SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:1
¶ Así mismo, hermanos, os hacemos saber la gracia de Dios que ha sido dada a las Iglesias de Macedonia;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 8:1
Verse 1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit] In all our dignified version very few ill-constructed sentences can be found; however here is one, and the worst in the book. We do you to wit is in the original gnwrizomen de umin, we make known unto you. This is plain and intelligible, the other is not so; and the form is now obsolete. The grace of God bestowed] Dr. Whitby has made it fully evident that the cariv qeou signifies the charitable contribution made by the Churches in Macedonia, to which they were excited by the grace or influence of God upon their hearts; and that dedomenhn en cannot signify bestowed on, but given in. That cariv means liberality, appears from ver. 6: We desired Titus that as he had begun, so he would finish thn xarin tauthn, this charitable contribution. And ver. 7: That ye abound en tauth th cariti, in this liberal contribution. And ver. 19: Who was chosen of the Church to travel with us sun th cariti tauth, with this charitable contribution, which is administered-which is to be dispensed, by us. So chap. ix. 8: God is able to make pasan carin, all liberality, to abound towards you. And 1 Cor. xvi. 3: To bring thn carin, your liberality, to the poor saints.
Hence cariv, is by Hesychius and Phavorinus interpreted a gift, as it is here by the apostle: Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, chap. ix. 15. This charity is styled the grace of God, either from its exceeding greatness, (as the cedars of God and mountains of God signify great cedars and great mountains, Psalm xxxvi. 6; lxxx. 10;) or rather, it is called so as proceeding from God, who is the dispenser of all good, and the giver of this disposition; for the motive of charity must come from him. So, in other places, the zeal of God, Rom. x. 2; the love of God, 2 Corinthians v. 14; the grace of God, Tit. ii. 11.
The Churches of Macedonia] These were Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God , etc..] The apostle having said everything that was proper to conciliate the minds and affections of the Corinthians to him, and the matter in difference being adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties concerned; he proposes what he had wisely postponed till all was over, the making a collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem; which he enforces by the example of the Macedonian churches, the churches at Philippi, Thessalonica, etc.. He addresses them in a kind and tender manner, under the endearing appellation of brethren, being so in a spiritual relation; and takes the liberty to inform them of the goodness of God to some of their sister churches; we do you to wit, or we make known unto you. The phrase to wit is an old English one, and almost obsolete, and signifies to acquaint with, inform of, make known, or give knowledge of anything. The thing informed of here, is the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; by which is meant, not any of the blessings of grace common to all the saints, such as regeneration, justification, adoption, forgiveness of sin, and the like; but beneficence, liberality, or a liberal disposition to do good to others, called the grace of God; because it sprung from thence, as all good works do when performed aright; they were assisted in it by the grace of God; and it was the love and favour of God in Christ, which was the engaging motive, the leading view, which drew them on to it. This was bestowed upon them, not merited, it was grace and free grace; God may give persons ever so much of this world's goods, yet if he does not give them a spirit of generosity, a liberal disposition, they will make no use of it for the good of others: and this was bestowed on the churches of Macedonia ; not on a few leading men among them, but upon all the members of these churches in general; and not upon one church, but upon many; a spirit of liberality was in general diffused among them, and this is proposed for imitation. Examples have great influence, and the examples of many the greater; too many follow a multitude to do evil; here the example of many, even of many churches, is proposed in order to be followed to do good, to exercise acts of beneficence and goodness, in a free generous way to saints in distress; which as it is here called, the grace of God, so in some following verses, the gift, the same grace, and this grace, ( 2 Corinthians 8:4,6,7) agreeably to the Hebrew word dsj , which signifies grace and free bounty; and is used for doing good, or for beneficence, which the Jews call ydsj twlymg a performance of kind and bountiful actions: which are done freely, and for which a person expects no return from the person to whom he does them: and this they distinguish from jqdx , alms, after this manner f67 ; an alms (they say) is exercised towards the living, beneficence towards the living and the dead; alms is used to the poor, beneficence both to the rich and poor; alms is performed by a man's substance, beneficence both by body and substance.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The grace of God must be owned as the root and fountain of all the goo in us, or done by us, at any time. It is great grace and favour from God, if we are made useful to others, and forward to any good work. He commends the charity of the Macedonians. So far from needing that Pau should urge them, they prayed him to receive the gift. Whatever we us or lay out for God, it is only giving him what is his own. All we giv for charitable uses, will not be accepted of God, nor turn to ou advantage, unless we first give ourselves to the Lord. By ascribing all really good works to the grace of God, we not only give the glory to him whose due it is, but also show men where their strength is Abundant spiritual joy enlarges men's hearts in the work and labour of love. How different this from the conduct of those who will not join in any good work, unless urged into it!
Greek Textus Receptus
γνωριζομεν 1107 5719 V-PAI-1P δε 1161 CONJ υμιν 5213 P-2DP αδελφοι 80 N-VPM την 3588 T-ASF χαριν 5485 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM την 3588 T-ASF δεδομενην 1325 5772 V-RPP-ASF εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF εκκλησιαις 1577 N-DPF της 3588 T-GSF μακεδονιας 3109 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. We do you to wit (gnwrizomen). An obsolete, though correct rendering. Do is used in the sense of cause or make, as Chaucer: "She that doth me all this woe endure."To wit is to know: Anglo-Saxon, witan; German, wissen; English, wit. So "Legend of King Arthur:" "Now go thou and do me to wit (make me to know) what betokeneth that noise in the field." Rev., we make known. Trial of affliction (dokimh qliyewv). Rev., better, proof. See on experience, Rom. v. 4. In much affliction, which tried and proved their christian character, their joy and liberality abounded.
Deep (kata baqouv). An adverbial expression: their poverty which went down to the depths.
Liberality (aplothtov). Or singleness. See on simplicity, Rom. xii. 8. It is better to throw the verse into two parallel clauses, instead of making abundance of joy and deep poverty the joint subject of abounded. Render: How that in much proof of affliction was the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches, etc.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:1 {The grace} (ten carin). As manifested in the collection in the churches, poor as they were. The Romans had lacerated Macedonia (Livy, XLV. 30).
