“Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting” (2 Corinthians 9:3-4).
When it came to his discussions with the members of the Corinthian church, Paul the Apostle employed several rhetorical tools that were designed to encourage them to act in a God-honoring manner. This included the importance of leading by example (2 Corinthians 8:24), the negative repercussions associated with continuing sin (2 Corinthians 13:1-4), and the prospect of public humiliation (as we see in the passage quoted above).
However, Paul did more than merely talk; he also responded by sending an advance team to Corinth in an effort to spare them from the shame that was sure to follow if they failed to follow through on their financial commitments. Two commentaries offer their perspectives on this approach, one that is rather charitable towards the Corinthian church and another that is much less so…
“Paul was, in effect, prodding the Corinthians to rekindle their initial enthusiasm for giving. Paul wasn’t naive about human behavior. The start and end of a marathon are much more thrilling than the miles in between. It takes stubborn determination to keep going. Paul also knew that it took a community to persevere. Just as teammates will cheer their runner on in a race, so Paul was sending Titus and two other believers to the Corinthians to cheer them on.” (1)
“Of course, Paul knows that the Corinthian church has been derelict in discharging its original commitment in this regard. Thus, while he applies pressure he tactfully suggests that he is only concerned that they be on schedule… In the event they were unprepared, it would not only be an embarrassment to the apostle but a disgrace to themselves.” (2)
So which assessment is more accurate? Well, Paul was simply practicing what he preached to the Corinthians. Remember that Paul has repeatedly expressed his love for the Corinthian Christians throughout his Biblical letters to them- and just as he said earlier, “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 TLB).
Paul’s love for the Corinthians prevented him from being inherently suspicious of their commitment to support this relief effort. But now that a year had passed with no subsequent response, he made certain to act to ensure they made good on their promise.
(1) Life Application Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 9:1-2 Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved. Life Application® is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
(2) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2357). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.