Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! NLT

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! ESVUK

As we have seen, these two magnificent chapters about Christian giving, ultimately flow from the Person and Work of Christ. In His generous and sacrificial self-giving, He is our great example:

”For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Cor.8:9 ESVUK.

It is generally believed that this last statement in chapter 9 refers to the ”inexpressible” or ”indescribable” gift of Jesus Himself. How appropriate, then, for this Easter week-end.

Some commentators take it to refer to the gift of God’s grace manifested in the giving of the Corinthians. You can see how this fits the context.

But R.V.G Tasker thinks that it is ‘…probable, as Chrysostom suggested, that Paul, as he thinks of the divine grace bestowed on the Corinthians and remembers that all grace for the Christian flows from Calvary, because unredeemed men are strangers to that grace and because redemption was made on the cross and nowhere else, is led to burst into a cry of thanksgiving for the divine gift which inspires all gifts, the gift of God’s own Son.’ (Tyndale New Testament Commentary)