Do you ever see a church asking people for money and think, I could have done that better. Do you wish you were able to help a church make better, more professional, and perhaps less cheesy appeals for money? I think we see an example of what asking for money should look like in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul starts this two-chapter section using the Macedonian[1] churches as an example of giving.[2] In this section of 2 Corinthians Paul says the grace of God enabled the churches of Macedonia to give (2 Cor 8:1-2) and even though they were extremely poor they still gave (2 Cor 8:3-5). In light of the surprising generosity of the Macedonian churches (located in the Roman province in north Greece), Paul then turns to the Corinthians (located in the Roman province of Achaia in the south of Greece) to give them instructions on giving (2 Cor 8:6-8). In these three verses we see Paul’s exhortation of giving which is perhaps inserted because a collection to help others had begun but was not complete.
Paul writes about the beginning of the giving, “So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well” (2 Corinthians 8:6).[3] The word “so” there tells us the result of 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. Specifically, it was the unexpected and enthusiastic giving of the Macedonian church that led Paul to ask Titus to visit Corinth and ask for their help too! When we read, “that as he had previously made a beginning” it reminds the Corinthians that they had began a collection to help, but they had not finished that collection. At one of the three visits Titus made to them Titus had begun this collection.[4]
Next Paul writes about the resumption of the giving, “But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also” (2 Corinthians 8:7). The word “But” is transitional. It introduces an exhortation with emphasis like “now then.” Notice five things the Corinthians have abundantly: “faith,” “utterance,” “knowledge,” “earnestness,” “love.” Based on these five things Paul provides the reasoning for giving: the Corinthians had experienced God’s grace (just like the Macedonians) and they should dispense God’s grace in the form of giving (just like the Macedonians). The Corinthians had made a pledge for giving (1 Cor 16:1-2), so Paul held them to that pledge.
Next Paul writes about the motivation of giving, “I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also” (2 Corinthians 8:8).Paul did not bark orders at them. He didn’t command. He didn’t shame. He offered opportunity not obligation. When I served as a pastor in Exeter, California there was a pastor I heard about that would visit church members who were not at church on Sunday and he would leave an empty tithe envelope on their door so they could mail in their tithe to his church. That’s motivation for giving but in the wrong way: coercion. Here when Paul says, “but as proving through the earnestness of others,” Paul was using the Macedonians giving as a benchmark or measuring rod that the Corinthians can use as a way to show Paul, the believers in Jerusalem, and all believers everywhere how genuine their love is. Giving was not a contest among rivals; but an imitation among equals.
What we learn from Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians about giving is that generosity is required of all believers everywhere. The Corinthians were giving to people they had never met. When we give to a church we give to people and help people that we’ve never met and will never meet. When we give to a local church we help people such as online listeners, missionaries in other countries, and benevolence help given to people locally that need it. All of us are enabled through the grace of Christ to show that grace by giving to others. And when we do that we are unselfishly helping others that we might never meet just like the Corinthians.
[1] Macedonia was a Roman province north of the city of Corinth that included the churches Paul had been to in Philippi (Acts 16:2-4), Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), and Berea (Acts 17:10-15). Greece was conquered by the Romans in 168 BC, and later in 27 BC the Romans divided Greece up into two provinces called “Macedonia” in the north and “Achaia” in the south. The cities of Thessalonica, Philippi, Berea, Apollonia, Amphipolis, and Neapolis were all cities in Macedonia. Paul preached the Gospel and had begun churches in Macedonia during his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36-18:22). Those churches in Macedonia had contributed to Paul’s support on several occasions (Phil 4:10, 15-20).
[2] When Paul was in the city of Thessalonica one Macedonian church gave to him on at least one occasion (Phil 1:5; 4:15-16). Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months and while there Silas and Timothy brought Paul a gift from the Macedonians (Acts 18:5; 2 Cor 11:9) that sustained Paul and allowed him not to have to receive gifts from the Corinthians. While in Corinth Paul was collecting money to help the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:1-4; Rom 15:26).
[3] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
[4] Titus had experience collecting and distributing money (Acts 11:29-30; Gal 2:1).