Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Corinthians 8:15
As it is written, He that [had gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [had gathered] little had no lack.
15. as it is written ] In Exo 16:18. “In this miracle St Paul perceives a great universal principle of human life. God has given to every man a certain capacity and a certain power of enjoyment. Beyond that he cannot find delight. Whatever he heaps or hoards beyond that, is not enjoyment but disquiet.” Robertson.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As it is written – see Exo 16:18.
He that had gathered much … – This passage was originally applied to the gathering of manna by the children of Israel. The manna which fell around the camp of Israel was gathered every morning. All that were able were employed in gathering it; and when it was collected it was distributed in the proportion of an omer, or about five pints to each man. Some would be more active and more successful than others. Some by age or infirmity would collect little; probably many by being confined to the camp would collect none. They who had gathered more than an omer, therefore, would in this way contribute to the needs of others, and would be constantly manifesting a spirit of benevolence. And such was their willingness to do good in this way, such their readiness to collect more than they knew would be demanded for their own use, and such the arrangement of Providence in furnishing it, that there was no want; and there was no more gathered than was needful to supply the demands of the whole.
Paul applies this passage, therefore, in the very spirit in which it was originally penned. He means to say that the rich Christians at Corinth should impart freely to their poorer brethren. They had gathered more wealth than was immediately necessary for their families or themselves. They should, therefore, impart freely to those who had been less successful. Wealth, like manna, is the gift of God. It is like that spread by his hand around us every day. Some are able to gather much more than others. By their skill, their health, their diligence, or by providential arrangements, they are eminently successful. Others are feeble, or sick, or aged, or destitute of skill, and are less successful. All that is obtained is by the arrangement of God. The health, the strength, the skill, the wisdom by which we are enabled to obtain it, are all his gift. That which is thus honestly obtained, therefore, should be regarded as his bounty, and we should esteem it a privilege daily to impart to others less favored and less successful.
Thus, society will be bound more closely together. There will be, as there was among the Israelites, the feelings of universal brotherhood. There will be on the one hand the happiness flowing from the constant exercise of the benevolent feelings; on the other the strong ties of gratitude. On the one hand the evils of poverty will be prevented, and on the other the not less. though different evils resulting from superabundant wealth. Is it a forced and unnatural analogy also to observe, that wealth, like manna, corrupts by being kept in store? manna if kept more than a single day became foul and loathsome. Does not wealth hoarded up when it might be properly employed; wealth that should have been distributed to relieve the needs of others, become corrupting in its nature, and offensive in the sight of holy and benevolent minds? Compare Jam 5:2-4. Wealth, like manna, should be employed in the service which God designs – employed to diffuse everywhere the blessings of religion, comfort, and peace.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. He that had gathered much, had nothing over] On the passage to which the apostle alludes, Ex 16:18, I have stated that, probably, every man gathered as much manna as he could, and when he brought it home and measured it by the omer, (for this was the measure for each man’s eating,) if he had a surplus it went to the supply of some other family that had not been able to collect enough; the family being large, and the time in which the manna might be gathered, before the heat of the day, not being sufficient to collect a supply for so numerous a household; several of whom might be so confined as not to be able to collect for themselves. Thus there was an equality among the Israelites in reference to this thing; and in this light these words of St. Paul lead us to view the passage. To apply this to the present case: the Corinthians, in the course of God’s providence, had gathered more than was absolutely necessary for their own support; by giving the surplus to the persecuted and impoverished Christian Jews these would be an equality; both would then possess the necessaries of life, though still the one might have more property than the other.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This quotation would incline us to think, that the abundance mentioned in the latter part of the former verse, as also the equality mentioned in the end of it, is rather to be understood with reference to the good things of this life, than with reference to spiritual blessings, or to temporal and spiritual put together, balancing one another to make an equality. For certain it is, that this quotation referreth to manna, which was the bread God afforded for the bodies of his people in the wilderness, though, considered typically, it is rightly by the apostle called spiritual meat, 1Co 10:3; signifying that bread which came down from heaven, which Moses could not give, as Christ tells us, Joh 6:32,58. These words are quoted from Exo 16:18, though more agreeably to the Septuagint than to our translation. The history is this: The manna being fallen, the text saith, Exo 16:17, that some gathered more, some less; but it so fell out, by the providence of God ordering it, that when they came and measured what they had gathered, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack. Now of this the apostle makes an argument to press the Corinthians to this charitable act. The force of which lies in this: As it was in the case of manna; there were some that gathered more, others that gathered less, yet all had enough; so it will be as to the riches of the world that men gather, though some gather more, and others gather less, yet men will find, that those that have gathered little, (have less estates than others), using what they have to the glory of God, and according to the Divine rule, will have no lack; and those that have gathered much, if they do not distribute it according to the will of God, will find that they have nothing over; God will shrink their heap into some equality to those whom at Gods command they would not relieve: Ecc 5:10; He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. The wisdom of the Divine providence hath not ordained levelling, nor made all men equal in their portions of the good things of this life; but he hath willed such an equality as every one may eat, (unless he or she that will not work), either from the sweat of their own faces, or from the charity of others. Besides, nature craveth no great things, but is satisfied with a little; so that he that hath gathered little shall have no lack, if he can but moderate the excesses of his appetite; and he that hath gathered much hath nothing over, what is either necessary for himself and his family, or what he ought to part with for the relief of others at the command of God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. (Ex16:18; Septuagint). As God gave an equal portion of mannato all the Israelites, whether they could gather much or little; soChristians should promote by liberality an equality, so that noneshould need the necessaries of life while others have superfluities.”Our luxuries should yield to our neighbor’s comforts; and ourcomforts to his necessities” [J. HOWARD].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As it is written,…. In Ex 16:18
he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; respect is had to the history of the manna, a sort of food God prepared for the Israelites in the wilderness; and which were gathered by them every morning, by some more, by others less; and yet when it came to be measured, every man had his “omer” and no more, one had nothing over, and the other not at all deficient; each man had his proper and equal quantity; and which, by the Jews w, is looked upon as a miracle that was wrought: many useful instructions may be learned from this history, as that as there was a general provision made by God for the Israelites, good and bad, and the mixed multitude that came from Egypt with them; so there is an universal providence of God which reaches to all creatures, even to the vegetable, to the birds of the air, and beasts of the field, to all the individuals of human nature, and to the bad among them as well as the good; though to the latter it is more special, who of all men have the least reason to be distrustful and uneasy: and as that provision was daily, so is that providential supply which all creatures have from God; he is to be trusted to, and depended on daily; application is to be made to him every day for daily bread; nor should there be any anxious concern for the morrow. Moreover, as the Israelites, though the manna was prepared for them, were to rise in the morning and gather it before the sun waxed hot; so notwithstanding the providence of God, and the daily care he takes of men, yet diligence, industry, and the use of means are highly commendable. And as some gathered more and others less, yet upon measuring it with the “omer”, there was an entire equality, one had not more nor less than another; so upon the winding up of things in Providence, such as have gathered much riches in the morning of life, in the evening of death will have nothing over, nor anything to show more than others; and they that have gathered little will appear to have had no lack; both will have had food and raiment, and no more, only with this difference, some will have enjoyed a richer diet and clothing, and others a meaner, and both suitable to their circumstances in life; which may instruct us to depend upon divine Providence, daily to be content with such things as we have, and to make a proper use of what is gathered, whether more or less, and not only for ourselves, but for the good of others. This discovers the egregious folly of such, who are anxiously concerned for the gathering and amassing much worldly riches together; which when they have done, they lay it up for themselves, and do not make use of it for common good, neither for the good of civil society, nor the interest of religion. Let it be observed, that those Israelites who from a selfish covetous disposition, and distrust of divine Providence, left of their manna till the morning, “it bred worms and stank”: which was by the just judgment of God inflicted as a punishment; for otherwise it was capable of being kept longer. So when covetous mortals lay up for themselves for time to come, and do not communicate to the necessities of others, such a practice breeds and produces worms, moth, and rottenness in their estates, which gradually decrease, or are suddenly taken from them, or they from them: such an evil disposition is the root and cause of many immoralities in life; it greatly prejudices professors of religion in things spiritual; and it tends to their everlasting ruin, to breed that worm of an evil conscience that will never die, and to render their persons stinking and abominable, both in the sight of God and men.
w Jarchi & Aben Ezra in Exod. xvi. 18. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 76. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1 ) “As it is written,” (kathos gegraptai) “as it has been written,” in the Scriptures Paul thus certifies his belief in both the philosophic and absolute truth of the Scriptures.
2) “He that had gathered much,” (ho to polu ouk epleonasen) “He that held on to everything; the much, did not abound,” prosper or do well. Covetous, selfish stealing of tithes for self impoverishes, Exo 16:18-21.
3) “Had nothing over,” (ouk epleonasen) “Not a thing had left over,” withholding from the needy tends toward poverty, as well as disobedience to God, Exo 16:21. This refers to God’s supplying manna to impoverished Israel in the wilderness.
4) “And he that had gathered little,” (kai ho to holigon) “and he that had to himself, for himself gathered little;” but a little, enough for one day at a time, except on the sixth day, Mat 6:11.
5) “Had no lack,” (ouk elattonesen) “held no less or had no lack or need,” because others who were able gathered the omer for the afflicted, Exo 16:19-20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. As it is written. The passage, that Paul quotes, refers to the manna, but let us hear what the Lord says by Moses. He would have this to serve as a never-failing proof, that men do not live by bread alone, but are Divinely supported, by the secret influence of His will, who maintains and preserves all things that he has created. Again, in another passage, (Deu 8:3,) Moses admonishes them, that they had been nourished for a time with such food, that they might learn that men are supported — not by their own industry or labor, but by the blessing of God. Hence it appears, that in the manna, as in a mirror, there is presented to us an emblem of the ordinary food that we partake of. Let us now come to the passage that Paul quotes. When the manna had fallen, they were commanded to gather it in heaps, so far as every one could, though at the same time, as some are more active than others, there was more gathered by some than was necessary for daily use, (681) yet no one took for his own private use more than an homer, (682) for that was the measure that was prescribed by the Lord. This being the case, all had as much as was sufficient, and no one was in want. This we have in Exo 16:18
Let us now apply the history to Paul’s object. The Lord has not prescribed to us an homer, or any other measure, according to which the food of each day is to be regulated, but he has enjoined upon us frugality and temperance, and has forbidden, that any one should go to excess, taking advantage of his abundance. Let those, then, that have riches, whether they have been left by inheritance, or procured by industry and efforts, consider that their abundance was not intended to be laid out in intemperance or excess, but in relieving the necessities of the brethren. For whatever we have is manna, from whatever quarter it comes, provided it be really ours, inasmuch as riches acquired by fraud, and unlawful artifices, are unworthy to be called so, but are rather quails sent forth by the anger of God. (Num 11:31.) And as in the case of one hoarding the manna, either from excessive greed or from distrust, what was laid up immediately putrified, so we need not doubt that the riches, that are heaped up at the expense of our brethren, are accursed, and will soon perish, and that too, in connection with the ruin of the owner; so that we are not to think that it is the way to increase, if, consulting our own advantage for a long while to come, we defraud our poor brethren of the beneficence that we owe them. (683) I acknowledge, indeed, that there is not enjoined upon us an equality of such a kind, as to make it unlawful for the rich to live in any degree of greater elegance than the poor; but an equality is to be observed thus far — that no one is to be allowed to starve, and no one is to hoard his abundance at the expense of defrauding others. The poor man’s homer (684) will be coarse food and a spare diet; the rich man’s homer will be a more abundant portion, it is true, according to his circumstances, but at the same time in such a way that they live temperately, and are not wanting to others.
(681) “ Combien qu’aucuns en amassassent plus qu’il ne leur estoit de besoin pour la nourriture d’vn iour, et les autres moins (comme les vns sont plus habiles que les autres;)” — “Though some gathered more of it than was needed by them as the food of a day, and others less (as some are more expert than others).”
(682) “An omer was about three quarts English measure. It is inferred by some that, when any one had gathered more than his due share, he gave the overplus to those who had gathered less. Others, however, suppose that the whole quantity gathered by any one family was first put into a common mass, and then measured out to the several individuals composing the household. ” — Bush’s Notes on Exodus. — Ed.
(683) “ Le secours et assistance;” — “The help and assistance.”
(684) “ L’homer, c’est a dire la mesure des poures;” — “The homer, that is to say, the measure of the poor.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) He that had gathered much.The quotation is from one of the readings of the LXX. version of Exo. 16:18. The work of love was, in the Apostles thoughts, like the manna in the wilderness. In the long-run all would be filled, each according to his several necessities.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Written Exo 16:18. The apostle gives nearly the words of the Septuagint. They are quoted by him simply as a felicitous description of the equalization. As Jehovah provided a cheerful equalization of the manna, so that there was neither surplus nor lack, so, under Christ, through Christian beneficence, there may be neither unequal wealth nor want.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘As it is written, He who gathered much had nothing over; and he who gathered little had no lack.’
This was in accordance with the Scripture principle illustrated in Exo 16:18, which demonstrated God’s mind on the subject of provision, each according to his need. God did not shower jewels down on them, but manna. They received the necessities.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Co 8:15. He that had gathered much, &c. See the note on Exo 16:18.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.
Ver. 15. He that had gathered much ] He that was so nimble as to gather more than his neighbour was to supply his neighbour, that every man might have his omer. Now the equity of this law being common and perpetual, the apostle draweth his argument from it. Riches, saith one, are but as manna; those that gathered more of it had but enough to serve their turn (or if they gathered more, it was but a trouble and annoyance to them), and they that gathered less had no want. Let the rich account themselves the poor man’s stewards. “Withhold not good from the owners thereof (the poor) when it is in the power of thy hand to do it,” Pro 3:27 . See Trapp on “ Pro 3:27 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] that there may be equality, as it is written (i.e. according to the expression used in the Scripture history: , Chrys., of the gathering of the manna) He that (gathered) much, did not exceed (the measure prescribed by God): and he that (gathered) little, did not fall short (of it). The fact of equality being the only point brought into comparison as between the Israelites of old and Christians now, it is superfluous to enquire minutely how this equality was wrought among the Israelites. The quotation is according to the reading of the LXX generally supported by MSS.; except that appears for in A a secunda manu. Grabe (not F) and the Aldine edition have and , probably a correction. The context supplies from the in the preceding verse, and is presumed by the Apostle to be familiar to his readers.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Co 8:15 . . . .: as it is written, sc. , in the words of Scripture, “ He that gathered (we must understand from Exo 16:17 ) much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack ,” sc. , because each gathered enough manna for his own needs and no more. That each Christian Church may have enough for its necessities , not its luxuries , is what St. Paul contemplates as desirable and possible by mutual generosity in giving. The true text (ABF) of the LXX in Exo 16:18 has for , which however is found as an early correction in A [65] , and also in Philo.
[65]A Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
is = has been.
had nothing over = did not (App-106).
abound. Greek. pleonazo. See 2Co 4:15.
had no lack = had not (App-105) less (than enough). Greek. elattoneo. Only here. This is quoted almost word for word from the Septuagint Exo 16:18.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] that there may be equality, as it is written (i.e. according to the expression used in the Scripture history: , Chrys.,-of the gathering of the manna) He that (gathered) much, did not exceed (the measure prescribed by God): and he that (gathered) little, did not fall short (of it). The fact of equality being the only point brought into comparison as between the Israelites of old and Christians now, it is superfluous to enquire minutely how this equality was wrought among the Israelites. The quotation is according to the reading of the LXX generally supported by MSS.; except that appears for in A a secunda manu. Grabe (not F) and the Aldine edition have and , probably a correction. The context supplies from the in the preceding verse,-and is presumed by the Apostle to be familiar to his readers.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Co 8:15. , it is written) Exo 16:18, , , . The article adds to it the force of a superlative [ , the most; , the least].- , he who the most) viz. , gathered. There is a similar expression, Num 35:8, , .- ) he had not more than an homer.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Co 8:15
2Co 8:15
as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack.-When God gave the manna in the wilderness, no matter how much they gathered, there was nothing left, and no lack. (Exo 16:18). The lesson taught is, if each will give freely to help others, none will want. Give what we have over to supply the lack of others.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Exo 16:18, Luk 22:35
Reciprocal: Jos 19:9 – too much Luk 6:38 – and it Act 2:44 – had 2Co 9:12 – only 1Jo 3:17 – whoso
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Co 8:15. This refers to the gathering of manna in the wilderness recorded in Exo 16:18, and Paul is making a spiritual application of it. (See the comments on that passage in volume 1 of the Old Testament Commentary.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 15 In the wilderness ( Exo 16:17-18 ), no one had anything left and no one lacked for manna. McGarvey and Pendleton write, “Now that which God effected by irresistible law under the old dispensation, he was now seeking to effect under the new dispensation through the gracious influence of brotherly love. Our differences in ability make it inevitable that some shall surpass others in the gathering of wealth; but as selfishness gives place to Christian love, the inequality of earthly possessions will become more even.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
as it is written [Exo 16:17-18], He that gathered much had nothing over; and he that gathered little had no lack. [In the gathering of the manna some of the Israelites were able to find more than the others, but when they came to measure what they gathered, God’s providence so intervened and ordered that each found he had an omer. Now that which God effected by irresistible law under the old dispensation, he was now seeking to effect under the new dispensation through the gracious influence of brotherly love. Our differences in ability make it inevitable that some shall surpass others in the gathering of wealth; but as selfishness gives place to Christian love, the inequality in earthly possessions will become more even.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 15
This language refers to the gathering of the manna. (Exodus 16:18,) and is used here as illustrative of the nature of Christian liberality.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Paul illustrated the fact that God wants all of His people to have enough by citing the Israelites’ situation in the wilderness (Exo 16:18). Some of the Israelites gathered more manna and some gathered less for various reasons. Nevertheless they all had their needs met. God saw to that, though the Old Testament does not explain exactly how He did it. Now the Corinthians needed to see to it that what God had provided them in abundance reached those who did not have enough. As they did this, they would become God’s agents in maintaining sufficiency for all.
God has always wanted all His people to have enough and to share with their brethren who have less when they have more. We should implement this principle of relative equality in our giving. God’s desire is the same today as it has been throughout history. This is clear from Paul’s appeal to the past (2Co 8:15). There are no easy answers to how we can effect this relative equality in our world with its gigantic population and complex socio-economic-political problems. Moreover God’s will is not exactly the same for every Christian. Paul appealed implying that the Corinthians could decide what they wanted to do (2Co 8:10-12). Nevertheless our responsibility is clear.