2 Corinthians 8 - 9:5

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
Series: 2 Corinthians (Acts)

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Rusty's Notes

• Remember, he’s traveling through the area of Macedonia as he writes 2 Corinthians, and he’s going to use the Macedonians as a positive example of how to get this right.[1]

APPEAL TO COMPLETE THE COLLECTION
2 CORINTHIANS 8
1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia:

• What he wants them to see is that the Macedonians’ giving is an expression of God’s grace.
• The word we translate as “grace” at times could just simply mean attractiveness, charm, winsomeness, thanks, [or] thankfulness.
• It could speak of a gift or a benefit, it could speak of favor that someone gave to someone else, or it could speak of help.[2]
• But I think here it speaks of God’s ability to do amazing things through believers… in His strength.

2 During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

• He says it was a “severe test” that was the context that really prompted their giving.
• But they also were people who gave out of their poverty, which is very interesting.
• They didn’t have very much to begin with.
• They were in deep poverty, which means “rock-bottom destitution.”
• But their circumstances did not hinder them from giving. In fact, they gave joyfully and liberally![3]

3 I can testify that, according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own accord, 4 they begged us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in the ministry to the saints, 5 and not just as we had hoped. Instead, they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us by God’s will.

• Giving was a normal aspect of piety for Jews.
• They had ultimately set a pattern for the Gentiles.

6 So we urged Titus that just as he had begun, so he should also complete among you this act of grace.
7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence and in your love for us—excel also in this act of grace. 8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

• One of things that is amazing when you think about the gospel and the way God initiated renewing the world [is that] it is counterintuitive to how we do things as human beings.
• It seems as Jesus would always do the unexpected.
• But what God is doing is He is setting up a way of taking over the world that is not by military might.
• It’s by transformation, and transformation that would make people servants to others and carry the gospel into the world in a way that is upside down.
• It’s by servanthood rather than by military might.[4]

10 And in this matter I am giving advice because it is profitable for you, who began last year not only to do something but also to want to do it. 11 Now also finish the task, so that just as there was an eager desire, there may also be a completion, according to what you have. 12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 It is not that there should be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality.

• Some people will interpret this as Paul was teaching communism.
• But what Paul was teaching was purely volunteerism which is not communism.
• Their giving was voluntary and spontaneous.
• It was of grace, not pressure.
• They gave because they wanted to give and because they had experienced the grace of God.
• Grace not only frees us from our sins, but it frees us from ourselves.
• The grace of God will open your heart and your hand.[5]
• What he’s talking about is being sensitive (or listen to the Spirit) to the needs of others so that when we have a surplus, we are sensitive to those needs that are out there so that their needs can be met by the way that God has blessed us.[6]

14 At the present time your surplus is available for their need, so that their abundance may in turn meet your need, in order that there may be equality. 15 As it is written: The person who had much did not have too much, and the person who had little did not have too little.

• And the idea in that passage is even distribution: Make sure that everybody in the community has their basic needs met.[7]

 
ADMINISTRATION OF THE COLLECTION
16 Thanks be to God, who put the same concern for you into the heart of Titus. 17 For he welcomed our appeal and, being very diligent, went out to you by his own choice. 18 We have sent with him the brother who is praised among all the churches for his gospel ministry.

• The first brother who’s mentioned in verse 18 is a person who has been “universally praised throughout all the churches for his gospel work.”
• So this is someone who had a sterling reputation.
• He was deeply committed to the gospel, and he had been tagged by the churches to be a companion of Paul on this trip.[8]

19 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this gracious gift that we are administering for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We are taking this precaution so that no one will criticize us about this large sum that we are administering. 21 Indeed, we are giving careful thought to do what is right, not only before the Lord but also before people.

• We should ask ourselves with regard to our handling of resources and our public witness, ‘Do we act with such sterling integrity that we allay suspicion of our motives and promote a positive witness before both a watching world and our God?’
• That’s the kind of integrity we need to have even in doing basic aspects of administration in ministry. [9]

22 We have also sent with them our brother. We have often tested him in many circumstances and found him to be diligent—and now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and coworker for you; as for our brothers, they are the messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore, show them proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you. [10]
 
2 CORINTHIANS 9
1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I boast about you to the Macedonians, “Achaia has been ready since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you in this matter would not prove empty, and so that you would be ready just as I said.

• He doesn’t want the collection to be something that is still waiting in the wings.
• He wants it to be prepared so that the Corinthians are not shamed and he himself is not shamed because he’s been bragging on the Corinthians, [saying] that they would be ready.
• Evidently, he had even bragged to the Macedonians and said, “Hey, look. The Achaeans are going to do this; they’re going to follow through. They’ve been anxious to participate in giving since last year.”[11]

4 Otherwise, if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be put to shame in that situation. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.[12]

• He wants to set the Corinthians up for responding spiritually in a way that is out of generosity of spirit rather than out of stinginess.
• If Paul and the others had come to town eventually and the Corinthians were not ready, it might seem like they are grudgingly having to come up with some money to contribute.
• But if he can help them spiritually get ready, then they can give out of a generous spirit.

They can do it as an act of worship because they’ve been well prepared by [for] it.[13]

[1] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 655). Victor Books.
[4] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 655). Victor Books.
[6] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[7] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[8] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[9] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[10] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 8:1–24). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[12] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 9:1–5). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.