In this present time let your abundance supply their want, that their abundance also may supply your want, that there may be an equality,

“For not only by the words he has before used but by these also, he is desirous of making the commandment light. Nor yet from this consideration alone, but from that of the recompense also, again he maketh it easier; and uttereth higher things than they deserve, saying, "That there may be equality at this time, and their abundance" a supply "for your want." Now what is it that he saith? 'Ye are flourishing in money; they in life and in boldness towards God.' 'Give ye to them, therefore, of the money which ye abound in but they have not; that ye may receive of that boldness wherein they are rich and ye are lacking.' See how he hath covertly prepared for their giving beyond their power and of their want. 'For,' he saith, 'if thou desirest to receive of their abundance, give of thine abundance; but if to win for thyself the whole, thou wilt give of thy want and beyond thy power.' He doth not say this, however, but leaves it to the reasoning of his hearers; and himself meanwhile works out his object and the exhortation that was meet, adding in keeping with what appeared, the words, that "there may be equality at this time." How equality? You and they mutually giving your superabundance, and filling up your wants. And what sort of equality is this, giving spiritual things for carnal? for great is the advantage on that side; how then doth he call it "equality?" either in respect of each abounding and wanting, doth he say that this [equality] takes place; or else in respect of the present life only. And therefore after saying "equality," he added, "at this time." Now this he said, both to subdue the high-mindedness of the rich, and to show that after our departure hence the spiritual possess the greater advantage. For here indeed we all enjoy much equality of honor; but then there will be a wide distinction and a very great superiority, when the just shine brighter than the sun.”

“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.”

“As it is written,.... In Exo 16:18 he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; respect is had to the history of the manna, a sort of food God prepared for the Israelites in the wilderness; and which were gathered by them every morning, by some more, by others less; and yet when it came to be measured, every man had his "omer" and no more, one had nothing over, and the other not at all deficient; each man had his proper and equal quantity; and which, by the Jews (w), is looked upon as a miracle that was wrought: many useful instructions may be learned from this history, as that as there was a general provision made by God for the Israelites, good and bad, and the mixed multitude that came from Egypt with them; so there is an universal providence of God which reaches to all creatures, even to the vegetable, to the birds of the air, and beasts of the field, to all the individuals of human nature, and to the bad among them as well as the good; though to the latter it is more special, who of all men have the least reason to be distrustful and uneasy: and as that provision was daily, so is that providential supply which all creatures have from God; he is to be trusted to, and depended on daily; application is to be made to him every day for daily bread; nor should there be any anxious concern for the morrow. Moreover, as the Israelites, though the manna was prepared for them, were to rise in the morning and gather it before the sun waxed hot; so notwithstanding the providence of God, and the daily care he takes of men, yet diligence, industry, and the use of means are highly commendable. And as some gathered more and others less, yet upon measuring it with the "omer", there was an entire equality, one had not more nor less than another; so upon the winding up of things in Providence, such as have gathered much riches in the morning of life, in the evening of death will have nothing over, nor anything to show more than others; and they that have gathered little will appear to have had no lack; both will have had food and raiment, and no more, only with this difference, some will have enjoyed a richer diet and clothing, and others a meaner, and both suitable to their circumstances in life; which may instruct us to depend upon divine Providence, daily to be content with such things as we have, and to make a proper use of what is gathered, whether more or less, and not only for ourselves, but for the good of others. This discovers the egregious folly of such, who are anxiously concerned for the gathering and amassing much worldly riches together; which when they have done, they lay it up for themselves, and do not make use of it for common good, neither for the good of civil society, nor the interest of religion. Let it be observed, that those Israelites who from a selfish covetous disposition, and distrust of divine Providence, left of their manna till the morning, "it bred worms and stank": which was by the just judgment of God inflicted as a punishment; for otherwise it was capable of being kept longer. So when covetous mortals lay up for themselves for time to come, and do not communicate to the necessities of others, such a practice breeds and produces worms, moth, and rottenness in their estates, which gradually decrease, or are suddenly taken from them, or they from them: such an evil disposition is the root and cause of many immoralities in life; it greatly prejudices professors of religion in things spiritual; and it tends to their everlasting ruin, to breed that worm of an evil conscience that will never die, and to render their persons stinking and abominable, both in the sight of God and men. (w) Jarchi & Aben Ezra in Exod. xvi. 18. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 76. 3.”

“But by an equality - That you may do to those who are distressed now, as, on a change of circumstances, you would wish them to do to you. And I only wish that of your abundance you would now minister to their wants; and it may be that there abundance may yet supply your wants; for so liable are all human affairs to change, that it is as possible that you rich Corinthians should need the charitable help of others as it is that those Jews, who once had need of nothing, should now be dependent on your bounty. That there may be equality - That ye may exert yourselves so in behalf of those poor people that there may be between you an equality in the necessaries of life; your abundance supplying them with that of which they are utterly destitute.”

“This present time, let your abundance, &c. The sense, according to some interpreters is, that the time may perhaps come, when they in Judea may supply the wants of those in Achaia in the same kind. Others rather understand it of a communication of spiritual for temporal goods, that your alms, by the assistance of those who will pray for you, and your charities, may obtain for you the spiritual riches of grace, which every one stands chiefly in need of. (Witham)”

“by an equality--"by the rule of equality" [ALFORD]: literally, "Out of equality." now at this time--Greek, "at the present juncture" or season. that their abundance also--The Greek being distinct from the previous "that," translate, "in order that," namely, at another season, when your relative circumstances may be reversed. The reference is solely to temporal wants and supplies. Those, as BENGEL, who quote Rom 15:27 for interpreting it of spiritual supplies from the Jews to the Gentiles, forget that Rom 15:27 refers to the past benefit spiritually, which the Jews have conferred on the Gentiles, as a motive to gratitude on the part of the latter, not to a prospective benefit to be looked for from the former, which the text refers to.”