tender affection is more abundant toward you; while he remembereth the obedience of you all, how ye received 16 him with fear and trembling. I rejoice that in every thing I have confidence in you. CH. VIII. Now we make known to you, brethren, the very liberal gift bestowed by the churches of Macedonia; 2 that, under a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy t, and the depth of their poverty †, hath abound3 ed to the riches of their liberality ¶¶. For to their power, (I bear witness,) yea, and beyond their power, they were 4 willing of themselves; beseeching us with much intreaty, concerning their gift T, and the joint ministration of it to 5 the saints. And this they did, not as we expected; but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and to us, by the 6 will of God; so that we desired Titus, that, as he had already begun to do this, so he would likewise finish in 7 you this work of liberality also. Now as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in your love to us; see that ye abound 8 in this work of liberality also. I speak not by way of command; but to try the sincerity of your love also, by 9 the diligence** of others. For ye know the gracious goodnesstt of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, while he was rich, yet for your sakes he lived in poverty ‡‡, that *Or, the godly gift. Or, the godlike gift. See S. 16. N. m. "In their christian privileges. But Dr. Mangey and Mr. Wakefield conjecture "" Newcome. The abundance of their want. Wakefield. χρείας, Or, their deep poverty, N. m. ¶ That we would receive the gift, R. T. ¶¶Or, their rich liberality. N. m. ** Or, earnestness. See Wakefield. While he was rich-see Wakefield--#λXT105 WY, ETTWXEUTE. The construction requires it to be understood, not of a passage from a preceding state of wealth to a succeeding state of poverty, but of two contemporary states. He was rich and poor at the same time. ПITxeva, mendicus sum, mendicus vivo; Steph. Thesaur.-inops dego; Constantin. Lex.~ ETTWXEUTE, “pauper fuit, sive potius, mendicavit.” Erasmus. The word properly signifies an actual state, not a change of state. Literally he was poor, or he was a beggar. See Odyss. O. 1. 308. Our Lord was rich in miraculous power; which he could employ, if he pleased, to his own advantage. But, for the benefit of his followers, he chose to lead a life of poverty and dependance; to deny himself the com 10 through his poverty ye might be rich. And I give my judgement in this matter; for this is expedient for you, who have already begun not only to do, but also to have 11 a willing mind, a year ago*. Now therefore fully perform the doing of it also; that, as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a full performance also out of that 12 which ye have. For if there be first a ready mind, it is accepted according to what [a man] hath, and not ac13 cording to what he hath not. For I mean not that others 14 may be eased, and you burthened: but that, by an equality, your abundance may be a supply at this time for their want; that their abundance also may be a supply for your 15 want that there may be an equality, as it is written, "He that had gathered much, had nothing over; and he that had gathered little, had no want." 16 But thanks be to God, who putteth into the heart of 17 Titus the same diligent care for you. For he accepted indeed my exhortation; but, being very earnest, he went 18 to you of his own accord. And we sent with him a bro ther, whose praise in the gospel is throughout all the 19 churches; and not that only, but who was appointed also by the churches our fellow-traveller with this liberal gift, which is to be administered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to the declaration of our ready mind† : 20 we avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this 21 abundance which is to be administered by us; and pro viding things which are good, not only in the sight of 22 the Lord, but in the sight of men also. And we have sent with them our brother, (whom we have often found forts and luxuries of life for the good of others. See Grotius in loc. This was a very proper example to the Corinthians, which they might feel and imitate. It was certainly much more pertinent and applicable, than a supposed descent from a prior state of existence and felicity, to which there could be nothing analogous in the case of the Corinthians; and to which the apostle cannot, in reason nor in consistence with grammatical construction, be understood as making the least allusion. * Or, “who began not only to act, but also with a willing mind, a year ago.” diligent in many things, but now much more diligent,) 23 because of the great confidence which we have in you. If any inquire of Titus, he is my partner, and fellowlabourer toward you or if our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of 24 Christ. Wherefore shew ye to them, before the churches*, IX. the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your ac CH.count. For concerning your ministration to the saints, 2 it is superfluous for me to write unto you. For I know your readiness, for which I glory of you to those of Macedonia, that Achaia was prepared a year ago and your 3 zeal hath provoked very many. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our glorying of you should be in vain in this 4 respect; that, as I said of you, ye may be prepared : lest, if those of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we should be put to shame (not to say ye) for 5 this confidencet. I have therefore thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up beforehand your bounty, before spoken of by me, that it might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 6 However, this I say, He who soweth sparingly, will reap also sparingly; and he who soweth bountifully, will 7 reap also bountifully. Let every man give according as he chooseth in his heart; not with pain, or by constraint: 8 for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every gift abound toward you; that, having always all sufficiency in all things, ye may abound to every 9 good work: (as it is written, "He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth 10 for ever.") Now may he who supplieth seed to the sower, both supply bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteous * and before the churches, R. T. ↑ this confidence [of glorying]. R. T. and N. Griesbach, upon the authority of the Vatican, Ephr. and Clermont MSS., reads, "he who supplieth, etc. will supply--will multiply-will increase, etc.” il ness; ye being enriched in all things to all liberality, 12 which causeth thanksgiving by us to God. For the min istration of this service not only supplieth the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also in many thanksgivings to 13 God; (while, by the experience of this ministration, men glorify God for your professed subjection to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal contribution to them, 14 and to all men ;) and in their prayer for you, who long after you for the exceedingly bountiful gift bestowed by 15 you. [Now] thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. CH. X. Now I Paul beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, (I who in outward appearance am humble 2 among you, but when absent am bold toward you;) now I entreat you, I say, that I may not be bold, when present, with that confidence with which I think to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according 3 to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do 4 not war according to the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the 5 casting down of strong holds ;) casting down reasonings, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every 6 thought to the obedience of Christ; and being ready to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is complete. Do ye look on things according to the outward appearance? If any man trust in himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this also, that, as he is Christ's, 8 so are we likewise. For though I should glory in a somewhat extraordinary manner of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for your edification, and not for 9 your destruction, I should not be ashamed: but I forbear, that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by my epis10 tles. For his epistles, it is said, are weighty and power * So we likewise [are Christ's.] R. T. and N. See Griesbach. ful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech con11 temptible. Let such an one think this, that as we are in word by epistles when absent, such we will be in deed also, 12 when present. For we dare not place ourselves in the same rank, or compare ourselves, with some who commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves*, 13 [are not wise.] But we will not glory of things beyond our measure; but concerning the measure of the line which God hath allotted to us, that we should reach even 14 to you. For we stretch not ourselves too far, as though we reached not to you: for we came even as far as to 15 you in preaching the gospel of Christ; not glorying of things beyond our measure, that is, in the labours of other men; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged among you, as concerning 16 our line, abundantly; so as to preach the gospel in the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another man's line 17 of things made ready for us. But he that glorieth, let 18 him glory in the Lord. For not he who commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. CH. XI. I wish that ye would bear with me a little in mine 2 inconsideration: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous of you with a godly jealousy†: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a 3 chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear lest, as the serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should 4 be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. For if he that cometh among you preach another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not accepted, nevertheless ye might well bear with For I suppose that I am in nothing inferior to the 6 chiefest apostles. But though I be rude ‡ in speech, yet 5 me. * Or, they measure themselves by themselves, and compare, etc. See Newcome's note. |