An exhortation to the Corinthians not to falsify his boasting of their liberality, vs. 1–5. An exhortation to give not only liberally but cheerfully, vs. 6–15.
Continuation of the discourse in the preceding chapter on making collections for the saints
ALTHOUGH aware of their readiness, the apostle sent the brethren to bring the collection for the poor to an end, lest when the Macedonians who were to accompany him to Corinth arrived, they should find them unprepared, not so much to their disgrace, as to his mortification, vs. 1–4. He sent the brethren, therefore, that every thing they intended to do might be done in time, and be done cheerfully, v. 5. It was not only liberality, but cheerfulness in giving that the Lord required, vs. 6–7. God who commanded them to give could and would supply their wants, and increase their graces. They would be the richer and the better for what they gave, vs. 8–10. What he had at heart was not so much that the temporal sufferings of the poor should be relieved, as that God might be glorified by the gratitude and mutual love of believers, and by the exhibition of their Christian graces, vs. 10–14 What are our gifts to the poor compared to the gift of Christ to us? v. 15.
- For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you.
This is not a new paragraph, much less, as some have conjectured, a separate writing. It is intimately connected with the preceding. In the last verse of chapter 8, he exhorted them to receive the brethren with confidence, for indeed it is superfluous to write about the collection. He exhorted them to show their love to the brethren who were to visit them, for they needed no exhortation to liberality. This is another of those exhibitions of urbanity and rhetorical skill with which the epistles of Paul abounds. The δέ answering to the μέν of this verse is by some said to be found in verse 3. ‘It is not necessary indeed to write, but I send, &c.’ Or, if the connection between vs. 2 and 3 forbid this, the μέν may be taken as standing alone, as in 1 Cor. 5:3, 11:18. So De Wette. Concerning the ministering (περὶ τῆς διακονίας.) The word is often used not only for the ministry of the word, but also for the service rendered in the collection and distribution of alms. Acts 6:1, 12:25; Rom. 15:31. To the saints. All believers are called ἅγιοι in the sense of sacred, i.e. separated from the world and consecrated to God, and as inwardly renewed and purified by the Holy Spirit. 8:4; Acts 9:13; Rom. 1:7, 8:27. The saints referred to were of course the poor believers in Jerusalem for whose benefit Paul instituted this collection in the several churches which he had founded. 1 Cor. 16:1–3. It is superfluous for me (περισσόν μοι ἐστί) to write (τὸ γράφειν, the infinitive has the article because it is the subject of the sentence) unto you. Paul had written and was about to write still further on the subject; so that this is to be understood as only a polite intimation that his writing, so far as they were concerned, was not necessary. They did not need urging.
- For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
The reason why it was superfluous to write to them was that they were disposed to act spontaneously. The apostle says he knew their forwardness of mind, (προθυμίαν,) their readiness or disposition to give. For which I boast (ἡν καυχῶμαι, see 11:30 for the same construction) of you (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, for you, to your advantage). Their readiness to give was a matter of which Paul at that time boasted to the Macedonians among whom he then was. This does not imply that the apostle regarded their liberal disposition an honour to himself, as though it owed its existence to his agency. We are said to boast of the good qualities of a friend when we proclaim them to his honour and not our own. That Achaia was ready a year ago. This was Paul’s boast, All the Christians in Achaia belonged to the church in Corinth, although they did not all reside in that city. See 1:1. Was ready, i.e. to take part in a collection for the saints. He does not mean that the collection had already been completed, so that nothing remained to be done. The context does not justify the disparaging supposition that Paul, to excite the emulation of the Macedonian Christians, had overstated the fact as to the Corinthians, representing them as having already a year ago made their collection. The readiness to which he here refers is the readiness of purpose. They were fully prepared to take part in the work. Others say the apostle had told the Macedonians that the Corinthians had made their collection and were ready to hand over the money. Those who have sufficient respect for themselves not to speak disrespectfully of the apostle, say that he truly believed this to be the fact, and was now solicitous that the Corinthians should not falsify his assertion by being unprepared. Others, however, as Rückert, (and in a measure De Wette,) represent the apostle as dishonestly telling to the Macedonians that the Corinthians had made their collection, and now to save his credit, he begged the latter to finish the work before he and his Macedonian friends arrived. The whole body of Paul’s epistles is a refutation of this interpretation. No man who is capable of receiving the true impress of his exalted character can suppose him guilty of false statement or duplicity. What he told the Macedonians was simply that the Corinthians were prepared. What preparation is meant is plain from the context. It consisted in their προθυμία, their alacrity of mind to take part in the work. A year ago, 8, 10. And your zeal, i.e. your προθυμία, alacrity, in this business. The words are ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν ζῆλος, where the ἐκ may be considered redundant, as our translators have assumed it to be; or, it may be omitted from the text, as by Lachmann; or, the meaning is, the zeal which emanated from you. This last is to be preferred. Hath provoked. The word ἐρεθίζειν means to excite, whether the feeling called into exercise be good or bad. In Col. 3:21, fathers are cautioned not to provoke their children. Here the meaning is that the zeal of the Corinthians had excited the zeal of others. Very many, τοῦς πλείονας, the majority, the greater number. Acts 19:32. It was not every individual of the Macedonian Christians, but the majority of them, whom the zeal of the Corinthians had excited.