Fathers

2 Corinthians 9

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For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 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: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

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What the Fathers say

2 Corinthians 9:6

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." And he did not say niggardly, but a milder expression, employing the the name of the sparing. And he called the thing sowing; that thou mightest at once look unto the recompense, and having in mind the harvest, mightest feel that thou receivest more than thou givest. Wherefore he did not say, 'He that giveth,' but "He that soweth:" and he said not 'ye, if ye sow,' but made what he said general. …

Homily 19 on 2 Corinthians ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

He moves on to another topic, that one must give generously, and says: "I will say this," that is, I add to what has been said, that one must not give sparingly. He did not say "stingily," but used the nobler term of frugality. The act itself he called sowing, so that you would immediately turn your gaze to the recompense, and understand that you receive more than you give. After speaking about giving generously, he again reminds about giving cheerfully: this is shown, as was said above, by the words: "sows bountifully."

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗

Desert Fathers

A brother said to Poemen, 'If I give my brother something, for instance a piece of bread, the demons made the gift worthless by making me think that it was done to please men.' The hermit said to him, 'Even if it is done to please men, we still ought to give our brothers what they need.' He told him this parable: 'In a town there were two farmers. One of them sowed seed, and gathered a poor harvest; the other was idle and did not sow, and had no harvest to gather. …

The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

And since the apostle himself says: "Now this I say: he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly," you should understand that now is the time, while we are still in this life, to be swift and eager to purchase the gift of eternal life, for when the end of the world comes it will be given only to those who have bought it for themselves by faith before they were able to see it.

Letter 268 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

The reason why they should give abundantly is because, I say, he who sows sparingly, i.e., who gives little in this world, will also reap sparingly, i.e., will receive little in the other world. And he says, sows, because our seeds are whatever good we do; and again, if little is sown, not much is gathered: "For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption" (Gal. 6:8); but multiplied: And he who sows bountifully, i.e., abundantly, will also reap bountifully, i.e., the generous reward of God. …

Commentary on 2 Corinthians ↗