The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 198

which I feel in myself. In this graoe &lso; aliilt'ty," ie probably the rig,l1t reading, o.e namely, the grace of Ohristian liberality. we seo from the next verse. Ver. 8.-Not by oommandment. St. Paul Ver. 12.-For if there be first a willing felt on honournblo sensibility which pre- mind, etc. "For if the re!ldincss is forth- wnted him from straining his authority by coming, it is acceptable," etc. In other urqing the Oorinthinns to give of their words, God consi<lcrs 1;1ot quantum, but c:n 6ubstance. Among Gentiles suoh contribu- quanto ; uot the mo.gmtude of the gift, but tions towards the needs of others - the the proportion which it bears to the meo.ns result of unselfish oompRssion-were all but of the giver. unknown. The forwardnees; i.e. the ready Ver. 13.-And ye be burdened; literally, zeal. The sincerity; more literally, the for not that there may be relief to others, but genu.ineneB$. to you affl,iction. In other words, I hnvo no Ver. 9.-The graoe of our Lord J'esua wish that you should distress yourselves to Christ. The word " grace,'' as in vers. 4, eet others nt ease. You must not suspect 6, 7, here means "gracious beneficence." me of Jewish proclivities which would lead Though he wa.s rioh (John xvi. 15; Eph. me to impo,erish you to provide lmturies iii. 8). Became poor. '.l'he aorist implies for the Christians at Jerusalem. Others the concentration of his self-sacrifice in a refer it to the Macedonians : "I do not wish siugle act. :By his poverty. The word" his" to burden you, but the Macedonians, who in the Greek implies the greatness of Christ. are poor, have contributed, and if you join The word for " poverty " would, in classical them in this good work now, they may help Greek, mean "pauperism" or "mendicancy." you hereafter." But there is no hint of Dean Stanley (referring to Milman's • Latin this anywhere. Christianity,' v. bk. xii. c. 6) points out Ver. 14.-:But by an equality, eto. The how lo.rge a place this verse occupied in the verse, like so many in this chapter, is ex- medimval contrornrsies between the mode- pressed very elliptically:" But by a reciprocal rate and the extreme members of the mendi- fairness in the present case, your super- cant orders. William of Ockham and others, abundance to their lack, that also their taking the word "poverty" in its extremest superabundance may be in proportion to your sense, maintained that the Franciscans ought lack, that there may oome to be reciprocal to possess nothing; but Pope John XXII., fairness." St. Paul may possibly be thinking with the Dominicans, took a more rational of the reciprocity of spiritual and temporal view of the sense and of the historic facts. benefits, as in Rom. xv. 27; but if so he Ver. 10.-And herein I give my advice ; leaves the thought unexpressed. The ap- and in this matter I offer an opinion (only). plication of the text to " works of super- For this is expedient for yon. It is more to erogation" (Art. XIV.), as forming a fund yolll' advantage that I should merely suggest at the disposal of the hierarchy in the way and advise you about the matter than com- of indulgences, pardons, etc., is a singular mand yon. Who heve begun; rather, seeing perversion. The passage has been pointed that you formerly began. The ,erb is the out by Dean Stanley as one which indicates same as in ver. 6. Not only to do, but also a possi"ble acquaintance with the writings to be forwa.rd; rather, not only to do, but al.so of AristGtle. to be willing. The" to do" is in the aorist, Ver. 15.-Aa it is written (Exod. xvi. the " to be willing" in the present. We 17, 18, LXX.). The reference is to the should natlll'aliy have expected a reversed gathering of manna. order, "not only to be willing, but also to Ver. 16.-Whioh put; rather, which giveth. put in action." There must be a strong The zeal is continuous. The same earnest touch of irony in the words, unless we in- care. The same in the heart of Titus as in terpret it to mean "not only to make the myown. collection, but to be willing to add yet more Ver. 17.-The exhortation. My request to it." Perhaps in the "to be willing" lies that he would undertake this task. Being the notion of "the cheerful giver," "the more forward. Because he was more ear- v.ill.ing mind" (eh. ix.. 7; I Tim. vi. 17-19). nestly zealous than I had ever ventured to A year e.go ; rather, since the previous year; hope, he went spontaneously. (On the word i.e. last year (eh. ix.. 2). They had probably authairetos, see ver. 3.) begun to collect in the previous Easter, and Ver. 18.-The brother, whose praise is iD it was now BOOn after Tieri, or September, the gospel. The phrase means, "whose tl,e beginning of the Jewish civil year. worth is praised wherever the glad tidings Ver. 11.-Now therefore perform the doing are preached." There can be no reference or it, etc.; "but now complete also the actual to any of the four written Gospels, for they work, in order that, &a was the readiness of were not in the hands of Christians till a later -the willing, so may be also the completion date; nor did the word "gospel" acquire this according to your means." Out of that significance till afterwards. From Acts xx. which 7e have. Thie, and not "out of your 5, it is somewhat precarioualy inferred that cu. vm. 1-24,] 'l'HE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. HJ,