• II Corinthians 8:1-14
  • II Corinthians 8:5 – To give self to the Lord is to decide that God is our master and set our goal to be serving Him. This will also allow us to live the best life for self.
  • II Corinthians 8:8 – Compare I Corinthians 16:1. This is not a contradiction. In I Corinthians 16, Paul was giving a command. In this verse, he is not issuing a command. Instead he is testing their sincerity. He is not so much interested in their obedience of the command as he is in the sincerity of their love. This is essentially a not-but passage. He did give the command earlier, but he’s emphasizing that it is more important that they demonstrate love.
  • II Corinthians 8:12 – Compare parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). We are to do the best we can with what we have. God does not expect more than we can give.
  • II Corinthians 8:14 – See Romans 15:27. Paul is saying that the gospel came through the Jews to them to provide equality in spiritual things. The Corinthians therefore should give of their material things to the Jews to provide equality in material things.