2 Corinthians

9:1-5

7. The collection for the believers, 8:1-9:15

iv] Fulfilling promises

Argument

Although it may seem unnecessary for Paul to write further on the issue of the collection, given the Corinthian's stated support of it, he non-the-less feels compelled to remind his readers why he is sending the delegation to Corinth. Paul does not want to be put in the embarrassing situation where, having boasted of the Corinthians support for the collection, he then finds that on arriving it is both disorganized and incomplete. Such a situation would be humiliating for both Paul and the Corinthian church. So, it is for this reason that Paul sends the brothers to Corinth to "finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised."

 
Issues

i] Context: See 8:1-7. In 8:16-24 Paul explained the makeup of the delegation led by Titus and now in 9:1-5 he explains the purpose of the mission.

 

ii] Background: See 8:1-7.

 

iii] Structure: Fulfilling promises:

A letter of commendation.

An introduction to, and affirmation of, Titus and the brother "praised by all the churches", 8:16-19;

Paul's motive in the formation of the delegation, v20-21;

That the administration of the collection be above reproach;

An introduction to, and affirmation of, the "zealous" brother, the third delegate, v22;

Exhortation, v23-24:

Given there can be no quibble as to the integrity of the delegates, "show these men the proof of your love";

The purpose of the delegation's visit, 9:1-5:

Affirmation, v1-2;

Paul confirms the Corinthians' support for the collection.

Objectives, v3-5;

The arrangements are designed to forestall any embarrassment, v3-4;

The arrangements are designed to make the collection a "gift" and not an "exaction", v5.

 

iv] Interpretation:

Harris argues that Paul's desire to establish a high level of probity in the collection for the saints / the poor believers in Jerusalem / Palestine is not only facilitated in the appointment of a church representative to oversee the fund, but also in his sending of the delegation before he visits Corinth "so that he himself could avoid all personal contact with the money involved." Probity is certainly on Paul's mind, but the passage also reveals Paul's concern that the Corinthians are not going to follow through on their original intention to contribute to the collection for the saints. It is likely that Paul fears that the fall-out from the harsh letter and the continued slander directed at him by the opposition party (the Judaizers??), is derailing the collection. So, the purpose of the delegation, and even his accompanying letter (2 Corinthians), is to revitalize the collection and bring it to the point where, on Paul's arrival, he is able to bask in the pride he has for the Corinthian believers. He certainly doesn't want his "boast" in the Corinthians proved worthless. Paul provides a further purpose for the sending of the delegation in v5, namely, to prompt a right motivation, that the Corinthian's support for the collection be as a "gift" and not an "exaction".

 

Further on the compilation hypothesis: Some have argued that chapter 9 is an addition to Paul's original letter, such that the attached element is not just 10:1-13:10, but also includes chapter 9. Both the syntax and context can be argued either way, but there is much to support the integrity of 2 Corinthians as it stands. With regard to context, Paul has just explained the makeup of the delegation and now, in v1-5, he explains why he is sending the delegation - Paul's argument proceeds logically. With regard to syntax, it can be argued that the gar in peri men gar is neutralized by men such that gar refers forward and not back. Stowers in "Peri Men Gar and the Integrity of 2 Cor. 8 and 9, 1990, has argued from conventual usage of the day that the construction expresses a close connection with what precedes, such that gar is explanatory, or possibly inferential; see below.

 
Text - 9:1

The letter of commendation, 8:16-9:5: The purpose of the delegation's visit to Corinth: i] Affirmation: Paul confirms the Corinthaians' support for the collection, v1-2.

gar peri men ..... de "........ (v3) but ..." - for / so / now, concerning [the ministry the (which is) toward the saints, on the one hand [to write to you is superfluous for me .........] (v3) but on the other [........]. In unpacking this construction we have the conjunction gar, being explanatory, or inferential (Furnish), or transitional (Cassirer), the preposition peri expressing reference / respect, and a men ... de adversative comparative construction; "So / Now, concerning the visit of the three delegates, on the one hand, there is no need for me to write further on the collection itself ....... (v3) but on the other hand I do need to write to explain why I have sent the brothers to you, so that (iJna + subj.) our boasting should not be exposed as empty."

perisson adj. "there is no need" - superfluous. Predicate adjective.

moi dat. pro. "for me" - The dative is adverbial, reference / respect; "it is superfluous, as far as I am concerned / for me."

to grafein (grafw) pres. inf. "to write" - The articular infinitive serves as the subject of the verb to-be estin; "to write to you is superfluous."

uJmin dat. pro. "to you" - Dative of indirect object.

thV gen. "-" - the [toward the saints]. The article serves as an adjectivizer turning the prepositional construction eiV touV aJgiouV, "toward the saints", into an attributive modifier limiting "ministry"; "the ministry which is for the saints." The preposition eiV expresses advantage here.

 
v2

On the one hand, there is no need for Paul to press the issue of the collection because he knows full-well how ready the Corinthians are to get involved on behalf of the poor saints in Jerusalem. He has actually boasted of this fact to the Macedonian believers, which boast has in turn encouraged them to get involved. Of course, their readiness is one thing, but clearly Paul has doubts as to the commitment of the Corinthians to follow through on their intentions. This is evidenced in v3-4.

gar "for" - Introducing a causal clause explaining why there is not need for Paul to write further on the issued of "this service" = the collection for the saints.

uJmwn gen. pro. "your [eagerness]" - [i know the eagerness / willingness] of you [to help]. The genitive is adjectival, possessive, but it could be classified as verbal, subjective.

uJper "about it" - [which] on behalf of you [i boast]. Probably expressing representation, "on your behalf", so Harris, Guthrie, but possibly reference / respect, "concerning / about you", ESV, NRSV, or benefit / advantage, "for you." Best taken as a boast in the interest of the Corinthians; "which eagerness I boast about on your behalf."

Makedosin (wn onoV) dat. "to the Macedonians" - Dative of indirect object.

oJti "telling them that" - that. Introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Paul has been boasting about to the Macedonian believers, namely that the Corinthian believers have been prepared since last year for the collection.

Acaia (a) "Achaia" - achaia. Nominative subject of the verb "to prepare." It is strange how Paul shifts from Corinth to the wider province. Corinth is surely the focus of Paul's words, but the letter is addressed to "God's church in Corinth, along with all the saints throughout Achaia", 1:1.

apo "since [last year]" - [has been prepared] from [a year ago]. Temporal use of the preposition.

kai "and" - and [the zeal of you stirred up the many]. Coordinate with "I know your readiness ....... and your zeal has stirred up most of them", ESV.

 
v3

ii] Objectives, v3-5: a) the arrangement are designed to forestall any embarrassment, v3-4. But on the other hand, Paul is not full convinced that the Corinthians will follow through on their intentions and so he does need to write further on the matter so that his boast about their intention to fully support the collection proves justified and so that they will be ready for his visit to the church.

de "but" - see gar peri men ... de v1.

epemya (pempw) aor. "I am sending" - i sent [the brothers]. Epistolary aorist, so "I am sending."

iJna + "in order that [our boasting]" - that [the boast of us]. The hina clause is adverbial, final, expressing purpose, "in order that", or hypothetical result, "so that"; "So / Now, concerning the visit of the three delegates, on the one hand, there is no need for me to write further on the collection itself ....... (v3) but on the other hand I do need to write to explain the reason why I have sent the brothers to you so that, with regard to this matter (the collection for the saints), our boast about you / on your behalf should not be exposed as empty / unjustified, so that you might be prepared for our visit, as I told them you would be"

to "[about you]" - the [on behalf of you should not be made empty]. The article serves as an adjectivizer turning the prepositional phrase uJper uJmwn, "about you", into an attributive modifier limiting "the boast / object of pride." The preposition uJper probably expresses reference / respect, "with respect to you, about you, concerning you", or possibly representation, "on behalf of you."

en + dat. "in [this matter]" - in [respect of this matter]. Here adverbial, reference / respect. The toutw/, "this matter", refers to the collection for the saints; "that in this matter (namely the collection for the saints) our boast about you / on your behalf may not be proved empty / of little value."

iJna + subj. "but that" - that. As iJna above, adverbial, purpose, so providing the second reason for sending the delegates; "so that you may be ready", ESV.

pareskeuasmenoi (paraskeuazw) perf. mid./pas. part. "you may be ready" - [you all are] being ready. The participle with the pres. subj. verb to-be h\te forms a periphrastic perfect construction, possibly accentuating aspect. "I want you to be ready just as I promised", CEV.

kaqwV "as" - as [i was saying]. Here expressing a quality or standard; "in accordance with what I was saying."

 
v4

"So / Now, concerning the visit of the three delegates, on the one hand, there is no need for me to write further on the collection itself ....... (v3) but on the other hand I do need to write .......... so that you might be prepared for our visit, as I told them you would be, for otherwise, if some of the Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (I) will be embarrassed with respect to this plan for the collection, as will you, "

mh pwV + subj. "For" - not somehow = otherwise. The Gk. sentence commenced in v3 continues in this verse, but its relationship to v3 is clouded by the rather obtuse mh pwV, missing in some texts. Long, also Harris, suggests that this construction introduces a third purpose clause modifying "I am sending" (or if elliptical, "I do need to write further why"), although we are better to follow Guthrie, also Barnett, who argues that it explains the second purpose clause "so that you might be prepared for our visit", " for otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated .....", ESV. So, the negation mh + the particle pwV expresses misgiving, so "lest / otherwise / lest perhaps", and this + the subjunctive kataiscunqwmen, "we should be ashamed, humiliated."

ean + subj. "if" - if, as may be the case, [the macedonians should come with me and they find you unprepared, then we may be ashamed. Introducing a third class conditional clause where the condition has the possibility of coming true, although in this case, Paul probably does intend some of the Macedonians to come with him to Corinth.

sun + dat. "with [me]" - Expressing association.

euJrwsin (euJriskw) aor. subj. "[and] find [you]" - The second subjunctive verb in the protasis of the conditional clause.

kataiscunqwmen (kataiscunw) aor. pas. subj. "we .... would be ashamed" - mh pwV + this subjunctive, serves as the apodosis of the conditional clause; "then perhaps we would be humiliated." The construction expresses some doubt.

iJna mh + subj. "not to [say]" - in order that [i might] not [say 'you'] = lest [i say you]. Introducing a negated purpose clause serving as a paralipsis, ie., where, in this case, Paul makes a statement for the Corinthians; "to say nothing of yourselves", Furnish. If the Corinthians are unprepared for Paul's visit this will be embarrassing for him, but it will also be embarrassing for the Corinthians as well.

en + dat. "[of having been so confident]" - in [this supposition / hope / plan, resolution / confidence, courage, steadfastness]. Adverbial, reference / respect; "with respect to this matter." The sense of this phrase is unclear given that the meaning of the noun uJpotasiV is unclear. Suggestions are "in this eventuality", ie., of the visit of the Macedonians, or "in this matter", "plan, project", Thrall, who follows Koster, ie., the collection for the saints. Martin follows Hering who argues for the word's etymological meaning, "in this supposition", ie., the thought that the Corinthians may not be prepared.

 
v5

b) The arguments are designed to make the collection a "gift" and not an "exaction", v5. Paul felt it necessary to send a delegation to the Corinthian church to make arrangements for the collection prior to his arrival because he wanted their support for the collection to be motivated by the right attitude. Paul doesn't want the Corinthian church to support the collection because they feel strong-armed into it. Had Paul left the arrangements for the collection till his visit, the Corinthian believers may have felt trapped and forced into action. By sending a delegation before his visit, there is a greater chance for the Corinthians to give their support voluntarily, as a "gift" and not an "exaction".

oun "So" - therefore. Inferential, drawing a logical conclusion; "therefore", Barclay.

parakalesai (parakalew) aor. inf. "to urge [the brothers" - [i considered, thought necessary] to exhort, encourage [the brothers]. The infinitive introduces an object clause / dependent statement of perception expressing what Paul is considering, namely to encourage the brothers. The neuter accusative adjective anagkaion, "necessary", serves as the complement of the object clause; "I consider the encouragement of the brothers a necessity." "So, I have asked Titus and the others to spend time with you before I arrive", CEV.

iJna + subj. "to [visit you]" - that [they should go before to you and make arrangements for ahead of time]. Possibly introducing a final clause expressing purpose, "in order that", but more likely introducing an object clause / dependent statement of indirect speech expressing what Paul urged the brothers to do, namely, to go on ahead and make arrangement for the gift.

uJmwn gen. pro. "[the generous gift] you" - [the praise (here = blessing bestowed as a gift)] of you [having been previously promised]. The genitive is adjectival, possessive, "your promised gift", often classified as verbal, subjective, "the gift promised by you."

proephggelmenhn (proaggellw) perf. mid./pas. part. "had promised" - having been previously promised. The participle serves as an adjective, attributive, limiting "the gift" = "the collection; "the collection which you had promised." "The gift you have promised", TEV.

einai (eimi) pres. inf. "[then it] will be [ready]" - [this = it = the gift] to be [ready]. The infinitive here is probably adverbial, introducing a final clause expressing purpose; "so that it may be ready", ESV.

ouJtwV wJV ...... kai mh wJV "as [a generous gift] not as [one grudgingly given]" - in this way as [a blessing] and not as [stinginess, exaction]. A correlative construction with ouJtwV expressing manner and wJV indicating a characteristic quality; "I should like it to be a spontaneous gift, and not money squeezed out of you by what I have said", Phillips.

 

2 Corinthians Introduction

 

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