him there and then? Christian understand how God takes hold of your money matters and improves them. Perhaps you are one of the many who loves and feels the need of giving more to your church and to missions, but without the faith to undertake tithing. Instead of trying to reason your budget, merely step out on faith. Throw logic out the window in this matter and walk by faith. Christian faith means walking in the dark where you cannot see, but knowing you will be guided.

Applebury's Comments
CHAPTER NINE

Analysis

A.

Paul continued to explain the mission of the brethren who were to help the Corinthians in their minister to the saints (2 Corinthians 9:1-5).

1.

His knowledge of their readiness and zeal (2 Corinthians 9:1-2).

a)

Because he knew of this, writing to them was not necessary.

b)

He had boasted of their readiness to the Macedonians to stir up their zeal.

2.

Further reasons for sending the brethren (2 Corinthians 9:3-5).

a)

He had sent them lest his boasting about their preparedness become an empty thing (2 Corinthians 9:3).

b)

In the event that some of the Macedonians should come with him and find them unprepared henot to mention the Corinthianswould be ashamed (2 Corinthians 9:4).

c)

He had urged them to go so that the gift they had promised might be bounteous and not forced (2 Corinthians 9:5).

B.

He explained the issues involved in generous giving (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

1.

The principle of sowing and reaping in relation to giving (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

a)

The one who sows sparingly reaps sparingly, but the one who sows generously reaps abundantly (2 Corinthians 9:6).

b)

In the light of this, each one is to give as he determines in his heart (2 Corinthians 9:7).

(1)

He is to make the decision in his own heart.

(2)

He is to do it, not as one who painfully wishes that he didn-'t have to, but as one who remembers that God loves a cheerful giver.

2.

The ability to give (2 Corinthians 9:8-10).

a)

As He makes all grace abound, so he makes the generous giver able to abound in every good work (8).

b)

This is according to Psalms 112:9 (2 Corinthians 9:9).

c)

As He supplies seed to sow to produce bread He will supply and multiply the seed for sowing and increase the fruits of righteousness (2 Corinthians 9:10).

3.

The results of generous giving (2 Corinthians 9:11-14).

a)

Thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11-12).

(1)

From Paul.

(2)

From those whose wants were met. The ministry of this service met their needs and caused them to thank God.

b)

Praise to God as they saw the obedience and liberality of those who gave to help them (2 Corinthians 9:13).

c)

Longing on the part of those who had been helped for those who by God's grace had shared with them (2 Corinthians 9:14).

4.

The closing word: Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. The full account of the gift could not be put in words (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Questions

1.

In what way is the thought of this chapter related to the preceding one?

2.

Why did he say that it was superfluous to write to them?

3.

What had he told Macedonia about Achaia?

4.

What had the zeal of Achaia done for the Macedonians?

5.

What was the additional reason for sending Titus and his associates?

6.

What embarrassment to the Corinthians was he anticipating?

7.

How can one word be translated bounty in one context and blessing in another? What does the word denote?

8.

What did Paul mean when he said that the offering was not to be a matter of extortion?

9.

How does the example of sowing and reaping explain the principle of generous giving?

10.

What did the Lord Jesus say about the blessing involved in giving?

11.

What did James say about those who misuse riches?

12.

Who is to determine the amount to be given?

13.

In what way are some people forced to give?

14.

Why does God love the cheerful giver?

15.

How did He demonstrate His willingness to freely give us all things?

16.

What did Ananias and Sapphira do that was wrong?

17.

How was it possible for poverty-stricken Macedonia to give for the relief of the saints in Judea?

18.

How did God multiply the harvest of their giving?

19.

How had their giving glorified God?

20.

How had it shown their obedience to their commitment to the gospel?

21.

How are those who accept the privileges of the gospel under obligations to others?

22.

What is unusual about the fact that the saints of Judea longed for their brethren among the Gentile congregations?

23.

What is God's unspeakable gift to which Paul refers?

24.

Why was he unable to put into words a full account of this gift?

For Discussion

1.

In what way do pressure methods force some to give who would rather not do so.

2.

How has God made it possible to give to the needy?