2 Corinthians 8:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At the same time he shows that Titus had begun this work even before Paul's exhortation. This is clear from the words: "that, as he had begun."

For this reason he also gives great praise to Titus. At the beginning of the letter he says, "I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother there" (2 Cor 2:13).

Here also, besides all that was said above, he adds these final words.

It is no small praise that he had begun beforehand. This was the sign of a warm and zealous soul.

He sent Titus so that his very presence would serve as an encouragement for the Corinthians to give alms.

He praises him in order to dispose the Corinthians more strongly toward him. For it too has great persuasive force when those being persuaded are well disposed toward the one persuading them.

When he mentions almsgiving the first, second, and third time, he beautifully calls it grace.

"We make known to you, brethren, the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia."

And again: "Of their own accord, with much entreaty, they begged us to receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministry to the saints."

And again: "That, as he had begun, so he would also complete among you this grace also."

Indeed, almsgiving is a good thing and a gift of God. Giving alms makes us like God Himself, according to our capacity.

This, more than anything else, makes a man truly human. Therefore someone, presenting the pattern of a man, said among other things: "Many praise a man for mercy, but who can find a faithful man?" (Prov 20:6).

A man is a great thing, and precious is a man who shows mercy.

This grace is greater than the gift of raising the dead. To feed Christ when He hungers is far greater than raising the dead in the name of Jesus.

In the latter case, you receive benefit from Christ. In the former, you benefit Christ.

The reward belongs to the one who does good himself, not to the one who receives it from another.

In the working of miracles, you yourself become God's debtor. In the work of almsgiving, you make God your debtor.

Almsgiving is truly such only when you give it willingly and generously. You must think that you are not giving, but receiving.

You must recognize it as a benefit and gain for yourself, not as a loss. Otherwise, it is not grace.

The one who shows mercy to another must rejoice, not grieve. Is it not unreasonable, when relieving another's sorrow, to grieve yourself?

Then you no longer make your gift almsgiving. If you grieve because you have delivered another from grief, you give an example of extreme cruelty and inhumanity.

It would be better not to deliver him than to deliver him in this way.

And over what, in fact, do you grieve, O man? Is it that your gold will be diminished?

But if this is your disposition, then do not give at all. If you do not believe that a great treasure is being laid up for you in heaven, then do not share.

But you want recompense here. Why? Leave almsgiving to be almsgiving, and not a purchase.

True, many have received recompense here too. Yet this does not mean they will have more than those who did not receive it here.

On the contrary, some of them received their reward here because they were weaker. They had not yet strongly desired the blessings to come.

Greedy people, without propriety and enslaved to the belly, may be called to a royal table. Yet they do not wait for the proper time.

Like little children, they deprive themselves of true pleasure by snatching beforehand and filling the belly with inferior foods.

So too, those who seek reward here and receive it diminish their future reward.

When lending, you want to receive back what was given after a long time, not quickly. You want the delay to increase the profit.

Yet in almsgiving you demand recompense at once, although you know that you will live forever not here, but there. You know that you will not be judged here, but will give account there.

If someone built you a house where you do not intend to live, you would count such a thing a loss for yourself.

How, then, do you wish to be rich here, from where, even before evening comes, you may depart more than once?

Do you not know that, like sojourners and strangers, we remain here in a foreign land?

Do you not know that strangers are expelled when they neither expect nor imagine it? We are all subject to the same lot on earth.

Therefore whatever we prepare here, we leave here. Whether we build houses, buy fields, slaves, vessels, or anything else of the kind, the Master does not allow us to take any of it with us when we depart.

Not only does He not allow us to take it when we depart from here, but He gives no payment for it.

For He told you beforehand: do not gather and spend what belongs to another, but gather and spend only what is your own.

Why, then, having left your own behind, do you toil over what belongs to another and spend what is another's?

Why do you destroy both labor and reward, and afterward undergo the severest punishment?

Do not do this, I beseech you. If we are strangers by nature, let us also be strangers by disposition, so that there we may not be despised and rejected strangers.

If we wish to become citizens here, we shall be citizens neither here nor there.

But if we remain strangers and live as strangers ought to live, we shall receive the rights of citizens both here and there.

The righteous man, even having nothing, disposes of everything here as his own. When he passes over to heaven, he will behold his eternal dwellings.

Here he will suffer no unpleasantness, because no one can make a stranger of one for whom the whole earth is fatherland.

When he reaches his fatherland, he will receive true wealth.

Therefore, so that we may enjoy both kinds of blessings, present and future, let us use the present things as we ought.

Thus we shall also become citizens of heaven and receive great boldness. May we all be counted worthy of this by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Grace, when it comes, sanctifies them and manifests them in their proper power, fullness, and perfection. The Macedonians were marked by broad generosity.

The grace of God sanctified their compassionate and sociable hearts, a Slavic trait. They were extremely poor, yet so virtuous that it would be fitting for the rich to be so generous.

They forgot themselves and cared only for others. Good courage in sorrows did not constrict their hearts. On the contrary, by joy it widened their hearts, opened their meager treasuries, and brought forth rich giving.

This picture must have appeared very stirring for the not-impoverished Corinthians to imitate. By the word "willing," he expresses this: we did not force them to it.

They do all this of themselves, so gladly, by their own good will. It is good when someone does good by direction and persuasion from another.

Yet certainly far better is the one who himself perceives what must be done. In such a person goodness lies in the depth of the heart.

St. John Chrysostom says: "Since the Apostle's chief aim was to bring the Corinthians to give alms from the free disposition of the heart, he dwells especially on this, saying, 'with much entreaty,' and then, 'they besought us.'

That is, we did not ask them, but they asked us. About what? 'That we should receive the grace and fellowship of the ministry to the saints.'"

"By ministry to the saints the Apostle means the commission given him by the holy Apostles in Jerusalem, to collect alms everywhere among the faithful for the poor Church of Jerusalem" (Theophan).

"See," says St. John Chrysostom, "how by the words, 'they gave themselves to the Lord,' the Apostle shows their extraordinary zeal for God.

They did not submit to God in part while serving the world in another part. Rather, they gave everything, and their whole selves, to Him alone, being united also with us in love.

Having given themselves to us, they did not do so according to human calculations, but according to the will of God. Notice the excellence of the Apostle's love.

When they asked and urged us to accept the alms, we, he says, were concerned for you, lest you fall behind them. For this reason we sent Titus, so that, stirred by him, you might emulate the Macedonians."

Titus had already been in Corinth and had begun the collection of alms among them, according to the first epistle.

Now the Apostle sent him so that his very presence would serve as an impulse for the Corinthians to give alms.

When mentioning almsgiving, the Apostle always calls it grace. Indeed, almsgiving is a great good and a gift of God.

The giving of alms likens us, as far as possible, to God Himself. This, above all, makes a human being truly human.

Therefore someone, presenting the image of a human being, said among other things: a great thing is man, and precious is the merciful man (Prov 20:6).

Seeing here such zeal and such fervor for almsgiving, he says, "I hastened to send Titus to you, so that you too might be equal to them."

The Apostle disclosed this thought, though he did not say it in this way. "Notice the excellence of his love.

When they asked and urged us to receive their generous alms, we, he says, were concerned for you, lest you fall behind them.

For this reason we sent Titus, so that, stirred by him and led to the thought, you might emulate the Macedonians.

Titus had already been there and had begun the collection of alms among them, according to the first epistle.

Now the Apostle sent him so that his very presence would serve as an impulse for the Corinthians to give alms" (St. Chrysostom).

The Apostle says that he entreated Titus, showing that Titus was not with him as a servant, but as an equal-honored fellow worker. He had to be asked to do something, not ordered.

He spoke so here for Titus' honor, instead of a recommendation for him. Below he says that he did indeed ask Titus, but that Titus himself also willingly desired to go to you.

This shows that Titus is fulfilling here not only a work of ministry, but also satisfying his own affection for them.

The Apostle says of Titus that he had already begun to act among them: "as he had begun before." But in what matter?

Perhaps in general, in arranging their church and religious affairs. Thus he says: as he began to act among you, so let him also complete this grace, that is, the collection of alms.

In other words, let him accomplish this too among the other works. Or perhaps he means almsgiving directly.

The collection of alms had begun among the Corinthians long before. In the first epistle St. Paul wrote to them how to do this.

Probably St. Titus, while staying with them, took a special part in this work. This is what the holy Apostle now recalls: "as he began."

"And let him complete this grace." "When mentioning almsgiving the first, second, and third time, the Apostle always calls it grace.

Indeed, almsgiving is a great good and a gift of God. The giving of alms likens us, as far as possible, to God Himself.

This above all makes a human being truly human. Therefore someone, presenting the image of a human being, said among other things: a great thing is man, and precious is the merciful man (Prov 20:6)" (St. Chrysostom).