2 Corinthians 8:8

Contextual Overview

⁷But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ⁷ But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. ⁷ But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. ⁷But just as you abound in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. ⁷Y'all are top hands in many ways—faith, speaking, knowledge, being neighborly, and loving folks. Now I want you to become top hands in giving. ⁷ And that as you are full of every good thing, of faith, of the word, of knowledge, of a ready mind, and of love to us, so you may be full of this grace in the same way. ⁷ but even as ye abound in every way, in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all diligence, and in love from you to us, that ye may abound in this grace also. ⁷ Now as you excel in everything—faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us—excel also in this grace. ⁷ But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace. ⁷ Therefore 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 in this grace also.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

speak: 2 Corinthians 8:10, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Corinthians 7:6, 1 Corinthians 7:12, 1 Corinthians 7:25

by occasion: 2 Corinthians 8:1-3, 2 Corinthians 9:2, Romans 11:12-14, Hebrews 10:24

prove: 2 Corinthians 8:24, 2 Corinthians 6:6, Joshua 24:14, Ezekiel 33:31, Romans 12:9, Ephesians 4:15, *marg. Ephesians 6:24, James 2:14-16, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 3:17-19

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:2 - General Deuteronomy 13:3 - ye love the Lord your God Deuteronomy 24:22 - General Psalms 112:4 - he is gracious Proverbs 3:9 - General Matthew 25:22 - I have Luke 19:8 - Behold John 11:36 - Behold John 14:15 - General John 14:24 - that John 21:17 - Feed 1 Corinthians 5:8 - but 1 Corinthians 16:22 - love 2 Corinthians 1:12 - godly 2 Corinthians 5:14 - the love 2 Corinthians 8:17 - but Philippians 1:10 - that ye may be Philippians 2:22 - ye 1 Thessalonians 4:10 - all the Titus 2:7 - sincerity James 2:16 - one 1 John 4:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 8:10
He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.

Genesis 8:10
He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.

Genesis 8:10
Then he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.

Genesis 8:10
So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dove from the ark.

Genesis 8:10
And he abode yet other seuen dayes, and agayne he sent foorth the Doue out of the arke:

Genesis 8:10
After seven days Noah again sent out the dove.

Genesis 8:10
He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

Genesis 8:10
Sotheli whanne othere seuene daies weren abedun aftirward, eft he leet out a culuer fro the schip;

Genesis 8:10
And hee stayed yet other seuen dayes; and againe hee sent foorth the doue out of the Arke.

Genesis 8:10
And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I speak not by commandment,.... Either of God, who has not fixed the certain times when, or certain sums which persons are to give, and other circumstances, which are left to discretion; but in general has signified it as his will, that those in necessity are to be relieved by such who are in ability to do it: or as an apostle, he did not speak in an imperious manner, extorting from them a collection, or laying his apostolical injunctions upon them to make one; he did not go about to force or oblige them to it, for men in such cases must act willingly, and what they do, must do of their own accord with cheerfulness, and not through constraint or grudgingly:

but by occasion of the forwardness of others; or "through carefulness for others"; what moved the apostle to propose this matter to the Corinthians, and exhort them to it, were either the forwardness of the Macedonians, cheerfully contributing in the midst of their poverty, and their urgent solicitations that the same good work might go on elsewhere, or else the very great care and concern that he himself had for the poor saints at Jerusalem: it was not therefore to show his apostolical authority, that he sent Titus to them to finish this service; but he was stirred up hereunto, partly by the bounty and solicitations of others, and partly by bowels of compassion within himself, and concern in his own mind for the poor saints; and also, as he adds,

to prove the sincerity of your love; to God, to Christ, to his ministers, and to the saints, particularly the poor; that their love might appear to be true, genuine, hearty, and real to others, to all men as well as to them the apostles.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I speak not by commandment - This does not mean that he had no express command of God in the case, but that he did not mean to command them; he did not speak authoritatively; he did not intend to prescribe what they should give. He used only moral motives, and urged the considerations which he had done to persuade rather than to command them to give; see 2 Corinthians 8:10. He was endeavoring to induce them to give liberally, not by abstract command and law, but by showing them what others had given who had much less ability and much fewer advantages than they had. People cannot be induced to give to objects of charity by command, or by a spirit of dictation and authority. The only successful, as well as the only lawful appeal, is to their hearts and consciences, and sober judgments. And if an apostle did not take upon himself the language of authority and command in matters of Christian benevolence, assuredly ministers and ecclesiastical bodies now have no right to use any such language.

But by occasion of the forwardness of others - I make use of the example of the churches of Macedonia as an argument to induce you to give liberally to the cause.

And to prove the sincerity of your love - The apostle does not specify here what “love” he refers to, whether love to God, to Christ, to himself, or to the church at large. It may be that he designedly used the word in a general sense, to denote love to any good object; and that he meant to say that liberality in assisting the poor and afflicted people of God would be the best evidence of the sincerity of their love to God, to the Redeemer, to him, and to the church. Religion is love; and that love is to be manifested by doing good to all people as we have opportunity. The most substantial evidence of that love is when we are willing to part with. our property, or with whatever is valuable to us, to confer happiness and salvation on others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Corinthians 8:8. I speak not by commandment — I do not positively order this; I assume no right or authority over your property; what you devote of your substance to charitable purposes must be your own work, and a free-will offering.

The forwardness of others — Viz. the Churches of Macedonia, which had already exerted themselves so very much in this good work. And the apostle here intimates that he takes this opportunity to apprise them of the zeal of the Macedonians, lest those at Corinth, who excelled in every other gift, should be outdone in this. Their own honour, if better motives were absent, would induce them to exert themselves, that they might not be outdone by others. And then, as they had professed great love for the apostle, and this was a service that lay near his heart, they would prove the sincerity of that professed love by a liberal contribution for the afflicted and destitute Jewish Christians.