Chapter 8

This chapter seems to be a clean break with what Paul has spoken of up to this point.  This is just "Ok, enough of that, let's move on to current and practical daily housekeeping stuff".

Now he turns to the generosity of the churches in Macedonia, and the offerings they've sent, and how Corinth also needs to send something.

He talks about how Jesus left the riches of heaven to become a poor man so that they Corinthians might be made rich.  Jesus was poor on earth, the Corinthians were made wealthy spiritually.  He is urging the Corinthians to be spiritual in their generous giving that the "earthly" poor in Jerusalem might be made...sufficient.  This implies to me that we will be rewarded in heaven spiritually for our charity here on earth.  This one has been made a cornerstone of Islam.  They must give to the poor to get into heaven even!

2021-2, These verses:

13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." [2Co 8:13-15 ESV]

So interesting.  We are not expected to make ourselves beggars so that others might eat.  That is not fair!  But as we are blessed - as we are enriched - we ought to increase our giving, knowing that in our own time of need, others will be charitable toward us.  Paul uses the gathering of manna in the wilderness as the analogy.  Those who thought they might run out of manna gathered a LOT of it...but no matter what they did, they  had just enough for that day.  Those who went out and gathered/hoarded/accumulated just a bit of manna, had just enough for that day.  What the implication seems to be, is that we should walk the line of having just enough to keep us going every day, but not worry about dehydrated food for 3 years, not worry about passing on a fortune to our children...God will also take care of them.  We need to give freely, generously, copiously from our excess, and not worry about coming up short 20 years from now because of our generosity today.  Give extra when you have it, give minimally when you are short.

Possible FB post.

Now Paul turns to commending Titus, whom he sent to them, and who came back and told Paul in Macedonia that the tide had turned for the better.

2021-2, Now here is an interesting mystery:

18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. [2Co 8:18 ESV]

Who is this famous preacher?  MSB doesn't know either, and does not speculate. This man's reputation was so unimpeachable that he added credibility to this offering being taken up.  People weren't suspicious about how it was to be used since this man lent his name to it.

I saved this one for 1/31, Wilson's birthday, so I can be in the word daily.  Just not for as long tomorrow morning.