The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy . When greatly tried by sundry tribulations, they were very joyful. And their deep poverty abounded Having sounded the depths of poverty, the Macedonians, as it were, broke out into plentiful and abundant kindness and almsgiving. Liberality is given in the Latin version simplicity, and denotes a pure, liberal, and ready will to give. Liberality is measured not by the greatness of the gift, but by the promptitude of the mind, as Chrysostom and Theophylact say. “ Simplicity ,” says Ambrose (Ep, 10), <f weighs not pros and cons, has no mean suspicions or dishonest thoughts, but overflows with pure affection? Cf. Rom. xii. 8

For to their power . . . they were willing . Of their own free will, without being solicited, they came forward and contributed as much as and more than they were able to afford. THE DUTY OF ALMSGIVING 113

Praying us . Begging us to undertake the gracious work of collection, and take our part in it. The Apostle often applies the word x®^ 45 (gift) t0 w ^ at ls gratuitous and munificent Here he applies it to the work of collection. In ver. 7 and elsewhere he applies it to the alms itself

Not as we hoped. They gave much more than we expected. But first gave their own selves to the Lard and unto us. They first surrendered themselves to the will of God and then to ours, to do and give whatever I wished. Observe here that they who give alms ought, if they are to do it properly, first to give their hearts to God, and in token that they have so surrendered themselves to Him, they ought then to give alms, as tribute paid to Him. By the will of God. God wishes people to follow our directions, and regard our wish as His, and us as the interpreters of His will, so what we will God also wills to be done by those under us. He Himself says: “He that heareth you heareth Me” (Anselm and Theophylact)

Insomuch that we desired Titus . We asked Titus to collect these alms, just as we had collected them in Macedonia. We doubted not for a moment that the liberality of the rich Corinthians would not be outshone in readiness and amount by the poverty of the Macedonians. This is to stimulate the Corinthians to liberality by the example of the Macedonians

It is accepted according to that a man hath. In other words, “ Give what you can” (Ambrose, Chrysostom, Anselm). Observe here i. that the perfection and merit of almsgiving and of every virtue consists in the readiness of the will and not in the greatness or the number of the gifts; and, therefore, before God, when this readiness is greater then the virtue is greater, even if, on account of poverty or some other cause, the wish is unable to issue in the external act of giving. Hence S. Paul says that the willing mind is accepted, not the gift Cf. S. Mark xiL 43. 2. Notwithstanding, in order that this readiness be accepted before God, says S. Thomas, as true, earnest, and efficacious, it must issue in act according to what it has, ie., give of what it Il6 SECOND EPISTLE TO THE has according to its power ; otherwise it would be merely a wish, not an earnest and ready will It is not expected to give what it has not, as S. Paul says. “Let him who has,” says Theophylact, “ carry out his work ; he who has not has already carried out his work by willing it” S. Leo (Serm. 4 de Jej '. Dec . Mensis) says : “Unequal expenditure may give equal merits; for the intention may be the same, though the incomes be widely different ; ” and Anselm says : “ Here all, whether poor or rich, give equally, if each gives in proportion to what he has.” 3. It follows that amongst those who are equally rich or equally poor that one is the more liberal and has more merit who gives more. Amongst those, however, whose wealth is unequal, that one merits more who gives the more in proportion to his means, although absolutely he may give less than his richer neighbour. Cf. Tob. iv. 9. S. Augustine ( Enarr . in Ps. civ.) says: “ If you can give give. If you cannot , give courtesy. God crowns the goodness within when He finds not means without. Let no one say % * I have not I Charity is not paid from the pocket

For I mean not that other men he eased , and ye burdened. I do not enjoin on you such liberal almsgiving as to enable the poor to live in luxury and you in need, but I wish every one to think of the necessities of others according to his power, without neglecting his own (Theophylact). S. Paul does not enjoin this, but he counsels it. It is, say S, Thomas and Anselm, an evangelical counsel, and, therefore, a sign of greater perfection, to give all your goods to the poor and become wholly poor yourself. “ If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou bast and give to the poor,” said Christ (S. Matt. xix. 21). This can be done not only by those who are going to devote themselves to the religious life, but even by those who remain in the world, as, eg., by the poor widow (S. Mark xii. 43). Do not mistake me : any one may do this provided he do not bring himself into extreme necessity, and if he has no family, for whom he is bound to provide. Theophylact adds that in the next verse the Apostle RULE OF ALMSGIVING II 7 exhorts the Corinthians to give beyond their strength, when he says u that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want," meaning : If you wish for a great reward, give liberally ; if for the whole reward, give your all. He takes abundance to mean profuse almsgiving, abounding beyond their strength, such as S. Paul praised in the Macedonians. The reason is this, that such an act is one of supreme, heroic almsgiving, poverty, fortitude, and hope in God. We have a striking example of this in S. Paulinus, Bishop of Nola, who, after spending all his goods on the poor, at last gave himself up to the Vandals to be enslaved in the place of the son of a widow. His self-abnegation is praised by S. Augustine (de Civ. Dei lib. L c. io). The event showed that his action was pleasing to God, for, when he was living as a slave, he was recognised by the Vandals under the inspiration of God, and was honourably treated and sent back home. S. Paula, again, was so liberal to the poor that her frequent prayer was heard, and, according to her wish, she had to be buried at the expense of others, and in another’s garments. S. Jerome, in his Life of her, praises her warmly for this. S. Martin, S. John the Almoner, and many others are examples of the same liberality. But abundance in this verse more properly denotes the abundant wealth of the Corinthians ; for S. Paul contrasts it with the poverty of the Christians of Jerusalem, and desires that one may relieve the other

For indeed he accepted the exhortation. The duty of exhorting you to almsgiving (Anselm). Of his oivn accord . Without being bidden by me, he took on himself this task of exhorting you to this pious work

And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the Gospel Barnabas, whose praise is in the preaching of the Gospel. He was ordained as S. Paul’s companion (Acts xiii. 3) (Theodoret, Chrysostom, CEcumenius); but since Barnabas and Paul were now separated, and Silas had taken S. Barnabas’ place at S. Paul’s side (Acts xv. 40), it is better with Baronius to take the reference as being to Silas, or, with Anselm and Jerome, to Luke. S. Paul calls him brother , not Apostle, and this applies better to S. Luke, who wrote a Gospel, and was the inseparable companion of S. Paul. S. Ignatius, writing to the Ephesians, assigned this eulogy to Luke in the words: “As Luke testifies, whose praise is in the Gospel.”

But who was also chosen of the churches . For this work of grace of collecting the alms of the Church: The word rendered here chosen is x €l P 0T0V7 J^ ***> ordained by imposition of hands — consecrated either deacon or priest It was the deacon’s office to have care of the poor, and to distribute the alms to them ; but the priest’s to help the Apostle on his journeys in preaching and administration of the sacraments. The sacrament of Order is called by the Greeks x €l P° roy “ h fr° ra the imposition of the Bishop’s hands on the ordinands. C£ 1 Tim. iv. 14; v. 22 ; Acts xiv. 22. From this it is evident that to lay hands on presbyters is to ordain them, and by ordaining to make them presbyters. Which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord. The Latin version reads, in the last clause of this verse, “to our destined mind ; ” the meaning of this is, to show the readiness of our mind in this pious service to God and the poor. The Greek is irpo$vfua, “ Destined,” therefore, as S. Thomas remarks, does not here mean “predestinated by God,” but ready, prompt, and cheerful. But the THE MODE OF COLLECTION 1 2 1 Greek MSS. give your, not our. We have received, says S. Paul, this grace, this ministry of almsgiving, to glorify God by it, and to make you more ready for it by the exhortations of Titus and Luke (Theophylact)

Providing for honest things . I endeavour to act honourably, not only before God but also before men, lest suspicious persons should have some occasion for suspecting me of some wrongdoing. Wherefore, to show that I administer this collection honestly, I make Titus and Luke my witnesses, I make them the treasurers of it, and refrain from handling it myself. Hence learn this practical rule: We owe a good conscience to God, a good report to our neighbour: he who neglects good report acts cruelly towards his neighbour’s salvation (Anselm)

And we have sent with them our brother . Who this is is uncertain. Some, says Anselm, think that it is Apollos ; but they suspect only, for S. Paul neither names him nor describes him, but leaves the Corinthians to their personal knowledge of him. Upon the great confidence which I have in you . Having great confidence and hope that, as is right, they will be received honourably and lovingly by you, and also partly out of love and respect for Titus, who is my companion and fellow-helper. Hence Titus was now at Corinth, having been sent there by S. Paul to collect these alms and to transact other business. Maldonatus supplies the verb show , and makes the sentence run : “ Upon the great confidence that whatever love you show to Titus you will show to me, for he is my partner.” But there is no need to supply anything — the sense given above is clear enough without it