Useful Bible Studies > 2 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 9
God is doing such wonderful things in the lives of his people that we cannot even begin to express them*. That is, we cannot describe them in human language. Probably, heaven’s languages * can express these things, in the words that come from the Holy Spirit*.
This great work of God is not unknown to God’s people. God has given them the Holy Spirit, to show them what he has prepared for them*. The Holy Spirit shows them this great gift, but we cannot. It is a gift beyond explanation, too wonderful to express in words. We can only use our words to thank God for his astonishing kindness, and to pray for it in our lives*.
We ask what Paul means by this great gift. Of course, we cannot describe properly something that is impossible to describe. However, we can see the kind of subjects that Paul was thinking about. We know the kind of things that he considered very wonderful.
We can see, for example, that Paul considered God’s grace (kindness) to be very wonderful*. However, Paul is writing in 2 Corinthians 9:15 about God’s great ‘gift’. The gift is not the kindness; a gift is the result of kindness.
So we think that Paul is referring to God’s greatest gift to the world; that is, Christ*. Of course, we can describe what Christ did in this world. However, it seems much more difficult to describe what he is doing now in the lives of his people*. He lives and works in them, to change them completely* and to bring them into a perfect relationship with God*.
Next part: People who opposed Paul’s authority (10:1-2)
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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© 2016, Keith Simons.