2 Corinthians 8 Study Notes

8:13-14 A congregation that has been generous may later find itself in need of help from others.

8:15 The quotation from Ex 16:18 comes from the Israelites’ first experience with gathering daily manna. God saw to it that those who gathered little had enough and those who gathered much did not have a surplus. In the wilderness God enforced this principle of equality (Ex 16:20). Paul calls on the Corinthians to be equitable voluntarily, trusting God that they would have enough.

8:16-17 Titus had volunteered to return to the Corinthians to oversee the collection. Went out to you refers to Titus’s role as the letter carrier for 2 Corinthians.

8:18 The brother who is praised is not named, but it may have been Luke.

8:19 Congregations are to be involved in leadership decisions. Acts 20:4 lists all the church messengers that would accompany Paul with this gift, with Luke included in Ac 20:5-6 by the words “us” or “we.”

8:20-21 From the beginning of Christianity, a scrupulous concern for integrity in dealing with money has been important. Before people implies public accountability.

8:22 Like the brother of v. 18, this one is also unnamed but praised.

8:23 On partner and coworker, see note at 2:12-13 for more about Titus’s credentials. The messengers of the churches were literally “apostles.” Only those selected by the churches (v. 19) could properly fulfill this function. Just as the gospel itself displays Christ’s splendor (see note at 4:4), so do lives transformed by the gospel.

8:24 This verse is another appeal for the Corinthian believers to complete the offering (see note at v. 7).