2 Corinthians 9 Not for Paul

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
2 Corinthians 9:1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”[a]
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

a. 2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalms 112:9

Well... this is from the easy English site.

Paul is careful not to offend the Christians at Corinth by what he says. He is slightly afraid that they may not have their gift ready. He does not say so. He says that there was really no need for him to write to them. He knew that they were willing to help. He had told the Macedonians how eager the Christians at Corinth were to give. This in fact encouraged the Macedonians to give also. He asked the Christians at Corinth to suppose that he came with the Macedonians. It would be a pity if the people at Corinth were not ready with their gift. Therefore, he was sending Titus and the two other brothers. They would make sure that the gift was ready. They would do this before Paul arrived. This meant that nobody could speak badly about Paul. He did not actually collect the money. He wanted the gift to be generous. He wanted them to give because they wanted to. He did not want them to give because someone told them to. Christians should give because they love God. They should not give because it is a duty. People must use money in an open way. Then everyone can see that they are honest.
God is generous and his people should be generous as well. We do not have to give. If we do give, we should give freely. We should give as we have decided. We should not give because we have to. We should not give because we ought to. God loves people who give with great happiness in their minds. People who give money to other people will also have enough for themselves. God will provide them with all that they need. They will have enough money to give to other people. Paul repeats Psalm 112:9. God will give us all that we need. As a result, we can be generous to other people. Then we will provide the things that they need. Moreover, people will thank God for what we do.

These outtakes are from bible-studys.org.

When the Corinthians first heard of the need, they had undoubtedly promised Paul that they would raise a large amount.
Paul is encouraging them to do whatever they are going to do now. It seems a great deal of time has passed since the need was known, and Paul is saying, send your offering now.
After promising so boldly what they would do, if they did not, it would be embarrassing for Paul, as well as for them. Paul had not ceased telling the people in Macedonia what the church at Corinth had planned to give.​
Paul says that he is not coveting their funds. He wants them to have the free will offering ready when they come, to keep down embarrassment.​
Paul viewed the entire collection project as a spiritual, worshipful enterprise that was primarily being offered to God to glorify Him.
The Jerusalem church had an extremely great need. Many of its members had gone to Jerusalem as pilgrims to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, had been converted through Peter’s message, and had then remained in the city without adequate financial support.
Many residents of Jerusalem had undoubtedly lost their jobs in the waves of persecution that came after the martyrdom of Stephen. However the Corinthians were wealthy enough (they had not yet suffered persecution and deprivation like the Macedonians), to help meet the huge need with a generous monetary gift.​

The Jewish believers, who already doubted the validity of gentile salvation, were especially skeptical of the Corinthians since their church had so many problems. The Corinthian’s involvement in the collection would help to put those doubts to rest.​
It's interesting to me that Paul is working so hard to get money back to the Messianic Jews back in Jerusalem. After all, it was Paul who held the coats of the men who murdered the disciple Stephen in the streets. It's because of him and his buddies that the Jews were hiding.... couldn't go to work.... couldn't provide for their families.... couldn't help their neighbors..... it's because of Paul's actions.

Now I know.... the Christians were really in danger because they were out talking in public about a failed crucifixion. They were giving Rome a black eye by claiming that a man, declared dead by a Roman soldier as he hung on the cross, and sealed in a tomb by Roman soldiers, ..... got up and cooked fish!!!! Come on..... the Romans couldn't have that going around. So.... the Christians.... who had to tell the story.... couldn't help themselves but to tell it..... the Christians had to hide.... couldn't work.... needed help from the other Christians.

So Paul.... who was a Roman instrument of persecution..... who claimed to be knocked down, blinded and then healed by Jesus, the very guy who walked out of the sealed tomb.... was now claiming to be a Christian himself and he's cleaning up the logistics concerning a huge offering for the Christians in hiding in Jerusalem.

The Christians in Corinth didn't like Paul. They didn't like the way he came in there, unpaid, and started spouting off about how they should be acting. They were not like the Messianic Jews in Jerusalem. These Christians had not been circumcised when they were 8 days old. These Christians were not picky about where they purchased their meat.

If you ask me.... this chapter gives old Paul a horrible black eye. He is begging the people in Corinth to load up the coffers for the Jews back in Jerusalem who turn their noses up at the people in Corinth.

Those good people in Corinth.... the ones that no one in the other churches like..... the good people in Corinth.... who meet in a room inside the temple of Aphrodite, [a brothel]..... the ones who were male and female prostitutes employed by that same temple..... they are the good people that Paul is pleading with. They see right through Paul.... I'm pretty sure they can tell he's been a murderer..... just as they have been paid for sex..... and they weren't really impressed with him.

The people in Corinth will get the funds ready for Paul and his cohorts to pick up...... but they are doing it for the persecuted Christians in Jerusalem.... and they are doing it for God..... but definitely not for Paul.... they didn't trust him as far as they could throw him..... but they knew this was God's project so they would get ready.

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