John Calvin Commentary 2 Corinthians 8:15

"as it is written, He that [gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [gathered] little had no lack." — 2 Corinthians 8:15 (ASV)

As it is written. The passage that Paul quotes refers to the manna, but let us hear what the Lord says by Moses. He intended this to serve as a never-failing proof that people do not live by bread alone, but are Divinely supported by the secret influence of His will, who maintains and preserves all things that He has created.

Again, in another passage (Deuteronomy 8:3), Moses admonishes them that they had been nourished for a time with such food so that they might learn that people are supported—not by their own industry or labor, but by the blessing of God. Thus, it appears that in the manna, as in a mirror, an emblem of the ordinary food that we partake of is presented to us.

Let us now come to the passage that Paul quotes. When the manna had fallen, they were commanded to gather it in heaps, as much as everyone could. Although, since some are more active than others, some gathered more than was necessary for daily use, yet no one took for his own private use more than a homer, for that was the measure that was prescribed by the Lord. Consequently, everyone had enough, and no one was in want. This we have in Exodus 16:18.

Let us now apply this history to Paul’s purpose. The Lord has not prescribed to us a homer, or any other measure according to which the food of each day is to be regulated, but He has enjoined frugality and temperance upon us, and has forbidden that anyone should go to excess, taking advantage of his abundance.

Let those, then, who have riches, whether inherited or procured by industry and effort, consider that their abundance was not intended to be spent on intemperance or excess, but for relieving the necessities of the brethren. For whatever we have is manna, from whatever quarter it comes, provided it is really ours, since riches acquired by fraud and unlawful artifices are unworthy to be called so, but are rather quails sent forth by the anger of God (Numbers 11:31).

And just as in the case of someone hoarding the manna, either from excessive greed or from distrust, what was laid up immediately putrefied, so we need not doubt that riches heaped up at the expense of our brethren are accursed and will soon perish, and that also, in connection with the ruin of their owner. Therefore, we should not think it is the way to increase if, by consulting our own long-term advantage, we defraud our poor brethren of the beneficence we owe them.

Indeed, I acknowledge that an equality is not enjoined upon us of such a kind as to make it unlawful for the rich to live with any greater degree of elegance than the poor. However, an equality is to be observed to this extent: that no one is to be allowed to starve, and no one is to hoard his abundance at the expense of defrauding others.

The poor man’s homer will be coarse food and a spare diet; the rich man’s homer will be a more abundant portion, it is true, according to his circumstances, but at the same time, they should live temperately and not be neglectful of others.