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 explains the blessings they can expect from the collection. they should give willingly and cheerfully. The one who sows bountifully in terms of this offering will also reap bountifully in the blessing they will receive. 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. He then refers to Psa 112:9. Such a charitable act had a deeper connection to the larger righteousness of God by which they live. This depicts the good fortune and conduct of those who fear God, emphasizing mercy to the poor as a special proof of piety.[1] He uses images from Isa 55:10 and Hosea 10:12. 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. ¹³ Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession (ὁμολογίας) of the gospel of Christ (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ) identifying the apostolic ministry as consisting in the proclamation of the gospel,[2] and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, The confession of is a response to the action of God and is a witness by the community to the public.[3] 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.

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[1] Hauck, TDNT VI, 40.

[2] (Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, 1998, 1991) Volume 1, 455.

[3] Michel, TDNT V, 215.