2 Corinthians 9:10

2Co 9:10-14. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower — By making the earth fruitful; and bread for your food — (So Bengelius reads,) namely, all things needful for your souls and bodies. May he supply and multiply (χορηγησαι και πληθυναι) your seed sown — Your ability to help others; and increase the fruits of your righteousness — The happy effects of your love to God and man: or may he make an ample return for what you have liberally bestowed on the indigent, and abundantly increase and reward your works of mercy and charity. Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness — Plentifully furnished with all things that may enable you to exercise the greatest bounty, 1Ti 6:18. Which causeth through us thanksgiving to God — Both from us who distribute, and them who receive your bounty. For the administration of this service — Which we have undertaken, and in which we do as it were officiate for you, in the presentation of this acceptable offering; not only supplieth the wants of the saints — In their present exigency; but is abundant by many thanksgivings — Which it occasions, to the glory of God. The word λειτουργια, rendered service, in the first clause of the verse, intimates that their contributing to the relief of the poor saints in Judea, was to be considered not merely as an act of humanity, but of religion, most pleasing to God, and suitable to the nature of the gospel. See Heb 13:16. While by the experiment — Or proof by experience; of this ministration — This generous contribution; they glorify God — Giving him praise; for your professed subjection — This open testimony of your sincere obedience; to the gospel of Christ — Which so strictly enjoins works of charity; for your liberal distribution — Or communication of your goods to them in their present distress; and to all men — In the like circumstances. And by their prayers for you — It also produces many prayers to God for you from the poor saints; who long after you — Have a great affection for you, and are very desirous of your welfare; for the exceeding grace of God in you — Which produces fruits so much for the glory of God, the good of your fellow-creatures, and so highly ornamental to Christianity. The reader will observe, that in this passage, the apostle mentions four different fruits of alms-giving: the relief of the poor, thanksgiving to God from the poor for that relief, the honour done to God by good works, and lastly, the prayers of the poor for their benefactors, proceeding from gratitude and love.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:10-14 The Corinthians’ generosity would be matched by God’s generosity (9:10-11). It would also meet the needs of Jewish Christians (9:12), honor God (9:13), show believers in Jerusalem that their Gentile brothers and sisters were genuine believers (9:13), and result in the Jewish believers’ intercessory prayer and affection for the Gentile believers (9:14). Paul envisioned a united, worldwide Christian church, composed of believing Jews and Gentiles who are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-22), which would become a powerful witness to the Lord’s work of reconciliation.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Co 9:10. Ὁ δὲ) God.—ἐπιχορηγῶν, He that supplies, or ministereth) There is [implied an] abundance, inasmuch as seed is given; bread, which is a necessary, is therefore given first. Paul hints, that, in the promise of the seed, which is denoted by the verb he hath dispersed, the promise of bread also is presupposed; but he adds more: for there is in the text a Chiasmus;[57] God, who presents seed to the sower, will supply and multiply your seed: God, who gives bread for food, will increase the fruits [produce] of your righteousness, which feeds the soul. Righteousness is the food of the soul, Mat 5:6; Mat 6:31; Mat 6:33.—ἐπιχορηγεῖν, to supply, or administer, is emphatic; but χορηγεῖν to give or minister, with the addition of πληθύνειν, to multiply, implies more.—Σπόρος, the seed, i.e., resources [worldly means], so far as they are piously laid out: γεννήματα, the fruits, [the offshoots], i.e., the growth of all spiritual improvement and corporeal blessing, springing from that sowing. This mode of pointing has been already noticed in the Apparatus, so that the comma should be placed after βρῶσιν, not after χορηγήσει.—καὶ ἄρτον, and bread) Isa 55:10, ἓως ἂν δῶ (ὁ ὑετὸς) σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν, until the rain give seed to the sower and bread for food.—χορηγήσει, will give) The indicative.[58] The Corinthians will afford scope [opportunity for exercise] to the divine liberality, and it will evince itself towards them.—γεννήματα) so the LXX., γεννήματα δικαιοσύνης, Hos 10:12.

[57] See Append.

[58] Which is preferred both in the 2d Ed. and in the Germ. Vers. different from what had been the case in the first Ed.—E. B.

BCD(Λ) corrected later, fg Vulg. (but Fuld. MS. has præstavit—multiplicavit) Cypr. have χορηγήσει—πληθυνεὶ. G has χορηγήσαι—πληθύναι; and so Rec. Text. C has πληθύνῃ.—ED.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co_9:10. The progress of the discourse is this: able is God, etc., 2Co_9:8; but He who gives seed, etc., will also do it. The description of God introduced by δέ contains the ground of this promise, which rests on a syllogism a minori ad majus.

Who supplies, seed to the sower and bread for eating, is a reminiscence of Isa_55:10, which is very suitable to the figure prominent in the context (2Co_9:6; 2Co_9:9). On βρῶσις, actus edendi, differing from βρῶμα, cibus, see on Rom_14:17; 1Co_8:4; Col_2:16.

Chrysostom, Castalio, Beza, and others, including Hofmann, rightly connect χορηγήσει with what follows. Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, Estius, Elzevir, and others, including Ewald and Neander, think that καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν χορηγ. should go together. This would be at variance with Isa_55:10, and would destroy the symmetrical relation of the two parts of the vers.

χορηγήσει[290] κ. πληθυνεῖ τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν] i.e. dropping the figure: will give and increase the means, with which you distribute benefits. What is given away benevolently by the readers, is the seed which they scatter (ὁ σπόρος αὐτῶν); hence Rückerts idea is arbitrary and unnecessary, that here two clauses, χορηγήσει ὑμῖν σπόρον and πληθυνεῖ τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν, are blended into one. Rückert also inappropriately thinks that Paul is not speaking at all of the present, but wholly of the future, of the blessed consequences of their beneficence now asked, and that ὁ σπόρος, therefore, does not denote what they were now to give away, but what God will further bestow on them. At variance with the entire course of the passage (see on 2Co_9:8 ff.); and the very διʼ ἡμῶν in 2Co_9:11 ought to have prevented the excluding of the present time. Paul intends by χορηγήσει … ὑμῶν the means for the present work of collection, and only with καὶ αὐξήσει does he promise the blessing thence arising for the future. This κ. αὐξ. τὰ γεννημάτα τῆς δικ. ὑμ. corresponds to the preceding καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν: and will make the fruits of your righteousness grow (see on 2Co_9:9), i.e. and will cause that the blessing, which proceeds from your δικαιοσύνη (what blessing that is, see 2Co_9:11) may become always larger. Paul abides by the figure. Just as God causes ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν to grow from the natural seed, so from the σπόρος, which the beneficent scatters through his gifts of love, He likewise causes fruits (blessings) to grow; but because this σπόρος had been sown by the beneficent man in virtue of his Christian righteousness, the fruits produced are the γεννήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ, just as the bread-fruits, which the husbandman obtains from his σπόρος, are the γεννήματα of his diligence. Hence Theodoret rightly remarks: σπόρον μέντοι πάλιν τὴν εὐποΐαν ἐκάλεσε· γεννήματα δὲ δικαιοσύνης τὴν ἐκ ταύτης βλαστάσασαν ὠφέλειαν.

γέννημα, in the sense of vegetable fruit, according to late Greek; not to be written γένημα. Comp. on Mat_26:29. On the figurative expression γεννήμ. τ. δικαιοσ., comp. Hos_10:12.

[290] ἐπιχορηγ. and χορηγ. are distinguished simply like the German darreichen and reichen, dargeben and geben [give forth and give].

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Co 9:10 . ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν “ σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι κ . τ . λ .: and he that supplieth “seed to the sower and bread for food,” shall supply and multiply your seed, i.e. , your means of giving, for sowing (the A. V. not only follows the inferior reading, but conceals the quotation from Isa 55:10 ), and increase ( cf. 1Co 3:6 for the trans, use of f1αὐξάνω ) the “fruits” of your “righteousness,” i.e. , of your beneficence, as in the preceding verse. The phrase γενήματα δικαιοσύνης in ref. Hosea may be illustrated by τὸ γένημα τῆς ἀμπέλου , “the fruit of the vine” in the Gospels ( e.g. , Mar 14:25 ). This verse is the application, as it were, of the quotation in 2Co 9:9 , the connecting link being the word δικαιοσύνη .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is none so good an inheritance to the godly, as bountifulness is.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Translate, as in Isa 55:10, "He that ministereth (supplieth) seed to the sower and bread for food" (literally, "bread for eating").

minister--rather future, as the oldest manuscripts, "Shall minister (supply) and multiply."

your seed--your means for liberality.

the fruits of your righteousness--the heavenly rewards for your Christian charity (Mat 10:42). Righteousness shall be itself the reward, even as it is the thing rewarded (Hos 10:12; Mat 5:6; Mat 6:33).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower] The sower, as we have already seen, is he that gives alms of what he hath; and God, who requires him to give these alms, is here represented as providing him with the means. As in the creation, if God had not created the earth with every tree and plant with its seed in itself, so that a harvest came, without a previous ploughing and sowing, there could have been no seed to deposit in the earth; so, if God had not, in the course of his providence, given them the property they had, it would be impossible for them to give alms. And as even the well cultivated and sowed field would be unfruitful if God did not, by his unseen energy and blessing, cause it to bring forth, and bring to maturity; so would it have been with their property: it could not have increased; for without his blessing riches take wings and flee away, as an eagle towards heaven. Therefore, in every sense, it is God who ministers seed to the sower, and multiplies the seed sown. And as all this properly comes from God, and cannot exist without him, he has a right to require that it be dispensed in that way which he judges best.

The word ο επιχορηγων, he that ministereth, is very emphatic; it signifies he who leads up the chorus, from επι, to, and χορηγω to lead the chorus; it means also to join to, associate, to supply or furnish one thing after another so that there be no want or chasm. Thus God is represented, in the course of his providence, associating and connecting causes and effects; keeping every thing in its proper place and state of dependence on another, and all upon himself; so that summer and winter, heat and cold, seed time and harvest, regularly succeed each other. Thus God leads up this grand chorus of causes and effects: provides the seed to the hand of the sower; gives him skill to discern the times when the earth should be prepared for the grain, and when the grain should be sowed; blesses the earth, and causes it to bring forth and bud, so that it may again minister seed to the sower and bread to the eater; and, by a watchful providence, preserves every thing. The figure is beautiful, and shows us the grand system of causes and effects, all directed by and under the immediate guidance and government of God himself.

There is a fine exemplification of this in the same figure thus produced by the prophet. Ho 2:21; Ho 2:22: I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens; and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. See the note there.

The fruits of your righteousness] Your beneficence; for so δικαιοσυνη is here to be understood. See Clarke on Mt 6:1, already referred to.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. He that supplieth. A beautieth circumlocution, in place of the term God, and full of consolation. For the person that sows seed in the proper season, appears when reaping to gather the fruit of his labor and industry, and sowing appears as though it were the fountainhead from which food flows forth to us. Paul opposes this idea, by maintaining that the seed is afforded and the food is furnished by the favor of God even to the husbandmen that sow, and who are looked upon as supporting themselves and others by their efforts. There is a similar statement in Deuteronomy 8:16,18 —

God fed thee with manna — food which thy fathers knew not: lest perhaps when thou hast come into the land which he shall give thee, thou shouldst say, My hand and my strength have gotten, me this wealth; for it is the Lord that giveth power to get wealth, etc.

Supply Here there are two different readings, even in the Greek versions. For some manuscripts render the three verbs in the future — will supply, will multiply, will increase. In this way, there would be a confirmation of the foregoing statement, for it is no rare thing with Paul to repeat the same promise in different words, that it may be the better impressed upon men’s minds. In other manuscripts these words occur in the infinitive mood, and it is well known that the infinitive is sometimes used in place of the optative. I rather prefer this reading, both because it is the more generally received one, and because Paul is accustomed to follow up his exhortations with prayers, entreating from God what he had previously comprised in his doctrine; though at the same time the former reading would not be unsuitable.

Bread for food He mentions a two-fold fruit of the blessing of God upon us — first, that we have sufficiency for ourselves for the support of life; and, secondly, that we have something to lay up for relieving the necessities of others. For as we are not born for ourselves merely, so a Christian man ought neither to live to himself, nor lay out what he has, merely for his own use.

Under the terms seed, and fruits of righteousness, he refers to alms. The fruits of righteousness he indirectly contrasts with those returns that the greater number lay up in cellars, barns, and keeping-places, that they may, every one of them, cram in whatever they can gather, nay, scrape together, so as to enrich themselves. By the former term he expresses the means of doing good; by the latter the work itself, or office of love; for righteousness is taken here, by synecdoche, to mean beneficence. “May God not only supply you with what may be sufficient for every one’s private use, but also to such an extent, that the fountain of your liberality, ever flowing forth, may never be exhausted!” If, however, it is one department of righteousness — as assuredly it is not the least — to relieve the necessities of neighbors, those must be unrighteous who neglect this department of duty.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(10) Now he that ministereth seed to the sower.—Better, he that giveth bounteously. The Greek verb (epichorêgein) has a somewhat interesting history. Originally it expressed the act of one who undertook to defray the expenses of the chorus of a Greek theatre. As this was an act of somewhat stately generosity, the verb got a wider range, and was applied to any such act, and was so transferred in like manner by the Apostle, probably, as far as we can trace, for the first time, to the divine bounty. It may be noted that it was not so used by the LXX. translators. The word indeed occurs but once in that version, in Sir_25:22 (“if a woman maintain her husband”). In its higher sense it becomes a somewhat favourite word with St. Paul (Gal_3:5; Col_2:19), and is used by St. Peter (2Pe_1:5; 2Pe_1:11) after he had become acquainted with St. Paul’s Epistles, and possibly enriched his vocabulary through them.

The phrase “seed to the sower” occurs, with a different verb, in Isa_55:10. In the words that follow, “the fruits of righteousness,” there is an obvious reminiscence of Hos_10:12, and Amo_6:12. The phrase occurs again in Php_1:11. The construction, according to the better MSS., varies somewhat from that of the Authorised version. He that bounteously giveth seed to the sower and bread for food (the beneficence of God thought of, as shown both in seed-time and harvest) shall give bounteously, and multiply your seed, and increase the produce of your righteousness. “Righteousness” is taken, as before, as specially presented under the aspect of alms-giving.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. Now he that ministereth] The word used twice in this verse has the original signification of leading a chorus. Hence it came to mean to defray the expenses of a chorus, since when a wealthy man was appointed to any office of importance in his city, it was usual for him to provide festal displays for the citizens. Hence it came to have the general meaning of furnish, provide, as here.

both minister] In the best MSS. these verbs are in the future indicative, i.e. will minister; will multiply; will increase (so Wiclif and Tyndale); not, as the received Greek text, in the optative.

bread for your food] In the Greek these words seem to belong to the former verb, ‘Now he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply,’ &c. The words here are a quotation from the LXX. version of Isa_55:10.

increase the fruits of your righteousness] Cf. 1Co_1:30; 1Co_3:6. The words are taken from the LXX. version of Hos_10:12. The metaphor is taken from the natural processes of growth just referred to. God supplies the seed of works of mercy; He multiplies it, and good works in plenty are the crop.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, and bread for your food,.... For so the words ought to be pointed and read, as is clear from Isa 55:10 to which they refer; and are a "periphrasis" of God, who so blesses the seed that is cast into the earth, that it brings forth such an increase, as that there is a sufficiency of bread for food to the eater for the present year, and a sufficiency of seed to sow with again the next year; and that God, that does this every year, is able "to minister to", or supply your present necessities;

and to multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; though some consider these as a wish or prayer of the apostle's, that God would do all this for them. Some copies, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, read all in the future tense, "he will minister" to you, or "supply" you, "and will multiply your seed sown",

and will increase the fruits of your righteousness; and so contain a promise of a divine blessing, encouraging to liberality with cheerfulness, by strengthening their faith in the providence of God; who as he multiplies, not the seed expended in the family, or sold at market, or as in the barn, or laid up for a better price, but the seed sown in the field, so he will multiply the substance of men; not what they lay out on themselves and families, or lay up in their coffers, but what they give away, or bestow on Christ's poor: and all effects which follow acts of liberality, and which are here designed by "fruits of righteousness", such as a good name among men, blessing, praise, thanksgiving, and prosperity in things temporal and spiritual, these God will abundantly increase; some of which are mentioned in the following verses. So alms with the Jews is not only called "righteousness", but "seed sown". Thus Jarchi interprets Psa 37:26 "and his seed is blessed", he that "sows" righteousness or alms, its end shall be for a blessing, or in the end he shall be blessed; and the phrase, "rain righteousness", in Hos 10:12 is by the Septuagint rendered, , "fruits of righteousness", the same as here, from whence it seems to be taken.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

His righteousness endureth for ever] Never did a charitable act go away without the retribution of a blessing. {See Trapp on "Mat 10:42"}

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

Ver. 10. And multiply your seed sown.] He that soweth seemeth to cast away his seed, but he knows he shall receive his with usury. Isaac had a hundred-fold increase. In Egypt, so far as the river Nile watereth, the ground is so fruitful, that they do but throw in the seed, and have four rich harvests in less than four months. Temporalia, Dei servis impensa non pereunt, sed parturiunt. Si dedisses tres aureos, accepisses trecentos, said that bishop of Milan to his servant, that had not given so much to the poor as he had appointed him. (John Manlii, loc. com.) If we never sow we shall never reap, said that good poor minister that bade his wife give three pence (his whole stock) to a poor brother. Another good man having nothing left, and his wife desiring to know how he and his family would live, he answered, he would now put his bond in suit, pray over the promises, and not doubt of the performance. (Rogers.)

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now he that ministereth seed to the sower - This is an expression of an earnest wish. In the previous verses he had stated the promises, or had shown what we had a right to expect as a consequence of liberality. He here unites the expression of an earnest desire that they might experience this themselves. The allusion is to the act of sowing seed. The idea is, that when a man scatters seed in his field God provides him with the means of sowing again. He not only gives him a harvest to supply his needs, but he blesses him also in giving him the ability to sow again. Such was the benevolent wish of Paul. He desired not only that God would supply their returning needs, but he desired also that he would give them the ability to do good again; that he would furnish them the means of future benevolence. He acknowledges God as the source of all increase, and wishes that they may experience the results of such increase. Perhaps in this language there is an allusion to Isa 4:10; and the idea is, that it is God who furnishes by his providence the seed to the sower. In like manner he will furnish you the means of doing good.

Minister bread for your food - Furnish you with an ample supply for your needs.

Multiply your seed sown - Greatly increase your means of doing good; make the result of all your benefactions so to abound that you may have the means of doing good again, and on a larger scale, as the seed sown in the earth is so increased that the farmer may have the means of sowing more abundantly again.

And increase the fruits of your righteousness - This evidently means, the results and effects of their benevolence. The word “righteousness” here refers to their liberality; and the wish of the apostle is, that the results of their beneficence might greatly abound, that they might have the means of doing extensive good, and that they might be the means of diffusing happiness from afar.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The God, whose providence and blessing maketh rich, and who giveth this seed to the sower, supply you with whatsoever you stand in need of for this life, and give you a heart to multiply that spiritual seed, by which the fruits of your righteousness shall be increased. Some Greek copies read these words in the future tense, according to which reading they are a formal promise, both of good things, whereby they might show their charity, and also of a free and large heart, disposing them to that exercise of grace. Our translators render it in the form of a prayer; which yet being the prayer of the apostle, put up in faith, doth virtually contain a promise both of a temporal and a spiritual increase.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. Now may he—Words of prayer for his liberal-hearted Corinthians.

Your seed sown—Your liberalities bestowed.

Righteousness—Your piety in the form of benevolence.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that ministereth. The verb used is epichoregein, to furnish abundantly. At Athens a choragus was one who furnished a chorus, and as this was a leitourgia (or "public service"), involving great expense, and often discharged with extreme munificence, the verb came to imply "provide abundantly." St. Paul may (so to speak) have "picked up the word" at Athens. Seed to the sower. (Isa_55:10) Both minister. The true reading almost certainly is will both supply bread for food, and will multiply your seed for sowing, and will increase the fruits of your righteousness". (see Isa_55:10) The fruits of your righteousness. (Hos_10:12) In "righteousness," as in all things else, it is God only who "gives the increase". (1Co_3:10)

Vers. 10-15.

Unity in nature and grace; manifold results of beneficence; thanksgiving.

St. Paul had spoken in the sixth verse of the law of the spiritual harvest proportion of reward in reference to quantity, so much sowing followed by so much reaping. But there is another law a grain of corn or wheat produces many grains. In some instances hundreds of seeds come from one seed. Seeds multiply seeds, and the harvest of a county may sow a large territory. Nothing in the vegetable kingdom is on a stinted scale. Omnipotence touches a clod of earth, and in a few months it is transformed into bread; but this is not all the wonder, for that clod has yielded far more than it received. Thus it is that, in the physical world, labour becomes accumulative, producing over and above its own wants a vast surplus, which goes to feed those who are unable to work. Not abundance but superabundance is the lesson nature teaches. We make enough to supply necessities, comforts, and luxuries; enough to meet artificial wants; enough to compensate for impotence, idleness, and dissipation; enough to allow far a waste that can scarcely be computed. So it is in spiritual things. The productive power is immensely rewarded. This striking correspondence was in his view when St. Paul said, "He that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness" (Revised Version). The fact is always grander than the figure and hence we may believe that the fruits of righteousness will infinitely surpass the work done. Observe now that this was a present thing as well as a future thing. Just then a gracious influence was spreading through the Churches and uniting them in closer fellowship by reason of a common interest in behalf of Jerusalem. And, furthermore, they should be "enriched in everything to all bountifulness," no lack of seed for sowing, fruits of righteousness abounding, and especially their liberality should cause thanksgiving to God. This idea of thanksgiving fills a large space in his mind. It becomes in the twelfth verse "many thanksgivings." What joy would it bring to Jerusalem! How far would the glad tidings spread! Not only for the pecuniary aid afforded, but for this new and cheering evidence of their obedience unto the gospel of Christ, what praise would ascend to God! If we could transfer ourselves into the position of these early Christians and enter into their feelings, especially those of the Jerusalem Church, we should realize the apostle"s meaning where he lays such a stress on the results of this Gentile beneficence. But we can hardly approximate this state of mind. The loneliness of the saints at Jerusalem, the large sacrifice of property after Pentecost, the loss of employment because of professing faith in Christ, the destitution and suffering that had befallen them, the growing disturbances with Rome, the increase of bitter strife among the Jews, the darkness with its prophetic woes descending on the doomed city, parties becoming more and more virulent in their antagonisms to one another, and amid it all, the "poor saints" subjected to all sorts of insult and grievance, give us but a general idea of the misery and wretchedness they were enduring. It was all very real to St. Paul. No such earthly reality as Jerusalem occupied his intellect and heart. Was he looking forward to the day (as Stanley suggests) when he should stand in the holy city and witness the gratitude of the Church for this great benefaction? Likely enough; but whether so or not, it is certain that his soul overflowed with joy. It was a grand proof of brotherhood between Jewish and Gentile Christians. It was the perfecting link in the chain that was to bind them together. It was a blessed testimony to the divineness of the gospel Contemplating the gifts, he rises in a moment to the Divine Gift, and exclaims, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable Gift! L.

God"s rewards for liberal souls.

This verse may be read in a sentence: "The liberal soul shall be made fat.

F.W. Robertson"s passage in reference to this is so characteristic of him,and so wise and suggestive, that it cannot be withheld. He says, "In the particular instance now before us, what are the rewards of liberality which St. Paul promises to the Corinthians? They are

(1) the love of God (ver. 7);

(2) a spirit abounding to every good work (ver. 8);

(3) thanksgiving on their behalf (vers. 11, 12, 13).

A noble harvest, but all spiritual. Comprehend the meaning of it well. Give, and you will not get back again. Do not expect your money to be returned, like that of Joseph"s brethren in their sacks" mouths. When you give to God, sacrifice, and know that what you give is sacrificed, and is not to be got again, even in this world; for if you give, expecting it back again, there is no sacrifice: charity is no speculation in the spiritual funds, no wise investment, to be repaid with interest either in time or eternity! No, the rewards are these: Do right, and God"s recompense to you will be the power of doing more right. Give, and God"s reward to you will be the spirit of giving more; a blessed Spirit, for it is the Spirit of God himself, whose life is the blessedness of giving. Love and God will pay you with the capacity of more love, for love is heaven, love is God within you." Setting out the various forms in which Divine rewards come to liberal souls, we notice

I TEMPORAL PROSPERITY. However true it is that this was associated with goodness only under the Old Testament economy, it is still found that the liberal soul makes friends, wins love, and so secures actual temporal advantages.

II HUMAN LOVE. It is our best earthly treasure, and it comes in response to our power to give. The dearest relationships of human life are the rewards of them that can give. And Job reminds us how the good man, the gracious man, gets his reward in the love of the poor whom he seeks to. (Job_29:11-17)

III SOUL CULTURE. For it is a steadfast law of soul life, that it cannot grow by keeping; it can only grow by giving, expending. The law of receiving more grace is this we must use up, in good generous deeds, the grace that we have.

IV POWER TO DO MORE GOOD. See the extract from F.W. Robertson given in the introduction to this homily.

V DIVINE FAVOUR. Which must include those rewards of the heavenly world which now escape our apprehension, because they can only be presented to us in material forms and figures. T. Binney says, "Beneficent acts, right in spirit and principle, though they may be forgotten by the doer who may not let his "left hand know what his right hand doeth arenot forgotten by him to whose will they have an ultimate respect, and by whom they are received as a sacrifice. They have a relation to God, and are regarded by him long after they have been accomplished and have passed away from the memory of man. They do not terminate with their being finished and done with here, or, so to speak, with the immediate pleasurable impression on the Divine mind. That impression is retained and prolonged. He to whom they rise up as incense gives to them, as it were, a substantial embodiment in the upper world lays them up there as valuable treasure belonging to his children, and thinks of and surveys them with satisfaction and complacency. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he who supplieth seed - Opportunity and ability to help others. And bread - All things needful for your own souls and bodies. Will continually supply you with that seed, yea, multiply it to you more and more. And increase the fruits of your righteousness - The happy effects of your love to God and man. Isaiah lv, 10

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Some look upon these words as a prayer, others as a promise, that as Almighty God blesseth the increase of the earth so largely, that it sufficeth for the nourishment of men, and for seed to sow again; in like manner would he supply all their wants, and grant them ability to supply the wants of others, and plentifully reward them for all the fruits of their righteousness and mercy: and they being thus enriched by the goodness of God, and exercising all bountifulness towards their brethren, much thanksgiving and praise upon that occasion is given unto God.

In these last words is couched an argument farther to press the Corinthians to this liberality; namely, that it would cause both the ministers of Christ, the dispensers of this charity, and also the poor saints, the receivers of it, to offer up incessant praises and thanksgivings to God for the same.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness [and he that, in the economy of nature, makes returns to the sower, so that he not only has his seed again, but bread for food, shall in like manner in the domain of grace, supply and multiply the seeds of charity which you sow, so that you will not only be able to do again the deed of charity which you have done, but he will also bless all your other acts of righteousness by making them fruitful]:

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10–14. He that ministereth seed to the sower. God, who can, and does, bless charitable giving, will do so in the case of the Corinthians. The fruits of their righteousness will be increased, for their means will be increased.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

He who supplies

"God who supplies"

bread for food

Here the word "bread" refers to food in general. AT: "food to eat" (See: Metonymy)

will also supply and multiply your seed for sowing

Paul speaks of the Corinthians' possessions as if they are seeds and of giving to others as if they were sowing seeds. AT: "will also supply and multiply your possessions so that you can sow them by giving them to others" (See: Metaphor)

He will increase the harvest of your righteousness

Paul compares the benefits that the Corinthians will receive from their generosity to that of a harvest. AT: "God will bless you even more for your righteousness" (See: Metaphor)

the harvest of your righteousness

"the harvest that comes from your righteous actions." Here the word "righteousness" refers to the righteous actions of the Corinthians in giving their resources to the believers in Jerusalem.

You will be enriched

This can be stated in active form. AT: "God will enrich you" (See: Active or Passive)

This will bring about thanksgiving to God through us

The word this refers to the Corinthian's generosity. AT: "Because of your generosity, those who receive the gifts we bring them will thank God" or "and when we give your gifts to those who need them, they will give thanks to God" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

seed

plant

bread

harvest

righteous

God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

10. σπέρμα (אCD3D3KLP) rather than σπόρον (BDFG), which obviously comes from what follows; and χορηγήσει, πληθυνεῖ, αὐξήσει (אBDP, Latt. Copt. Arm.) rather than χορηγήσαι, πληθύναι, αὐξήσαι (א3D3KL).

10. ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν. Assurance that He who can do this (2Co 9:8), will do it. The A.V. here follows the wrong reading (see critical note) and distributes the optatives wrongly. The sentence is amphibolous, but the verbs are fut. Indic.; and Isa 55:10 shows that ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν goes with ὁ ἐπιχορηγῶν, not with χορηγήσει. Now he that bountifully supplieth (Gal 3:5; Col 2:19; 2Pe 1:5; 2Pe 1:11) seed to the sower and bread for eating, will supply and multiply your sowing. The change from σπέρμα to σπόρον should be marked in translation, all the more so because the first is literal, whereas τὸν σπόρον ὑμῶν is figurative of the gifts which the Corinthians are to ‘scatter,’ and which will bring a rich harvest. It is also worth while marking the difference between ἐπιχορηγεῖν and χορηγεῖν: compound augments the idea of liberality, which is conspicuous in the simple verb. But in late Greek compounds often take the place of simple words without much access of meaning (see Bigg on 2Pe 1:5), and there is perhaps not much difference here. In the LXX. ἐπιχορηγεῖν occurs in Sir 25:22 of a wife who entirely supports her husband, and as a variant 2Ma 4:9. Comp. ἐπιχορηγία (Eph 4:16; Php 1:19). In the LXX. χορηγεῖν is common; in the N.T., here and 1Pe 4:11 only. Originally it meant ‘to lead the chorus’, and then ‘to supply the chorus’ for the exhibition of a drama, an act of public munificence involving great expense. Hence it came to mean ‘to supply necessaries with liberality,’ ‘to equip bountifully.’ Aristotle uses the metaphor several times; Eth. Nic. I. viii. 15, x. 15; x. vii. 4 (in the last passage in connexion with αὐτάρκεια: see on 2Co 9:8); Pol. IV. i. 1; VII. i. 13; &c.

In this late Greek the difference between βρῶσις and βρῶμα, as between καύχησις and καύχημα, is not sharply maintained (Joh 4:32; Joh 6:27; Joh 6:55). But S. Paul seems to distinguish both βρῶσις and πόσις (Rom 14:17; 1Co 8:4; Col 2:16) from βρῶμα and πόμα (Rom 14:15; 1Co 3:2; 1Co 6:13; 1Co 10:3-4); and therefore βρῶσις here should be rendered ‘eating’ rather than ‘food.’ Nowhere else does he use πληθύνειν, which is fairly common in Acts (Act 6:1; Act 6:7; Act 7:17; Act 9:31; Act 12:24), and very common in the LXX.

τὰ γενήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑμῶν. From the LXX. of Hos 10:12: God will make the fruits of your righteousness to grow. Not only the goods with which to do acts of benevolence, but also the good will to do them, will be increased by Him. For αὐξάνειν transitive comp. 1Co 3:6-7: it is ὁ αὐξάνων θεός, ‘God who in all things giveth the growth,’ that is spoken of here. In the LXX. αὐξάνειν is always transitive; αὐξανῶ αὐτὸν καὶ πληθυνῶ (Gen 17:20; comp. Gen 1:22; Gen 1:28, Gen 8:17; Gen 9:1; Gen 9:7; &c.). The intransitive use begins with Aristotle; αὐξάνει δὲ ἡ σελήνη (Anal. Post. i. xiii. 4), and is usual in the N.T. Comp. τὸ σῶμα … ἐπιχορηγούμενον … αὔξει τὴν αὔξησιν τοῦ θεοῦ (Col 2:19), which is somewhat close to Aristotle’s σώματι κάλλιστα πεφυκότι καὶ κεχορηγημένῳ (Pol. iv. i. 1).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10.] Assurance that God will do this. But (introduces the new assurance) He that ministers seed to the sower and bread for eating (in the physical world:—from ref. Isa., LXX. The Vulg., E. V., Luther, Calv., Grot., al., commit the mistake of joining κ. ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν with χορηγήσαι, or -ει. βρῶσις, the act of eating: not = βρῶμα), shall supply and multiply your seed (i.e. the money for you to bestow,—answering to σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι), and will increase the fruits of your righteousness (from ref. Hos.—the everlasting reward for your bestowals in Christ’s name, as Mat 10:42;—answering to ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν, which is the result of the sower’s labours).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. ὁ δὲ ἐπιχορηγῶν σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι κ.τ.λ. He is continuing the argument that, in the long run, bounty is not ruinous to those who practise it. He has shown that God can reward it, and he now points out that we may believe that He will do so. He again resorts to Scripture, Isa 55:10 and Hos 10:12.

καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν. The clause is amphibolous, but no doubt should be taken with what precedes (RV), not with what follows (AV); ‘Now He that bountifully supplieth seed to the sower and bread for eating, will supply and multiply what you sow.’ It seems to be right to make a distinction between ἐπιχορηγέω and χορηγέω, although in late Greek compound words are often no stronger in meaning than simple ones (Bigg on 2Pe 1:5). Cf. Gal 3:5; Col 2:19, in both of which passages χορηγέω means ‘supply bountifully,’ and ἐπιχορηγία has a similar force Eph 4:16 and Php 1:19 (Lightfoot on Gal 3:5). Χορηγέω, freq. in LXX, is found in N.T. here and 1Pe 4:11 only. The word passed through three stages; (1) ‘lead the chorus’; (2) ‘supply the chorus’ for a drama, a λειτουργία which cost the persons who undertook it a large outlay; (3) ‘supply anything plentifully,’ as here. Even the simple verb suggests generous behaviour. Aristotle several times uses κεχορηγημένος In the sense of ‘well furnished,’ ‘well fitted out’ (Est_1. viii. 15, x. 15, x. vii. 4; etc.).

Rather more important than the change from ἐπιχορηγῶν to χορηγήσει is the change from σπέρμα to σπόρον, for the former is seed in the literal sense, whereas σπόρος is here used of the gifts which must be scattered generously, and which God will supply and augment. The possessions of the Corinthians are given by God, and He augments them with a view to their being employed benevolently.

Both external (see below) and internal evidence can show that the three verbs are futures indicative and not optatives. A wish does not suit the context.

St Paul does not seem to make much, if any, difference between καύχησις (1:12, 7:4, 14, 8:24, 11:10, 17) and καύχημα (1:14, 5:12, 9:3), and in late Greek the difference between -σις and -μα in verbal substantives is not very distinct. But in the case of βρῶσις and πόσις (1Co 8:4; Rom 14:17; Col 2:16) as compared with βρῶμα and πόμα (1Co 3:2, 1Co 3:6:13, 1Co 3:10:3, 1Co 3:4; Rom 14:15) he appears to observe the usual difference, the former being ‘eating’ and ‘drinking,’ the latter ‘food’ and ‘drink.’ Here βρῶσις is ‘eating’ rather than ‘food’; panem ad manducandum (Vulg.) rather than panem ad escam (Beza). But elsewhere Vulg. has esca or cibus for βρῶσις as well as for βρῶμα.

αὐξήσει τὰ γενήματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑμῶν. From LXX of Hos 10:12; ‘will make the fruits of your righteousness to grow.’ Neither LXX nor Heb. give exactly the thought which St Paul has here, yet either might suggest the thought. His chief borrowing is the expression γενήματα δικαιοσύνης. The Heb. gives, ‘Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap the fruit of love; break up your fallow ground; since there is (still) time to seek Jehovah, till He come and rain righteousness upon you,’ or possibly ‘to the end that the fruit of righteousness may come to you’ (see Harper, ad loc.). If we may take the first two commands as meaning ‘Sow for yourselves righteousness and ye shall reap in proportion to your love,’ and conclude ‘to the end that the fruit of righteousness may come to you,’ we come close to what St Paul inculcates here. LXX is very different; ‘Sow for yourselves unto righteousness; reap unto fruit of life; light for yourselves unto light of knowledge; seek the Lord until the produce of righteousness comes for you.’

Here, as in 1Co 3:6, 1Co 3:7; αὐξάνω is transitive ; so always in LXX. Cf. 10:15; Col 1:6, Col 1:10; 1Pe 2:2. In N.T. it is often intransitive (Eph 2:21, Eph 2:4:15; Mat 6:28; etc.). The change is thought to begin with Aristotle. Many verbs, mostly connected with motion, make this transition. Winer, p. 314; Blass, § 24. Γένημα is freq. in LXX of vegetable produce; cf. Mat 26:29 and parallels. Here of the rewards of liberality.

σπέρμα (א C D2 and 3 E K L P) rather than σπόρον (B D* F G), by assimilation to what follows. χορηγήσαι … πληθυνεῖ … αὐξήσει (א* B C D * P, Latt. Copt.) rather than χορηγήσαι…πληθύναι … αὐξήσαι (אc Dc F G K L), γενήματα (א B C D F G K L P), rather than γεννήματα. Papyri. confirm the spelling with one v, and the derivation from γίνομαι, as coexisting with the double v, and the derivation from γεννάω. Deissmann, Bib. St. pp. 109, 184. Cf. Mar 14:25; Mat 26:29; Luk 22:18. In Mat 3:7, Mat 12:34, Mat 23:33, and Luk 3:7, γέννημα is right. Blass, § 3. 10.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ministereth [επιχορηγων] . Rev., supplieth. See on add, 2Pe 1:5. Both minister bread, etc. Construe bread with supplieth, as Rev., supplieth seed to the sow and bread for food.

Minister and multiply [χορηγησαι και πληθυναι] . The correct reading is the future, corhghsei kai plhqunei shall supply and multiply. The fruits [τα γενηματα] . Lit., what has been begotten or born. Used of men, Mt 3:7, A. V., generation, Rev., offspring. Elsewhere of fruits, as fruit of the vine, Mr 14:25.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.