2 Corinthians chapter 9

No work today, so I can afford to do all 15 verses before I start on my next sermon.

vs 1

Especially after I've written a chapter to you about it already. But wait, there's more!

vs 2

So it was the enthusiasm of Corinth a year ago that stirred Macedonia into giving. It shows this gift was really a long time in coming, and took time to organise and raise. It wasn't a quick whip-around.

vs 3

Paul says that he's sending these brothers so that his boasting isn't hollow. I think he's really saying that he's doing it so the Corinthian's boasts about how much they're going to give is made hollow. I mean, sure, you can read this at face value. Go for it. I just think there's a little more to it is all.

vs 4

Ahh, looky here. Paul is still talking about himself, but as an example, no doubt, of how the Corinthians should feel if such a thing were to happen! So he's really saying that there will be shame all around. I'm not sure if greek cities like Corinth had as big a shame culture as the rest of the ANE, but if they did, this is a pretty mega threat to their honour.

vs 5

So part of Paul's understanding of generosity is willingly and preparedly given, not given at the last moment out of shame because of a wild boast you made about how much you would give.

vs 6

Damn you prosperity doctrine! This has nothing to do with money! And I'll bet you all my doesn't-have-to-do-with money that it's got nothing to do with the ripening of your fields and the yields of your investments. We'll see what this verse is about in verse 8.

vs 7

There is a level of decisionmaking here about what you give, and that is all part of generosity. Your willingness to give, as we read in the last chapter, is how God judges your gift, not on how much you do or don't have to give.

vs 8

This sounds to me like a definition of reaping generously - to have all grace abound in you, to have everything you need, all as you abound in good works. Doesn't sound like craploads of money to me. Of course, God can give you craploads of money. He could fill your house with hundred dollar notes if he wanted to. But he won't. Not unless you need that.

vs 9

I think Paul is using this verse from Psalms 112 to show the link to what he's saying - the Psalm is like a song-proverb, talking about the actions of a man who fears God, who distributes his gifts to the poor, and it is a bold expression of his righteousness. So if we give generously, we wil be rich in good deeds, which is righteous.

vs 10

Again, this is not a reference to riches! Look, he says God already supplies seed for you to plant, and food for you to eat, he will also supply for you seeds and harvests in righteousness (I think both seed and harvest refers to righteousness here) - through the good deeds, through the giving to the poor, just as God does.

vs 11

So now I have to ask, is Paul using a little hyperbole here, or is he really saying that yes, you will also be made physically rich so that you can give stuff away. I'll bet there are some people who are tempted to say things like "When people become Christians, their living standards increase, because they live more godly lives, blah blah blah. Look at Europe and America - Christian countries, so rich, blah blah". BS. If you can explain to me using this logic the poverty and suffering of Christians outside the Western world, or even the poverty and suffering of the early church, and still say they were made materially rich, then I'll be impressed.

So I've got to stick to my guns here. Paul is, in my opinion, could be using hyperbole here, and I don't think that he's talking about God pouring out money from heaven for you to give away to people on all occasions. He may also, though, be making a more specific prophecy to Corinth, as they were pretty rich anyway, and he could be saying that they will continue to be so for the sake of this ministry of giving. Is it possible that God gives some churches spiritual gifts as he gives individuals? I wonder.

I'm not saying that God doesn't refresh us financially when we give. That's probably even more obvious to us now in the Western world, with wages. We spend our monthly wage, it comes back again. Praise be to God! But I am saying that giving us all things, while it may include money, is not exclusive to it. After all, if the reason for working this way is to see grace abound in the church, to see the givers as being more righteous, and the goal is to see people thank God through the church's actions, then money isn't the only way for those things to happen.

vs 12

Which Paul said would be the result only a verse ago. So as important as the giving is the thanksgiving to God that results from it.

vs 13

So the gift is also a matter of obedience to God. God wants them to give, and in fact is asking or telling them to give. It is a right expression of their confession of faith. It will cause the thanksgiving to God of his people in need. It will supply the needs of those people. And they are then made rich in the good works they have done. That is a pretty good summary passage for this whole subject I think.

vs 14

And they'll even pray more for you, because everytime they bite into their bread, they'll think of you and give thanks. Good stuff.

vs 15

God, in the endgame, ends up giving out more valuable stuff than the Corinthians did. Woo!