And herein I give my advice; for this is profitable for you, who have begun not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.

“See how again he is careful to give no offence and softens down what he says, by these two things, by saying, "I give advice," and, "for your profit." 'For, neither do I compel and force you,' says he, 'or demand it from unwilling subjects; nor do I say these things with an eye so much to the receivers benefit as to yours.' Then the instance also which follows is drawn from themselves, and not from others. Who were the first to make a beginning a year ago, not only to do, but also to will. See how he shows both that themselves were willing, and had come to this resolution without persuasion. For since he had borne this witness to the Thessalonians, that "of their own accord with much intreaty," they had prosecuted this giving of alms; he is desirous of showing of these also that this good work is their own. Wherefore he said, "not only to do, but also to will," and not "begun," but "begun before, a year ago." Unto these things therefore I exhort you, whereunto ye beforehand bestirred yourselves with all forwardness.”

“Here he leads the Corinthians to give alms by the example of Christ, saying: I wish to prove your good disposition toward giving, namely to the poor, and this you ought to do by the example of Christ. **For**, that is, *because*, **you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ**, which indeed he conferred upon the human race. John 1:17: *grace and truth came through Jesus Christ*, etc. And this is called grace, because whatever of our penalties the Son of God assumed, all of it is to be imputed to grace, since he was neither anticipated by anyone's goodness, nor compelled by anyone's power, nor induced by his own necessity. Now this is grace, since **for our sake he was made needy**. And he says *needy*, which is more than *poor*. For he is called needy who not only has little, but who lacks or is in want; whereas he is poor who has little. Therefore, to signify a greater poverty, it says **he was made needy**, namely in temporal things. Luke 9:58: *the Son of man has not*, etc. Lamentations 3:19: *remember my poverty*, etc. Now he was made needy, not out of necessity, but out of will, for otherwise this grace would no longer be grace. And therefore he says **though he was rich**, namely in spiritual goods. Romans 10:12: *the same God is rich unto all*, etc. Proverbs 8:18: *with me are riches*, etc. But he says *was* [*esset*], not *had been* [*fuisset*], lest Christ should seem to have lost spiritual riches when he assumed poverty. For he assumed this poverty in such a way that he did not lose those inestimable riches. Psalm 48:3: *rich and poor together, as one* — rich in spiritual things, poor in temporal things. Now the reason why he wished to become needy, he adds when he says **that by his want we might become rich**, that is, that by his poverty in temporal things, you might be rich in spiritual things. And this is on account of two things, namely on account of example and on account of sacrament. On account of example indeed, because if Christ loved poverty, we too, by his example, ought to love it. But by loving poverty in temporal things, we are made rich in spiritual things. James 2:5: *did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith*, etc. And therefore he says **that by his want**, etc. But on account of the sacrament, because all that Christ did or endured was for our sake. Hence, just as through his enduring death we have been freed from eternal death and restored to life, so through his enduring want in temporal things we have been freed from want in spiritual things, and made rich in spiritual things. 1 Corinthians 1:5: *you have been made rich in him in all knowledge*, etc. Next, when he says **in this I give counsel**, etc., he leads them to give from their own side. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets down their own advantage that arises from this; second he shows that this was also willed by them, namely that they should give alms, at **who not only**, etc. He says therefore: considering this benefit, **I give you counsel**, that is, I exhort you to this, namely to give alms — not only for the benefit of the saints who are in Jerusalem, but also for your own benefit. Proverbs 27:9: *the soul is sweetened by the counsels of a good friend*, etc. And this because **it is useful to you**. For the good of piety is more useful to the one who does it than to the one for whom it is done, because the doer thereby carries away a spiritual benefit, while the recipient carries away a temporal one. And just as the spiritual ought to be preferred to the temporal, so in works of piety the advantage of the giver is preferred to the advantage of the recipient. 1 Timothy 4:8: *piety is profitable to all things*. But this is not only useful to them, but they themselves also willed it, and therefore he says **because not only**, etc. Here he does three things. First he calls to mind the good beginning that was in them; second he exhorts them to the due completion, at **but now also in deed**, etc.; third he explains something he had said, at **for if the will**, etc. He says therefore: truly you ought to give alms gladly, because it is not only useful to you, but you yourselves also began to will this of your own accord, namely to give alms, **from the year before**, that is, when I came to you. Or **from the year before**, that is, the preceding one. As if he were saying: to will is more than to do, according to Ecclesiasticus 18:16: *a word is better than a gift*, etc. And therefore you ought to be ready to give. And because you are ready to give, therefore now **complete in deed** what you had in mind, otherwise that will would be in vain. John 4: *let us not love in word, nor in tongue*, etc. Philippians 1:6: *he who began in you*, etc. And the reason for this is: just as the mind of the will, that is, the discretion of the will — according to the Gloss, is ready — so let the discretion for accomplishing be ready. Or, otherwise, that *mind* be taken for *will*; and then it is said: just as you were ready to will, so be ready to accomplish. And this **from what you have**, that is, according to your means. Next he explains what he means by **from what you have**, saying **for if**, etc., as if he were saying: I say that you ought to be ready to give, and in this I do not intend to burden you — namely, that you should give beyond your means, because perhaps a ready will induces you to this, but in this matter the deed cannot imitate the will. And therefore he says: **from what you have** — *for* here stands for *because* — if the will is ready according to what it has, **it is accepted**. And the reason for this is that the will is accepted in the perfection of the operation; but the work is not perfected except from what one has. And therefore he says **according to what one has, it is accepted**. Tobit 4:9: *if you have much, give abundantly*, etc. Next, when he says **for not that to others**, etc., he removes a certain suspicion. For these might say: if we give alms to the poor saints who are in Jerusalem, they will live idly, and we will suffer loss, and thus we will be made wretched. Therefore the Apostle first excludes this suspicion; second he makes plain his own intention; third he confirms it by authority. He removes the suspicion when he says **for not that to others**, etc., as if he were saying: I do not so counsel you to give alms that there be relief to others, while they live idly on your alms, but tribulation to you, that is, poverty, in that you would be afflicted. But do they sin, those who give everything to others and are themselves afterward afflicted by poverty? And it seems that they do, by these words of the Apostle. I respond: it must be said, according to the Gloss, that it would be better to give everything to the poor and be afflicted for Christ. But what he says here, he did by condescension, because they were weak, and might perhaps fail if they were pressed by want. He makes plain his own intention when he says **but from equality**, etc., as if he were saying: I do not intend your tribulation, but a certain equality, namely that **your abundance**, etc. This can be explained in three ways: first, concerning equality of quantity; second, concerning equality of proportion; third, concerning equality of will. Concerning equality of quantity: because these, namely the Corinthians, abounded in temporal things and were lacking in spiritual things, while the saints who were in Jerusalem abounded in spiritual things and were lacking in temporal things. He wishes, then, that there be an equality of quantity between them, namely that those who abound in temporal things should give half of all to those who lack them, and these should give half of their spiritual things to them, so that thus they might be equally rich. And therefore he rather says this: that from equality of quantity, that is, from half the part of your goods, **in the present time**, which is brief, **your abundance** of earthly things may **supply their want**, who have forsaken all the things of the world, and that their abundance, namely in spiritual things, may be the supplement of your want in spiritual things, that is, that you may be partakers of eternal life. Luke 16:9: *make for yourselves friends*, etc. Ecclesiasticus 14:15f.: *in the division of the lot, give and receive* — give temporal things and receive spiritual things. But concerning equality of proportion, it is explained thus, and better: you, Corinthians, have an abundance of temporal things; the saints who are in Jerusalem, an abundance of spiritual things. I wish, then, a certain equality — not one according to quantity, but according to proportion — namely, that just as they are sustained by your alms, so you may be enriched by their prayers before God. For just as they are not so enriched by your temporal goods as you are rich, so neither are you enriched by their spiritual goods as they are. And therefore he says **but from equality**, etc.: let your aforesaid abundance of earthly things supply their want, namely the saints', in temporal things, so that their abundance also, in spiritual things, etc. 1 Corinthians 9:11: *if we have sown spiritual things for you*, etc. But concerning equality of will, it is explained thus: **but from equality**, etc., that is, I wish that there be in you an equality of will, namely that just as they have the will to share with you those things in which they abound, so you may have the will to share with them those things in which you abound. Next he confirms this by authority. Hence he says **as it is written**, namely Exodus 16: **he who had much** — namely, had gathered of the manna, that is, who had more than a gomor — **did not abound**, that is, did not have beyond his sufficiency; **and he who had little, did not have less**, that is, it did not fail him, because all abounded equally, as is said in Exodus 16. And thus neither did he who had gathered more have more, nor did he who had prepared less find less.”

“And herein I give my advice,.... As Daniel did to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan 4:27. The apostle did not choose to make use of his apostolical authority, or give orders, as he sometimes did in such cases; he did not think fit to speak by way of commandment, obliging them to what they ought to do willingly; looking upon this the most prudential step, and wisest method he could take in order to succeed, only to give his judgment in this matter, as what would be best for them, and most conducive to their real good: for this is expedient for you; most versions read it, "profitable"; doing acts of beneficence is profitable to persons, as to things temporal, God usually blessing such with a greater affluence of the things of life, and which indeed is often promised; and is also profitable with respect to things spiritual, for if God does not make it up to them in temporal enjoyments, yet with his presence, the discoveries of his love, the joys of his salvation, and an increase of every grace; so Gaius, that hospitable man to the apostle, and all Christian strangers, was in much spiritual health, and a prosperous condition in his soul, when but in an ill state with respect to his body: yea, such a conduct is profitable in relation to things eternal; for as it springs from the grace of God, and men are assisted therein by it, and is exercised towards persons that have received it, it will be rewarded with a reward of grace; though it may be, the apostle here does not so much argue from the utility, as the decency of it in the Corinthians; who, says he, have began before, a year ago, not only to do, but also to be forward, or "willing": it is hard to say whether the apostle designs to commend or reprove them; and indeed, it seems as if there was a mixture of praise and dispraise in this passage; it was in their favour that they had begun before, even a year ago, and were willing and forward of themselves to this good work; yea, were the first that set it on foot, and so were an example to the Macedonian churches, and others; but then this was against them, that the other churches, which began later than they, had finished before them; whether this their charity was obstructed, as some have thought, through some affliction and persecution that befell them, which if it appeared would much excuse them; or rather it was neglected through lukewarmness and indolence; wherefore the apostle gives his sentiments, that to save their own credit, it was expedient for them to finish what they had begun; for otherwise, as their boasting of them would be in vain, so they would expose themselves to contempt and incur disgrace; and it was not only proper that they should do this, but do it willingly, and with much cheerfulness, for that is meant by being "forward" or "willing"; that they not only do it, but do it with a good will, which they at first discovered.”

“Herein I give my advice - For I speak not by way of commandment, Co2 8:8. For this is expedient for you - It is necessary you should do this to preserve a consistency of conduct; for ye began this work a year ago, and it is necessary that ye should complete it as soon as possible. Not only to do, but also to be forward - Το ποιησαι - και το θελειν, literally, to do and to will; but as the will must be before the deed, θελειν, must be taken here in the sense of delight, as it frequently means in the Old and New Testaments. See several examples in Whitby. Some MSS. transpose the words: allowing this, there is no difficulty. A year ago - Απο περυσι. It was about a year before this that the apostle, in his first epistle, Co1 16:2, had exhorted them to make this contribution and there is no doubt that they, in obedience to his directions, had begun to lay up in store for this charitable purpose; he therefore wishes them to complete this good work, and thus show that they were not led to it by the example of the Macedonians, seeing they themselves had been first movers in this business.”

“Begun not only to do, but also to be willing. The sense seems to be, that they not only began the last year to do it, to contribute, but that they were the first that had this will, and began it of their own accord, by a motion of their own will. And therefore in the next chapter (ver. 2.) he boasted of their ready mind to the Macedonians, and that their zeal or emulation had incited a great many. (Witham)”

“advice--Herein he does not (as some misinterpret the passage) disclaim inspiration for the advice he gives; but under the Spirit, states that it is his "opinion" [ALFORD] or "judgment" [ELLICOTT, and others], not a command, that so their offering might be free and spontaneous. this--my giving you an advice, not a command. who have begun before--"seeing that ye have begun before" the Macedonian churches; "a year ago" should be connected with this clause. not only to do, but also to be forward--There were three steps: (1) the forwardness, more literally, "the will"; (2) the setting about it, literally, "doing it"; (3) completion of it [ALFORD]. In the two former, not only the act, but the intention, the Corinthians preceded the Macedonians. BENGEL explains, "Not only to do" FOR THE PAST YEAR, "but also to be forward" or willing FOR THIS YEAR. ELLICOTT translates, "already," instead of "before": "Ye began already a year ago, not only to do, but also to be forward." It appears hence, that something had been done in the matter a year before; other texts, however, show the collection was not yet paid (compare Co2 8:11 and Co2 9:5, Co2 9:7). This agrees with one, and only one supposition, namely, that every man had laid by in store the fund from which he was afterwards to contribute, the very case which is shown by Co1 16:2 to have existed [PALEY, HorÃ&brvbr PaulinÃ&brvbr].”