2 Corinthians 8:19 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
2 Corinthians 8:19
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 16:3-4 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Acts 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; n…
Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
2 Corinthians 8:1-4 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 Corinthians 8:6-7 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.
2 Corinthians 9:12-14 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 8:16–end
In these verses the apostle commends the brethren who were sent to them to collect their charity; and as it were, gives them letters credential, that, if they were enquired after (Co2 8:23), if any should be inquisitive or suspicious concerning them, it might be known who they were and how safely they might be trusted.
I. He commends Titus, 1. For his earnest care and great concern of heart for them, and desire in all things to promote their welfare. This is mentioned with thankfulness to God (Co2 8:16), and it is cause of thankfulness if God hath put it into the hearts of any to do us or others any good. 2. For his readiness to this present service. He accepted the office, and was forward t…
not that only--not only praised in all the churches.
chosen--by vote: so the Greek.
of the churches--therefore these companions of Paul are called "messengers of the churches" (Co2 8:23).
to travel--to Jerusalem.
with this grace--Greek, "in the case of this grace," or "gift."
to the glory of the same Lord--The oldest manuscripts omit "same."
declaration of your ready mind--The oldest manuscripts read, "our," not your. This and the previous clause, "to the glory of the same Lord," do not follow "administered by us," but "chosen of the churches to travel," &c. The union of the brother with Paul in this affair of the collection was done to guard against suspicions injurious "to the…
Chosen of the Churches to travel with us - Χειροτονηθεις· Appointed by a show of hands; from χειρ the hand, and τεινω, to extend. This appointment, by the suffrage of the Churches, seems to refer more to St. Luke than any one else; unless we suppose he refers to the transaction, Act 15:40, Act 15:41, and then it would appear that Silas is the person intended.
With this grace - Liberal contribution. See on Co2 8:1 (note).
Your ready mind - Your willingness to relieve them. But, instead of ὑμων, your, ἡμων, our, is the reading of almost all the best MSS. and all the versions. This is, doubtless, the reading.
The Church Fathers
Then he makes him respected also from the judgment of those that had chosen him. And this too is no light matter. Therefore after saying, "Whose praise in the Gospel is spread through all the churches," he added, "And not only so." What is, "and not only so?" 'Not only on this account,' he says, 'is respect due to him, that he is approved as a preacher and is praised by all.' "But he was also appointed by the churches along with us." Whence it seems to me, that Barnabas is the person intimated. And he signifies his dignity to be great, for he shows also for what office he was appointed. For he saith, "To travel with us in the matter of this grace which is ministered by us." Seest thou how great are these praises of him? He shone as a preacher of the Gospel and had all the churches testifying to this. He was chosen by us; and unto the same office with Paul, and everywhere was partner with him, both in his trials and in his dangers, for this is implied in the word "travel." But what is, "with this grace which is ministered by us?" So as to proclaim the word, he means, and to preach the Gospel; or to minister also in respect of the money; yea rather, he seems to me to refer to both of these. Then he adds, "To the glory of the same Lord, and to show your readiness." What he means is this: 'We thought good,' he says, 'that he should be chosen with us and be appointed unto this work, so as to become a dispenser and a minister of the sacred money.' Nor was this a little matter. For, "Look ye out," it saith, "from among you seven men of good report;" and he was chosen by the churches, and there was a vote of the whole people taken.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Philippians, Epistle to — Was written by Paul during the two years when he was “in bonds” in Rome (Phil. 1:7-13), probably early in the year A.D. 62 or in the end of 61. The Philippians had sent Epaphroditus, their messenger,…
Trophimus — A foster-child, an Ephesian who accompanied Paul during a part of his third missionary journey (Acts 20:4; 21:29). He was with Paul in Jerusalem, and the Jews, supposing that the apostle had brought…
Tychicus — Chance, an Asiatic Christian, a “faithful minister in the Lord” (Eph. 6:21, 22), who, with Trophimus, accompanied Paul on a part of his journey from Macedonia to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4). He is alluded…
Titus · Sent to Corinth — Sent to Corinth
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
John Gill on 2 Corinthians 8:19
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches,.... Not only famous for preaching the Gospel, but he was also appointed by the joint suffrages of the churches, which were made by the lifting up or stretching out of the hand, as the word here used signifies; this brother was not chosen to this service by a few private persons, or by a single church only, but by several churches; which does not refer to the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch, as if the apostles were appointed, and others were appointed by these churches to travel with them, in order to collect money for the poor saints at Jerusalem; of which no mention is any where made, only of their being sent out by them to preac…
2 Corinthians 8:18-24
18. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
18. Misimus autem una cum illo fratrem, cuius laus est in Evangelio per omnes Ecclesias.
19. And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:
19. Nec id solum, verum etiam delectus ab Ecclesiis est comes peregrinationis nostrae, cum hac beneficentia [688] quae administratur a nobis, ad eiusdem Domini gloriam, et animi vestri promptitudinem:
20. Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered b…
Two other Christian men would travel with Titus to Corinth in order to guard against any criticism over the handling of the relief funds that they collected (8:20-21). Titus and his companions would ensure that the money was properly handled. The identity of the two companions is unknown.
