Reflections on 2 Corinthians 9

2 Corinthians 09 (Contemporary English Version)


1. I don't need to write you about the money you plan to give for God's people.
2. I know how eager you are to give. And I have proudly told the Lord's followers in Macedonia that you people in Achaia have been ready for a whole year. Now your desire to give has made them want to give.
3. That's why I am sending Titus and the two others to you. I want you to be ready, just as I promised. This will prove that we were not wrong to brag about you.
4. Some followers from Macedonia may come with me, and I want them to find that you have the money ready. If you don't, I would be embarrassed for trusting you to do this. But you would be embarrassed even more.
5. So I have decided to ask Titus and the others to spend some time with you before I arrive. This way they can arrange to collect the money you have promised. Then you will have the chance to give because you want to, and not because you feel forced to.
6. Remember this saying, "A few seeds make a small harvest, but a lot of seeds make a big harvest."
7. Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give.
8. God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.
9. The Scriptures say, "God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right."
10. God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need.
11. You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.
12. What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God's people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God.
13. The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God. You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God's people and with everyone else.
14. Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much.
15. Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!
    
    

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    Paul continues the topic of contributing to an offering to aid the Christians in Jerusalem. Although the Jerusalem Christians are in need and a collection from the church in Corinth will help ease their need, Paul's concern in this letter is more for the Corinthians. It was the Corinthians who had initiated the idea of a collection for the Jerusalem church a year earlier, and was enthusiastic about the idea. Their enthusiasm had sparked an interest among the churches in Macedonia and they, too, wanted to participate in the collection. But now, a year later, the Macedonian churches had acted on the idea and their collections were ready to be taken to Jerusalem while the Corinthian church had stalled in gathering its collection. This, undoubtedly, was due to the Corinthian church being sidetracked by the false teachers in their midst. These teachers had raised questions concerning the authenticity of both Paul's ministry and his gospel message. Though the Corinthian church had not yet abdicated, it was uncertain about which direction to go and was in turmoil.
    
    As mentioned in the reflections of chapter 8, this collection for the Jerusalem church served as a practical means of pulling the Corinthians back to their Christian roots. By contributing to this collection they would demonstrate their love for Christ and would strengthen their bond and identity with other Christians plus serving as a positive response to Paul's ministry among them. Contributing to this offering would be a practical step that would pull them off the fence they were riding. But Paul pointed also to other benefits for them.  Whatever spiritual benefit they reaped would be in direct proportion to the generosity with which they sowed. Sow sparingly and they will reap sparingly. Sow generously and they will also reap generously. It was a not only a principle of nature but also a spiritual principle.
    
    Therefore, through generous giving they will find that "the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness." (9:10) But it doesn't end there. As they were enriched in every way because of their generosity, it would produce in them thanksgiving to God. It goes full circle. But the cycle is not complete even with the Corinthians giving thanks to God because they were enriched due to their generosity. The saints in Jerusalem will see their "obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ" and their generosity in sharing with them, and they, too, will glorify God and will pray on behalf of the Corinthians out of "deep affection" for them. (9:13, 14) What a cycle of blessing is begun by a seemingly insignificant offering! If we recognize that all we have comes from God and out of a thankful heart give from the surplus God has given us to help others, we cannot fathom the outcome it will engender.