Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
2 CORINTHIANS 8
The Collection for the Lord’s People
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
Titus Sent to Receive the Collection
16 Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
22 In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.
Application Notes
8:1-24 Paul, writing from Macedonia, hoped that news of the generosity of these churches would encourage the Corinthian believers and motivate them to solve their problems and unite in fellowship.
8:2-5 During his third missionary journey, Paul had collected money for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem. The churches in Macedonia--Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea--had given money even though they were poor, and they had sacrificially given more than Paul had expected. Although they were poor themselves, they wanted to help others. The amount we give is not as important as why and how we give. God does not want us to give gifts grudgingly. Instead, he wants us to give as these churches did-out of dedication to Christ, love for fellow believers, the joy of helping those in need, and the knowledge that it is simply the good and right response. How can you adjust your attitude so you see it as a privilege to share with those in need?
8:3-6 The kingdom of God spreads through believers' concern and eagerness to help others. Here we see several churches joining to help others beyond their own circle of friends and their own city. Explore ways that you might link up with a ministry outside your city, either through your church or through a Christian organisation. By joining with other believers to do God's work, you increase Christian unity and help the kingdom grow.
8:7-8 The Corinthian believers excelled in everything--they had faith, good preaching ("speech"), much knowledge, much enthusiasm rearnestness·), and much love. Paul encouraged them to also excel in the grace of giving. Too often, stewardship of money is given a lower priority than other aspects of discipleship. Most believers would not want growth in faith, knowledge, or love to stop at a certain level. Yet many decide to give a fixed percentage of their income and never increase it over their lifetime. True discipleship includes growing in the mature use of all resources, so giving should expand as well. God can give you the desire and enable you to increase your capacity to give. Don't miss this opportunity for growth.
8:9 The Gospels don't indicate that Jesus was any poorer than most first-century Palestinians; rather, Jesus became poor by giving up his rights as God and becoming human. In the Incarnation, God voluntarily became man--the wholly human person Jesus of Nazareth. As a man, Jesus was subject to place, time, and other human limitations. He did not give up his eternal power when he became human, but he did set aside his glory and his rights (see the note on Philippians 2:5-7). In response to the Father's will, he limited his power and knowledge. Chnst "became poor" when he became human because he set aside so much. Yet by doing so, he made us rich by giving us salvation and eternal life.
What made Jesus' humanity unique was his freedom from sin. In Jesus we can see every attribute of God's character. The Incarnation is explained further in these Bible passages: John 1:1-14; Romans 1:2-5; Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14:1 John 1:1-3.
8:10-15 The Christians in the Corinthian church had money, and apparently they had planned to collect money for the Jerusalem church "last year" (also see 9:2). Paul challenged them to act on their plans. Four principles of giving emerge here: (1) Our willingness to give enthusiastically and cheerfully is more important than the amount we give. (2) We should strive to fulfil our financial commitments. (3) If we give to others in need, they will, in turn, help us when we are in need. (4) We should give as a response to Christ, not for anything we can get out of it. How we give reflects our devotion to Christ.
8:12 How do we decide how much to give? What about differences in the financial resources Christians have? Paul gave the Corinthian church several principles to follow: (1) Each person should follow through on previous promises (8:10-11; 9:3). (2) Each person should give eagerly as much as he or she can (8:12; 9:6). (3) Each person must make up his or her own mind how much to give (9:7). (4) Each person should give in proportion to what God has given him or her (9:10). God gives to us so that we can give to others.
8:12 Paul says that we should give according to what we have, not what we don't have. Sacrificial giving must be responsible. Paul wants believers to give generously, but not to the extent that their families or others in their care must go without having their basic needs met. Give until it hurts, but don't give in a way that hurts your family or others who depend on your financial support.
8:18-21 Another ·brother· was travelling with Paul and Titus, a man who had been chosen by the churches to help take the large financial gift to Jerusalem. Paul explained that by these men travelling together, there could be no suspicion, and people would know that the gift was being handled honestly. The church did not need to worry that the bearers of the collection would misuse the money.
Paul used every safeguard to maintain integrity in the collection of money for the Jerusalem church. Those outside the church can be sceptical of the way believers handle money in the church. Financial scandals among high-profile ministries have alerted the nonbelieving world to the unethical gimmicks that some Christians use. Christians must not mismanage God's resources. Does your church or organisation have a system of checks and balances that prevents wrongful behaviour? What financial practices in your ministry need to be reviewed? Christians must have the highest standards of financial responsibility.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)