Aside Business Collections Contributions Degree Gain Gatherings Granted Home Income Keeping Lay Laying Measure Money Necessary Prosper Prospered Save Saving Store Sum Treasuring Week Whatever Whenever
16:2 Upon the {a} first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath {b} prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
(a) Which in times past was called Sunday, but now is called the Lord's day.
(b) That every man bestow according to the ability that God has blessed him with.
16:2 Upon the first [day] of the week. This shows that the first day of the week was set apart and regarded by the church. The church assembled to break bread on that day (Ac 20:7).
Let every one of you lay by him in store. The usual view is that every one was directed to set aside something on the Lord's day and keep it until Paul came. This view is sanctioned by the translations and most of the commentators. Macknight renders: On the first day of the week, let each one of you lay somewhat by itself, put it into the treasury. I believe Macknight is right; for (1) there were to be no collections when Paul came. That implies that the money was to be placed in the treasury. Otherwise, it would have to be collected. (2) Thesaurizoon, rendered in the Common Version in store, is a present participle, meaning literally, putting into the thesaurus, or treasury. (3) All church history testifies that the early church took up weekly collections on the first day of the week. See Pliny's Letter to the Emperor Trajan. (4) We know, from Acts, and from all early church history, that the church met on the first day of the week. It only remains to add that par heauto, rendered by the translators by him, is rendered with equal correctness, by itself. Its form is that of the neuter reflexive pronoun.
As [God] hath prospered him. Each week every one is to give according to his ability.
16:2 Let every one - Not the rich only: let him also that hath little, gladly give of that little. According as he hath been prospered - Increasing his alms as God increases his substance. According to this lowest rule of Christian prudence, if a man when he has or gains one pound give a tenth to God, when he has or gains an hundred he will give the tenth of this also. And yet I show unto you a more excellent way. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Stint yourself to no proportion at all. But lend to God all you can.
16:1-9 The good examples of other Christians and churches should rouse us. It is good to lay up in store for good uses. Those who are rich in this world, should be rich in good works, 1Ti 6:17,18. The diligent hand will not make rich, without the Divine blessing, Pr 10:4,22. And what more proper to stir us up to charity to the people and children of God, than to look at all we have as his gift? Works of mercy are real fruits of true love to God, and are therefore proper services on his own day. Ministers are doing their proper business, when putting forward, or helping works of charity. The heart of a Christian minister must be towards the people among whom he has laboured long, and with success. All our purposes must be made with submission to the Divine providence, Jas 4:15. Adversaries and opposition do not break the spirits of faithful and successful ministers, but warm their zeal, and inspire them with fresh courage. A faithful minister is more discouraged by the hardness of his hearers' hearts, and the backslidings of professors, than by the enemies' attempts.
Business Collections Contributions First Gain Gatherings Granted Home Keeping Lay Measure Money Necessary Prosper Prospered Save Side Something Store Sum Week Whatever Whenever
Business Collections Contributions First Gain Gatherings Granted Home Keeping Lay Measure Money Necessary Prosper Prospered Save Side Something Store Sum Week Whatever Whenever
