Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: 2 Corinthians 8:10 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
2Co 8:10	King James	And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
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;].

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

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;].

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And herein I give my advice - Not undertaking to command them, or to prescribe how much they should give. Advice will go much further than commands on the subject of charities. For this is expedient for you - (συμφέρει sumpherei). That is, this will be of advantage to you; it will be profitable; it will be becoming. The idea is, that they were bound by a regard to consistency and to their own welfare, to perform what they had purposed. It became them; it was proper, and was demanded; and there would have been manifest disadvantages if it had not been done. Who have begun before - Who commenced the collection a year before; see Co2 8:6. It had been commenced with fair prospects of success, but had been interrupted probably by the dissensions which arose in the church there. Not only to do - Not merely to accomplish it as if by constraint, or as a matter of compulsion and drudgery. But also to be forward - Margin, "Willing." So the Greek τὸ θέλειν to thelein. They were voluntary in this, and they set about it with vigorous and determined zeal and courage. There was a resolute determination in the thing, and a willingness and heartiness in it which showed that they were actuated by Christian principle. Consistency, and their own reputation and advantage, now demanded that they should complete what they had begun.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And herein I give my advice - Not undertaking to command them, or to prescribe how much they should give. Advice will go much further than commands on the subject of charities.

For this is expedient for you - (συμφέρει sumpherei). That is, this will be of advantage to you; it will be profitable; it will be becoming. The idea is, that they were bound by a regard to consistency and to their own welfare, to perform what they had purposed. It became them; it was proper, and was demanded; and there would have been manifest disadvantages if it had not been done.

Who have begun before - Who commenced the collection a year before; see Co2 8:6. It had been commenced with fair prospects of success, but had been interrupted probably by the dissensions which arose in the church there.

Not only to do - Not merely to accomplish it as if by constraint, or as a matter of compulsion and drudgery.

But also to be forward - Margin, "Willing." So the Greek τὸ θέλειν to thelein. They were voluntary in this, and they set about it with vigorous and determined zeal and courage. There was a resolute determination in the thing, and a willingness and heartiness in it which showed that they were actuated by Christian principle. Consistency, and their own reputation and advantage, now demanded that they should complete what they had begun.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
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.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

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.

Top