2 Corinthians 9:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He does this and varies his discourse in order to uproot fearful and fainthearted thoughts in them. By various means, and by pointing to the present example, he dispels their fear of poverty.

Indeed, if God gives to those who sow the earth, and if He gives abundantly to those who feed their body, then much more does He give to those who cultivate heaven and care for their soul. It is pleasing to Him that such cares be under His special providence.

But the Apostle sets this forth not as a syllogism, and not in the way I have said it, but in the form of a prayer. At the same time he makes his reasoning clear. He raises them to greater hope, not only by pointing to daily examples, but also by this very prayer.

"He will supply," he says, "abundance to what you have sown and multiply the fruits of your righteousness." Here again he quietly teaches generosity, as the words "He will supply abundance and multiply the fruits of your righteousness" make clear.

At the same time, by the words "and bread for food," he does not allow them to desire anything beyond what is necessary to sustain life. This is especially admirable in Paul.

As before, when speaking about what is necessary for life, he does not allow anyone to seek anything beyond need. But when speaking about spiritual goods, he counsels that they be gathered in great abundance.

Therefore he said above, "having all sufficiency in all things, you may be rich in every good work" (v. 8). And here he says, "He who gives bread for food will supply abundance to what you have sown," that is, to the spiritual sowing.

Since he requires not simply almsgiving, but generous almsgiving, he constantly calls it seed. Just as seed cast into the earth brings forth a rich harvest, so almsgiving brings full sheaves of righteousness and produces countless fruits.

Therefore he also says, "and multiply the fruits of your righteousness." Notice here that he presents God as giving us not vain pleasures, but food. For he says, "and bread for food." The same is found in Isaiah (see Isa 55:10).

Yet a man must not imagine that his labors somehow draw God's grace, or that God blesses him with abundant fruits because he labors. To destroy this pride in himself, let him consider that, if God did not strengthen him, he could not even labor.

He should also consider that if God's mercy did not assist his actions, then both his desire and his strength would remain without effect. And while God gives us strength and health and assists our works, we must pray that the heaven not become bronze and the earth iron.

We must pray that it not happen that what the caterpillars left, the locusts ate, and what the locusts left, the worms ate (Joel 1:4). But the farmer needs God's help not only when his fields are sown, but also when the harvest is finished and the fruits are gathered into the granary.

From this it is clear that God is the first cause not only of deeds, but also of good thoughts. He inspires in us His holy will, and gives strength and a favorable occasion to fulfill what we rightly desire.

"For every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights" (Jas 1:17). According to the Apostle, He both begins virtue in us and brings it to completion. "He who gives seed to the sower and bread for food will supply abundance to what you have sown and multiply the fruits of your righteousness" (2 Cor 9:10).

"The sower seems to spend and scatter his seed. The giver of alms also seems to scatter his goods. Yet this deed bears fruit, and bears it more surely than sowing. From sowing there is not always a harvest, but from the sowing of alms there is never crop failure.

"Only goodwill must be placed into it. This disposition is like rain falling in due season upon the sowing. Let each give as much as his heart is disposed to give. Whatever is not according to this measure will be fruitless.

"Not out of grief or necessity. By grief is meant regret over what is given, which is a sign of stinginess. By necessity is meant compulsion, whether from the need to obey or from the common nature of the work.

"The Apostle wants giving to proceed from the heart, like lush grass from rich soil."

According to St. John Chrysostom, "many fear to give alms on the pretext that they themselves may become poor and have to beg alms from others. To dispel this fear, the Apostle entreats God that every grace may abound. He asks God for them neither riches nor excess, but every sufficiency. In spiritual goods, however, he asks abundance for them.

"Time will end, but the fruits of beneficence will remain, and in due season they will be reaped by the benefactor. The Apostle brings in the prophet as counselor (Ps 111:9), finding a testimony that urges generosity. For the word 'he has scattered' means nothing other than generosity in giving. And although what was given is no longer present, the fruits of giving remain forever.

"But even in this age the same prophet gives assurance: I have not seen such a righteous benefactor forsaken, and his seed shall be in blessing" (Ps 36:25-26).

Then, in his prayer, the Apostle asks God that the Corinthians, having received seed for the sowing of alms, may truly use it for this purpose. In this way they would be enriched with the fruits of righteousness. The Apostle desires that their material sufficiency should go together with spiritual progress (Theophan).

In verse 11, according to the explanation of Blessed Theophylact, the Apostle teaches how wealth must be used. "It must not be buried in the ground, but possessed in all simplicity, that is, given away with every generosity." By simplicity here he means generosity, from which almsgiving comes, and which gives occasion for great thanksgiving (Chrysostom).

Therefore the Apostle does not stop there in his benevolent prayer. He goes further and asks God that the Corinthians, having received seeds for the sowing of alms, may truly use them for this purpose. He asks God to increase in them the crops of righteousness.

Crops, γεννηματα, means productions or fruits. May God grant, he says, that having received sufficiency, you may direct everything toward the increase of beneficence. In this way you will become rich in the fruits of righteousness.

The Apostle desires that material sufficiency should go together with spiritual progress in them, not hindering it, but assisting it. So teach all our interpreters. Here is the word of St. Chrysostom on behalf of them all.

"One may especially marvel at Paul's wisdom. Just as he drew his exhortations from both the spiritual and the bodily, so when speaking of recompense he observes the same rule. He points to both spiritual and bodily recompenses.

"Thus the words, 'He has scattered, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains unto the age of ages,' point to spiritual recompense. The words, 'May He multiply your seed,' point to bodily recompense.

"Yet he does not stop even there, but again passes to spiritual recompenses. He always sets them one beside the other in alternation. For the words, 'may He increase the crops of your righteousness,' mean spiritual recompense.

"He does this and varies his discourse in order to uproot fearful and fainthearted thoughts in them. By various means, and by pointing to the present example, he dispels their fear of poverty. That example is that God gives seed to the sower and bread for food.

"For if God gives to those who sow the earth for themselves, and if He gives abundantly to those who feed their body, much more will He give to those who cultivate heaven and care for their soul. It is pleasing to Him that such cares be under His special providence.

"But the Apostle sets this forth not as a syllogism, and not as I have said it, but in the form of a prayer. Yet he does not conceal his reasoning. He raises them to greater hope, not only by pointing to daily examples, but also by the prayer itself.

"He says, 'May He supply and multiply your seed, and may He increase the crops of your righteousness.' By this again he quietly teaches generosity. For as seed cast into the earth brings forth a rich harvest, so generous almsgiving brings full sheaves of righteousness and produces countless fruits."