II Corinthians 8:1-24
As I said in a second note yesterday, I would strongly encourage you to read John’s post from yesterday morning before (or after) you read today’s passage – which begins in the middle of this letter!
Some difficult translation issues here… The ESV has some verbs in the present progressive tense: “he is going” (v. 17) and “we are sending” (vv. 18, 22). But the ESV also has a note that these verbs could be in the past tense, as in “he went” and “we sent”. This past tense usage is also how the NASB and NKJV translate these verbs, in the present perfect tense: “he has gone” and “we have sent”. These differences in tense make it difficult to understand whether Titus is still with Paul as Paul writes this letter or whether he has already gone. Specific to that point, the present progressive tense usage (“he is going” and “we are sending”) could also be reflecting a future activity, as Carol just now noted to me, often an immediate future. John, in his post from yesterday touches on the importance of time frames in our understanding of II Corinthians.
As to the content of today’s reading… Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything … see that you excel in this act of grace also. (vv. 6-7) Reading between the lines here… I get the sense that Titus on his own, or Titus at Paul’s urging had begun in Corinth a collection for the saints in Jerusalem. Then, in my mind, some of the Corinthians had become cross with Paul and stopped their giving to the Jerusalem ministry. Now with his letter-writing and his envoys Paul has done what he could to repair that breach and he has asked that the Corinthians continue with this collection for the Jerusalem church. Whether that is true or not, it is my sense that some people hold their giving as a weapon, withholding or threatening to withhold if things aren’t going their way. Leaving a congregation to go somewhere else is one thing, but staying behind and refusing to donate is quite another. I don’t know of cases like this at St. Andrew’s, but in my mind it is a wrong, wrong thing to do! Donating to a church is our responsibility, our stewardship, available to us by the grace of God: …for all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee. (I Chronicles 29:14, KJV)
See also: May 30 / II Cor. 8:1-15; May 31 / II Cor. 8:16-24