The life and work of St. Paul

411 THE LIFE AND WORK OP ST. PAUL.
deep joy on his account, and him with a deep affection for you. I rejoice, then,
that in everything I am in good heart about you.' '
He proceeds to give them a proof of it. The churches of Macedonia he tells them,
poor as they are, 2 afflicted as they are, yet -with a spontaneous liberality, absolute
self-devotion, and affectionate enthusiasm for his wishes, giving themselves first to
God beyond his hopes, had not only subscribed largely to the collection for the saints,
but had entreated him to take part in its management. Encouraged by this, he had
asked Titus to finish the arrangement of this matter with the rest of his good work
among them. As they abounded in so many gifts and graces, let them abound in
this. He did not want to order them, he only told them what others had done, and
asked (not on his own behalf) a proof of their love, even as Christ had set them the
example of enriching others by His own poverty. They had begun the collection
first, but Macedonia had finished it. They need not give more than they could
afford, for God looked not to the gift, but to the spirit of the giver. Nor did he
wish to pauperise them in order to set others at ease, but only to establish between
Jewish and Gentile churches a reciprocity of aid in time of need. Titus had gladly
accepted the commission, and with him he sent the brother, whose praise in the
Gospel is known in all the churches, and who has been specially elected by the
churches to this office sinco so ; great was Paul's determination to give not the
slightest handle to mean insinuations, that he would have nothing to do with the
money himself. 3 With Titus and this brother he sent a third, whose earnestness had
been often tested in many circumstances, and who was now specially stimulated by
his confidence in the Corinthians. If they wanted to know anything about those
three visitors, Titus was his partner and fellow-worker towards them the other two
;
brethren were delegates of the churches, 4 the glory of Christ. Let the Corinthians
give a proof of their love, and a justification to all churches of his boasting about
them. As to the general desirability of the collection he surely need say nothing.
He had been boasting of their zeal, and had told the Macedonian churches that the
Achaians had been ready a year ago. In this there was some reason to fear that he
had been in error, having mistaken their ready professions for actual accomplishment.
He had therefore sent on these brethren, lest, if Macedonians came with him
on his arrival, and found them unprepared, he to say nothing of them should be
ashamed of a boast which would turn out to be false. He exhorts them, therefore,
to willing liberality, trusting that God would reward them. Let them give beneficently,
not "
grudgingly. But (notice) this Ho who soweth sparingly, sparingly
6 also shall reap, and he who soweth with blessings, with blessings." "And God ia
able to make all grace abound towards you, that in everything, always, having all
sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work." And this collection was not only
for the aid of the saints, but also for the glory of God by the thanksgiving to Him,
and pra3'er for them which it called forth. The recipients would glorify God for it
as a sign of genuine religion, and would yearn towards them in love, because of the
grace of God abounding in them.
"
Thanks," he says, identifying himself with the
feelings of the "
gvateful recipients thanks to God for His 6
unspeakable gift."
At this point the whole tone of the Epistle changes changes so completely
that, in this section of it (x. i. xiii. 10), many have not only seen an
entirely separate letter, but have even with much plausibility identified it
' vi. 11 vii. 16.
* Dean Stanley refers to Arnold, Rom. Commonwealth, ii. SS2.
viiL 20 (cf. Prov. ill. 8, LXX.), aiponj?, lit. " ripeness." These hapax legomena occur freely In
Paul's unquestioned Epistles. lie readily took up new words. lie may, for instance, have picked
\tp the word iiri\opr^!av (first used in ix. 10, and then in Gal. iii. 5 ; Col. ii. 19 ; Eph. iv. 16) at
Athens. It is unknown to the LXX. of the Old Testament, and only found in Ecelua. xxv. 22.
* Lit. "apostles," but here in its untechnical sense of "authorised delegates." Who these tw<
brethren were is quite uncertain ; perhaps Luke and Trophimus.
* ix. 6, en-' evAoyiais, i.e., in a large, gracious, liberal spirit (Prov. xt. 24 ; Txil. M.
* viii. 1 is. 15.