Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 8
More than a year previously, Corinth’s Christians decided that they wanted to help the poor Christians in Judea. The Christians in Corinth believed that they could give a large gift for that purpose.
Paul had already explained to them that they would need to make careful plans for that gift. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, he urged them to collect money for that purpose each week. There were of course no modern banks that could transfer the money. Some Christians would have to travel to Judea to take the gift personally.
Now the time to take the gift was close. So it was necessary to complete the collection of the money. It was good that Corinth’s Christians had been so eager to give. However, their good desires would achieve nothing unless they actually gave their gifts. Paul did not want to collect any money himself when he arrived in Corinth. He wanted them to make their gifts before he reached there.
Paul told them to give from what they had. It is right for a wealthy person to give much more than a poor person gives. The generous gift of a poor person may seem small, but God considers that gift to be very valuable*.
Perhaps some of Corinth’s Christians had hoped to give more than they presently had. Perhaps they expected to make money in business* and then they would be able to give more. Paul urged them to give from what they already had. They should not make promises to give what they could not afford. People are often eager to do all kinds of things that they cannot actually do. It is important to complete, and not just to begin, the things that we are eager to do. When proper actions are the result of right attitudes, that pleases God.
Next part: All Christians everywhere depend on each other (8:13-15)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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© 2016, Keith Simons.