As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
It recalls how God measured the manna so that gathering much left no surplus and gathering little left no lack, and Paul applies it to call present abundance to supply present want in return. In 2 Corinthians it belongs to the appeal for the poor believers in Jerusalem, holding up the generous giving of the Macedonians in affliction and deep poverty to stir others to help those in need. That equality does not ease some by burdening others, and giving is accepted from a willing mind according to what a person has and not according to what he does not have, after first giving self to the Lord. Its motive and pattern is the grace of Christ, who though rich became poor so that through His poverty believers might become rich, calling them to abound in this grace with true self-denial and love for souls. Surplus means must therefore supply lack in destitute places and must not be absorbed to enrich fields that already have much better advantages, while God makes what is given go far enough to meet need and blesses even the smallest sacrificial gift so that as believers impart they receive to give again.
Setting and Meaning
Paul's words reach back to the manna in the wilderness, which was made to measure out equally so that the one who gathered much ended with no surplus and the one who gathered little ended with no lack, and that same equality is to govern giving among believers. In 2 Corinthians the saying belongs to an appeal for contributions for the poor believers in Jerusalem, holding up the generous giving of the Macedonian churches as an example to move the Corinthians to help those in need. That appeal presents their liberality in great trial as the pattern to be emulated, even giving beyond power to the cause that needed their help, and it rebukes selfish withholding of funds where the field is ready for advance.
The saying stands within the instruction of 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, which gives the outline for generous giving and shows how to gain the blessing of God. Those chapters are to be studied and acted on as counsel and Bible principle, taken as an inspiration to give liberally from means entrusted by God to meet needs in His work. When they are followed God is glorified in His people and His glory becomes their rereward.
The meaning is equality through mutual sharing in ministering to the saints: present abundance supplies want, so that in turn the abundance of others may supply want, until those with much have nothing over and those with little have no lack. Each person's abundance supplies another's need, with those who have more supplying those who have less, and God makes what is had go far enough to meet needs so that none ends with too much and none with too little. That equality does not mean other men are eased while givers are burdened, and it places no unfair burden on givers.
Giving under this rule is accepted of a willing mind according to what a man has and not according to what he has not. It begins with first giving self to the Lord by the will of God, devoting both means and self to His service, handling money as His, and giving willingly and liberally of entrusted means even while sustaining local work. The motive and pattern is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who though He was rich became poor that through His poverty believers might be made rich. The same earnest care was put in the heart of Titus, and it was shown in the Macedonians who in great trial of affliction with abundance of joy and deep poverty abounded to riches of liberality to their power and beyond their power. Those who abound in faith and utterance and knowledge and diligence and love are therefore called to abound in this grace also, with true self-denial and love for souls and much fruit to the glory of God.
Equality Lived Out
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of His work, self is denied and gifts flow into the treasury for proclaiming the message and truth for this time. Believers come with much entreaty, laying offerings at the apostles' feet and praying that the gift be received. Giving for God's work is to meet need through self-denial and generosity, so that those who have much do not keep an excess while others lack.
That equality keeps God's treasury supplied, aids institutions for orphans and the dependent, destitute, infirm and aged, supports families with many children to feed, and helps the weak, helpless and needy. It makes Christmas and New Year occasions for helping the helpless, and calls those blessed with health to cooperate with Christ to help the weak. Support of God's work is to be liberality and sacrifice in sums small and large, with means spent judiciously, charges for the sick kept as reasonable as possible, help for the expenses of the suffering worthy poor, and the feeble sharing in useful labor for their own good. Physicians, managers, helpers, patients and friends are all to be ruled by benevolence, charity, humanity, love of Christ and sympathy for suffering humanity rather than by wages, good investment and profit, so that abundance supplies lack and none has excess while another is in need.
Applied to fields and buildings, the call is for generous practical help to the neglected Southern field, unworked foreign fields, poorer workers and mission fields, the work in Washington, the debt of the institutions in Scandinavia, a substantial economical sanitarium building to uplift people, and a house for the Lord. The timely gift of those with means answers earnest prayer and supplies lack as moved by the Holy Spirit. Poverty does not shut anyone out from the privilege of giving, and selfish withholding of funds needed where the field is ready for advance is rebuked. Giving is to handle money as His and to contribute willingly according to means, with those who have more not keeping a surplus while others lack.
Surplus means must supply lack in the destitute field and must not be kept by or diverted to fields that have had much better advantages in every way. Those handling God's means as stewards without partiality or hypocrisy must stop absorbing all institutional profits to enlarge and enrich themselves where there is no real need, which brings robbery and want to other fields. Using for advantaged fields the entire profits of books belonging to the destitute field is deception and neglect of God's design, facilities and specified methods. That wrong displeases the Lord, will be met in the judgment, and is rewarded according to the measure of neglect. More is required than merely beginning where work ought to have begun years ago, requiring restitution of means diverted from the field and providing destitute fields with meeting places and needed advantages.
Even those in deep poverty and dependent on daily labor in hard and trying times are to give willingly and liberally to their power and beyond their power. Even poor believers may share in giving to those poorer than themselves, giving accepted according to what a person has and not what is lacked. So a humble church can be built where new believers can worship and let their light shine to others.
God makes what people have go far enough to meet needs, so those with much do not have excess and those with little are not left without, through mutual sharing where each abundance supplies another's need. He blesses even the smallest gift according to the self-denial and sacrifice shown, and as believers impart they receive, God giving to them so they may give to others. Those who sacrifice to help others can in turn receive help from others. Giving meets the pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare and brings correct light on means, and the blessing redounds to those who give liberally. Following this course of right doing brings God's blessing and is far safer than selfish grasping, and showing it proves love. When the directions are followed, blessings flow to God's people, God is glorified, and His glory becomes the rereward.
The equality does not excuse idleness, for no one able to work and earn a living may live on the produce of others, and it does not make able people dependent on support. Giving is to be cheerful and bountiful with God's promise of all sufficiency to abound in every good work.
It recalls how God measured the manna so that gathering much left no surplus and gathering little left no lack, and Paul applies it to call present abundance to supply present want in return. In 2 Corinthians it belongs to the appeal for the poor believers in Jerusalem, holding up the generous giving of the Macedonians in affliction and deep poverty to stir others to help those in need. That equality does not ease some by burdening others, and giving is accepted from a willing mind according to what a person has and not according to what he does not have, after first giving self to the Lord. Its motive and pattern is the grace of Christ, who though rich became poor so that through His poverty believers might become rich, calling them to abound in this grace with true self-denial and love for souls. Surplus means must therefore supply lack in destitute places and must not be absorbed to enrich fields that already have much better advantages, while God makes what is given go far enough to meet need and blesses even the smallest sacrificial gift so that as believers impart they receive to give again.
Setting and Meaning
Paul's words reach back to the manna in the wilderness, which was made to measure out equally so that the one who gathered much ended with no surplus and the one who gathered little ended with no lack, and that same equality is to govern giving among believers. In 2 Corinthians the saying belongs to an appeal for contributions for the poor believers in Jerusalem, holding up the generous giving of the Macedonian churches as an example to move the Corinthians to help those in need. That appeal presents their liberality in great trial as the pattern to be emulated, even giving beyond power to the cause that needed their help, and it rebukes selfish withholding of funds where the field is ready for advance.
The saying stands within the instruction of 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, which gives the outline for generous giving and shows how to gain the blessing of God. Those chapters are to be studied and acted on as counsel and Bible principle, taken as an inspiration to give liberally from means entrusted by God to meet needs in His work. When they are followed God is glorified in His people and His glory becomes their rereward.
The meaning is equality through mutual sharing in ministering to the saints: present abundance supplies want, so that in turn the abundance of others may supply want, until those with much have nothing over and those with little have no lack. Each person's abundance supplies another's need, with those who have more supplying those who have less, and God makes what is had go far enough to meet needs so that none ends with too much and none with too little. That equality does not mean other men are eased while givers are burdened, and it places no unfair burden on givers.
Giving under this rule is accepted of a willing mind according to what a man has and not according to what he has not. It begins with first giving self to the Lord by the will of God, devoting both means and self to His service, handling money as His, and giving willingly and liberally of entrusted means even while sustaining local work. The motive and pattern is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who though He was rich became poor that through His poverty believers might be made rich. The same earnest care was put in the heart of Titus, and it was shown in the Macedonians who in great trial of affliction with abundance of joy and deep poverty abounded to riches of liberality to their power and beyond their power. Those who abound in faith and utterance and knowledge and diligence and love are therefore called to abound in this grace also, with true self-denial and love for souls and much fruit to the glory of God.
Equality Lived Out
When God by His Spirit stirs hearts to see the necessities of His work, self is denied and gifts flow into the treasury for proclaiming the message and truth for this time. Believers come with much entreaty, laying offerings at the apostles' feet and praying that the gift be received. Giving for God's work is to meet need through self-denial and generosity, so that those who have much do not keep an excess while others lack.
That equality keeps God's treasury supplied, aids institutions for orphans and the dependent, destitute, infirm and aged, supports families with many children to feed, and helps the weak, helpless and needy. It makes Christmas and New Year occasions for helping the helpless, and calls those blessed with health to cooperate with Christ to help the weak. Support of God's work is to be liberality and sacrifice in sums small and large, with means spent judiciously, charges for the sick kept as reasonable as possible, help for the expenses of the suffering worthy poor, and the feeble sharing in useful labor for their own good. Physicians, managers, helpers, patients and friends are all to be ruled by benevolence, charity, humanity, love of Christ and sympathy for suffering humanity rather than by wages, good investment and profit, so that abundance supplies lack and none has excess while another is in need.
Applied to fields and buildings, the call is for generous practical help to the neglected Southern field, unworked foreign fields, poorer workers and mission fields, the work in Washington, the debt of the institutions in Scandinavia, a substantial economical sanitarium building to uplift people, and a house for the Lord. The timely gift of those with means answers earnest prayer and supplies lack as moved by the Holy Spirit. Poverty does not shut anyone out from the privilege of giving, and selfish withholding of funds needed where the field is ready for advance is rebuked. Giving is to handle money as His and to contribute willingly according to means, with those who have more not keeping a surplus while others lack.
Surplus means must supply lack in the destitute field and must not be kept by or diverted to fields that have had much better advantages in every way. Those handling God's means as stewards without partiality or hypocrisy must stop absorbing all institutional profits to enlarge and enrich themselves where there is no real need, which brings robbery and want to other fields. Using for advantaged fields the entire profits of books belonging to the destitute field is deception and neglect of God's design, facilities and specified methods. That wrong displeases the Lord, will be met in the judgment, and is rewarded according to the measure of neglect. More is required than merely beginning where work ought to have begun years ago, requiring restitution of means diverted from the field and providing destitute fields with meeting places and needed advantages.
Even those in deep poverty and dependent on daily labor in hard and trying times are to give willingly and liberally to their power and beyond their power. Even poor believers may share in giving to those poorer than themselves, giving accepted according to what a person has and not what is lacked. So a humble church can be built where new believers can worship and let their light shine to others.
God makes what people have go far enough to meet needs, so those with much do not have excess and those with little are not left without, through mutual sharing where each abundance supplies another's need. He blesses even the smallest gift according to the self-denial and sacrifice shown, and as believers impart they receive, God giving to them so they may give to others. Those who sacrifice to help others can in turn receive help from others. Giving meets the pressing emergencies that arise in aggressive warfare and brings correct light on means, and the blessing redounds to those who give liberally. Following this course of right doing brings God's blessing and is far safer than selfish grasping, and showing it proves love. When the directions are followed, blessings flow to God's people, God is glorified, and His glory becomes the rereward.
The equality does not excuse idleness, for no one able to work and earn a living may live on the produce of others, and it does not make able people dependent on support. Giving is to be cheerful and bountiful with God's promise of all sufficiency to abound in every good work.