TEXT [Commentary]

  VI.   The Collection for the Jerusalem Church (8:1–9:15)

A.   The Macedonians’ Example (8:1-7)

1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[*] what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.[*] 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. 7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us[*]—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.

NOTES

8:1 kindness. Gr., charis [TG5485, ZG5921], whose most familiar meaning is “grace” (e.g., Eph 2:8). In chs 8–9, charis is found 10 times with a wide range of meanings: (1) generosity (8:9; 9:14), (2) privilege, favor (8:4), (3) act of giving (8:7), (4) the collection of gifts for the poor (8:6, 19), and (5) thanks (8:16; 9:15). See also the note on 9:14.

the churches in Macedonia. These include especially the believers at Philippi as part of the Roman province in northern Greece, extending from Apollonia in the west to Philippi in the east. Their place in Paul’s mission strategy is important, as Phil 4:15 makes clear.

8:2 They are being tested by many troubles. The poverty and trials of the Macedonians are well illustrated in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, as well as their generosity.

8:3 they did it of their own free will. Their giving was marked by sacrifice made of “their own free will” (authairetoi [TG830, ZG882]; a rare word, but found again in 8:17). Note that Paul did not plead with the Macedonians to give; they begged him to be allowed to give.

8:4 privilege of sharing in the gift. This spirit is one of koinōnia [TG2842, ZG3126], sharing in the fellowship of support of believers in need.

8:5 give themselves to the Lord. This was done in response to Paul’s preaching.

and to us. Though the Corinthians gave themselves to Paul and his coworkers, Paul denied that he domineered over their faith (1:24).

8:6 So we have urged Titus. Now the scene changes. Paul was instructing Titus to return to Corinth to restart the collection and “finish this ministry of giving” (charis [TG5485, ZG5921]) they had started a year ago (8:10). The collection was in abeyance until the troubles at Corinth cleared.

8:7 this gracious act of giving. This refers to the collection that was supposed to be taken at Corinth.

COMMENTARY [Text]

In chapters 8–9, we have come to the second major part of the letter. Paul has turned his thoughts to consider the collection he was taking in the Gentile churches (Philippi and Galatia, as well as Corinth) for the impoverished Jewish Christians in the mother church at Jerusalem.

Some scholars posit one or both chapters to be separate compositions because of the topic shifts to the collection, with repeated content potentially directed at two different audiences—chapter 8 (Corinth) and chapter 9 (Achaia). H. D. Betz (1985) is one of the strongest advocates for two separate compositions. While noticeably abrupt, the transition between chapter 7 and chapter 8 is understandable in light of the change of topic from Paul’s apostleship to the collection. In regards to the break between chapter 8 and chapter 9 and repeated material, S. K. Stowers (1986) has demonstrated that the Greek clause peri men gar (for now concerning) does not signal a new topic but indicates that chapter 9 expands upon chapter 8, specifically, the topic of boasting in 8:24 (cf. J. Lambrecht 1999).

It is important to see the significance of this collection in the life of Paul’s missionary work (see Nickle 1966; Georgi 1992). This enterprise was (1) a fulfillment of his promise made to Peter and James to “[help] the poor” (Gal 2:10) and (2) a testimony to the believers in Israel of the love of the Gentile churches expressed in a realistic way. There was no more compelling way of demonstrating the unity of both Jewish and Gentile members of the one church than this. At the same time, there was no more powerful refutation of the Judaizers (Jewish-Christian legalists) who tried to insinuate that Paul was out of sympathy with the Jewish-Christians and their leaders (Rom 15:25-27).

The noble example of the Macedonian churches should become an incentive to the Corinthians (8:7). They were called to “excel also in this gracious act of giving” (charis [TG5485, ZG5921]). Paul had previously praised them for their rich endowment of spiritual gifts-in-grace (1 Cor 1:7; 12:7-11; 14:12); now they were being summoned to excel in this raising of the offering as well. In sounding this call, Paul did not want the Corinthians to think he was finding fault with them (Plummer 1915:238); nevertheless, he clearly was calling the Corinthians to action.

The Macedonians, of whom the Philippians are the best known, were renowned for their “rich generosity” in the way they supported Paul’s ministry, as well as the fund for Jerusalem (Phil 4:10-19). Furthermore, the Philippians’ generous giving came at a time when they were in the grip of a financial squeeze. (On the poverty of the Macedonians, see D. J. Downs 2008, 2010.) Yet this state of their economy did not stint their sacrificial giving (8:3), even to the point of their imploring Paul to take the money.

Paul had appointed Titus as his agent for the collection (8:6). But with the trouble at Corinth, the matter was put on hold. Now that the air had cleared and good relations were restored, Titus was encouraged to complete the matter.