The Grace of Giving

2 Corinthians 8:1–15

2 Corinthians 8 and 9 teach on the Grace of Giving.

This is a part of Paul’s letters to Corinthian Church and simply reading 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 will help you understand the teaching.

Today, let us study 2 Corinthians 8:1-15.

I. Rich generosity

Paul announces an amazing news @ Macedonia. See verse 2.

² In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

Paul said they gave “even beyond their ability” as well as “as much as they were able” (3).

How can people in their extreme poverty be richly generous?

They considered “sharing in this service to the Lord’s people” to be the “privilege” (4).

“They exceeded our expectations.” (5^a)

This is explained in 5^b.

“they gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”

Paul calls it the “act of grace” (6). Paul encourages the Corinthians to excel in this “grace of giving” (7).

II. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

Let us look at Jesus who became poor to make us rich in 2 Corinthians 8:9 as below.

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

III. The goal is equality

Let us study some key points shown in verses 13 – 15.

¹³ Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.’

“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed” (13^a) explains what Paul means by “there might be equality” (13^b). He repeats in verse 14, “The goal is equality” (14^b).

See 14^a.

At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.

References

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition.). London: Hodder & Stoughton.