2 Corinthians 8:14 Commentary and Bible Study

The word equality is an interesting word for the apostle Paul to use. The point that he is making is that there needs to be openheartedness on the part of all the churches to each other according to prevailing needs. All the churches of Macedonia made their gifts for the relief of poverty in Jerusalem. On the Day of Pentecost there were so many thousands of Jewish people who were converted to Christ, and Pentecost thousands more, and the number of converts was enormous in Jerusalem. But the prevailing nationalism among the Jews for their religion and for their security under the Romans, caused them to hate conversion, and people who professed Christ would be put out of their homes, their businesses would collapse, and they would be in very great need. This continued in phases right up and to the time of the ministry of Paul, and so the Gentile churches, not only by direction from Paul but often through their own initiative as in Macedonia, out of their own poverty, raised these great offerings to assist the people in Jerusalem. Now the apostle is organising a particular collection, round the churches of several regions to further bring this about, and he uses this term, ‘but by an equality’. At first sight when you see that word you almost wonder if it is a form of communism creeping in, and whether the suggestion is here – but it is impossible of course – that the churches and Christian people should all have the same and there should be a levelling among them – a principle of equality in that sense. But as we read, it is quite plain that it is not equality of substance – there are great differences between believers – but it is an equality of care and kindness. The Greek word translated here equality, means likeness: that there may be a likeness. ‘That now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want [or need], that their abundance also [at some other time] may be a supply for your want.’ That is the sense of the original quite clearly. The phrase ‘that now at this time’ is of great significance in the original grammar. ‘That now at this time your abundance may be a supply,’ so that at some other time – that is what is not supplied but is intended – ‘their abundance may be a supply for your need.’ In this way there shall be equality, a likeness of care. The offering from the Corinthians and the Macedonians and others directed to Jerusalem may be much more or much less than the offering that will come in the reverse direction should the circumstances be reversed. It is not an equality or a likeness of quantity here, but of compassion. That your kindness will be similarly exercised by them should the position be reversed.