Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Corinthians 9

Having completed his letter of commendation, Paul resumes his discussion of the collection and states why he was convinced that his pride in the Corinthians and his boasting about them (8:21) would not prove to have been misguided.

In 8:10 (cf. 8:6) Paul dated the beginning of the collection at Corinth as “last year.” Here he uses the same phrase to speak of his current boast to the Macedonians: since last year the Christians in Achaia, certainly including the Corinthians, were ready to give. But since Paul was writing here because of the presumed reluctance of the Corinthians to give, how can Paul now say that he used the example of their “readiness” in his effort to have the Macedonians contribute quickly and liberally?

In answer, we must draw a careful distinction between the Corinthians’ ready desire to give and the actual fact of having completed the collection. This verse concentrates only on the former aspect, their enthusiastic eagerness to help out (cf. 8:11). From vv.3–5 it is clear that they had not yet been giving liberally. The relation, then, between chs. 8 and 9 is this: The Corinthian enthusiasm for participating in the collection (cf. 8:10–11) served as an example worthy of emulation by the Macedonians for their own contribution (9:2). Now, however, because the Macedonians had now successfully completed what they had enthusiastically begun under the stimulus of the Corinthian example (8:1–5), their exemplary action formed a basis for Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians to complete their contribution (8:6, 10–11).

Although Paul knew that the Corinthians were so eager to help that further written reminders about the collection were superfluous (vv.1–2), he was sending a personal reminder in the form of the “brothers” (cf. 8:16–24). Paul wanted to avoid two situations. One was that his repeated and confident boast to the Macedonians about the Corinthians’ “eagerness” and readiness (v.2) would turn out to be without foundation upon his arrival. The other was that when delegates from the Macedonian churches arrived at Corinth with Paul on his forthcoming visit (12:11: 13:1–2), the Corinthians would be still unprepared and this would lead to his (and their own) embarrassment.

Although Paul knew that the Corinthians were so eager to help that further written reminders about the collection were superfluous (vv.1–2), he was sending a personal reminder in the form of the “brothers” (cf. 8:16–24). Paul wanted to avoid two situations. One was that his repeated and confident boast to the Macedonians about the Corinthians’ “eagerness” and readiness (v.2) would turn out to be without foundation upon his arrival. The other was that when delegates from the Macedonian churches arrived at Corinth with Paul on his forthcoming visit (12:11: 13:1–2), the Corinthians would be still unprepared and this would lead to his (and their own) embarrassment.

To make certain that neither of these predicaments arose, Paul “thought it necessary to urge the brothers” to prepare for his coming to Corinth by supervising final arrangements for the collection there. He reminds the Corinthians of their earlier commitment (“the generous gift you had promised”). By a prompt response when the brothers arrived, they would be fulfilling an obligation they had voluntarily assumed and would ensure that the gift was not “grudgingly given.” Twice in this verse the Corinthian contribution is called a “generous gift” (Gk. eulogia, “blessing”: GK 2330), a biblical word that refers either to an act of blessing or consecration or to some concrete benefit given by God or a human being. Here the latter meaning is more appropriate—“a benefit bestowed” by the Corinthian believers on the Jerusalem saints. But other ideas are also suggested. (1) The Corinthian contribution would be an act that produced the blessing of thanksgiving to God; cf. vv.11–13). (2) Paul hoped that the “collection” (Gk. logeia, 1 Corinthians 16:1) at Corinth would be a “first-rate collection” (eu-logia). (3) Since “blessing” implies generosity, the word may denote “a generous gift” (NIV).