Ambrosiaster — Commentary on Scripture

2 Corinthians 8:5

By giving themselves to God first and then to their fellow believers, the Macedonians demonstrated their sincere desire to be made perfect. Paul quoted their example in the hope of persuading the Corinthians to do likewise.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:7

Paul is exhorting the Corinthians to take pride in these things in the sight of the other churches, for if they are keen to minister to the saints it is proof that they have mended their ways. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.

2 Corinthians 8:8

Paul is not ordering the Corinthians to send money to those who are suffering want but encouraging them to do so, demonstrating that they have the right attitude toward God and others. In return for their generosity they will undoubtedly receive a reward.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:9

Paul is saying that Christ was made poor because God deigned to be born as man, humbling the power of his might so that he might obtain for men the riches of divinity and thus share in the divine nature, as Peter says. He was made man in order to take humanity right into the Godhead. Therefore Christ was made poor, not for his sake but for ours, but we are made poor for our own benefit. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.

2 Corinthians 8:11

Paul is saying that the Corinthians should give as much as they are willing and able to give. That way their conscience would become clear and not be clouded by pretense, pleasing man but not God.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:12

Paul is exhorting the Corinthians to give what they are able but not to overdo it, because he did not want them to feel that they were acting under compulsion and thus come to be resentful.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:13

It is true that giving should not cause hardship to the givers. But at the same time, a person ought not to keep more than he needs for himself.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:14

The equality Paul is speaking of consists in the fact that because they are ministering to the saints this time they will be repaid by them in the future, for they are making the saints their debtors.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:15

The saints, with their hope in the world to come, have more than those who appear to be rich in this world. But both will be made equal, because those who give of their wealth to help the saints now will be helped by them at some future time, when they are in need.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:17

Seeing that the Corinthians are making progress in good works, Titus has become particularly concerned about their attitude and has even volunteered to go to visit them.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:20

Since the matter had to do with administering aid, Paul makes this additional remark in order not to be thought negligent concerning the care of the poor or of the saints. For the apostles had agreed to keep the poor in mind.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:21

Paul is providing goods in the sight of God when he teaches that what God commands concerning the administering of aid to the saints or to the poor ought to be put into practice. But he also provides goods in the sight of others, because he is sending people to urge them to take part in this undertaking. Paul does not want his teaching to incur reproach because of improvident assistants.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:24

Paul is urging the Corinthians to demonstrate their love by the way they treat those he is sending to them. If they received them with honor, they would be demonstrating to all the other churches how far they had progressed and that the good things which were said about them were true. He is therefore encouraging their resolve, for someone who is well thought of usually shows improvement.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:1

It is superfluous, but in order to demonstrate his diligence, it was necessary for Paul to write like this, so that they would be all the more willing to do what they were asked and to embody the truth they were being taught. For superfluities tend to show greater concern. Our Lord did not doubt Peter’s love for him, but even so he asked the apostle three times: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” This repetition may seem to be superfluous, but it contributed to the perfecting of the admonition. At length Peter would learn from it that he must act with great diligence.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:2

The other churches followed after Corinth. When they heard that a church which had previously been involved in many errors had put them right, they were moved to good works. After accepting the faith and then behaving badly, they began to have this desire to improve. How much more then ought others, in whom such vices were not present, do so as well?

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:3

Paul often reminds the Corinthians of his care for them by saying this kind of thing, so that they will not feel frustrated.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:4

It is obvious that if Paul arrives and finds that the Corinthians are not what they have been expected to be, he will be chagrined and they will feel even more frustrated.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:5

Paul was not asking Titus and his colleagues to go to Corinth as if they were not willing to do so, but in order to prove his love for them. Titus and his friends wanted to go, and Paul is urging them to do so without delay.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:6

Paul is referring to misers when he talks about people who sow sparingly. He says this here because the Corinthians had promised to send something and had subsequently backtracked.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 9:7

Paul is teaching them that if they give with a cheerful heart they will be storing up treasure for future use in heaven.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES