2 Corinthians 8:1

Contextual Overview

¹And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.¹ And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. ¹ Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,¹Now brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, ¹Now listen to this, cowboys. Y'all ain't going to believe what God has done for all the outfits in Macedonia. ¹ And now we give you news, brothers, about the grace of God which has been given to the churches of Macedonia; ¹ But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia; ¹ We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God granted to the churches of Macedonia: ¹ Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia; ¹ Moreover, brethren, we declare to you the grace of God, bestowed on the churches in Macedonia,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

we: 2 Corinthians 8:19

the grace: 2 Corinthians 8:2-7, 2 Corinthians 9:12, Acts 11:23, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 3:8, Colossians 1:29

churches: 2 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Corinthians 9:4, 2 Corinthians 11:9, Acts 16:9, Romans 15:26, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:10

Reciprocal: Psalms 110:3 - Thy Proverbs 22:9 - He that hath a bountiful eye Proverbs 26:12 - a man Song of Solomon 5:4 - put Matthew 13:23 - some an Matthew 21:3 - straightway Matthew 25:22 - I have Matthew 25:35 - I was an Mark 14:8 - hath done Acts 19:22 - Macedonia Romans 12:8 - giveth Romans 12:13 - Distributing 1 Corinthians 16:1 - concerning 1 Corinthians 16:2 - as God 2 Corinthians 6:1 - the 2 Corinthians 8:8 - by occasion 2 Corinthians 9:14 - the exceeding Galatians 2:10 - that Philippians 1:5 - General 1 Thessalonians 1:6 - received 1 Thessalonians 2:14 - ye also 1 Thessalonians 3:4 - even 1 Timothy 6:18 - ready Hebrews 6:10 - which 1 Peter 2:19 - thankworthy

Cross-References

Genesis 8:7
and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7
and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7
and he sent out a raven, and it went out flying back and forth until the water was dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7
and he sent out a raven, and it flew here and there until the water was dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7
And he sent foorth a Rauen, whiche went out, goyng foorth, and returnyng, vntyll the waters were dryed vp vpon the earth.

Genesis 8:7
Then he sent out a raven. The raven flew from place to place until the ground was dry and the water was gone.

Genesis 8:7
and sent forth a raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth.

Genesis 8:7
which yede out, and turnede not ayen til the watris weren dried on erthe.

Genesis 8:7
And he sent forth a Rauen, which went foorth to and fro, vntill the waters were dried vp from off the earth.

Genesis 8:7
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God,.... The apostle having said everything that was proper to conciliate the minds and affections of the Corinthians to him, and the matter in difference being adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties concerned; he proposes what he had wisely postponed till all was over, the making a collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem; which he enforces by the example of the Macedonian churches, the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, c. He addresses them in a kind and tender manner, under the endearing appellation of "brethren", being so in a spiritual relation and takes the liberty to inform them of the goodness of God to some of their sister churches; "we do you to wit", or "we make known unto you". The phrase "to wit" is an old English one, and almost obsolete, and signifies to acquaint with, inform of, make known, or give knowledge of anything. The thing informed of here, "is the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia"; by which is meant, not any of the blessings of grace common to all the saints, such as regeneration, justification, adoption, forgiveness of sin, and the like; but beneficence, liberality, or a liberal disposition to do good to others, called "the grace of God"; because it sprung from thence, as all good works do when performed aright; they were assisted in it by the grace of God; and it was the love and favour of God in Christ, which was the engaging motive, the leading view, which drew them on to it. This was

bestowed upon them, not merited, it was grace and free grace; God may give persons ever so much of this world's goods, yet if he does not give them a spirit of generosity, a liberal disposition, they will make no use of it for the good of others: and this was bestowed

on the churches of Macedonia; not on a few leading men among them, but upon all the members of these churches in general; and not upon one church, but upon many; a spirit of liberality was in general diffused among them, and this is proposed for imitation. Examples have great influence, and the examples of many the greater; too many follow a multitude to do evil; here the example of many, even of many churches, is proposed in order to be followed to do good, to exercise acts of beneficence and goodness, in a free generous way to saints in distress; which as it is here called, "the grace of God", so in some following verses, "the gift, the same grace, and this grace", 2 Corinthians 8:4 agreeably to the Hebrew word חסד, which signifies "grace" and "free bounty"; and is used for doing good, or for beneficence, which the Jews call גמילות חסדים "a performance of kind and bountiful actions": which are done freely, and for which a person expects no return from the person to whom he does them: and this they distinguish from צדקח, "alms", after this manner t;

"an alms (they say) is exercised towards the living, beneficence towards the living and the dead; alms is used to the poor, beneficence both to the rich and poor; alms is performed by a man's substance, beneficence both by body and substance.''

t T. Hieros. Peah, fol. 15. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit - We make known to you; we inform you. The phrase “we do you to wit,” is used in Tyndale’s translation, and means “we cause you to know.” The purpose for which Paul informed them of the liberality of the churches of Macedonia was to excite them to similar liberality.

Of the grace of God ... - The favor which God had shown them in exciting a spirit of liberality, and in enabling them to contribute to the fund for supplying the needs of the poor saints at Jerusalem. The word “grace” (χάρις charis) is sometimes used in the sense of gift, and the phrase “gift of God” some have supposed may mean very great gift, where the words “of God” may be designed to mark anything very eminent or excellent, as in the phrase “cedars of God,” “mountains of God,” denoting very great cedars, very great mountains. Some critics (as Macknight, Bloomfield, Locke, and others) have supposed that this means that the churches of Macedonia had been able to contribute largely to the aid of the saints of Judea. But the more obvious and correct interpretation, as I apprehend, is that which is implied in the common version, that the phrase “grace of God,” means that God had bestowed on them grace to give according to their ability in this cause. According to this it is implied:

(1) That a disposition to contribute to the cause of benevolence is to be traced to God. He is its author. He excites it. It is not a plant of native growth in the human heart, but a large and liberal spirit of benevolence is one of the effects of his grace, and is to be traced to him.

(2) It is a favor bestowed on a church when God excites in it a spirit of benevolence. It is one of the evidences of his love. And indeed there cannot be a higher proof of the favor of God than when by his grace he inclines and enables us to contribute largely to meliorate the condition, and to alleviate the needs of our fellowmen. Perhaps the apostle here meant delicately to hint this. He did not therefore say coldly that the churches of Macedonia had contributed to this object, but he speaks of it as a favor shown to them by God that they were able to do it. And he meant, probably, gently to intimate to the Corinthians that it would be an evidence that they were enjoying the favor of God if they should contribute in like manner.

The churches of Macedonia - Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea. For an account of Macedonia, see the Acts 16:9 note; Romans 15:26 note. Of these churches, that at Philippi seems to have been most distinguished for liberality Philippians 4:10, Philippians 4:15-16, Philippians 4:18, though it is probable that other churches contributed according to their ability, as they are commended (compare 2 Corinthians 9:2) without distinction.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER VIII.

The apostle stirs them up to make a collection for the poor

Christians at Jerusalem, by the very liberal contributions of

the people of Macedonia for the same purpose, who were

comparatively a poor people, 1-5.

He tells them that he had desired Titus to finish this good

work among them which he had begun; hoping that as they

abounded in many excellent gifts and graces, they would abound

in this also, 6-8.

He exhorts them to this by the example of Jesus Christ, who,

though rich, subjected himself to voluntary poverty, that they

might be enriched, 9.

He shows them that this contribution, which had been long ago

begun, should have been long since finished, 10.

And that they should do every thing with a ready and willing

mind, according to the ability which God had given them; that

abundance should not prevail on one hand, while pinching

poverty ruled on the other; but that there should be an

equality, 11-14.

He shows from the distribution of the manna in the wilderness,

that the design of God was, that every member of his spiritual

household should have the necessaries of life, 15.

He tells them that he had now sent Titus, and another with him,

to Corinth, to complete this great work, 16-22.

The character which he gives of Titus and the others employed

in this business, 23, 24.

NOTES ON CHAP. VIII.

Verse 2 Corinthians 8:1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit — In all our dignified version very few ill-constructed sentences can be found; however here is one, and the worst in the book. We do you to wit is in the original γνωριζομεν δε υμιν, we make known unto you. This is plain and intelligible, the other is not so; and the form is now obsolete.

The grace of God bestowed — Dr. Whitby has made it fully evident that the χαρις θεου signifies the charitable contribution made by the Churches in Macedonia, to which they were excited by the grace or influence of God upon their hearts; and that δεδομενην εν cannot signify bestowed on, but given in. That χαρις means liberality, appears from 2 Corinthians 8:6: We desired Titus that as he had begun, so he would finish την χαριν ταυτην, this charitable contribution. And 2 Corinthians 8:7: That ye abound εν ταυτη τη χαριτι, in this liberal contribution. And 2 Corinthians 8:19: Who was chosen of the Church to travel with us συν τη χαριτι ταυτη, with this charitable contribution, which is administered-which is to be dispensed, by us. So 2 Corinthians 9:8: God is able to make πασαν χαριν, all liberality, to abound towards you. And 1 Corinthians 16:3: To bring την χαριν, your liberality, to the poor saints. Hence χαρις, is by Hesychius and Phavorinus interpreted a gift, as it is here by the apostle: Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, 2 Corinthians 9:15. This charity is styled the grace of God, either from its exceeding greatness, (as the cedars of God and mountains of God signify great cedars and great mountains, Psalms 36:6; Psalms 80:10;) or rather, it is called so as proceeding from God, who is the dispenser of all good, and the giver of this disposition; for the motive of charity must come from him. So, in other places, the zeal of God, Romans 10:2; the love of God, 2 Corinthians 5:14; the grace of God, Titus 2:11.

The Churches of Macedonia — These were Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, &c.