"But thanks be to God who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you!" (II Corinthians 8:16)
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 8:8-15, we saw how the apostle Paul was continuing to pursue his mission of raising funds for the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem; and he wrote that he wasn't "commanding" the Corinthians to do this, but hoping that they would do it voluntarily, with the same love and "earnestness" that the believers in the Macedonian churches had exhibited! But he also realized that the greatest motivation for their giving was not just to be like the Macedonian believers but to exemplify Christ's giving for them! (His "indescribable" gift!) And so he gave them (and us!) perhaps the greatest and most profound "doctrinal treasure" in all the Bible (in verse 9), about the marvelous and wonderful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ--a verse (Constable notes) "tucked away in this very pragmatic section of Scripture about giving"! "For you know (he wrote) the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor that you through His proverty might become rich!" Describing how Christ left His heavenly throne when He came to die for us--descending from the riches of heaven to poverty in this world so that believers might ascend from poverty to riches, in this life and beyond!
And so, in our lesson last night (on II Corinthians 8:16-24), Paul urged the Corinthians to finish doing what he had earlier called them to do, in I Corinthians 16:1-4, and what Titus had challenged them to do as well, and what they had promised to do, by completing the collection!
In verse 12, he set forth the standard for giving which is based "not on what someone doesn't have but on what he (or she) does have"! And he goes on to write (in verse 13) that it "is not for the ease of others and for their affliction, but by way of equality"! Making reference to Exodus 16:18 to illustrate that "financial fairness is not a new idea--describing how "the Israelites gathered manna that God so graciously supplied for their daily food, so that no matter how much they gathered, nobody had more or less than they needed to live on"!
And so, as we delved into last night's lesson (on verses 16-24), we found that the apostle Paul wasn't through teaching about giving, and he picks it up by writing about how his "friend and beloved partner in ministry," Titus, had the same "earnestness" in his heart for them, and for this cause, as he had, and that he had gone to the Corinthians of his own accord (voluntarily!) for the collection! But he didn't go alone but was accompanied by "a brother" (verse 18 says) who "was appointed by the churches to travel with them for this gracious work"--a brother whose fame in the things of the gospel had spread through all the churches"! And so it was being "administered by them (like a finance committee) for the glory of the Lord Himself to show their readiness, taking precaution that so that no one would discredit their administration of this generous gift"! Because it was important to Paul (verse 21 says) that "the administration of this mission be seen as honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men"! (Barclay writes: "It's interesting that the same Paul who could write like a lyric poet and think like a theologian could, when it was necessary, act with the meticulous accuracy nnd care of a chartened accountant!"
Paul wanted to take all the safeguards available to avoid all suspicions, and any criticism or accusations of offense, and so sent with them yet another bother, a third brother who Paul said (in verse 22) was "often tested and found diligent"! MacArthur writes that Paul, "anticipating his enemies' attack on him, took the precautions of involving a godly preacher who would accompany Titus and the other brothers so that no one would discredit them in administering the Corinthians generous gift"! And so, a band of brothers which Paul called "messengers of the churches," and a "glory to Christ"! Constable writes that the two brothers who accompanied Titus were "apostles" in the sense that they were commissioned and sent by the church--but not "apostle of Christ," according to Scripture, because "they were not "eye-witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, or commissioned by Him directly" (a requirement noted in II Peter 1:17, and elsewhere in Scripture)! Proverbs 27:17 says "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another!"
MacArthur notes that the greatest of all commendations for someone is to be characterized as one "bringing glory to Christ," and that "those who live to bring glory to Christ would never bring shame to His name, or to HIs church"!
Paul ends this passage in verse 24 with an appeal to the Corinthian believers: "Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you!" By giving generously back to the Lord what He so graciously has given to them! (And to us!)
MacArthur notes that a loving church is a generous church and that the Corinthians' generous love would validate Paul's boasting about the working of the Lord in the lives of its members! G. Campbell Morgan writes, "It is the business of the Christian Community to do its business in such a way that men of the world have no cause to suspect anything contrary to its affairs!"
And in the spirit of giving, let us all "give of our best to the Master...Clad in salvation's full armor, join in the battle for truth!"
But, guess what? The apostle Paul's still not done with his teaching about giving!
May God be with you, til we meet again!
Lowell
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 8:8-15, we saw how the apostle Paul was continuing to pursue his mission of raising funds for the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem; and he wrote that he wasn't "commanding" the Corinthians to do this, but hoping that they would do it voluntarily, with the same love and "earnestness" that the believers in the Macedonian churches had exhibited! But he also realized that the greatest motivation for their giving was not just to be like the Macedonian believers but to exemplify Christ's giving for them! (His "indescribable" gift!) And so he gave them (and us!) perhaps the greatest and most profound "doctrinal treasure" in all the Bible (in verse 9), about the marvelous and wonderful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ--a verse (Constable notes) "tucked away in this very pragmatic section of Scripture about giving"! "For you know (he wrote) the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor that you through His proverty might become rich!" Describing how Christ left His heavenly throne when He came to die for us--descending from the riches of heaven to poverty in this world so that believers might ascend from poverty to riches, in this life and beyond!
And so, in our lesson last night (on II Corinthians 8:16-24), Paul urged the Corinthians to finish doing what he had earlier called them to do, in I Corinthians 16:1-4, and what Titus had challenged them to do as well, and what they had promised to do, by completing the collection!
In verse 12, he set forth the standard for giving which is based "not on what someone doesn't have but on what he (or she) does have"! And he goes on to write (in verse 13) that it "is not for the ease of others and for their affliction, but by way of equality"! Making reference to Exodus 16:18 to illustrate that "financial fairness is not a new idea--describing how "the Israelites gathered manna that God so graciously supplied for their daily food, so that no matter how much they gathered, nobody had more or less than they needed to live on"!
And so, as we delved into last night's lesson (on verses 16-24), we found that the apostle Paul wasn't through teaching about giving, and he picks it up by writing about how his "friend and beloved partner in ministry," Titus, had the same "earnestness" in his heart for them, and for this cause, as he had, and that he had gone to the Corinthians of his own accord (voluntarily!) for the collection! But he didn't go alone but was accompanied by "a brother" (verse 18 says) who "was appointed by the churches to travel with them for this gracious work"--a brother whose fame in the things of the gospel had spread through all the churches"! And so it was being "administered by them (like a finance committee) for the glory of the Lord Himself to show their readiness, taking precaution that so that no one would discredit their administration of this generous gift"! Because it was important to Paul (verse 21 says) that "the administration of this mission be seen as honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men"! (Barclay writes: "It's interesting that the same Paul who could write like a lyric poet and think like a theologian could, when it was necessary, act with the meticulous accuracy nnd care of a chartened accountant!"
Paul wanted to take all the safeguards available to avoid all suspicions, and any criticism or accusations of offense, and so sent with them yet another bother, a third brother who Paul said (in verse 22) was "often tested and found diligent"! MacArthur writes that Paul, "anticipating his enemies' attack on him, took the precautions of involving a godly preacher who would accompany Titus and the other brothers so that no one would discredit them in administering the Corinthians generous gift"! And so, a band of brothers which Paul called "messengers of the churches," and a "glory to Christ"! Constable writes that the two brothers who accompanied Titus were "apostles" in the sense that they were commissioned and sent by the church--but not "apostle of Christ," according to Scripture, because "they were not "eye-witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, or commissioned by Him directly" (a requirement noted in II Peter 1:17, and elsewhere in Scripture)! Proverbs 27:17 says "Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another!"
MacArthur notes that the greatest of all commendations for someone is to be characterized as one "bringing glory to Christ," and that "those who live to bring glory to Christ would never bring shame to His name, or to HIs church"!
Paul ends this passage in verse 24 with an appeal to the Corinthian believers: "Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you!" By giving generously back to the Lord what He so graciously has given to them! (And to us!)
MacArthur notes that a loving church is a generous church and that the Corinthians' generous love would validate Paul's boasting about the working of the Lord in the lives of its members! G. Campbell Morgan writes, "It is the business of the Christian Community to do its business in such a way that men of the world have no cause to suspect anything contrary to its affairs!"
And in the spirit of giving, let us all "give of our best to the Master...Clad in salvation's full armor, join in the battle for truth!"
But, guess what? The apostle Paul's still not done with his teaching about giving!
May God be with you, til we meet again!
Lowell
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