Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Corinthians 8:20

"Avoiding this, that any man should blame us in [the matter of] this bounty which is ministered by us:" — 2 Corinthians 8:20 (ASV)

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us.—He gives this as the reason why he wished men so appointed to travel with him. He desired to guard against the suspicion of those who were too ready to suspect. His companions were to testify that the sums he carried with him from the various churches were what had actually been collected. They were to be, practically, auditors of his accounts. (See Note on Acts 20:4.) He dwells on this same precaution again later in the Epistle (2 Corinthians 12:18–19).

This abundance.—The word, which primarily means “succulence,” or juiciness, as used of plants and fruits, does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It rather has the appearance of belonging to St. Luke’s medical vocabulary, and is, indeed, used by Hippocrates (De Gen, p. 28) of the full physical state of a youth reaching puberty.