Bible Commentaries
2 Corinthians 9

Verse 1

2 Corinthians 9:1 . Τὸ γράφειν , to write ) For you will have witnesses present with you, and I know, that you are ready without writing letters to you.

Verse 2

2 Corinthians 9:2 . Καυχῶμαι , I boast ) The present tense. Paul was still in Macedonia. [54] ὁ ἐξ ὑμῶν ζῆλος ) the zeal, which was propagated from you to the Macedonians. τοὺς πλείονας ) most [not merely very many , as Engl. V.] of the Macedonians.

[54] Ἀπὸ πέρυσι , since last year ) owing to the former exhortation of Paul, 1 Corinthians 16:1 . V. g.

Verse 3

2 Corinthians 9:3 . Ἔπεμψα , I sent ) before me, 2 Corinthians 9:5 . ἐν τῷ μέρει , in this respect [ behalf ]) He makes a limitation. καθὼς ἔλεγον , as I was saying , 2 Corinthians 9:2 .

Verse 4

2 Corinthians 9:4 . Ὑμεῖς , ye ) much more so [you would feel still more ashamed than we]. ὑποστάσει , stedfast confidence ) [concerning your liberality], ch. 2 Corinthians 11:17 .

Verse 5

2 Corinthians 9:5 . Ἀναγκαῖον , necessary ) not merely [suitable] becoming . προἐπηγγελμένην , promised before [But Engl. V., whereof ye had notice before ]) by me, among the Macedonians, concerning you [the liberality on your part, which I had vouched for to the Macedonians]. εὐλογίαν ) as דבר is used for word and deed, so εὐλογία , a blessing and a benefit [‘bounty’], a bountiful gift, LXX. Joshua 15:19 . εἶναι ) for τοῦ εἶναι , that it may be. οὕτως , so) The Ploce is by this word [so] shown in regard to bounty. [55] πλεονεξίαν , [covetousness] avarice ) It is avarice , when men give niggardly, and receive [get] unjustly.

[55] Ploce, where a word is used, as εὐλογία here, first in the simple sense, then to express some attribute of it. See Append. ED.

Verse 6

2 Corinthians 9:6 . Φειδομένως ) sparingly . [ The reaping corresponds to the manner and principles of the sowing. The very words lead to that inference . V. g.]. εὐλογίαις ) The plural adds to the force.

Verse 7

2 Corinthians 9:7 . Καθὼς προαιρεῖται ) according as he purposeth [is disposed] in his heart , Genesis 34:8 , חָשְׁקָה נַפְשׁוֹ , LXX. προεῖλετο ψυχῇ . He purposeth beforehand: grudgingly: from necessity: cheerful; Four expressions, of which the first and third, the second and fourth are opposed to each other. ἐξ ἀνάγκης , from necessity) on this account only, that he cannot refuse. ἱλαρὸν , cheerful) like God, Proverbs 22:9 , LXX., ἄνδρα ἱλαρὸν καὶ δότην ἀγαπᾷ (Alex. εὐλογεῖ ) ὁ Θεὸς , God loves a cheerful man and a cheerful giver (Alex. blesses, instead of loves).

Verse 8

2 Corinthians 9:8 . Πᾶσαν χάριν , all grace ) even in external goods. περισσεῦσαι , to render abundant ) even while you bestow. ἵνα , that ) What is given to us is so given and we have it, not that we may have, but that we may do well therewith. All things in this life, even rewards, are seeds to believers for the future harvest. αὐτάρκειαν , sufficiency ) that you may not require another’s liberality. To this is to be referred the bread , 2 Corinthians 9:10 . ἀγαθὸν , good ) in regard to the needy. To this the seed is to be referred, 2 Corinthians 9:10 .

Verse 9

2 Corinthians 9:9 . Ἐσκόρπισεν , He hath dispersed ) a generous word; to disperse [ scatter ] with full hand, without anxious thought, in what direction every grain may fall. There is also a metonymy, [56] hath dispersed [ scattered ], i.e. , he always has, what he may disperse [scatter]. Indeed in Psa 112:9 it is a part of the promise. ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ , his righteousness ) righteousness, i.e. , beneficence; see the next verse. The latter is marked in its strict sense. Righteousness is something more. μένει , remains ) unexhausted, uneffaced, unfailing.

[56] Here the substitution of the consequent for the antecedent . ED.

Verse 10

2 Corinthians 9:10 . Ὁ δὲ ) God. ἐπιχορηγῶν , He that supplies, or ministereth ) There is [implied an] abundance, inasmuch as seed is given; bread, which is a necessary, is therefore given first. Paul hints, that, in the promise of the seed, which is denoted by the verb he hath dispersed , the promise of bread also is presupposed; but he adds more: for there is in the text a Chiasmus; [57] God, who presents seed to the sower, will supply and multiply your seed: God, who gives bread for food, will increase the fruits [produce] of your righteousness, which feeds the soul. Righteousness is the food of the soul, Matthew 5:6 ; Matthew 6:31 ; Matthew 6:33 . ἐπιχορηγεῖν , to supply , or administer , is emphatic; but χορηγεῖν to give or minister , with the addition of πληθύνειν , to multiply , implies more. Σπόρος , the seed, i.e. , resources [worldly means], so far as they are piously laid out: γεννήματα , the fruits , [the offshoots], i.e. , the growth of all spiritual improvement and corporeal blessing, springing from that sowing . This mode of pointing has been already noticed in the Apparatus, so that the comma should be placed after βρῶσιν , not after χορηγήσει . καὶ ἄρτον , and bread ) Isaiah 55:10 , ἓως ἂν δῶ ( ὁ ὑετὸς ) σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν , until the rain give seed to the sower and bread for food . χορηγήσει , will give ) The indicative. [58] The Corinthians will afford scope [opportunity for exercise] to the divine liberality, and it will evince itself towards them. γεννήματα ) so the LXX., γεννήματα δικαιοσύνης , Hosea 10:12 .

[57] See Append.

[58] Which is preferred both in the 2d Ed. and in the Germ. Vers. different from what had been the case in the first Ed. E. B.

BCD( Λ ) corrected later, fg Vulg. (but Fuld. MS. has præstavit multiplicavit) Cypr. have χορηγήσει πληθυνεὶ . G has χορηγήσαι πληθύναι ; and so Rec. Text. C has πληθύνῃ . ED.

Verse 11

2 Corinthians 9:11 . Πλουτιζόμενοι , being enriched ) This depends on, that ye may abound , 2 Corinthians 9:8 . The present here is used to imply; having more than a sufficiency [ 2Co 9:8 ].

Verse 12

2 Corinthians 9:12 . Ἡ διακονία τῆς λειτουργίας ταύτης ) the administration of this service , a becoming appellation. λειτουργία is the function itself, [service to be discharged,] διακονία , the act . προσαναπληροῦσα , still further supplies [supplies in addition]) a double compound. Their wants were also supplied from other quarters. πολλῶν , by many ) feminine [not “thanksgivings of many .”]

Verse 13

2 Corinthians 9:13 . Δοκιμῆς ) [ the experiment ] the proof afforded by this ministration. δοξάζοντες , glorifying ) This depends on thanksgivings , 2 Corinthians 9:12 . Again the nominative case, on the same principle as 2 Corinthians 8:23 , note, [ Τίτου , κοινωνὸς ἀδελφοί .] πι τῇ ὑποταγῇ τῆς ὁμολογίας ὑμῶν , for the subjection of your profession ) They were about to profess by their very acts, that they acknowledged the divine bounty shown to themselves in the Gospel, [ and had yielded [victas dedisse sc. manus ) to the word of grace . V. g.] καὶ εἰς πάντας , and to all ) He, who benefits some of the saints, by that very act benefits all; for he shows, that he is favourable to all.

Verse 14

2 Corinthians 9:14 . Δεήσει , on account of their prayer ) [But Engl. Vers., “ by their prayer for you.”] Construe, glorifying [ δοξάζοντες , 2Co 9:13 ] for their prayer; for we give thanks even for the prayers which have been given to us [which God has enabled us to offer], 2 Timothy 1:3 [ I thank God , that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers ]. ἐπιποθούντων , greatly desiring ) construe with αὐτῶν , of them . διὰ , on account of, for ) construe with thanksgivings [ εὐχαριστιῶν , 2Co 9:12 ]. ἐφʼ ὑμῖν ) which rests upon you , in such a degree as that it redounds to their advantage.

Verse 15

2 Corinthians 9:15 . Χάρις , thanks ) This is the meaning: God has given us τὴν δωρεὰν , the gift , abundance of good things both internal and external, which both is in itself inexpressible , and bears fruits of a corresponding description; comp. 2 Corinthians 9:8 , etc. (where there is an expression [an attempt to express the abundance of the gift], but its words are not adequate so as to satisfy Paul’s mind), and ch. 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; 2 Corinthians 8:1 , and the full expression of these fruits, by reason of the copiousness of the topics, has rendered the language itself at the end of the preceding chapter somewhat perplexed. The modus [59] is added, thanks be to God .

[59] See Append. “Modalis Sermo.” Here, the modus accompanying the simple naked proposition is thanksgiving. ED.