Chapter Nine

¹ Chapter Nine. For concerning the ministry to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. Having said so much before, and being about to say more again, he nevertheless says that it is superfluous for him to write concerning these things. And he does this wisely, so as the more to draw them on. For they will be ashamed if, when Paul has such an opinion concerning them—that they do not need counsel toward showing mercy—they should then appear to be less than the opinion.

² For I know your eagerness, of which I boast on your behalf to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared a year ago. I myself also know, he says, your eagerness; and not only this, but I also boast to others that all Achaia is ready, not Corinth alone; and nothing is lacking, except the coming of those who are to receive the money. So that it is a shame to me, if I shall appear to have boasted in vain and falsely.

³ And your zeal has provoked the greater number. And yet above he said that They were of their own accord, and beseeching us. How then does he now say that Your zeal has provoked the greater number? But he did not say, All, but, The greater number. For some were of their own accord, and beseeching us; but others were provoked by the zeal toward you; for the greater number need a goad. Or also, that We did not counsel, we did not exhort, but only praised you, and this sufficed for them to exhortation. Do you see how he rouses both those through these, and these through those? You became teachers, he says, to those; do not then appear to be falling short of the disciples.

⁴ But I sent the brethren, lest our boasting on your behalf should be made empty in this respect; that, as I said, you might be prepared. As it were, he makes himself a part of the Corinthians, and is in anguish on their behalf; for he says that Since I boasted, I was afraid lest we be put to shame; and for this reason I sent the brethren, lest it be made empty, that is, lest it be proved vain and empty, my boasting on your behalf. For I, he says, priding myself on you, boasted among all, and among those men too; so that if you fall short, the shame is common; yet not everywhere, but in this respect; that is, That I might not be put to shame in the matter concerning almsgiving alone; but be prepared, as I said to the Macedonians, that all those of Achaia are ready, and nothing is lacking to them.

⁵ Lest by any means, if the Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, you) should be put to shame in this confidence of boasting. Again he turns about the same things, and heightens the anguish, leading them up from human reasonings. For greater is the shame, when one is put to shame before the faces of strangers. For perhaps, he says, you have confidence in me, as one who is forbearing; but consider the Macedonians, who will perchance come with me (for this is likely), and if they find you—he did not say, unwilling to give, but, unprepared. For if not to be prepared, nor to contribute amply, is a shame, much more is it to contribute nothing at all, or less than what is due. And he tempers the saying, saying that We shall be put to shame (that I say not, that you) in this confidence of boasting; that is, We shall not be put to shame elsewhere, but in this boasting concerning almsgiving alone, since your other things are unimpeachable. And this he says, not flattering them, but rather making them more eager, that, being well-approved in the other things, they may not in this be found disapproved and less than themselves. And by saying, that I say not, that you, he shows that they themselves rather will be put to shame; for theirs is the fault. And by confidence he means the subject, and the matter itself, that is, the substance of the boasting.

⁶ Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they should go before to you and arrange beforehand your previously promised blessing, that this might be ready as a blessing, and not as covetousness. Lest he should seem to contradict himself—having said above that It is superfluous for me to write, but now again discoursing concerning these things—he now discourses concerning lavishness, and concerning the doing of the work with eagerness; and on account of these things he says he sent the brethren. And urging toward two contrary things—both to give munificently, and to give with eagerness—he most wisely handles them both. For first he discourses concerning giving with eagerness, then also concerning the other head. He says, then, that what is given is a blessing; and no one giving a blessing is grieved. And he shows the fruit also straightway here sprouting forth, and those who give being filled with blessing. And not even with this was he satisfied, but he added, And not as covetousness. For do not suppose, he says, that we receive these things from you as those who overreach you, but as those who wish to procure a blessing for you. So that he who gives alms unwillingly is, as it were, overreached.

⁷ But this: he who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he who sows on blessings shall reap also on blessings. He passes over to the other head, that concerning giving with lavishness, and says that I say this also, in addition to what I said, that one must not give in a niggardly way. And he did not say, Niggardly, but more auspiciously he set down the name of sparing. And he called the matter a sowing, that you may straightway look to the recompense, and may learn that you receive more than you give. And having spoken concerning giving with lavishness, he again made mention also of giving with eagerness; for the phrase, He who sows on blessings, shows this, as has been said above.

⁸ Each as he purposes in his heart, not of grief or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. He dwells on the discourse concerning giving with eagerness, knowing that, toward giving much, the example of the Macedonians also will be sufficient to rouse them, and the being ashamed to appear less than they. But their will he leaves free, that what is done by them may also be a virtue. For if it is involuntary, it is not a virtue. As, therefore, a true teacher, he wishes the disciples to do what they do according to the principle of virtue, and at the same time also that the reward may be whole for them, doing the good voluntarily; since the involuntary cuts short the reward. For this reason he says: Each as he purposes, and not of grief, or of necessity; and he brings forward a testimony from Solomon.[1] And yet the saying of the wise man was spoken not concerning lavishness; but nevertheless he himself took it up to giving with eagerness; and, if you will, to both.

⁹ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you. Through these words he overturns the reasoning which many of us have, saying: If I give much, I fear lest I become poor. He says, then, that God is able to make you so free from want, that you can do all grace also—that is, all almsgiving—with abundance. Give, then, lavishly, that your almsgiving may ever and ever abound.

¹⁰ That in everything always having all sufficiency, you may abound to every good work. Do you see? Not riches for them, but sufficiency does he pray. And in saying this, he shows that he neither forces them nor compels them to give out of want; for then they would no longer have sufficiency; and at the same time he also teaches where one must use the gifts of God. For, he says, that you may abound to every good work. For in carnal things, he says, I pray sufficiency for you; but in spiritual things (for this is the meaning of To every good work), abundance; that you may not only show mercy abundantly, but also do every God-pleasing work munificently.

¹¹ As it is written: He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness abides forever. He said, That you may abound. Establishing such a thing, he brought a testimony from the prophet, the phrase, He has scattered abroad. For this word shows the lavishness and the abundance. The money, then, does not abide; but the righteousness—that is, the love of mankind (for so he calls it, as justifying the man and dissolving his sins)—this at least abides forever, both that here and that there. For from this also the merciful man is beloved by all, and his descendants by those born afterward.

¹² And may he who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. He prays for them in the same breath both bodily and spiritual things, and he makes his discourse trustworthy from the perceptible husbandry. For if to those who sow the earth God gives seed, and if to those who nourish the body he furnishes nourishment, much more to those who till heaven and nourish the soul. Having said, then, May he supply and multiply your seed, he speaks concerning the perceptible wealth, which he wishes to become a spiritual seed when given to the poor. For from this grows every good work in us, and the sheaves of righteousness; wherefore he also adds: And increase the fruits of your righteousness. And note here too, that he introduces God as giving us not luxury, but nourishment. For bread, he says, for food.

¹³ (But this is from Jeremiah.)

¹⁴ Being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God. And again he shows how one must use wealth. For he says that one must not bury it, but have it to all liberality—that is, to empty it out with lavishness. And since many display their liberality toward harlots and actors, he says that I mean such liberality as brings much thanksgiving to God; or rather, not thanksgiving only, but also many other things, which he sets down as he proceeds; that, having shown the many good things begotten of liberality, he may render them more eager toward it.

¹⁵ That the ministry of this service not only fills up the wants of the saints, but also abounds through many thanksgivings to God (while through the proof of this ministry they glorify God for the submission of your confession to the Gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your fellowship toward them and toward all); and in their supplication on your behalf they long after you, on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you. The ministry, he says—that is, the supplying of the money—accomplishes many things. For not only do you fill up the need for the brethren, but you also abound; that is, You furnish them more than the need, and many thanksgivings come about through this approved ministry, witnessed to for its love of mankind. For they glorify God, that you so submitted to the Gospel as to fulfill his commands with lavishness. For the Gospel teaches almsgiving. And for another reason they glorify God, that your liberality and goodness is poured out not toward them alone, but also toward all the poor of Christ. For they do not envy, as the rest of the poor, but give thanks, even for what you give to others. Which is a sign of their great virtue. So that one must give more lavishly to such men, so ungrudging, so virtuous. But they also make supplication on your behalf, that they may be counted worthy to see you—not on account of the money, but on account of the grace of God given to you surpassingly. And again he called the matter of almsgiving grace, referring the whole to God, that they themselves may not be lifted up. And in saying, The surpassing grace of God, he rouses them, that they may make their munificence more lavish, and that others may not surpass and outdo them.

¹⁶ But thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. By gift he means the good things that come about through almsgiving both to those who give and to those who receive; or he also calls to mind the good things of which we were counted worthy through the incarnation of Christ, as though saying such things as these: Do not suppose that you do anything great; for unspeakable are the good things which we received from God; and if we give a few perishable things, what is that great?