II Corinthians 9:6-15

II Corinthians 9:6-15

⁶ The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  ⁷ Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  ⁸And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.  ⁹ As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."  ¹⁰ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.   ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; ¹² for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.  ¹³ Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,  ¹⁴ while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you.  ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

      II Corinthians 9:6-15 is part of a larger that context that has the theme of a financial appeal. Paul refers to visiting the leaders in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1-10). These leaders bless his ministry among the Gentiles, asking that his ministry team remember the poor (Acts 11:27-30). “Poor” in that context meant the church in Jerusalem. He urges the people of Corinth to set aside funds for this purpose (I Corinthians 16:1-4). His rationale is that Gentiles have received spiritual blessings from the church in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-28). Paul will personally bring the offering to Jerusalem, of which Luke relates the story (Acts 24:17). The churches of Macedonia were particularly generous (II Corinthians 8:1-5). The offering in Corinth began well. Titus seems to have picked it up and brought it to Paul (II Corinthians 8:6, 16-17, 23). Paul clearly thinks the congregation could have greater generosity. As he considers another visit to Corinth, he knows he will need to address the matter of the offering. Some people from the generous Macedonians may come with him (II Corinthians 9:4). Some might accuse Paul of using guilt at this point. However, he makes it clear that he is inviting them to offer a gift. Wishing the poor in Jerusalem well is not enough. They need to do something practical to help another part of the Body of Christ. Thus, they need to recognize that God will enable them to give with generosity. ⁶The point is this: the one sows sparingly in terms of this offering for the poor in Jerusalem will also reap sparingly in terms of the blessing they will receive. Yet, the one who sows bountifully in terms of this offering will also reap bountifully in the blessing they will receive. God will provide the means to be generous. One can understand their concern. Times are uncertain. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? He acknowledges that ⁷each of them must give as they have made up in their minds. He also acknowledges that he does not want them to give reluctantly or under compulsion. God loves a cheerful giver. Having acknowledged their concern and acknowledging the freedom involved in the gift they offer, he reminds them that ⁸God is able to provide them with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, they may share abundantly in every good work. His point, of course, is that they should give willingly and cheerfully. ⁹ As it is written, in a loose reference to Psalm 112:9, He scatters abroad, as into the church in Jerusalem and he gives to the poor in Jerusalem is the same God whose righteousness endures forever. Such righteousness in the Old Testament could refer to the giving of alms. Such a charitable act had a deeper connection to the larger righteousness of God by which they live. Paul then refers to God as ¹⁰ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food. This God will supply and multiply their seed for sowing and increase the harvest of their righteousness. Isaiah 55:10 refers to giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. Hosea 10:12 urges people to sow righteousness and then they will reap steadfast love. If they seek the Lord, the Lord will rain righteousness upon them. Paul now shifts to pointing out that generosity glorifies God. The success of this collection is in question. Romans 15:26 says Achaia participated in it, but 15:31 refers to the request by Paul for his readers to pray that his ministry will be acceptable to the saints there. I Clement 2:1 also refers to the generosity of the Corinthians. Part of the ambiguity here is that II Corinthians 10-13, if one accepts it as a separate letter, suggests the collection came with great difficulty. He urges the point ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us. The value of their gift increases. If we look at the scripture to which Paul alludes, I think it clear that the enrichment they can expect focuses upon the spiritual blessing they will receive. Generous giving links to righteousness rather than material blessing. The congregation is to look upon this offering as ¹² for the rendering of this ministry (ἡδιακονία τῆς λειτουργίας, in NIV “the service that you perform”) not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God, presumably by those who receive as well as by Paul and his team. ¹³ Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, The offering will be the evidence of their offering glory to God, even¹⁴ while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. He concludes with the exclamation ¹⁵Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift! Although I admit some ambiguity here, the gift to which he refers is the bond that he hopes this offering will bring between Gentile and Jewish portions of the church. However, in general, the bond that offering can bring between people separated in geography would utterly amaze and witness to the way God works in the lives of people.