Why does Paul send brethren ahead despite praised readiness?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Advance preparation addresses the risk of unpreparedness and shame; willing cheerful giving and thanksgiving frame the sowing and provision imagery.

Chapter breakdown

Paul calls writing about saints’ ministry superfluous because he knows readers’ forward mind, boasting to Macedonians that Achaia is ready from the past year and its emulation stirred many. Yet he sent brethren so boasting would not be void and readers would be ready, lest Macedonians coming with him find them unprepared and shame him, not to say them. He requested brethren go ahead to prepare the previously promised blessing, as blessing rather than covetousness. Titus is not named in this chapter, and the readiness risk is not a report of actual embarrassment.

Sparing sowing reaps sparingly; sowing in blessings reaps blessings. Each gives as determined in heart, not in sadness or necessity, because God loves a cheerful giver. The agricultural comparison is not an independently established universal farming law or a guaranteed financial return rate. God is able to make grace abound so sufficiency supports every good work; able is not a report of every need already supplied. The written example is scattering and giving to the poor with justice remaining forever; this span gives no Psalm number.

The supplier of seed will give bread, multiply seed and increase justice’s fruits. Enrichment unto simplicity works through them thanksgiving to God. Administration supplies saints’ wants and abounds in thanks; proof of ministry glorifies God for gospel confession’s obedience and sharing with them and all. Their prayers and desire reflect excellent grace in readers. Paul thanks God for the unspeakable gift. No delivery date, paid-out total, ethnic identities or completed reconciliation of all churches are narrated, and the passage is not a promise that any donation inevitably multiplies a donor’s money.

The story inside

Titus and Psalm numbering are not imported. Able-to-abound and future supply remain in their stated forms, without guaranteed money returns or completed delivery.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Advance preparation concerns a promised gift.
2
God loves a cheerful giver.
3
God is able to make grace abound.

Test your recall

What risk motivates sending brethren ahead?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 131392–131408
9:1. For concerning the ministry that is done towards the saints, it is superfluous for me to write unto you. 9:2. For I know your forward mind: for which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia also is ready from the year past. And your emulation hath provoked very many. 9:3. Now I have sent the brethren, that the thing which we boast of concerning you be not made void in this behalf, that (as I have said) you may be ready: 9:4. Lest, when the Macedonians shall come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to say ye) should be ashamed in this matter. 9:5. Therefore I thought it necessary to desire the brethren that they would go to you before and prepare this blessing before promised, to be ready, so as a blessing, not as covetousness.
Lines 131410–131414
9:6. Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings. 9:7. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Lines 131416–131424
9:8. And God is able to make all grace abound in you: that ye always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work, 9:9. As it is written: He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever. 9:10. And he that ministereth seed to the sower will both give you bread to eat and will multiply your seed and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice:
Lines 131426–131440
9:11. That being enriched in all things, you may abound unto all simplicity which worketh through us thanksgiving to God. 9:12. Because the administration of this office doth not only supply the want of the saints, but aboundeth also by many thanksgivings in the Lord. 9:13. By the proof of this ministry, glorifying God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ and for the simplicity of your communicating unto them and unto all. 9:14. And in their praying for you, being desirous of you, because of the excellent grace of God in you. 9:15. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.