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Ambrosiaster

Nicene & Post-Nicene · AD 325–500 · 1,043 passages across 16 books

Commentary

361–380 of 1,043
2 Corinthians 7:16

I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

Paul is glad not only because of their good resolve but because of the good actions by which they were correcting their former sinful practices. This is why he has perfect confidence in them.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:1

Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

Paul says that they had received the grace of God because they accepted the word of faith devoutly.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:2

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

Although the Macedonians were short of material resources, their souls were rich, because they ministered to the saints with a pure conscience, trying to please God rather than men.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:3

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

Because they gave themselves to God wholeheartedly, they wanted to offer even more than their strength allowed.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:4

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

Because the Macedonians were offering more than they could afford, Paul was inclined to refuse their contribution, fearing that hardship would later cause them to reconsider their good deed. But because they showed themselves to be of such character that they stood firm, with a pure mind in the confidence of faith, attaching more importance to the promises for the future than to immediate rewards in the present, in the end it seemed right for him to accept their contribution.

COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES

2 Corinthians 8:5

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

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

Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

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

I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

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

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

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

Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

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

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

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

For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

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

But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

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

As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

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

For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

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

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

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

Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

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

Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

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

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:

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

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

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

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