11 you being enriched in everything to all liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
May be enriched unto all bountifulness. Again he makes use of the term bountifulness, to express the nature of true liberality -- when, casting all our care upon God, (1-Peter 5:7,) we cheerfully lay out what belongs to us for whatever purposes He directs. He teaches us [1] that these are the true riches of believers, when, relying upon the providence of God for the sufficiency of their support, they are not by distrust kept back from doing good. Nor is it without good reason, that he dignifies with the title of affluence the satisfying abundance of a mind that is simple, and contented with its moderate share; for nothing is more famished and starved than the distrustful, who are tormented with an anxious desire of having. Which produces through you. He commends, in consideration of another result, the alms which they were about to bestow -- that they would tend to promote the glory of God. He afterwards, too, expresses this more distinctly, with amplification, in this way: "Besides the ordinary advantage of love, they will also produce thanksgiving." Now he amplifies by saying, that thanks will be given to God by many, and that, not merely for the liberality itself, by which they have been helped, but also for the entire measure of piety among the Corinthians. By the term administration, he means what he had undertaken at the request of the Churches. Now what we render functionem (service), is in the Greek leitourgia term that sometimes denotes a sacrifice, sometimes any office that is publicly assigned. [2] Either of them will suit this passage well. For on the one hand, it is no unusual thing for alms to be termed sacrifices; and, on the other hand, as on occasion of offices being distributed among citizens, [3] no one grudges to undertake the duty that has been assigned him, so in the Church, imparting to others ought to be looked upon as a necessary duty. [4] The Corinthians, therefore, and others, by assisting the brethren at Jerusalem, presented a sacrifice to God, or they discharged a service that was proper, and one which they were bound to fulfill. Paul was the minister of that sacrifice, but the term ministry, or service, may also be viewed as referring to the Corinthians. It is, however, of no particular importance.
1 - "Or yci il nous remonstre et donne a entendre;" -- "Now here he shows us and gives us to understand."
2 - The term leitourgia is very frequently made use of in the Septuagint, in connection with the sacrifices and other services of the priests and Levites. (See Exodus 38:21; Numbers 4:24, and Numbers 8:22.) It is commonly employed by the Greek writers to denote a public service, more especially at Athens, discharged by the richer citizens at their own expense, and usually in rotation. The leitourgoi, says Potter, in his Grecian Antiquities, (volume 1,) were "persons of considerable estates, who, by their own tribe, or the whole people, were ordered to perform some public duty, or supply the commonwealth with necessaries at their own expenses. Of these there were diverse sorts, all of which were elected out of twelve hundred of the richest citizens, who were appointed by the people to undergo, when they should be required, all the burdensome and chargeable offices in the commonwealth, every tribe electing an hundred and twenty out of their own body, though this was contrary to Solon's constitution, by which every man, of what quality soever, was obliged to serve the public according to his ability, with this exception only, that two offices should not be imposed on the same person at once, as we are informed by Demosthenes, in his oration against Leptines, where he likewise mentions an ancient law, requiring every man to undergo some leitourgia every second year." -- Ed.
3 - "Les charges estans distribuees, en vne ville entre les citoyens d'icelle;" -- "Offices being distributed in a town among the citizens of it."
4 - "Ainsi en l'Eglise la communication consiste en ce que chacun s'acquitte enuers ses prochains de ce qu'il leur doit en charite;" -- "So in the Church, imparting to others consists in every one's discharging to his neighbours, what he owes them, in love."
Being enriched in everything - In all respects your riches are conferred on you for this purpose. The design of the apostle is to state to them the true reason why wealth was bestowed. It was not for the purposes of luxury and self-gratification; not to be spent in sensual enjoyment, not for parade and display; it was that it might be distributed to others in such a way as to cause thanksgiving to God. At the same time, this implies the expression of an earnest wish on the part of Paul. He did not desire that they should be rich for their own gratification or pleasure; he desired it only as the means of their doing good to others. Right feeling will desire property only as the means of promoting happiness and producing thanksgiving to God. They who truly love their children and friends will wish them to be successful in acquiring wealth only that they may have the means and the disposition to alleviate misery, and promote the happiness of all around them. No one who has true benevolence will desire that anyone in whom he feels an interest should be enriched for the purpose of living amidst luxury, and encompassing himself with the indulgences which wealth can furnish. If a man has not a disposition to do good with money, it is not true benevolence to desire that he may not possess it.
To all bountifulness - Margin, Simplicity, or liberality. The word (ἁπλότης haplotēs) means properly sincerity, candor, probity; then also simplicity, frankness, fidelity, and especially as manifesting itself in liberality; see Romans 12:8; 2-Corinthians 8:2. Here it evidently means "liberality," and the idea is, that property is given for this purpose, in order that there may be liberality evinced in doing good to others.
Which causeth through us - That is, we shall so distribute your alms as to cause thanksgiving to God. The result will be that by our instrumentality, thanks will be given to the great Source and Giver of all wealth. Property should always be so employed as to produce thanksgiving. If it is made to contribute to our own support and the support of our families, it should excite thanksgiving. If it is given to others, it should be so given, if it is possible, that the recipient should be more grateful to God than to us; should feel that though we may be the honored instrument in distributing it, yet the true benefactor is God.
Being enriched in every thing - Observe, Why does God give riches? That they may be applied to his glory, and the good of men. Why does he increase riches? That those who have them may exercise all bountifulness. And if they be enriched in every thing, what will be the consequence if they do not exercise all bountifulness? Why, God will curse their blessings; the rust shall canker them, and the moth shall consume their garments. But if, on the other hand, they do thus apply them, then they cause thanksgiving to God. The 9th and 10th verses should be read in a parenthesis, for this verse connects with the eighth.
Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness,.... These words may be connected with 2-Corinthians 9:8 being included in a parenthesis; and the sense is, that God was not only able to give them a sufficiency, and would give them a sufficiency of temporal things, as food and raiment to their satisfaction, and contentment for themselves, but a fulness, an exuberancy, an overplus also; not for luxury and intemperance, but that having such an affluence in all the good things of life, they might at all times, and upon every occasion, exercise a bountiful disposition in relieving the poor:
which causeth through us thanksgiving to God; not their riches and fulness, but their liberal distribution of them to the poor saints, to which they were stirred up by the apostles; who were thankful to God who had so well succeeded their exhortations and advice, and which was the cause of thanksgivings in others: and since therefore such beneficence tended to the glory of God, as giving of thanks makes for his glory, this then ought to be attended to, and diligently performed; and so it furnishes out a new argument to this good work, which is enlarged upon in the following verses.
Compare 2-Corinthians 9:8.
bountifulness--Greek, "single-minded liberality." Translated "simplicity," Romans 12:8.
causeth through us--literally, "worketh through us"; that is, through our instrumentality as the distributors.
thanksgiving--on the part of the recipients.
Which worketh by us thanksgiving to God - Both from us who distribute, and them who receive, your bounty.
*More commentary available at chapter level.