“For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:”
The ministry, that is, the contributions for the brethren, so it is also called again, (ver. 12.) the ministry of this office, or, as the Greek signifies, of this sacrifice, inasmuch as alms, and such charitable works, are spiritual sacrifices to God. (Witham)
“For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.”
That Achaia also was ready. Corinth was the capital of Achaia. St. Paul had formerly exhorted the Macedonians to contribute to the utmost of their power, informing them, that Corinth and all Achaia were prepared a year ago to collect alms, and now the apostle, speaking to the Corinthians, encourages them by the example of the faithful of Macedon, and informs them of the greatness of their charitable contributions, and the greatness of their zeal. (Theo.)
“Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:”
Titus, and two others.
“Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. bounty: Gr. blessing whereof: or, which hath been so much spoken of before”
Not forced from covetousness. Literally, not as avarice, as it were extorted from covetous people, who give unwillingly. (Witham)
“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
God is generous to the liberally disposed Christian; filling such as relieve the poor with every species of good, and returning their charities a hundred-fold. (Menochius)
“Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. bountifulness: or, liberality: Gr. simplicity”
All bountifulness,[1] by which is signified, a sincere and free liberality, by giving with a sincere heart, and good intention. St. Paul encourages them to contribute willingly for God’s sake, and out of a true charity for their indigent brethren, who will praise, and thank God, and pray for them, &c. (Witham)
“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
For his unspeakable gift. Such is the conclusion, which the apostle puts to the subject upon alms-deeds. In the following chapter he proceeds to a new subject; but first thanks the Almighty, that he has enriched the Corinthians with so charitable a disposition. St. Chrysostom, Theo., and some other commentators think, that by the expression, his unspeakable gift, is meant the incarnation of Christ. The fruit of alms-deeds is the increase of grace in all justice and good works to life everlasting; God granting these blessings for a reward and recompense of charitable works, which therefore are called the seed, (ver. 10, above) or meritorious cause of these spiritual fruits.