Verse 9
The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the greatest example of self-sacrificing liberality. He gave up the riches of glory in heaven when He became a man and died on the cross so that we might share His riches of glory in heaven (cf. Philippians 2:1-11). Gratitude to Him for His condescending grace should be the supreme motive for Christian giving.
"Paul depicts the glory of heavenly existence as wealth, in comparison with which the lowliness of earthly existence amounts to ’poverty.’ Thus it is not possible [i.e., proper], from this verse alone, to deduce that Christ’s life on earth was one of indigence. In the context the stress is on his voluntary surrender of glory contrasted with the spiritual wealth derived by others (Ephesians 1:3) through his gracious act of giving." [Note: Harris, p. 368.]
Paul frequently used doctrine to appeal for proper conduct (cf. Romans 15:2-3; Ephesians 5:2; Colossians 3:9-10).
The Macedonians gave when they were very poor, but Christ gave when He was immensely rich. The Corinthians fitted between these two extremes. These two examples leave no question that giving is a grace that both the rich and the poor should manifest.
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