viii. 9). Hie righteoumeae. Mon,ning here furnished by thie ministration (eh, viii. 2), his good doeda. The word is often rendered For your profeSBed auhjeotion; literally, /or ''pity" bv the LXX. (el&morune, from the BtmmMsion of your confession to the gospel whioh word comes our •• o.lms "), and this word of Christ. And for your liberal distribution oocurs 8B a synonymous reading in l\la.tt. unto them ; rather, and for the simplicity o/ vi. l. Rem&ineth for ever. Because- y~ur f~Uowship toward, them. ,/l large con• " Good deeds never die. tr1but1011 would prove two things; namely., They with the sun 1md moon renew their (1) that the Corinthians showed due sub- light, jectiou to the truths 1md duties which they For ever blessing him that looks on them." theoretically e.ocepted o.s resulting from the gospel; and (2) that they were united, to Ver. 10.-:e:e that ministereth. The verb their Jewish-Christiau brethren cmd to all used is epidwrcgein, to furnish abandantly, others in single-hearted fellowship. It is At Athens a clwragw was one who furnished very doubtful whether liaploti!s ever moonij a chorus, and e.s this was a 1-eitourgia ( or "liberality," and koiniinia is here better " public service"), iD\·olving grca,t expense, understood of ''communion" than . of "com- and often discharged with extreme muniii- munication." Unto all men, For if the <'ence. the verb came to imply "provide Corinthians behaved with such brotherly abund.nitly." St. Paul may (so to speak) kindness to the once-despised Jews, who have "picked up the word" at Athens. were now their Christian brethren, they Seed to the sower (Isa Iv. 10). Both minis- would be not likely to refuse fellowship with ter. The true reading almost certainly is any others. "will both supply bread for food, and will Ver. 14.-.A.nd by their prayer for you. multiply your seed for sowing, and will These words a.re joined .by our .!.uthorized increase the fruits of your righteousness" Version with "glorifying God." The saints (see ls&. lv. 10, LXX.). The fruit.a of your at Jeruse.lem would, in consequence of the righteoUSlless (Hos. :x. 12, LXX.). In proved sincerity of the Corinthians, glorify "righteousness," e.s in e.ll things else, it is God with thanksgiving for their faithfulness God only who "gives the increase" (1 Cor. and kindness, by prayer for them. .The iii. 10). Revisers take the clause with the following Ver. 11.-To all bountifulne&11; rather, to participle, "while they themselves also, all simplicity, or " singleness of bee.rt" (eh. with supplication on your behalf, long viii. 2). Through ua. We a.re the agents iD after you by reason of the exceeding gmoe collecting e.nd distributing your gifts ( eh. of God in you." ,This is the only right view viii. 19, 20). The.nksgiving to God. From of the construction. Long after you for the the recipients of your single-hearted gene- u:oeeding grace of God in you; literally, rosity. 11earn for you bccau.se of the grace of God, Ver. 12.-For the admiJl.istration of this which overabounds to you. servioe. The word "liturgy," here rendered Ver. 15.-The.nks be unto God. Nothing "service," is used in the ea.me connection in ever seems so much to disburden the full Rom xv. 27. Generally it mca,ns "religions heart of St. Paul after deep .emotion as an service" (Acts xiii 6; PhiL ii 17; Heh. x. utterance of thanksgiving (Rom. vii. 25; 11). Here it more resembles its classic iL 5; ri, 33; 1 Cor. xv. 57; Ga.I. i. 5; sense of "a public office discharged for the 1 Tim. i. 17), The thanksgiving here is like good of the state," such as undertaking the a great sigh of relief. The subject of it is office of a cl,oragu.s (see ver. 10). Not only, perfectly general. It is not a mere "Amen " St. Paul is anxious to emphasize the religwua uttered, e.s it were, by St. Paul at the end of side of tht contribution fully as much e.s the thanksgivings of the saints at Jerusalem its plti1.antltropic object. Is abundant. It which he has been presupposing; but an cn;erftows as it were in the form of thanke- offering of thanks to God for the issues of gi viugs to God. grace in general, all summed up in one act Vtr. 13.-By the e:a:periment of this minis- of "inestimable love" (John iii, 16; ;Rom. tration; rather, 1Jr tlie test (of 11our l.ove) vi. 23; x.i. 33; Eph. iii. 19),
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-Paul's directions for collecting the c011,tributions .o/ the Corinthian Church. " For as touching the ministering to tb.e saints," etc. The work of collectiqg was entrusted to Titus and a brother whose praise was" throughout all the Churches," and probably to other Christians more or less distinguished. Concerning the collecting oJ' their subscriptions, three things are observable in Paul's own conduct. L HE RECOGNIZED THEIR .MEIi.ITS. "For as touching the ministering to the saints, it iB superfluous for me to write to you_: for I know the forwardness of your mind, for c11. Ix. 1-16.] 'l'HE SECOND EPISTLE TO 'fIIE CORINTHIANS. 2~1