Incarnation as a motive to liberality. It shows, Schmiedel says,
Paul's contempt for the knowledge of Christ after the flesh, when the
Incarnation is all he can adduce as a pattern for such a simply human
thing as a charitable gift. The same contempt, then, we must presume,
is shown in Philippians, when the same great pattern is held up to
inspire Christians with lowly thoughts of themselves, and with
consideration for others. It is shown, perhaps, again at the close of
that magnificent chapter--the fifteenth in First Corinthians--where
all the glory to be revealed when Christ transfigures His people is
made a reason for the sober virtues of stedfastness and patience. The
truth is rather that Paul knew from experience that the supreme
motives are needed on the most ordinary occasions. He never appeals
to incidents, not because he does not know them, or because he
despises them, but because it is far more potent and effectual to
appeal to Christ. His mind gravitates to the Incarnation, or the
Cross, or the Heavenly Throne, because the power and virtue of the
Redeemer are concentrated there. The spirit that wrought redemption,
and that changes men into the image of the Lord--the spirit without
which _no_ Christian disposition, not even the most "simply human,"
can be produced--is felt there, if one may say so, in gathered
intensity; and it is not the want of a concrete vision of Jesus such
as Peter and John had, nor a scholastic insensibility to such living
and love-compelling details as our first three Gospels furnish, that
makes Paul have recourse thither; it is the instinct of the evangelist
and pastor who knows that the hope of souls is to live in the presence
of the very highest things. Of course Paul believed in the
pre-existence and in the Incarnation. The writer quoted above does
not, and naturally the appeal of the text is artificial and
unimpressive to him. But may we not ask, in view of the simplicity,
the unaffectedness, and the urgency with which St. Paul uses this
appeal both here and in Philippians, whether _his_ faith in the
pre-existence can have had no more than the precarious speculative
foundation which is given to it by so many who reconstruct his
theology? "Christ, the perfect reconciler, must be the perfect
revealer of God; God's purpose--that for which He made all
things--must be seen in Him; but that for which God made all things
must have existed (in the mind of God) before all things; therefore
Christ is (ideally) from everlasting." This is the substance of many
explanations of how St. Paul came by his Christology; but if this had
been all, _could_ St. Paul by any possibility have appealed thus
naïvely to the Incarnation _as a fact_, and a fact which was one of
the mainsprings of Christian morality?
(3) The Apostle pauses for a moment to urge his plea in the interest
of the Corinthians themselves. He is not commanding, but giving his
judgment: "this," he says, "is profitable for you, who began[71] a
year ago, not only to do, but also to will.[72] But now complete the
doing also." Every one knows this situation, and its evils. A good
work which has been set on foot with interest and spontaneity enough,
but which has begun to drag, and is in danger of coming to nothing, is
very demoralising. It enfeebles the conscience, and spoils the temper.
It develops irresolution and incapacity, and it stands perpetually in
the way of anything else that has to be done. Many a bright idea
stumbles over it, and can get no further. It is not only worldly
wisdom, but divine wisdom, which says: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might." If it is the giving of money, the building
of a church, the insuring of a life, complete the doing. To be always
thinking about it, and always in an ineffective way busy about it, is
not profitable for you.
It is in this connexion that the Apostle lays down the laws of
Christian liberality. In these verses (11 to 15) there are three.
(_a_) First, there must be readiness, or, as the Authorised Version
puts it, a willing mind. What is given must be given freely; it must
be a gracious offering, not a tax. This is fundamental. The law of the
Old Testament is re-enacted in the New: "Of every man _whose heart
maketh him willing_ shall ye take the Lord's offering." What we spend
in piety and charity is not tribute paid to a tyrant, but the response
of gratitude to our Redeemer: and if it has not this character He does
not want it. If there be _first_ a willing mind, the rest is easy; if
not, there is no need to go on. (_b_) The second law is, "according as
a man has." _Readiness_ is the acceptable thing, not this or that
proof of it. If we cannot give much, then a ready mind makes even a
little acceptable. Only let us remember this, that readiness always
gives all that is in its power. The readiness of the poor widow in the
Temple could only give two mites, but two mites were all her living;
the readiness of the Macedonians was in the depths of poverty, but
they gave _themselves_ to the Lord. The widow's mites are an
illustrious example of sacrifice, and this word of the Apostle
contains a moving appeal for generosity; yet the two together have
been profaned times innumerable to cloak the meanest selfishness.
(_c_) The third law is reciprocity. Paul does not write that the Jews
may be relieved and the Corinthians burdened, but on the principle of
equality: at this crisis the superfluity of the Corinthians is to make
up what is wanting to the Jews, and at some other the situation will
be exactly reversed. Brotherhood cannot be one-sided; it must be
mutual, and in the interchange of services equality is the result.
This, as the quotation hints, answers to God's design in regard to
worldly goods, as that design is indicated in the story of the manna:
He that gathered much had no more than his neighbours, and he that
gathered little had no less. To be selfish is not an infallible way of
getting more than your share; you may cheat your neighbour by that
policy, but you will not get the better of God. In all probability men
are far more nearly on an equality, in respect of what their worldly
possessions yield, than the rich in their pride, or the poor in their
envious discontent, would readily believe; but where inequality is
patent and painful--a glaring violation of the divine intention here
suggested--there is a call for charity to redress the balance. Those
who give to the poor are co-operating with God, and the more a
community is Christianised, the more will that state be realised in
which each has what he needs.
FOOTNOTES:
[67] Ἁπλότης is literally simplicity or singleness of heart, the
disposition which, when it gives, does so without _arrière-pensée_: in
point of fact this is identical with the liberal or generous
disposition. Cf. chap. ix. 11, 13; Rom. xii. 8; James i. 5.
[68] Previous to his recent visit? So Schmiedel. Or simply = formerly?
[69] This, according to Hermann (quoted by Meyer), is often the force
of ἀλλά, which is certainly a surprising word here.
[70] Translating it, of course, "_was_ poor," or "lived poor": which
is not impossible in itself.
[71] The προ in προενήρξασθε seems to mean "before the Macedonians."
[72] The order of "do" and "will" is peculiar and has not been clearly
explained.
XXI
_THE FRUITS OF LIBERALITY_
"But thanks be to God, which putteth the same earnest care for you
into the heart of Titus. For indeed he accepted our exhortation;
but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own
accord. And we have sent together with him the brother whose
praise in the Gospel _is spread_ through all the Churches; and not
only so, but who was also appointed by the Churches to travel with
us in _the matter of_ this grace, which is ministered by us to the
glory of the Lord, and _to show_ our readiness: avoiding this,
that any man should blame us in _the matter of_ this bounty which
is ministered by us: for we take thought for things honourable,
not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men.
And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times
proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest by reason
of the great confidence which _he hath_ in you. Whether _any
inquire_ about Titus, _he is_ my partner, and _my_ fellow-worker
to you-ward; or our brethren, _they are_ the messengers of the
Churches, _they are_ the glory of Christ. Show ye therefore unto
them in the face of the Churches the proof of your love, and of
our glorying on your behalf.
"For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous
for me to write to you: for I know your readiness, of which I
glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been
prepared for a year past; and your zeal hath stirred up very many
of them. But I have sent the brethren, that our glorying on your
behalf may not be made void in this respect; that, even as I said,
ye may be prepared: lest by any means, if there come with me any
of Macedonia, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye)
should be put to shame in this confidence. I thought it necessary
therefore to intreat the brethren, that they would go before unto
you, and make up beforehand your afore-promised bounty, that the
same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of extortion.
"But this _I say_, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully. _Let_ each man _do_ according as he hath purposed in
his heart; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a
cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound unto you;
that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound
unto every good work: as it is written,
He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor;
His righteousness abideth for ever.
And He that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall
supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits
of your righteousness: ye being enriched in everything unto all
liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. For the
ministration of this service not only filleth up the measure of
the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many
thanksgivings unto God; seeing that through the proving _of you_
by this ministration they glorify God for the obedience of your
confession unto the Gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of
your contribution unto them and unto all; while they themselves
also, with supplication on your behalf, long after you by reason
of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His
unspeakable gift."--2 COR. viii. 16-ix. 15 (R.V.).
This long passage has a good many difficulties of detail, for the
grammarian and the textual critic. Where it seems necessary, these
will be referred to in the notes; but as the large meaning of the
writer is hardly affected by them, they need not interrupt the course
of exposition. It falls into three parts, which are clearly marked as
such in the Revised Version: (1) Chap. viii. 16-24, commending to the
Corinthians the three brethren who were to precede Paul and prepare
the collection; (2) Chap. ix. 1-5, appealing to the motives of
emulation and shame to reinforce love in the matter; and (3) Chap. ix.
6-15, urging liberality, and enlarging on the blessed fruits it
yields. The first of these divisions begins, and the last ends, with
an exclamatory ascription of thanks to God.
(1) Chap. viii. 16-24. Of the three men who acted as commissioners in
this delicate undertaking, only one, Titus, is known to us by name. He
had just returned from Corinth; he knew all the critical points in the
situation; and no doubt the Apostle was glad to have such a man at the
head of the little party. He was thankful to God that on the occasion of
that previous visit the Corinthians had completely won the heart of
Titus, and that his loyal fellow-worker needed no compulsion to return.
He was leaving[73] Paul of his own accord, full of earnest care for his
Achaian friends. Along with him went a second--the brother whose praise
in the Gospel was through all the Churches. It is useless to ask who the
brother was. A very early opinion, alluded to by Origen, and represented
apparently in the traditional subscription to this Epistle, identified
him with Luke. Probably the ground for this identification was the idea
that his "praise in the Gospel" referred to Luke's work as an
evangelist. But this cannot be: first, because Luke's Gospel cannot have
been written so early; and, secondly, because "the Gospel" at this date
does not mean a written thing at all. This man's praise in the Gospel
must mean the credit he had acquired by his services to the Christian
faith; it might be by some bold confession, or by activity as an
evangelist, or by notable hospitality to missionaries, or by such
helpful ministries as the one he was now engaged in. The real point of
interest for us in the expression is the glimpse it gives us of the
unity of the Church, and the unimpeded circulation of one life through
all its members. Its early divisions, theological and racial, have been
sufficiently emphasised; it is well worth while to observe the unity of
the spirit. It was this, eventually, which gave the Church its power in
the decline of the Empire. It was the only institution which extended
over the area of civilisation with a common spirit, common sympathies,
and a common standard of praise. It was a compliment to the Corinthians
to include in this embassy one whose good name was honoured wherever men
met in the name of Jesus. This brother was at the same time a deputy in
a special sense. He had been elected by the Churches who were
contributing to the collection, that he might accompany the Apostle when
it was taken to Jerusalem. This, in itself, is natural enough, and it
would not call for comment but for the remark to which the Apostle
proceeds--"avoiding this, that any man should blame us in the matter of
this bounty which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and _to
show_ our[74] readiness: for we take thought for things honourable, not
only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."
There was evidently an unpleasant side to this transaction. Paul's
interest in the collection, his enemies had plainly said (chap. xii.
17, 18), was not quite disinterested. He was capable of putting his
own hand into the bag. What ought a Christian man to do in such a
case? We shall see in a later chapter how keenly Paul felt this
unworthy imputation, and with what generous passion he resented it;
but here he betrays no indignation; he joins with the Churches who
are making the collection in so ordering matters as to preclude
suspicion. Wherever the money is concerned, his responsibility is to
be shared with another. It is a pity that Christ should not be
glorified, and the Apostle's zeal to help the poor saints made known,
without the accompaniment of these base suspicions and precautionary
measures; but in all things human, evil will mingle with good, and the
humble course is best, which does not only what God knows to be
honourable, but what men must see to be so too. In handling money
especially, it is best to err on the safe side. If most men are too
readily suspected by others, it only answers to the fact that most men
are too ready to trust themselves. We have an infinite faith in our
own honesty; and when auditors are appointed to examine their books,
the inexperienced are apt to think it needless, and even impertinent.
If they were wise, they would welcome it as a protection against
suspicion and even against themselves. Many a man has ruined
himself--not to speak of those who trusted him--by too blind a belief
in his own integrity. The third brother who accompanied Titus seems to
have been more closely associated with Paul than the second. He had
proved him often, in many things, and found him uniformly earnest; and
at this juncture the confidence he had in the Corinthians made him
more earnest than ever. Paul extols the three in the highest terms
before he sends them off; if anybody in Corinth wishes to know what
they are, he is proud to tell. Titus is his partner in the apostolic
calling, and has shared his work among them; the other brethren are
deputies (apostles) of Churches, a glory of Christ. What an idealist
Paul was! What an appreciation of Christian character he had when he
described these nameless believers as reflections of the splendour of
Christ! To common eyes they might be commonplace men; but when Paul
looked at them he saw the dawning of that brightness in which the Lord
appeared to him by the way. Contact with the grimy side of human
nature did not blind him to this radiance; rather did this glory of
Christ in men's souls strengthen him to believe all things, to hope
all things, to endure all things. In showing before these honoured
messengers the proof of their love, and of his boasting on their
behalf, the Corinthians will show it,[75] he says, before the face of
the Churches. It will be officially reported throughout Christendom.
(2) Chap. ix. 1-5. This section strikes one at first as greatly
wanting in connexion with what precedes. It looks like a new
beginning, an independent writing on the same or a similar subject.
This has led some scholars to argue that either chap. viii. or chap.
ix. belongs to a different occasion, and that only resemblance in
subject has led to one of them being erroneously inserted here beside
the other. This, in the absence of any external indication, is an
extremely violent supposition; and closer examination goes to
dissipate that first impression. The statements, _e.g._, in vv. 3-5
would be quite unintelligible if we had not chap. viii. 16-24 to
explain them; and instead of saying there is no connexion between ix.
1 and what precedes, we should rather say that the connexion is
somewhat involved and circuitous--as will happen when one is handling
a topic of unusual difficulty. It is to be explained thus. The Apostle
feels that he has said a good deal now about the collection, and that
there is a danger in being too urgent. He uses what he has just said
about the reception of the brethren as a stepping-stone to another
view of the subject, more flattering to the Corinthians, to begin
with, and less importunate. "Maintain your character before them," he
says in effect; "for as for the ministering to the saints, it is
superfluous for me to be writing to you as I do."[76] Instead of
finding it necessary to urge their duty upon them, he has been able to
hold up their readiness as an example to the Macedonians. "Achaia has
been prepared for a year past," he said to his fond disciples in
Thessalonica and Philippi; and the zeal of the Achaians, or rivalry of
them, roused the majority of the Macedonians. This is one way of
looking at what happened; another, and surely Paul would have been the
first to say a more profound, is that of chap. viii. 1--the grace of
God was given in the Churches of Macedonia. But the grace of God takes
occasions, and uses means; and here its opportunity and its instrument
for working in Macedonia was the ready generosity of the Corinthians.
It has wrought, indeed, so effectively that the tables are turned, and
now it is the liberality of Macedonia which is to provoke Corinth.
Paul is sending on these brethren beforehand, lest, if any of the
Macedonians should accompany him when he starts for Corinth himself,
they should find matters not so flourishing as he had led them to
believe. "That would put me to shame," he says to the Corinthians,
"not to speak of you. I have been very confident in speaking of you as
I have done in Macedonia: do keep up my credit and your own. Let this
blessing, which you are going to bestow on the poor, be ready _as_ a
blessing--_i.e._, as something which one gives willingly, and as
liberally as he can; and not as a matter of avarice,[77] in which one
gives reluctantly, keeping as much as he can."
The legitimacy of such motives as are appealed to in this paragraph will
always be more or less questioned among Christian men, but as long as
human nature is what it is they will always be appealed to. Ζηλότυπον
γὰρ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος (Chrys.). A great man of action like St. Paul
will of course find his temptations along this line. He is so eager to
get men to act, and the inertness of human nature is so great, that it
is hard to decline anything which will set it in motion. It is not the
highest motive, certainly, when the forwardness of one stimulates
another; but in a good cause, it is better than none. A good cause, too,
has a wonderful power of its own when men begin to attend to it; it
asserts itself, and takes possession of souls on its own account.
Rivalry becomes generous then, even if it remains; it is a race in love
that is being run, and all who run obtain the prize. Competitions for
prizes which only one can gain have a great deal in them that is selfish
and bad; but rivalry in the service of others--rivalry in
unselfishness--will not easily degenerate in this direction. Paul does
not need to be excused because he stimulates the Macedonians by the
promptitude of the Corinthians--though he had his misgivings about this
last--and the Corinthians by the liberality of the Macedonians. The real
motive in both cases was "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who,
though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor." It is this which
underlies everything in the Christian heart, and nothing can do harm
which works as its auxiliary.
(3) Chap. ix. 6-15. In the third and last section the Apostle resumes
his direct and urgent tone. "I do not need to write to you," he seems
to say, "but one thing I cannot but set down: He that soweth sparingly
shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully[78] shall
reap also bountifully." That is the law of God, and the nature of
things, whether men regard or disregard it. Charity is in a real sense
an investment, not a casting away of money; it is not fruitless, but
bears fruit in the measure in which it is sown. Of course it cannot be
enforced--that would be to deny its very nature. Each is to give what
he has purposed in his heart, where he is free and true: he is not to
give out of grief, mourning over what he gives and regretting he could
not keep it; neither is he to give out of necessity, because his
position, or the usages of his society, or the comments of his
neighbours, put a practical compulsion upon him. God loves a cheerful
giver. Money is nothing to Him but as an index to the soul; unless the
soul gives it, and gives itself with it, He takes no account. But He
does take account of true charity, and because He does, the charitable
may be of good cheer: He will not allow them to be without the means
of manifesting a spirit so grateful to Him. If we really wish to be
generous, He will not withhold from us the power of being so. This is
what the Apostle says in ver. 8: "God is able to make all grace abound
toward you, that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may
abound unto every good work." There is, indeed, another way of
rendering αὐτάρκεια (sufficiency). Some take it subjectively, not
objectively, and make it mean, not sufficiency, but contentment. But
though a contented spirit disposes people wonderfully to be generous,
and the discontented, who have never enough for themselves, can never,
of course, spare anything for anybody else, this meaning is decidedly
to be rejected. The sufficiency, as ver. 10 also shows, is outward: we
shall always, if we are charitable, have by God's grace the means of
being more so. He is able to bless us abundantly, that we may be able
for every good work. Observe the purpose of God's blessing. This is
the import of the quotation from the 112th Psalm, in which we have the
portrait of the good man: "He hath dispersed"--what uncalculating
liberality there is in the very word--"he hath given to the poor: his
righteousness abideth for ever." The approximation, in the Jewish
morals of later times, of the ideas of righteousness and almsgiving,
has led some to limit δικαιοσύνη in this passage (as in Matt. vi. 1)
to the latter sense. This is extremely improbable--I think impossible.
In the Psalm, both in ver. 3 and ver. 10 (LXX.), the expression "his
righteousness abideth for ever" reflects God's verdict on the
character as a whole. The character there described, and here
referred to by the relevant trait of generosity, is one which need
fear no chances of the future. He who supplies seed to the sower and
bread for food will supply and multiply the seed sown by the generous
Corinthians (that they may ever be in a position to be generous), and
will cause also the fruits of their righteousness to grow. Their
righteousness, as it figures in this last phrase, is of course
represented, for the time being, by their generosity; and the poetic
expression "fruits of righteousness," which is borrowed from Hosea,
designates the results which that generosity produces. It is not only
an investment which guarantees to them the generous care of God for
their own welfare; it is a seed which bears another and more spiritual
harvest. With some expansion of heart on this the Apostle concludes.