That is, think and reflect upon the great mystery, and spare nothing. For, he says, if you do not believe that poverty produces wealth, then remember your Master, and you will doubt no longer. For if He had not become poor, that is, had not assumed fallen and dishonored flesh and endured every other disgrace, and moreover for our sake, who are unworthy, His enemies, then we too would not have become rich. Of what wealth, then, does he speak? Of piety, of purification, of sanctification, and of the other good things which He has given and continues to give.
2 Cor. 8:10. I give my advice on this: for this is expedient for you,
See how he takes care not to be a burden to them. "I give my advice," he says, that is, I counsel, and do not impose necessity; and I counsel so that there may be more benefit to you than to those who receive.
2 Cor. 8:10. who not only began to do this, but also desired it since the previous year.
2 Cor. 8:11. Now therefore complete the deed itself,
He persuades them now not by the zeal of others, but by their own disposition, saying: you voluntarily reached the same point and not only laid the beginning of the doing, but also of the willing, that is, doing of your own good will, without any external exhortation. Therefore I advise you now to fulfill your task.
2 Cor. 8:11. so that what they earnestly desired might also be fulfilled according to their means.
So that the good work would not stop at mere zeal, but would actually be carried out. For just as disposition and free choice produce the desire, so from one's possessions comes the deed. Therefore, whoever has, let him do the deed, and whoever does not have, has done the deed by his free choice.
2 Cor. 8:12. For if there is eagerness, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what one does not have.
Notice the wisdom: having praised the Macedonians—I mean the Thessalonians—for giving "beyond their means," from these he demands nothing beyond their means. If, he says, you have eagerness, give according to your means; God accepts this.
2 Cor. 8:13. It is not required that there be relief for others and burden for you,
You, he says, are not obligated to give beyond your means so that others may live in luxury and pleasure while you suffer want and sorrow from it. The Lord praised the widow who gave all that she had (Mk. 12:44). But Paul does not do this now, partly because the Corinthians were still weak, and partly because they were wealthy, so that if they gave even according to their means, a large, considerable, and rich offering would be assembled. Moreover, the apostle hopes that the example of the Thessalonians will move the Corinthians to greater generosity, and therefore leaves the matter to their own will. And in the following words he subtly urges them toward the same end.
2 Cor. 8:13. but so that there might be equality.
2 Cor. 8:14. Now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, and afterward their abundance may be a supply for your want,
That is, you are rich in possessions, while they are rich in boldness before God. Therefore give them from the abundance of your possessions what they do not have, so that you may receive in return the boldness in which they are rich and in which you are lacking. See how he subtly disposes them to give even beyond their means. If, he says, you wish to receive from abundance, then give also from abundance; but if you wish to receive a full reward, then give fully yourself as well, that is, even from your lack, and beyond your means; however, he does not say this openly. So then, up to this point he has been urging, it seems, to give according to one's means.
2 Cor. 8:14. so that there may be equality,
2 Cor. 8:15. As it is written: "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."
How will there be equality? If both you and they mutually share your surpluses with one another and fill each other's deficiencies. But what kind of equality is it to give spiritual things in return for material things? Here, of course, the equality is not in relation to the value or pricelessness of what is given and received in return, but in relation to surplus and lack: you give from your surplus, and they give from their surplus; and again: you receive what you were in need of, and they receive what they are in need of. This equality relates entirely to the present time, but what belongs to the future age has a great advantage over what is given now. Therefore, humble yourselves, O rich, because in things that are permanent and imperishable, the poor surpass you. He brings as an example what happened during the gathering of manna, to show how equality comes about. Namely: when a rich man, having much, gives his surplus to the one who has little, then he himself does not have excess, nor does the one who had little have any lack in what he received from him. The same is true of boldness before God. At the same time, he also suggests something greater, showing the rich that just as during the gathering of manna all—both those who gathered more and those who gathered less—found an equal measure for themselves, by which God punished their insatiability, so also now one should not desire more.
2 Cor. 8:16. Thanks be to God, who put such zeal into the heart of Titus for you,
Having said what was necessary about alms, he finally praises those sent to collect them, so that they, being free from suspicion, might more readily stir them to readiness for donation. Since the first of them was Titus, he praises him, and calls his motivation for this ministry the work of God. For He gave him the same earnestness that I have for you. Here he also persuades them to make a worthy offering. For if God stirred him up, then without doubt God also asks that you make an offering worthy of God.
2 Cor. 8:17. For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being very diligent, he went to you of his own accord.
From what is it evident that God stirred up Titus? From the fact that when I asked him, he readily accepted the request, and did not grumble, but set out voluntarily, for even before I asked him, he already had his own zeal.
2 Cor. 8:18. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches,
Some understand this to mean Luke, on account of the Gospel written by him; others, Barnabas, since the apostle calls even unwritten preaching "the gospel." He does not expand in praises of him as he does of Titus, because he was not known to the Corinthians, whereas Titus was well known to them. Nevertheless, he weaves sufficient praise for him as well; for he does not simply say that he preaches the Gospel, but that he is "praised," not in two or three, but in all the churches.
2 Cor. 8:19. And not only that, but he was also chosen by the churches as our traveling companion for this act of grace, which we are administering.