Fathers

2 Corinthians 9

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It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast on your behalf to those of Macedonia, that Achaia has been prepared for the past year. Your zeal has stirred up very many of them. But I have sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf may not be in vain in this respect, that, just as I said, you may be prepared, lest by any means, if anyone from Macedonia comes there with me and finds you unprepared, we (to say nothing of you) would be disappointed in this confident boasting. I thought it necessary therefore to entreat the brothers that they would go before to you and arrange ahead of time the generous gift that you promised before, that the same might be ready as a matter of generosity, and not of greediness. Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. As it is written, “He has scattered abroad. He has given to the poor. His righteousness remains forever.” Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God, seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all, while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. Now thanks be to 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 ↗