blessed." The LXX. renders the words quoad sensinn^ avSpa IXapov Koi SoTTjv evXoyet o Seo^ ; a version which Paul adopts for substance. God blesses, loves, dehghls in, the joyous giver. Let not, therefore, those Avho give reluctantly, or from stress of circumstances, or to secure merit, imagine that mere giving is acceptable to God. Unless we feel it is an honour and a joy to give, God does not accept the offering.
8. And God (is) able to make all grace abound toward you ; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all (things), may abound to every good work.
From this verse to the 11th, the apostle assures them that the liberal and cheerful giver will always have something to give. God is able. The sacred writers often appeal to the power of God as a ground of confidence to his people. Rom. 16, 25. Eph. 3, 20. Jude 24. This is done especially when we are called upon to believe something which is contrary to the natural course of things. Giving is, to the natural eye, the way to lessen our store, not to increase it. The Bible says it is the Avay to increase it. To believe this it is only necessary to believe in the power, providence, and promise of God. God is able to make the paradox, " he that scatter- eth, increaseth," prove true. God is able to inahe all grace abound j x^p^v-, fivour, gift, whether temporal or sj^iritual, or both, depends on the context. Here the reference is clearly to earthly good; that kind of good or favour is intended which enables those who receive it to give abundantly. The idea, therefore, obviously is, ' God is able to increase your wealth.' That ye, having all sufficiency in all things. The expression here is striking, eV iravrl ttolvtot^ Trao-ai/, m cdl things^ always^ all. God is able so to enricli you that you shall have in every respect, at all times, all kinds of sufficiency. The word is avTdf)K€iav, which everywhere else means co?itentme?it. This sense Grotius, Meyer and others retain here. * That hav- ing full contentment,' i. e. being fully satisfied and not craving more, you may, <&c. This, however, is not so well suited to the context, and especially to the qualifying words, eV iravTi. It is 'a competency in every thing' of wliich the apostle speaks. 77iat ye may abound., TrepLo-aivrjTc^ may have abund- ance. Phil. 4, 18. The word is used transitively in the first clause of the verse and intransitively in the last. ' God is able