2Cor 8:2

“"How that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy." Seest thou his wisdom? For he says not first, that which he wishes; but another thing before it, that he may not seem to do this of set purpose, but to arrive at it by a different connection. "In much proof of affliction." This was what he said in his Epistle to the Macedonians themselves, "Ye became imitators of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost;" and again, "From you sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place, your faith to God-ward is gone forth." But what is, "in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy?" Both, he says, happened to them in excess; both the affliction and the joy. Wherefore also the strangeness was great that so great an excess of pleasure sprang up to them out of affliction. For in truth the affliction not only was not the parent of grief, but it even became unto them an occasion of gladness; and this too, though it was "great." Now this he said, to prepare them to be noble and firm in their trials. For they were not merely afflicted, but so as also to have become approved by their patience: yea rather, he says not by their patience, but what was more than patience, "joy." And neither said he "joy" simply, but "abundance of joy," for it sprang up in them, great and unspeakable. "And their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality." Again, both these with excessiveness. For as their great affliction gave birth to great joy, yea, "abundance of joy," so their great poverty gave birth to great riches of alms. For this he showed, saying, "abounded unto the riches of their liberality." For munificence is determined not by the measure of what is given, but by the mind of those that bestow it.”

“Some are poor in material terms but rich in their simplicity. They would rather give than receive.”

“This is the height of praise, for in affliction they remained calm and in the depths of poverty they gave generously of what they had.”

“That is, having many afflictions, they became more skilled through patience; they did not fall, but rather rejoiced, not simply rejoiced, but rejoiced abundantly.”

“It was a grace as to two things. First, as to patience, because, i.e., "for in a severe test of affliction, they have had an abundance of joy." Here he lays down the conditions of perfect patience: one is that a person be constant, so that he will not be cast down by fear of tribulation or by the very experience of tribulation. Hence he says, "for in a severe test of affliction," they were constant. The other is that they rejoice in those tribulations, as we read of St. Lawrence. As to this he says, they had an abundance of joy, i.e., the Macedonians: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials" (Jas. 1:2); "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation" (Rom. 12:12). Or: in a severe test of affliction, not that which they suffered, but which he saw suffered in Macedonia, they have had an abundance of joy. Secondly, it is a grace as to their generosity in almsgiving; as to this he says, "and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part." Here he does two things: first, he mentions their generosity; secondly, he explains what he had said (v. 3). He says therefore: not only were they patient in tribulations, namely, the Macedonians, but they were also liberal, considering their extreme or very noble poverty. According to a Gloss, the raising of the spirit above temporal things and a contempt for them makes poverty profound. And so their poverty was very profound, because they did not have riches and scorned them: "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom" (Jas. 2:5). This poverty, I say, overflowed, i.e., grew into riches by giving. But the explanation found in this Gloss does not seem to accord with the Apostle's intention; therefore, it must be explained another way. Here it should be noted that there are two causes which make a man sufficiently ready to give: one is from an abundance of riches, or from a contempt for riches. Consequently, in a poor man contempt for riches produces the same effect as abundance in a rich man. Hence he says, their extreme poverty so overflowed, i.e., produced the effect of abundance, in a wealth of liberality on their part, because their heart was solely on God. And from this arose their contempt for riches: "The integrity of the upright guides them" (Prov. 11:3).”

“Although the Macedonians were short of material resources, their souls were rich, because they ministered to the saints with a pure conscience, trying to please God rather than men.”