2 Corinthians 9:1-15

(2 Corinthians 9:1-15)

For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:  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. 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:  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. 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. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 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: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  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;)  Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.  For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;  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;  And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.  Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

 

Paul told the churches not to be ashamed of the church by preparing an offering as much as the grace received by the Corinthian church. We must know exactly about the offering. Jesus said when he saw the rich and the widow putting their offerings in the offering box. By the way, the widow gave much more.

The term offering in the New Testament era differs from the Old Testament concept. In the Old Testament, all tithing and offerings to God were collected in an offering box. It was presented to God, and the gift was used for those who were in charge of God's temple (the tribe of Levi), orphans and widows. When the apostle Paul preached, he made a living with his own money. In the New Testament era, it was helping the poor and widows, such as giving living expenses to pastors through donations.

The Greek word “Doron” used by Jesus was translated as an offering. The word offering also has many meanings as an offering. We must have an understanding of the offerings Jesus said. In the book of Acts, in 4:32-37, all the crowds sold their property and put it at the apostles' feet. Why did you do that? The land of the Israelites belongs to God. When it comes to jubilee, all must be returned. At that time, the thoughts of the early church disciples (estimated) said that Jesus will come back soon. Since they think that the end is nearing, it can be assumed that they have devoted all the land to the apostles.

In the midst of this, Ananias and Sapphira caused a problem. They said that they would sell all their property and give it to them (Hebrew: Gorban), but they were regretful. So they said they had concealed some of their property (embezzlement). By the way, Ananias and Sapphira died. They deceived God. God attached the city of Jericho to the Israelites, and he commanded the Israelites not to take possession of war traps taken from the city of Jericho. This is dedicated to God and burned. All that is offered to God is extinguished and made holy. The act of Achan's stealing in the battle of Jericho was given to God as the result of Achan's spoils. Eventually, Achan must be destroyed by God, and all Achan's family died. Offerings are made with sincerity and joy according to circumstances and fountains.

The apostle Paul's offering is in 2 Corinthians 9:5.『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. 』 The apostle Paul says, "Prepare for the true blessings of God." This is the same word for the heavenly blessing that God says in Malachi 3:10 that God will open the door to heaven and the spiritual blessing that belongs to the heavens in Ephesians 1:3. That is, what the Apostle Paul refers to is the offering that I give under the premise that this money can be a spiritual blessing of heaven to others. The first meaning of the apostle Paul's offering is a blessing.

Second, offering has the same meaning as donation. It is an offering made to help the poor. Third, it means to give out with a heart that imparts the blessings of God with a pure heart. The apostle Paul's offering is not something to be given to God, but rather means an offering for the poor and needy.
Paul decided to go to the Jerusalem church with what the Corinthian church gave. It boasted that the Corinthian church had already prepared a donation for the church in Jerusalem a year ago. Therefore, Paul told them to prepare their offerings in advance before the senders arrived, so that they would not be a big blow. However, Paul writes this book with the desire to enjoy the offering, emphasizing that God wants the donation that comes from the heart rather than forcibly.

The offering that God is pleased with is 『Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ' 『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: 』.

According to verses 8:1-2, it is recorded that the saints in Macedonian volunteered to donate to the full of strength even in the midst of many tribulations and extreme poverty, so that the offerings of their love and devotion made so that the offerings of their love and devotion could yield abundant fruit. At that time, people were being attacked by the Jews for the fact that they believed in Christianity. During the trials they faced as a colonial people, there was always a joy beyond reality. That joy became the power to overcome all adversity, and that power was the power of God's grace. Absolute poverty came upon them, but rather, it is God's grace that they had a lot of offerings, according to Paul. The fact that the members of Macedonians enjoyed more joy as they faced the trials, it can be seen that their faith was very mature.

At the time, Macedonna was locally rich, but under Roman rule, all sources of income were taken away by the Romans and suffered structural poverty. The region itself was rich, as agriculture, mining, and timber industries flourished in the Macedonian region. However, the extreme poverty of the Christians in Macedonia is seen as the result of persecution for believing in Jesus. Paul presents as evidence of God's love that even under these adverse conditions, the members of Macedonians made abundant offerings. Offering means simplicity and purity, and suggests that the basic attitude of offering should be from the purity of the heart. Paul tells us that the situation of poverty should not be motivated by stinginess. Even in extreme poverty, the Macedonians gave God everything they could. It is in 2 Corinthians 6:10, “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. It was a state of'.

The purpose of the offering is to prove that the Christian's love for the Lord is true.『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;)』 God brings fruit in sowing and reaping by providing a suitable climate and a suitable environment. God is the one who gives the farmer who sows the seed that can be sown next and enough food to eat every day. God has promised that the offerings made to give to others will not only satisfy his needs, but also enrich his wealth.