Commentary on 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Paul continues his exhortation to the Corinthians to be generous. He begins with a kind of proverb: skimpy sowing means skimpy reaping:

…the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

He further adds that each one should make their donation according to what has been agreed, but to do it without a long face or under a sense of compulsion:

…God loves a cheerful giver.

As Thomas à Kempis’ Imitation of Christ says, “It is the love of the giver more than the gift of the lover that counts.” And Paul further adds that the Source of everything we have will reward us generously for our generosity because he is, in fact, the original source of all that we give:

God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

So that the more we receive, the more we are able to share with others.

The behaviour to which he exhorts them is based on God’s own way of acting. Paul quotes Psalm 112 describing that God is capable of overwhelming generosity, so people need not fear of being short. God will provide in abundance, both supplying their natural needs and increasing their inner goodness. Paul challenges them to a God-like generosity and reminds them of the fundamental motive for encouragement—God himself cannot be outdone:

He scatters abroad; he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.

And Paul says:

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

In other words,

You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us…

This is the paradox: the more we give of what we have and are to others, the more enriched we become. When everyone gives, everyone gets.