The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1897-09-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for September
q, IsO7-Gcntiics Giving for Jewish
IArranred from Peloubet's Notes.l

GOLDEN TEXT.-For ye know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that.
though He was rich, yet for your sakes
He became poor, that We through His pow
erty might be rich.-2 Cor So
THE SECTION includes the passages re-
ferred TO below In connection with aims
for Jewish Christians, and the whole of
Corinthians, especially chapters and 9.
TIME.-The second Epistle TO the Cor
inthians was written I'm the autumn OF A.
- 81. or nearly In So, few months after
PLACE-Written 10 the church In Cor
NTH. from one OF the churches Of Mace
donia, probably Philippi.
EXPLANATORY.
/. The Need of Liberal Giving.-Ns.
1, 2. /. "As touching the ministering
to the saints" Paul refers to the col
lection he was taking up in Macedonia
and Greece for the poor at Jerusalem.
The Jewish Christians were, as a rule,
from the poorer classes. The opposi-
ton to them as Christians made it diff
ficult for them to obtain work for their
support. A large number of the jew
ish Christians were proselytes from va
rious distant countries, and without
their natural means of support. 1T is
superfluous for me to write to you:"
do not need to press upon you duty
you are so well performing ". p. But
there were brief remarks and sugges-
tions to be made concerning it.
III. The Power of Example in Giving.
VS.. "a. 2. Il boast that
Achaia," Greece, of which Corinth was
the chief city, and where was the prin-
cipal church, was ready a year ago."
e Cor. S:10). They decided to raise the
money, and began with great enthusi-
asm, but apparently their zeal had
cooled a little, and the collection had
moved slowly. Your zeal hath pro-
-oked:" In good sense, STIRRED up"
awakened similar interest in other
churches.
3. "Have l sent the brethren:" Titus
and his two companions mentioned in
chapter Sc, 16, %, who were about to
proceed to Corinth to attend to this
matter. Lest our boasting:" Our
glorying, our praise of your generosity.
SHOULD be in vain" What slur upon
them, what an evil example to others,
what humiliation to himself, if their
generosity should be but wind and
clouds Of promise, without the rain of
good deeds! THAT We may
be ready" Prepared with the money,
collected from week to week. as the
Lord had prospered them.
4. eff they of Macedonia come with
me-" Paul was attended from city to
city by travelling companions, who con-
Quoted him on his way. AS he was
now in Macedonia it was in accordance
with the usual custom that Macedoni-
CHI
III. Liberal Giving will be System
atic.-V. 8. Necessary to eXhort:" to
eRtreat, 1.-The brethren" Titus and his
companions. 1t was work they did not
like. They would rather preach the
Gospel and aid Paul than to go about
raising money from those who should
have given it freely. make up before
hand:" Put fully in order, complete.
Your bounty" Literally, your bless
ing" expressed in your gifts. "Ye had
notice before:" Not announced to
them, but announced concerning them.
". Sowing and Reaping. One Great
Principle in Giving.-V. 6. HE which
soweth sparingly:" This is the uni
versal law, observed on every hand.
"Bountifully," with blessings. The
plural denotes variety of blessings"
Beet. The two laws of sowing are,
first, we shall reap what we sow, or
what naturally grows from the seed.
If we sow to righteousness, we shall
reap righteousness; if we sow to the
happiness of others, we shall reap that
happiness.
The second law is: That we shall reap
-, % 10
abundantly. If we do little for others,
if we give little for the progress of the
world, if we spend little time or effort
in growing good, or doing good, the
| results will be small.
V. The Cheerful Giver.-V. Z. "As he
purposeth in his heart:" AS his heart
decides that he should give. Not
grudgingly:" Literally, out of sorrow,
constrained TO give when he would
rather not, as he would take a disagree
able medicine, or have a tooth pulled.
God loveth cheerful giver." There
| is no installing its import. God loves
a whole-souled giver-one who is not
ashamed of the cause for which he
gives-one who. with a strong, buoy
ant, joyous confidence in the cause, in
the men who are working with him for
it, and, above all, in the God who di
reefs the work, gives freely, heartily
and with a swing.
VI. The Divine Rewards of Liber-
ality.-Vs. Sill. 8. God is able to make
all grace abound:" Grace-favor, gift,
whether temporal or spiritual, the
means of giving, as well as cheerfulness
in the act. THAT yea having all
sufficiency:" 1t is the state of mind
which, needing nothing but the barest
necessaries, regards all other things rs
superfuities, to be parted with when
ever the needs of others require them.
THAT We may abound to every
good work." God has dealt bounti-
fully with us that we may be able to
be bountiful in helping others.
10. Now he that ministereth," i. e.,
God. both ministers:" This is not
prayer but statement of fact. Bread
for your food" He will take care that
your own wants are cared for. "Mul-