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2Co_9:6. Allusion to the Messianic recompense. Chrysostom aptly remarks: καὶ σπόρον τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐκάλεσεν , ἵνα εὐθέως πρὸς τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἴδῃς καὶ τὸν ἀμητὸν ἐννοήσας μάθῃς ὅτι πλείονα λαμβάνεις ἢ δίδως .
The δέ is continuative, not restrictive, as Billroth thinks (“but so much know”), since the subsequent ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις proves that in 2Co_9:6 exactly the same two kinds of giving are expressed as in 2Co_9:5.
τοῦτο δέ ] after Chrysostom and the Vulgate, is explained by the expositors supplying a λέγω or ἰστέον . But with what warrant from the context? Beza already made the admission: “quamvis haec ellipsis Graeco sermoni sit inusitata.” Comp. Gal_3:17; 1Th_4:17; 1Co_7:29, al., where Paul adds the verb of saying. Even the comparison of Php_3:14, where, in fact, to the ἓν δέ its verb is brought from the context, does not settle the question of the asyndetic τοῦτο (in opposition to Hofmann). Τοῦτο might be regarded as the object of σπείρων ; but in that case there would result for τοῦτο an inappropriate emphasis (this kind of seed), seeing that a σπεῖρειν was not mentioned before, and the figure here comes in as new. Hence τοῦτο may be regarded as accusative absolute (see on 2Co_6:13), taking up again with special weight what was just said, in order to attach to it something further: Now as concerns this, namely, this ὡς εὐλογίαν , κ . μὴ ὡς πλεονεξίαν , it is the case that, etc. Lachmann placed ὁ σπείρων … ἐπʼ εὐλογ . κ . θερίσει in a parenthesis. This would require us to supply faciat after ἕκαστος , or even the more definite det (from δότην in 2Co_9:7). But it would be unsuitable to assign to the important thought of 2Co_9:6 merely the place of a parenthetic ide.
φειδομένως ] in a sparing way (Plut. Al. 25), so that he scatters only parsimoniously, narrowly, and scantily. But in φειδομένως κ . θερίσει the one who spares and holds back is the giver of the harvest, i.e. apart from figure: Christ the bestower of the Messianic salvation, who gives to the man in question only the corresponding lesser degree of blessedness. Comp. 2Co_5:10; Rom_14:10; Gal_6:7.
ἐπʼ εὐλογίαις ] denotes the relation occurring in the case (Matthiae, p. 1370 f.; Fritzsche, ad Rom. I. p. 315): with blessings, which, namely, he, when sowing, imparts, and in turn receives when reaping, i.e. according to the context, richly. Comp. 2Co_9:5. In the reaping Christ is likewise the distributor of blessings, bestowing on him, who has blissfully sowed, the appropriate great reward in Messianic blessedness. On the whole figure, comp. Pro_11:24; Pro_22:8; Psa_112:9; Gal_6:8-9. The plural strengthens the idea of richness, denoting its manifold kinds and shapes, etc. (Maetzner, ad Lycurg. p. 144 f.). The juxtaposition also serves as strengthening: ἐπʼ εὐλογ ., ἐπʼ εὐλογ . Comp. on 1Co_6:4. The fact that the measure of well-doing is conditioned by one’s own means, is guarded already at 2Co_8:12. Comp. in general, Mat_25:20 ff. See Calovius on this passage, in opposition to the misuse of it by Roman Catholics as regards the merit of good works—the moral measure of which, however, will, according to the divine saving decree, have as its consequence merely different degrees of the blessedness won for believers through Christ. The very nature of good works, which subjectively are the fruits of faith and objectively the fruits of the divine preparation of grace (Eph_2:10), excludes the idea of merit.[287]
[287] Comp. Weiss, bibl. Theol. p. 378 f.