2 Corinthians 8:4
With much entreaty begging of us the grace and communication of the ministry that is done toward the saints.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- cum multa exhortatione obsecrantes nos gratiam, et communicationem ministerii, quod fit in sanctos.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- μετὰ πολλῆς παρακλήσεως δεόμενοι ἡμῶν, τὴν χάριν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους—
Haydock's commentary
Begging of us the grace, &c. We may translate, benevolence, or charity, meaning their charitable alms or contributions. It also may be called a grace, a favour, or a charity, which they did for the poor. He exhorts them to these charitable contributions by the example of Christ, who being the God of glory, made himself the lowest and poorest of men to enrich us with grace and glory. (Witham)
Towards the saints. The saints whom St. Paul is here speaking of, are the faithful of Jerusalem, who had been deprived of all their property at the beginning of their conversion, by their countrymen, for their steady adherence to the Christian faith, and were now reduced to the greatest want. It is for the support of their brethren in Palestine that the charitable contributions here mentioned by St. Paul, were raised in the Churches of Macedon. (Calmet)
In the Greek we read, entreating us to receive the alms which they offered as a contribution to the charitable fund destined for the saints, or faithful, at Jerusalem. See Romans xv. 25 and 26, and 1 Corinthians xvi. 1 and 3.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Of the Work of Monks, Section 17
17. On account then of these either occupations of the servants of God, or bodily infirmities, which cannot be altogether wanting, not only doth the Apostle permit the needs of saints to be supplied by good believers, but also most wholesomely exhorteth. For, setting apart that power, which he saith himself had not used, which yet that the faithful must serve unto, he enjoins, saying, “Let him that is catechised in the word, communicate unto him that doth catechise him, in all good things:” setting apart, then, this power, which that the preachers of the word have over them to whom they preach, he often testifieth; speaking, moreover, of the saints who had sold all that they had and distributed the same, and were dwelling at Jerusalem in an holy communion of life, not saying that any thing was their own, to whom all things were in common, and their soul and heart one in the Lord: that th …
St John Chrysostom Homilies on Second Corinthians, Homily XVI
Ver. 4 . “With much intreaty.” Lo! yet a third and a fourth. “Praying us.” Lo! even a fifth. And when they were in affliction and in poverty. Here are a sixth and seventh. And they gave with excessiveness. Then since this is what he most of all wishes to provide for in the Corinthians’ case, namely, the giving deliberately, he dwells especially upon it, saying, “with much intreaty,” and “praying us.” ‘We prayed not them, but they us.’ Pray us what? “That the grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints.” Seest thou how he again exalts the deed, calling it by venerable names. For since they were ambitious of spiritual gifts, he calls it by the name grace that they might eagerly pursue it; and again by that of “fellowship,” that they might learn that they receive, not give only. ‘This therefore they intreated us,’ he says, ‘that we would take upon us such a ministry.’