2 Corinthians 8:1. MOREOVER, BRETHREN, WE MAKE KNOWN TO YOU THE GRACE OF GOD WHICH HATH BEEN BESTOWED ON THE CHURCHES OF MACEDONIA. That celebrated peninsula which lies between the Adriatic Sea on the west and the Ægean Sea on the east, was divided into two parts, of which the southern and narrower... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:2. HOW THAT IN A GREAT TRIAL OF AFFLICTION the nature and severity of which may be gathered from the storm of opposition in which they rose into existence (Acts 16:12 to Acts 17:13, with 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:14), THE ABUNDANCE OF THEIR JOY, AND THEIR DEEP POVERTY A... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:3. FOR ACCORDING TO THEIR POWER, YEA, AND BEYOND THEIR POWER, _THEY GAVE _ OF THEIR OWN ACCORD. 2 Corinthians 8:4. BESEECHING US WITH MUCH ENTREATY. The apostle would hardly let them give what they offered, as being too much in their circumstances, but they insisted: IN THE MATTER O... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:5. _AND THIS THEY DID, _ NOT AS WE HOPED, BUT far exceeding our expectations, FIRST THEY GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD (the Lord Jesus), AND TO US (as acting for Him) BY THE WILL OF GOD. This evidently means something more than that, having consecrated themselves to Christ at the... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:6. INSOMUCH THAT WE DESIRED TITUS, THAT AS HE HAD MADE A BEGINNING BEFORE that is, when he went with others to Corinth as the bearer of his First Epistle to that Church, and availed himself of that opportunity to bring the proposal for this collection before them, and made a beginnin... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:7. BUT to bring this to a point AS YE ABOUND IN EVERY THING, _IN _ FAITH, AND UTTERANCE, AND KNOWLEDGE (see 1 Corinthians 1:5), AND IN ALL EARNESTNESS such as that exemplified in carrying out his directions in the painful case of the incestuous person (2 Corinthians 7:11), as the nex... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:8. I SPEAK NOT BY WAY OF COMMANDMENT as laying my commands upon you to exercise your liberality, BUT AS PROVING THROUGH THE EARNESTNESS OF OTHERS THE SINCERITY ALSO OF YOUR LOVE to let it be seen that ye are not behind others in the outcome of your love.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:9. FOR YE KNOW THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT, THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES BECAME POOR, THAT YE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BECOME RICH. We have here an example of the apostle's beautiful practice of connecting the most familiar duties and incidents of life with th... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:10. AND HEREIN I GIVE _MY _ JUDGMENT or “opinion;” for in 2 Corinthians 8:8 he had just disclaimed giving them a “command” on the subject (see 1 Corinthians 7:6; 1 Corinthians 7:25), FOR THIS IS EXPEDIENT FOR YOU, WHO WERE THE FIRST TO MAKE A BEGINNING A YEAR AGO or as we should sa... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:11. BUT NOW COMPLETE THE DOING ALSO; THAT AS _there was_ THE READINESS TO WILL, SO _there may be_ THE COMPLETION ALSO OUT OF YOUR ABILITY ‘according to your means.'... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:12. FOR IF THE READINESS IS THERE, IT IS ACCEPTABLE, ACCORDING AS _a man_ HATH, NOT ACCORDING AS _he_ HATH NOT a delightful principle, worthy of Him who “loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), that the acceptability of all our offerings depends not on the _amount given,_ but o... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:13. For _I_ _SAY _ NOT _this,_ THAT OTHERS MAY BE EASED, _and_ YE DISTRESSED that others be eased at your expense, your Jewish brethren placed in comfort and ye yourselves pinched;... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:14. BUT BY EQUALITY; YOUR ABUNDANCE _being a supply_ AT THIS PRESENT TIME FOR THEIR WANT, THAT THEIR ABUNDANCE ALSO (in your time of need) MAY BECOME _a supply_ FOR YOUR WANT; THAT THERE MAY BE EQUALITY: 2 Corinthians 8:15. AS IT IS WRITTEN (in Exodus 16:18, mostly as in LXX.), HE TH... [ Continue Reading ]
_Of Titus and two other Brethren sent to get ready the Corinthian Collection,_ 16-24. 2 Corinthians 8:16. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, WHICH PUTTETH THE SAME EARNEST CARE FOR YOU (as into me) INTO THE HEART OF TITUS.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:17. FOR INDEED HE ACCEPTED OUR EXHORTATION (2 Corinthians 8:6) to go to Corinth on this errand; BUT BEING HIMSELF VERY EARNEST, HE WENT FORTH UNTO YOU OF HIS OWN ACCORD needing no pressing from me.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:18. AND WE HAVE SENT TOGETHER WITH HIM THE BROTHER WHOSE PRAISE IN THE GOSPEL IS _SPREAD _ THROUGH ALL THE CHURCHES;... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:19. AND NOT ONLY SO, BUT WHO WAS ALSO APPOINTED BY THE CHURCHES TO TRAVEL WITH US IN _the matter of_ THIS GRACE (the contribution), WHICH IS MINISTERED BY US TO THE GLORY OF THE LORD (the Lord Jesus), AND _to shew_ OUR READINESS:... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:20. AVOIDING THIS, THAT ANY MAN SHOULD BLAME US IN _the matter of_ THIS BOUNTY. The word “readiness” means ‘thickness,' ‘fulness,' ‘exuberance;' and refers probably to the largeness of their contribution, and possible surmises as to his strict fidelity, which he would take means to w... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:21. FOR WE TAKE THOUGHT FOR THINGS HONOURABLE, NOT ONLY IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, BUT ALSO IN THE SIGHT OF MEN so as to be above suspicion, and give no shadow of ground for such unworthy thoughts as those hinted at in chap. 2 Corinthians 12:17-18. Who this “brother” was, it is quite... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:22. AND WE HAVE SENT WITH THEM OUR BROTHER, WHOM WE HAVE MANY TIMES PROVED EARNEST IN MANY THINGS, BUT NOW MUCH MORE EARNEST, BY REASON OF THE GREAT CONFIDENCE WHICH _HE HATH _ IN YOU on the double ground of his known Christian earnestness, and his confidence in the Corinthians. But... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:23. Whether _any inquire_ about Titus. ‘Need I say anything in commendation of him?' _he is_ my partner, and _my_ fellow-worker to you-ward therefore, in relation to the apostle and his work, above the other two; or our brethren, they are the messengers of the churches, _they are_ th... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Corinthians 8:24. Shew ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying in your behalf. ‘By the reception you give to these honoured messengers, shew the love you bear to us and them, and to the cause they come to you in, and thus justify before the ch... [ Continue Reading ]