2 Corinthians 8 (NIV) | Spark Bible (2024)

FAQs

What is the main point of 2 Corinthians 8? ›

He is asking them to follow the biblical principle of giving in proportion to what they have. The goal for Christians should be to maintain fairness, Paul writes, with those who have much giving to those who have little, so that all have enough (2 Corinthians 8:9–15).

That's what Paul is talking about in 2Corinthians 8. It is a giving that arises from extremity, that overflows into generosity, and is characterised by humility. This kind of giving is not possible by human endeavour alone. It must be the result of God's grace or gracious enabling.

Much of 1 Corinthians 8 might be summarized as an argument for the priority of love over the pursuit of knowledge. Paul takes on this topic by starting with where the Corinthians are at in their thinking as they consider eating meat that has previously been sacrificed to pagan idols.

Paul's aim, stated in this verse, is to faithfully do what is honorable in the sight of the Lord, as well as in the sight of others. Paul is modeling a standard that should be followed by all Christian churches and organizations that receive donations.

Paul wrote to the Saints in Corinth, explaining that the members in Macedonia had given freely to those in need. He encouraged the Corinthian Saints to also follow the Savior's example by giving to the poor.

2 Corinthians 8:10-15

Dear Father, It is you, my God, who supplies seed for the sower and bread for food. Multiply my resources and increase the harvest of righteousness for me and my family. Then give us hearts that are generous and willing to share with those in need around the world.

God's grace is usually defined as undeserved favor. Grace cannot be earned; it is something that is freely given. We count on God's grace and the bridge he built in our relationship with him. Bible verses about grace abound. From the foundation of the Old Testament, we know that grace is a part of God's character.

1) Malachi 3:10 (NIV)

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

The word for this week is sufficient. Sufficient, as is “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That was what God said to Paul after Paul asked Him three times to remove his thorn in the flesh.

Second Corinthians teaches us that genuine Christian ministry is characterized by “simplicity and godly sincerity” (2 Cor. 1:12), that church officers aren't self-sufficient (2 Cor. 3:5), and that ministry is more dying to self than it is self-promotion (2 Cor. 4:11–12).

What is the message of 2 Corinthians 8 9? ›

2 Corinthians 8:9 Reminds Us of Christ's Humility

He humbled himself and became a man, so that you by his poverty, by his humbling himself, giving of himself, laying down his life, you by his poverty might then become rich. You might become children of God with all the riches. That means an inheritance.

Paul is asking the Corinthians to follow through on a commitment they had previously made. They had agreed to gather funds to be given to suffering Christians in Jerusalem.

Paul is urging the Corinthians to follow through on a previous commitment to give to meet the needs of suffering Christians in Jerusalem. He is not commanding them to do so. He wants them to give as an act of grace and love.

“It is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need” (2 Cor. 8:14). It is not that the Judean churches should experience relief to the detriment of the Gentile churches, but rather that there should be an appropriate balance between them.

2 Corinthians 8:23-24 is a concluding statement focused on the glory of Christ and His mission for the church. Paul urges the Corinthians to show the proof of their primary love for God by their love for others.

Written while Paul was on his third missionary journey, they reflect one of his major concerns: a collection for the saints at Jerusalem which Paul hoped to deliver at the Passover celebration. This special offering helped pro- vide for the financial needs of Christians from another ethnic and national background.

Like 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians covers a myriad of issues in addressing a church that is beset by immorality, false teachers, sectarianism, and theological confusion. In this letter, the Apostle Paul's care and concern for the Corinthian church are palpable.

Strength in weakness. This is the central message of 2 Corinthians. Throughout the letter Paul turns upside down our natural expectations of the way life works. Contrary to the way the world and our own human hearts naturally function, God takes what is low, despised, and weak to accomplish his purposes.

They gave what they could not afford to give.

True generosity is not just measured by how much one gives. It is also measured by what one keeps. A poor man can never give more than a rich man. But a poor man can be more generous than a rich man.