Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 2 Corinthians 9:13 - 9:13

Online Resource Library

Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | Download

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - 2 Corinthians 9:13 - 9:13


(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)

This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

13. Explains why the recipients of the bounty give thanks; and the participle is again, like πλουτιζόμενοι (2Co 9:11), without regular construction; seeing that through the proof (2Co 2:9, 2Co 8:2) of this ministration of yours they glorify God for the subjection of your confession unto the Gospel of the Christ, and for the liberality (2Co 9:11, 2Co 8:2) of your contribution unto them and unto all. Three things are expressed here; (1) the occasion of the recipients’ thankfulness, viz. the tested genuineness of the help given; (2) and (3) two reasons for their thankfulness, viz. (2) Corinthian loyalty as regards the Gospel, and (3) Corinthian generosity in giving so liberally. As regards (2) the Palestinian Christians had had misgivings: it had looked as if Gentile converts were advocates for extreme license. Now Palestine would see the loyalty manifested in Corinth’s adhesion to the Gospel. The construction of εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον is uncertain. It probably is parallel to εἰς αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰς πάντας, and this excludes the connexion with δοξάζοντες, which would be very awkward in the case of εἰς αὐτούς. There remains the doubt whether εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον depends on τῇ ὑποταγῇ or on τῆς ὁμολογίας. The A.V. takes the former; ‘your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ’: comp. obedientia consensus vestri in evangelium = consentiens obedientia in evangelio (Calvin), and vos tanto consensu obedire monitis evangelicis (Erasmus). But it is better with the R.V. to adopt a translation which at least makes the connexion of εἰς τ. εὐαγγ. with τ. ὁμολογίας possible; ‘the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ.’ Comp. τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν (Col 2:5); and τῆς εἰς τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν εὐσεβείας (Eus. Hist. Eccles. II. xxv. 1); and the exactly parallel τὴν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ὁμολογίαν (Just. M. Tryph. xlvii. 266 D). The meaning is, ‘the obedience which consists in your loyalty to the Gospel.’ Similarly, it is better to take εἰς αὐτοὺς καὶ εἰς πάντας after τῆς κοινωνίας rather than after ἁπλότητι: so both A.V. and R.V. For κοινωνία comp. 2Co 8:4 and Rom 15:26 : the whole passage, Rom 15:26-31, throws much light on the one before us (see J. A. Robinson on ‘Communion’ in Hastings’ DB. i. p. 461). We have no word in English which combines the ideas of ‘fellowship,’ and ‘contributing’; with εἰς αὐτούς the notion of contributing is uppermost, with εἰς αὐτούς that of fellowship. Nevertheless, in a real sense, what was a boon to the Palestinian Christians was a boon to the whole Church. The addition of εἰς πάντας is another incitement to liberality.