Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
εκαστος καθως προαιρειται τη καρδια μη εκ λυπης η εξ αναγκης ιλαρον γαρ δοτην αγαπα ο θεος
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse
And again he returns to the former pleasant manner of giving: “Let each give as he purposes in his heart” (2 Cor 9:7). For one who has received complete freedom does more than one who is compelled. Therefore he dwells on this. Having said, “as he purposes,” he adds, “not with grief or from necessity.” Nor does he stop there, but brings testimony from Scripture, saying, “for God loves a cheerful giver.”
He pauses over the discourse about cheerful giving, knowing that the example of the Macedonians is sufficient to move them to greater giving and to shame them if they prove inferior to them.
He heals their mind so that the work they perform may be a virtue, for what is compelled is not virtue. Therefore, as a true teacher, he wants his disciples, when they do anything, to do it as virtue requires, and freely, so that their reward may be full. For what is done under compulsion loses its reward.
Therefore he says: let each one give according to his disposition, and not with grief or under compulsion. He also brings testimony from Solomon. Although the saying of the Wise One speaks about generosity, he applies it also to cheerful giving, or, if you wish, to both together.
Therefore the work of such people is not accepted, like a sacrifice that has a blemish. Nor is it permissible to mingle it with the work of the others.
Therefore let no one give as though from the necessity of shame, with grief. Such a man will lose his reward and be rejected. For gifts are promised to the one who gives gladly and voluntarily, and God also loves such a man.
Paul says this concerning the slowness of those who once promised, but delayed for a long time. Their harvest will be sparse, for one who sows with hesitation does not know the benefit of what he does. The one who sows with blessing does this by good will, in hope of the future recompense. Among all, God loves the one who gives according to the inclination of his heart, with joy, and not from sorrow or necessity. The Apostle teaches the Corinthians that, if they are generous, this will profit them in the coming Kingdom.
The Apostle said this also in the Epistle to the Romans: “he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness” (Rom 12:8). For good courage must precede the monetary offering. Then he prays for the Corinthians, showing fatherly compassion.
for God loves a cheerful giver. Therefore blessed is the gift that renews the receiver and gladdens the giver, for God loves a cheerful giver. For this reason it is better to give to Him first.
Thus the one who cares for the poor is glad and joyful, and rightly so, because for a few small coins he gains heavenly treasures for himself. By contrast, the one who pays a tax is always sorrowful and oppressed.
And not without reason is the one sorrowful who pays not out of love, but under force and compulsion. Therefore Christ’s debtor rejoices, while Caesar’s debtor grieves. Love moves the first to pay, but fear of punishment compels the second. Rewards attract the first, while penalties constrain the second.
Those of little faith and lovers of silver grieve when they give alms to the poor. Those of little faith fear that they themselves may fall into poverty. Lovers of silver see that, through giving, the silver dear to them is diminished. The bashful and slaves give alms under necessity. The bashful are ashamed before those who ask for alms, and are compelled by shame. Slaves are forced by the authority of their masters. See, then, what rules the Apostle lays down concerning almsgiving, and what sort of giving it must be. Do not show mercy, he says, with grief or under compulsion. Rather, give as much as your heart chooses. For God loves the merciful man who gives alms willingly and with joy.
“God loves a cheerful giver.” The Wise One had already praised cheerful givers. The Apostle now repeats his word, Prov 22:9 according to the LXX.
Pointing to the heartfelt feelings and dispositions that must accompany help for those in distress, the Apostle exhorts them to generous and cordial giving. He explains that God's blessing comes according to the measure of our generosity (vv. 6-11). He also shows that generosity quickens the life of the whole Christian world, increases the glory of the Church, and magnifies the Christian confession (vv. 12-15).
The Apostle compares the giving of alms with sowing. "It is a truth known to all: what you sow, you will also reap," says Bishop Theophan. "The sower knows this. Therefore he sows willingly and without sparing the seed. He is encouraged by the certainty that he will surely reap what he has sown, and with abundance.
"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).
“Each one as he purposes in his heart,” let him give. Let him give as much as the heart is disposed to give. Whatever is not according to this measure will be fruitless.
It will be like sowing seed after crushing or bruising it until the sprout is damaged. As such seed is dead seed, and therefore fruitless, so a gift given with grief and under compulsion is a dead gift and deserves no recompense. It is killed by the constriction of the heart and the absence of cheerfulness in giving.
When he says, “not with grief, nor of necessity,” by grief he means regret over what is given, when people give, but their heart regrets and aches because they give. This is a sign of stinginess.
By necessity he means compulsion. They give not from the heart and not willingly, but because they are compelled, whether by the necessity of obedience, by common participation in the work, or by some other outward considerations. Without these pressures, there would be no gift.
The Apostle wants giving to proceed from the heart, like lush grass from rich soil. In confirmation of this, “he also brings forward testimony from Scripture, saying, ‘For God loves a cheerful giver’ (Prov 22:9). The Apostle used this word, ‘cheerful,’ in order to move the Corinthians to cheerful giving. For since the example of the Macedonians and all the rest were sufficient to move them to generous giving, he no longer says much about this. He directs his speech instead toward their giving without compulsion. For if almsgiving is a virtue, and every work done under compulsion loses its reward, the Apostle rightly reminded them of this” (St. Chrysostom).
“He said the same in the Epistle to the Romans: ‘He who shows mercy, let him do so with cheerfulness’ (Rom 12:8). For graciousness of soul must precede the giving of money” (Theodoret).
If there is a kind of common treasury, it is not collected by a required payment imposed from above, as though religion were being sold. Each contributes a small portion on a fixed day of the month, or whenever he wishes, but only if he wishes and is able. No one is compelled, but contributes voluntarily. These are, as it were, collections of piety. These funds are not spent on banquets, drinking bouts, or useless eating houses. They support the needy, children without parents or means of life, the aged who have already left their work, and also the shipwrecked, those in mines, on islands, and in prisons.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS