Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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S E C O N D   C O R I N T H I A N S.

CHAP. IX.

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In this chapter the apostle seems to excuse his earnestness in pressing

the Corinthians to the duty of charity

(ver. 1-5),

and proceeds to give directions about the acceptable way and manner of

performing it, namely, bountifully, deliberately, and freely; and gives

good encouragement for so doing,

ver. 6, to the end.

Charity Urged.	A. D. 57.

     

1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is

superfluous for me to write to you:

  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.

  3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should

be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:

  4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you

unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this

same confident boasting.

  5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that

they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your

bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be

ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

     

In these verses the apostle speaks very respectfully to the

Corinthians, and with great skill; and, while he seems to excuse his

urging them so earnestly to charity, still presses them thereto, and

shows how much his heart was set upon this matter.

     

I. He tells them it was needless to press them with further arguments

to afford relief to their poor brethren

(v. 1),

being satisfied he had said enough already to prevail with those of

whom he had so good an opinion. For,

1. He knew their forwardness to every good work, and how they

had begun this good work a year ago, insomuch that,

2. He had boasted of their zeal to the Macedonians, and this had

provoked many of them to do as they had done. Wherefore he was

persuaded, that, as they had begun well, they would go on well; and so,

commending them for what they had done, he lays an obligation on them

to proceed and persevere.

     

II. He seems to apologize for sending Titus and the other brethren to

them. He is unwilling they should be offended at him for this, as if he

were too earnest, and pressed too hard upon them; and tells the true

reasons why he sent them, namely,

1. That, having this timely notice, they might be fully ready

(v. 3),

and not surprised with hasty demands, when he should come to them. When

we would have others to do that which is good we must act towards them

prudently and tenderly, and give them time.

2. That he might not be ashamed of his boasting concerning them, if

they should be found unready,

v. 3, 4.

He intimates that some from Macedonia might haply come with him:

and, if the collection should not then be made, this would make him,

not to say them, ashamed, considering the boasting of the apostle

concerning them. Thus careful was he to preserve their reputation and

his own. Note, Christians should consult the reputation of their

profession, and endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our

Saviour.

Charity Urged.	A. D. 57.

     

6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also

sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also

bountifully.

  7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him

give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful

giver.

  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:

  9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to

the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

  10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister

bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase

the fruits of your righteousness;)

  11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which

causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

  12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth

the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many

thanksgivings unto God;

  13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify

God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and

for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;

  14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the

exceeding grace of God in you.

  15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

     

Here we have,

     

I. Proper directions to be observed about the right and acceptable

manner of bestowing charity; and it is of great concernment that we not

only do what is required, but do it as is commanded. Now, as to the

manner in which the apostle would have the Corinthians give, observe,

1. It should be bountifully; this was intimated,

v. 5,

that a liberal contribution was expected, a matter of bounty, not what

savoured of covetousness; and he offers to their consideration that men

who expect a good return at harvest are not wont to pinch and spare in

sowing their seed, for the return is usually proportionable to what

they sow,

v. 6.

2. It should be deliberately Every man, according as he purposes in

his heart,
v. 7.

Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with thought

and design; whereas some do good only by accident. They comply, it may

be hastily, with the importunity of others, without any good design,

and give more than they intended, and then repent of it afterwards. Or

possibly, had they duly considered all things, they would have given

more. Due deliberation, as to this matter of our own circumstances, and

those of the persons we are about to relieve, will be very helpful to

direct us how liberal we should be in our contributions for charitable

uses.

3. It should be freely, whatever we give, be it more or less: Not

grudgingly, nor of necessity, but cheerfully,

v. 7.

Persons sometimes will give merely to satisfy the importunity of those

who ask their charity, and what they give is in a manner squeezed or

forced from them, and this unwillingness spoils all they do. We ought

to give more freely than the modesty of some necessitous persons will

allow them to ask: we should not only deal out bread, but draw out our

souls to the hungry,

Isa. lviii. 10.

We should give liberally, with an open hand, and cheerfully, with an

open countenance, being glad we have ability and an opportunity to be

charitable.

     

II. Good encouragement to perform this work of charity in the manner

directed. Here the apostle tells the Corinthians,

     

1. They themselves would be no losers by what they gave in charity.

This may serve to obviate a secret objection in the minds of many

against this good work who are ready to think they may want what they

give away; but such should consider that what is given to the poor in a

right manner is far from being lost; as the precious seed which is cast

into the ground is not lost, though it is buried there for a time, for

it will spring up, and bear fruit; the sower shall receive it again

with increase,

v. 6.

Such good returns may those expect who give freely and liberally in

charity. For,

(1.) God loveth a cheerful giver

(v. 7),

and what may not those hope to receive who are the objects of the

divine love? Can a man be a loser by doing that with which God is

pleased? May not such a one be sure that he shall some way or other be

a gainer? Nay, are not the love and favour of God better than all other

things, better than life itself?

(2.) God is able to make our charity redound to our advantage,

v. 8.

We have no reason to distrust the goodness of God, and surely we have

no reason to question his power; he is able to make all grace

abound towards us, and abound in us; to give a large increase of

spiritual and temporal good things. He can cause us to have a

sufficiency in all things, to be content with what we have, to make up

what we give, to be able to give yet more: as it is written

(Ps. cxii. 9)

concerning the charitable man, He hath dispersed abroad. He hath

given to the poor. His righteousness, that is, his almsgiving,

endureth for ever. The honour of it is lasting, the reward of it

eternal, and he is still able to live comfortably himself and to give

liberally to others.

(3.) The apostle puts up a prayer to God in their behalf that they

might be gainers, and not losers,

v. 10, 11.

Here observe,

[1.] To whom the prayer is made–to God, who ministereth seed to the

sower, who by his providence giveth such an increase of the fruits

of the earth that we have not only bread sufficient to eat for one

year, but enough to sow again for a future supply: or thus, It is God

who giveth us not only a competency for ourselves, but that also

wherewith we may supply the wants of others, and so should be as seed

to be sown.

[2.] For what he prayeth. There are several things which he desires for

them, namely, that they may have bread for their food, always a

competency for themselves, food convenient,–that God will

multiply their seed sown, that they may still be able to do more

good,–and that there may be an increase of the fruits of

righteousness, that they may reap plentifully, and have the best

and most ample returns of their charity, so as to be enriched in

every thing to all bountifulness

(v. 11),–

that upon the whole they may find it true that they shall be no losers,

but great gainers. Note, Works of charity are so far from

impoverishing us that they are the proper means truly to enrich us, or

make us truly rich.

     

2. While they would be no losers, the poor distressed saints would be

gainers; for this service would supply their wants,
v. 12.

If we have reason to think them to be saints, whom we believe to be of

the household of faith, whose wants are great, how ready should we be

to do them good! Our goodness can not extend unto God, but we should

freely extend it to these excellent ones of the earth, and thus

show that we delight in them.

     

3. This would redound to the praise and glory of God. Many

thanksgivings would be given to God on this account, by the apostle,

and by those who were employed in this ministration,

v. 11.

These would bless God, who had made them happy instruments in so good a

work, and rendered them successful in it. Besides these, others also

would be thankful; the poor, who were supplied in their wants, would

not fail to be very thankful to God, and bless God for them; and all

who wished well to the gospel would glorify God for this

experiment, or proof of subjection to the gospel of Christ,

and true love to all men,

v. 13.

Note,

(1.) True Christianity is a subjection to the gospel, a yielding of

ourselves to the commanding influence of its truths and laws.

(2.) We must evince the sincerity of our subjection to the gospel by

works of charity.

(3.) This will be for the credit of our profession, and to the praise

and glory of God.

     

4. Those whose wants were supplied would make the best return they were

able, by sending up many prayers to God for those who had relieved

them,

v. 14.

And thus should we recompense the kindnesses we receive when we are not

in a capacity of recompensing them in any other way; and, as this is

the only recompence the poor can make, so it is often greatly for the

advantage of the rich.

     

Lastly, The apostle concludes this whole matter with this

doxology, Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift,
v. 15.

Some think that by this unspeakable gift he means the gift of grace

bestowed on the churches, in making them able and willing to supply the

necessities of the saints, which would be attended with unspeakable

benefit both to the givers and receivers. It should seem rather that he

means Jesus Christ, who is indeed the unspeakable gift of God unto this

world, a gift we have all reason to be very thankful for.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1721)

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