The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Corinthians — Section 220

before resuming the subjret ho observed f. 3. In this sense it resembles tbe H(lhr~w that, after nll, he harl not directly mentioned be'l'achah (Josh. xv. lfl, etc.). As a matti:r Iha contribution, and thcrofore explains that of bounty, and not aa of ooveto1l8Iless ; a• n he thought it superfluous to do so. To the bZesBing, cind flOt cu an eztorti(Yn; i.e. RR "' aaints. The poor dhrislfans of Jerusalem free gift of your own, and not a.a sornethiw•· (eh. viii. 4). BuperJluo1l8. Because the which I hn.d wrung from you, or" got out nf subjoot had been already fully brought to you" (eh. vii. 2; xii. 17, 18). It iH 18,s their notice by himself o.nd by Titus. likely that the word pZeonezia refers to tlw Ver. 2.-I b0a1t of you; Jitero.lly, I am "parsimony" of the Corinthi"'ns, as thou~I, boasting. The tense shows tbo.t ho is writing the smallness of their gift would show 11h;ir ftoin Macedonia, probo.bly from Philippi greed for large gains. (oh. viii. 24). Aohaia (see eh. i. 1). Was Ver. 6.-But this I say. The Greek only ready a year ago ; has been prepared since has "But this." The ellipse can hardly he last year. Your zeal bath provoked very "I say." It is an accusative used absolutely many; literally, zeaZ from you, hath stimu,- -" as to their." Compare" But one thing" lated the m:ajority. "Zeal from you" means (Phil. iii.14). Shall reap also sparingly. In zeal which emanated from the Corinthians the Greek the more emphatic order is "spar- and a.roused emulation in others. ingly also shall reap." The metaphor of the Ver. 3.-'-But. Though it is needless to harvest implies that the more generous the write to you about this collection, I sent the gift the richer will be the return; an,! that brethren to me.ke sure that all I had said "withholding more than is meet" will only o.bout you might be justified by reality. In tend to poverty (Prov. xi. 24, 25; xix. 17; this behalf; i.e. about this matter (comp. x:xii. 9). (For "sowing" and" reaping" in eh. iii. 10), or, as we might express it, "in this connection, comp. I Cor. ix. 11.) Bounti- this direction." He seems to have felt more fully; literally, with blessin!JB; Vulgate, ir. uncertainty about their liberality than about benedictioni'bus (comp. Gal. vi. 7, 8). other matters (eh. vii. 4). BoUI1tifulness blesses both him that give~ , Ver. , ·4,-:-They of Macedonia; rather, and him that takes. Mdcedonians; i.e. any friends from Mo.cedonia Ver. 7.-In his heart. The heart mus.t (Aots xx. 4). Shall Achaians have to blush not only go with but anticipate the hancl. before Macedonians? We, that we say not Grudgingly; literally, from grief (Exod. ye. Nothing can: exceed the delicacy of xxv. 2 ; Rom. xii. 8). A cheerful giver. this touch. St. Paul asks them to be· ready The phrase is from the addition to Prov. xxii. with their contributions for his se.ke, not 8, which is found in the LXX. ; except for their own; that he may not have to that "loveth" is substituted for "blesseth." blush for his generous words respecting Compare "He that showeth mercy, with them, whereas really the discredit would he cheerfulness" (Rom. xii. 8). The rabbis said simply theirs. Confident boasting; rat~er, that cheerful kindness, even if nothing wa.s confidence.• The reading "of boasting " is e-:iven, was bett1ir than a morose gift. no€ genuine hero. For'the word hypostasis Ver. 8.-To make all grace abound toward in the sense of " confidence," see eh. xi. 17 ; you. God can give you such abunJant gifts Heb. iii. 4. The use of the word to repre- that you will not feel the loss of a generous sent the "Persons" of the Blessed Triuity contribution to his service. Sufficiency. is later. The other sense of the wol'd, The word autarlceia (1 Tim. vi. 6) in the "substance" (or underlying base of e.ttri- Stoic philosophy was used for the perfect ·butes), is found in Heh. i. 3. ind~pendence which enabled a man to stand Ver. 5.-Tbat they would go before unto a.lone. The term is here softened and you. The triple repetition of the word Christianized to express the contentment "before" shows how earnest St. Paul is in which arises from the full supply of nll our the matter. The Corinthians had promised needs by God: The affirmations of the largely; it was evident that there had original are as emphatic as language C'1.n been, or that there was ground for fearing make them. They e:s:press that the mau that there might be, some slackness of pe1·- who places all his trnst upon God will be formance. St. Paul we.s so unwilling to "perfect and entire, lacking nothing" (Phil ho.ve seemed inaccurate in what he had said iv. 11, 19). o.bout them in Macedonia that he wished to Ver. 9.-As it is written. The quotation give them ample notice before the MC1ce- is from the LXX. in Ps. cxii. 9. He hath donian delego.tes arrived. Your bounty, dispersed abroad. He has been o. large and whereof ye had notioe before; your previously generous giver. The poor. 'l'he word here promised blessing-bounty; literally, blessing. used is peniis, which does not occur else- The mere word should have acted as e.n where in the New 'festament. It means inducement to generosity. See the use of moderate and honourable poverty, whereas the word to expl'ess a generous gift in Gen. in classical Greek ptocheia implies disrepu- nxiii. 11 ;. Jurlg. i. 15, eto. (LXX.); Eph. tuble paupuism o.nd memlico.ucy (comp. eh,  ~:;0 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORIN'l'l:lIANS. [err. 1x. l-15,