THE KING’ S BUSINESS
263
compliment he pays the church to which“ he is writing. Paul'never used flattery (1 Thess. 2 :5 ), but he did know how to say kind and complimentary things. O f Titus Paul now says, “He is my partner and my fellow-worker.” What an honor to be the partner and fellow-worker o f the great Apostle. O f the brethren he says, “ They are the apostles... o f tfle churches.” (Both Authorized and Revised Version translate the word “messengers” but it is the same word that is elsewhere translated “ apostles,” and should be so translated here). They were not apostles o f Christ, blit o f the churches. The apostles o f Christ were the twelve apdstles to the Jews, and Paul the one apostie to the Gentiles. This is an office that is not handed down. In order to be an apostle in that sense one had to see the Lord (1 Cor. 9 :1; Acts 1:21, 22). There have been no apostles in that sense since: the days o f the apostles, and there are none today. But these messengers that Paul here speaks of were something even better than apostles o f the churches, they were “the glory o f Christ.” All who are faithful servants of Christ are His glory. As they were in such honored positions ,the Corinthians must see to it to show the gen uineness o f their love* by the generosity of their giving. - Saturday, March p. 2 Cor. 9 : 1 - 5 . - Paul did not think that it was necessary for him to write to them on the general subject o f ministering to the saints. They had already shown their “readiness (or eagerness) ” in this matter, and Paul was aware o f it. Indeed, he had gloried in their eagerness to those of Macedonia, tell ing them how “Achaia hath been prepared for a year past,” It was, in fact, their zeal that had stirred up the greater part o f those in Macedonia. The words translated “very many” really mean “the more,” or the majority (see R. V. Margin). But while there was no need that Paul write them on the general subject o f ministering to the saints, there was a possibility that they might not be prepared when the messengers
from Macedonia arrived, and in that case Paul’s glorying on their behalf would “be made void in this respect.” There is a delicate compliment in the way Paul puts even this unfortunate possibility. His words imply that, if his glorying in their behalf were made void it would only be “in this respect,” that in other respects they would surely come up to all he had said in praise o f them. BuJ Paul was a wise manager and took steps that would prevent their being unprepared, and thus his (arid much more their) being put to shame “in this confidence.” He saw to it that they should come up to all he had said in their praise. This is why he thought it necessary to “exhort” (not “ entreat” as in the Revised Version. The Greek word is thp same that is translated “exhorted” in ch. 8:6, R. V., and the noun derived from this verb is translated “ exhortation” in ch. 8:17. This ifc a curious slip on the part o f the revisers) the brethren (Titus and the two others), that they would go before him and the Macedonian messengers to Corinth and actually make up before hand the bounty which they had promised, and thus make sure that it might be actually ready “as a matter o f bounty (literally, blessing, a free beneficent gift), and not a matter o f covet ous greed that was concerned about getting more for self and not'about blessing others. Sunday, March 10 . 2 Cor. 9 : 6 , 7 . Paul here states a great principle about giving, viz., that “he that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that sow eth bountifully (literally, “upon blessings,” i.e., in the spirit o f pouring forth blessings upon others) shall reap also bountifully.” Giving is sowing, and some are so penu rious with their seed (in their giving) that they reap a scant harvest, like a man who in the stinginess o f his soul does not sow enough wheat in his field and therefore reaps a very scant harvest (cf. Prov. 22:9 ; 11:25). How small indeed will be the har vest that many a professed Christian reaps who only gives the smallest pittance to for eign missions and perhaps nothing at all
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs