SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:18
Y enviamos juntamente con él al hermano cuya alabanza es en el Evangelio por todas las Iglesias;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Corinthians 8:18
Verse 18. The brother, whose praise is in the Gospel] Who this brother was we cannot tell; some suppose it was St. Luke, who wrote a gospel, and who was the companion of St. Paul in several of his travels; others think it was Silas; others, Barnabas; others, Mark; and others, Apollos. Neither ancients nor moderns agree in either; but Luke, John, and Mark, seem to have the most probable opinions in their favour. Whoever the person was he was sufficiently known to the Corinthians, as we learn by what the apostle says of him in this place.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. And we have sent with him the brother , etc..] The Syriac and Ethiopic versions read, “our brother”; and one of Stephens's copies, “your brother”: who this brother was, is not certain; some think it was Luke the evangelist, the companion of the apostle in his travels: whose praise is in the Gospel, throughout all the churches ; being known and highly commended by all the churches, for the Gospel he wrote; but it is not certain that Luke as yet had wrote his Gospel; and much less that it was so much known at present among the churches; and besides, this brother's praise seems to be on account of his preaching the Gospel, and not writing one: others think Barnabas is intended, who was chosen and sent out by the churches along with the apostle; but these in a short time separated from each other, nor do we read of their coming together again: others are of opinion, that Apollos is designed, who was a very eloquent preacher, and of whom the apostle had given the Corinthians an intimation in his former epistle, that he would come to them at a convenient time; but to him is objected, that he never was chosen of the churches, to travel with the apostle on such an account as here mentioned: others would have it that Silas or Silvanus is meant, who was a very constant companion of the apostle, and of whom he makes mention in most of his epistles; and others have made no doubt of it, but John Mark is here meant, who not only wrote a Gospel, but was an excellent preacher of it, and was chosen by the churches to go along with Paul and Barnabas; and though there was some distaste taken to him by Paul, he was afterwards reconciled to him, and for his profitableness in the ministry was greatly desired by him; but after all, it is difficult to determine who it was, nor is it of any great moment: a “brother” he was; being not only a regenerate person, but a preacher of the Gospel; a brother in the ministry, and “one whose praise was in the Gospel”; greatly admired, and much commended, for his excellent talent in preaching the Gospel; and for this he was famous “throughout all the churches”; a very great commendation indeed; but this is not all, it follows, Ver. 19. And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches , etc..] Not only famous for preaching the Gospel, but he was also appointed by the joint suffrages of the churches, which were made by the lifting up or stretching out of the hand, as the word here used signifies; this brother was not chosen to this service by a few private persons, or by a single church only, but by several churches; which does not refer to the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch, as if the apostles were appointed, and others were appointed by these churches to travel with them, in order to collect money for the poor saints at Jerusalem; of which no mention is any where made, only of their being sent out by them to preach the Gospel. James, Cephas, and John indeed, when they gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that they might go to the Heathen, desired them to “remember the poor”; ( Galatians 2:9,10) but these were not the churches. The church at Antioch did collect for the brethren in Judea, at the time of the famine among them, and sent their bounty by the hands of Barnabas and Saul, which seems to be the case here. This brother was chosen by the churches who collected, and not by the churches in Judea, for whom the collections were made; for it was usual, and what was right and proper, that the churches chose whom they thought fit to carry their liberality to Jerusalem; (see 1 Corinthians 16:3,4). Now this brother had the honour to be chosen by these churches, to travel , says the apostle, with us, with this grace ; bounty or beneficence of the churches, what they had freely and liberally contributed for the supply of the poor, from a principle of grace, and by the assistance of it; which is administered by us ; not given by the apostles, but collected by them; or what was procured by their means, in the several churches to whom they had moved it, and by proper arguments had excited them to it, with which they cheerfully complied: and this was done on a two fold account, both to the glory of the same Lord : Jesus Christ, who is the one Lord over all; the same Lord of the apostles, and the church at Corinth; the same Lord of the Corinthians, and the Macedonian and other churches; and the same Lord of the poor saints at Jerusalem, and the rich members of the several churches that contributed to them: and also to the declaration of your ready mind ; or to stir up their ready mind to increase it and promote it in them, as well to make it manifest, and that it might appear to others, how readily and freely they came into this service; so that the apostle's concern in this administration was not from any sinister and selfish ends; no, nor so much for the relief of the poor, though this was greatly designed, as for the glory of Christ, and the honour of his churches.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-24 - The apostle commends the brethren sent to collect their charity, tha it might be known who they were, and how safely they might be trusted It is the duty of all Christians to act prudently; to hinder, as far a we can, all unjust suspicions. It is needful, in the first place, to act uprightly in the sight of God, but things honest in the sight of men should also be attended to. A clear character, as well as a pur conscience, is requisite for usefulness. They brought glory to Chris as instruments, and had obtained honour from Christ to be counte faithful, and employed in his service. The good opinion others have of us, should be an argument with us to do well __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
συνεπεμψαμεν 4842 5656 V-AAI-1P δε 1161 CONJ μετ 3326 PREP αυτου 846 P-GSM τον 3588 T-ASM αδελφον 80 N-ASM ου 3739 R-GSM ο 3588 T-NSM επαινος 1868 N-NSM εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN ευαγγελιω 2098 N-DSN δια 1223 PREP πασων 3956 A-GPF των 3588 T-GPF εκκλησιων 1577 N-GPF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. The brother whose praise is in the Gospel. Is should be joined with throughout all the churches; as Rev., whose praise in the Gospel is spread throughout, etc. The person referred to has been variously identified with Titus' brother, Barnabas, Mark, Luke, and Epaenetus, mentioned in Rom. xvi. 5. The reference to Epaenetus has been urged on the ground of a supposed play upon the word praise, epainos; Epaenetus meaning praiseworthy; and the parallel is cited in the case of Onesimus profitable, of whom Paul says that he will henceforth be useful, Philemon 11. 149
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:18 {We have sent with him} (sunepemyamen met' autou). Epistolary aorist. {The brother} (ton adelfon). this may be, probably is, Luke who may also be the brother of Titus (see also #12:18) according to a common Greek idiom where the article is used as "his." But this idiom is not necessary. As a matter of fact, we do not know who this brother is. {Is spread through all the churches} (dia paswn twn ekklesiwn). No verb in the Greek (ellipsis).
