2 Coríntios 9
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Coríntios 9
Guzik - The basic idea is, “I don’t even need to write this, reminding you about the collection, because you are already ready and willing to give.” Of course, if the Corinthian Christians were really as ready and willing as Paul seems to indicate, he really wouldn’t need to write this at all.i. At the same time, this is a signal that Paul is done trying to persuade the Corinthian regarding giving, as he did in 2 Corinthians 8, showing the example of the Macedonian Christians and the example of Jesus. Now Paul is encouraging them in their manner of giving. (2 Corinthians 9) Murray Harris explains Paul's opening words in chapter 9 - The Corinthian readiness of intention and eagerness in initiating the collection (cf. 8:10, 11) were appealed to by Paul as an example worthy of emulation when he was encouraging the Macedonians to make their contribution (9:2). Thus it was the Corinthians' "enthusiasm" to participate in the collection, not their "completion" of it (8:11), that had "stirred most of them [the Macedonians] to action" (9:2). On the other hand, because the Macedonians had successfully completed (8:1-5) what they had enthusiastically commenced under the stimulus of the Corinthian example, their exemplary action formed one ground of Paul's appeal to the Corinthians to complete their contribution (8:6, 10, 11). (1 and 2 Corinthians The Expositor's Bible Commentary) Generous giving is contagious, though it shouldn’t be competitive. -- Michael Andrus Andrus - Paul is recognizing the spiritual truth that generosity is contagious. When you’re around generous people, you tend to be more generous yourself, just as when you’re around stingy, materialistic people, you tend to become stingy and materialistic. The lesson is obvious: we should watch who we associate with, but also we should realize that we can impact others with our lifestyle. As far as Paul’s use of the Macedonians and Corinthians as examples for one another, I would say it’s OK if he’s trying to motivate, so long as they aren’t being manipulated. And your zeal (zelos from zeo = be hot) has stirred up (erethizo) most of them - Literally = "zeal from you has stimulated the majority." The zeal of the Corinthians regarding the collection set a fire under the Macedonians to emulate their zeal. Provoking others to give by your enthusiasm is good, but not the same as doing it. Clearly Paul had not gone throughout Macedonia describing the problems of the Corinthian church (of which their were a number!) but when speaking of them he accentuated the positive and eliminated the negative, the result being stimulation of the other churches, not condemnation of the Corinthians. THOUGHT - Does the missionary zeal of your church (or you as an individual) stir other ("most of them") churches or individuals to a similar commitment? When you speak of other Bible believing, preaching churches in your area do you accentuate the positive and eliminated the negative?
2 Coríntios 9
Guzik - What do we reap when we give? We reap blessings that are both material and spiritual. Materially, we can trust that God will provide for the giving heart. The promise of Philippians 4:19 (my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus) is made in the context of the generous hearts of the Philippians (Philippians 4:15-18). If we give to God, He will give to us materially.. Spiritually, we can trust that God will reward the giving heart both now and in eternity. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 19:29: And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. Jesus obviously did not mean that we would receive a hundred houses if we gave up our house for Him any more than He meant we would receive a hundred wives if we gave one up for Him! But He did mean that we are never the losers when we give to God. The Lord can never be in debt to any man, and we should never be afraid of giving God “too much.” Spiritually or materially, you can’t out-give God.. “This harvest should be understood both in terms of the spiritual reward of eternal life and also referring to the earthly blessings with which God honours the beneficent. Not only in heaven does God reward the well-doing of the godly, but in this world as well.” (Calvin) . (2 Corinthians 9) Lowery summarizes 2Co 9:6-15 -In the grace of God Christians are rewarded in three ways for their generosity: (1) the givers are enriched (2Co 9:6-10); (2) the receivers' needs are met (2Co 9:11-12); and (3) God, the Source of all blessing, is praised (2Co 9:13-15). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) George Muller - "The Christian should never worry about tomorrow or give sparingly because of a possible future need. Only the present moment is ours to serve the Lord, and tomorrow may never come...Life is worth as much as it is spent for the Lord's service." Related Resources: Why are there so many televangelist scandals? | GotQuestions.org Can Christians live their best life now? | GotQuestions.org What is “The Secret”? What is the law of attraction? | GotQuestions.org Are all prosperity preachers charlatans and/or false teachers? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about prosperity? | GotQuestions.org Is “name it claim it” teaching biblical? | GotQuestions.org Now (1161) de is a "conjunctive particle most commonly to denote continuation and further thought development, taking its specific sense from the context and; contrast - but; transition - then, now (with no temporal sense); Sows (4687) speiro from spao = draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and the opposite of reaping or gathering. In classical Greek usage speirō can mean “to sow” or “plant” seed, “to sow” ideas, “to scatter” or “disperse” things or people, and even “to beget” . Acting in ways that will bring multiplied consequences of good or evil (Gal 6.7-8) Sparingly (5340)(pheidomenos from pheidomai - to spare, forbear) means what is done in a limited, sparing manner and of negligible quantity or extent. In a limited way, sparingly. Figuratively, of miserly giving to help others. Not plentifully! Plutarch wrote, “But now use sparingly those things which you have” (Alexander 25.7) Only in 2Co 9:6. Reap (2325) therizo from théros = summer, harvest time ~ time of harvests) conveys the picture of cutting ripe grain and gathering the bundles together. To reap, to harvest, harvest, reaping. Win By Losing He who loses his life for My sake will find it. —Matthew 10:39 Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Have you ever played dominoes? In my boyhood days it was a favorite indoor pastime. Some time ago while visiting a family, I saw a young boy and his grandfather playing the game. A flood of memories surged over me as I remembered my own boyhood days. The unusual thing about dominoes is that you win by losing. To win, you must lose your blocks. Whoever gets rid of all his dominoes first wins the game. You must give to get—lose to gain—be reduced to nothing to get to the top. It is not like baseball or tennis or other games where the highest number of runs, points, or scores determines the winner. No! With dominoes it is the one who can reach nothing first who succeeds. The rule of the natural man is: “Get all you can.” The rule of the spiritual man should be: “Give all you can.” In the spiritual realm, only that which we give away will we keep forever. In the Christian life, we must be reduced to nothing before we become something. Seed kept in the granary will mold and decay, but “thrown away” into the ground it increases 30-, 60-, and 100-fold. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone” (John 12:24). Lord, shape my life as only You can, Guiding each day by Your loving plan; Take what You need and give what You will, My life is Yours to use and to fill. —Branon Life is like a game of tennis—you can't win without serving well. Losing To Gain He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. —2 Corinthians 9:6 Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 On my father’s farm were certain fields he sowed by hand. He would strap on a canvas contraption that looked somewhat like a kangaroo pouch, fill it with seed, and go out to sow. He would cast seed everywhere. When a farmer sows seed in his field, it looks like he’s throwing it away. It seems to be lost, but it isn’t really gone. In due time he gets it back—with much more besides. When we give ourselves to Christ, it may seem to people as if we’re throwing our life away. But He said that it is only as we lose our lives in Him that we find true life (Matt. 10:39). Jesus teaches us to measure our lives by losses rather than gains, by sacrifices rather than self-preservation, by time spent for others rather than time lavished upon ourselves, by love poured out rather than love poured in. It’s a rule of life: God blesses those who give of their lives and resources (2 Cor. 9:6). Give out the truth you know, and He’ll give you more to give away. Give your time, and you’ll have more time to give. Set no limit on your love, and you’ll have more love for others than before. We lose what on ourselves we spend; We have as treasure without end Whatever, Lord, to You we lend, Who givest all. —Wordsworth When you grasp, you lose; when you give to God, you gain. Can You Spare A Dime? He who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. —Proverbs 14:21 Today's Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 In her insightful book The Forgotten Man, Amity Shlaes provides fascinating stories about what life was like during the Great Depression in the US. At the center of that economic drama was “the forgotten man,” a term used for the countless individuals who were thrown out of work. A popular Depression-era song poignantly expresses their story: They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead. Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread? Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time. Once I built a railroad; now it’s done. Brother, can you spare a dime? As the lyrics remind us, an economic downturn changes everything for hard-working people who lose their jobs. When that happens, we as Christians should do what we can for people in need. In Galatians 2, Paul and Barnabas were reminded to evangelize and to “remember the poor” (v.10). We can see that Paul did just that—preaching the gospel and encouraging financial aid to those in need (Acts 11:29-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-3). The poor and needy everywhere Are objects of God’s love and care, But they will always know despair Unless His love with them we share. —D. De Haan Good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another person up. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Amplified Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. KJV 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. NET 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. BGT 2 Corinthians 9:7 ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός. NLT 2 Corinthians 9:7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully." ESV 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. NIV 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. YLT 2 Corinthians 9:7 each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love, ASV 2 Corinthians 9:7 Let each man do according as he hath purposed in his heart: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. CSB 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each person should do as he has decided in his heart-- not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. MIT 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one should respond according to the decision of his heart—not from anguish or from duress, for God loves a cheerful donor. not grudgingly or under compulsion: De 15:7-11,14 Pr 23:6-8 Isa 32:5,8 Jas 5:9 1Pe 4:9 for God loves a cheerful giver.: 2Co 8:12 Ex 25:2 35:5 1Ch 29:17 Pr 11:25 22:9 Ac 20:35 Ro 12:8 2 Corinthians 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 12:41-44+ (EXAMPLE OF GENEROUS GIVING) And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4+ (QUALITY NOT QUANTITY) And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. 3 And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; 4 for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” Psalm 50:10-12 (GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR MONEY BUT WANTS OUR HEARTS) “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. 11 “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. 12 “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains. Psalm 51:16 (WHAT GOD REALLY DESIRES) For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. THE QUALITY NOT THE QUANTITY OF GIVING God looks not at the quantity given, but at the quality of the giver! One could subtitle this verse - Generously, not Grudgingly! It is not HOW MUCH we give, but HOW we give! Broomall subtitles 2Co 9:7-10 Principles Drawn from God's Nature. We may summarize thus: (1) the person—every man; (2) the proportion—according as he hath purposed (asv); (3) the place—in his heart; (4) the perversion—not grudgingly, or of necessity; (5) the principle—for God loveth a cheerful giver.