Homily 20 — Second Corinthians 9, verses 10 to 15

“Now may he who supplies seed to the sower both supply bread for your food, and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” [a]

Here especially one may admire Paul’s wisdom. He had urged them on from spiritual considerations and from earthly ones; and now, when he speaks of the reward, he does exactly the same again, naming returns of both kinds. For example, “He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor, his righteousness remains forever” belongs to a spiritual return; “multiply your seed for sowing,” on the other hand, to an earthly reward. Still, he does not stop there, but passes back once more to what is spiritual, setting the two side by side all the way through; for “increase the fruits of your righteousness” is spiritual.

He does this and so gives variety to his discourse. By it he tears up by the roots their unmanly and fainthearted reasonings, using many arguments to scatter their fear of poverty — and the example he now brings forward is one of them. For if God gives even to those who sow the earth, if he grants abundance to those who feed the body, much more will he give to those who farm the soil of heaven, to those who take care of the soul; for these are the ones he wills should enjoy his providing care still more.

However, he does not put this as a conclusion drawn from an argument, nor in the way I have done, but in the form of a prayer. In this way he makes the connection plain at once, and leads them on to hope all the more, not only from what ordinarily happens, but also from his own prayer. “May he supply,” he says, “and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” Here too he hints again, in a way that arouses no suspicion, at largeness in giving, for the words “multiply” and “increase” point to this. And at the same time he lets them seek nothing more than necessities, saying, “bread for food.”

For this too is especially worth admiring in him, and it is a point he had already made successfully before: in things that are necessary he lets them seek nothing beyond what need requires, but in spiritual things he counsels them to gain for themselves a great overflowing abundance. That is why he said above as well, “that, having enough, you may abound in every good work”; and here, “He who supplies bread for food, may he multiply your seed for sowing” — that is, the spiritual seed. For he does not ask for almsgiving merely, but for almsgiving with largeness. That is also why he keeps calling it “seed.” Just as grain thrown into the ground shows luxuriant crops, so almsgiving produces many handfuls of righteousness and shows fruits beyond words.

Then, having prayed that great plenty would be theirs, he shows them again on what they ought to spend it, saying, Verse 11: “You being enriched in everything for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.”

That is, not so that you may use it up on things that are not fitting, but on things that bring much thanksgiving to God. For God has put great things at our disposal: keeping for himself what is lesser, he has handed over to us what is greater. Food for the body is at his disposal alone, but food for the mind he has left to us; for it lies in our own power whether the crops we have to show are luxuriant. Here there is no need of rains or of the changing seasons, but only of the will, and the crops shoot up to heaven itself.

By “generosity” he here means largeness in giving. “Which produces thanksgiving to God through us.” For what is done is not almsgiving merely, but also the ground of much thanksgiving — or rather, not of thanksgiving only, but of many other things besides. These he names as he goes on, so that by showing it to be the cause of many good works he may make them all the more eager.

What, then, are these many good works? Listen to him saying:

Verses 12 to 14: “For the ministry of this service not only fills up the measure of the needs of the saints, but also overflows through many thanksgivings to God; since, through the proof of you given by this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the good news, and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all; while they also, with prayer on your behalf, long for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.” [c]

What he means is this: “In the first place, you not only supply the needs of the saints; you even give in abundance” — that is, “you provide them with even more than they need. Next, through them you send up thanksgiving to God, for they glorify him for the obedience of your confession.” He does not want to present them as giving thanks for this reason alone — I mean, because they received something. So see how high-minded he shows them to be, exactly as he himself says to the Philippians, “Not that I desire a gift” (Philippians 4, verse 17). “I bear the same witness of them too. They are glad, indeed, that you supply their needs and ease their poverty; but far more, that you submit so fully to the good news — and the proof of this is that you give so generously.” For this is what the good news commands.

“And for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all.” “And for this reason,” he says, “they glorify God: that you are so generous, not to them only, but to everyone.” And this in turn becomes praise for the saints, that they gave thanks even for what is given to others. “For they honor,” he says, “not their own interests only, but those of others as well, and this though they are in the deepest poverty — which is evidence of their great virtue. For nothing is so full of envy as the whole class of those who are poor. But they are clean of this passion. Far from being pained at what you give to others, they even rejoice over it no less than over what they receive themselves.” [d]

“While they also, with prayer.” “For these things,” he says, “they give thanks to God; but because of your love and your fellowship with them, they beg him that they may be counted worthy to see you. They long for this, not for the money’s sake, but so that they may be witnesses of the grace that has been given to you.”

Do you see Paul’s wisdom — how, after lifting them up, he credited the whole thing to God by calling it “grace”? He had spoken great things of them: he had called them ministers and raised them to a great height (since they were the ones performing the service, while he himself only administered it), and he had called them “proven.” So now he shows that God was the author of all these things. And he himself, along with them, sends up thanksgiving again, saying, Verse 15: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.”

By “gift” he here means either all those many good things that almsgiving works, both for those who receive and for those who give; or else those indescribable good things which, through his coming, God gave with great bounty to the whole world — and one may suspect that this is the more likely. For, so as at once to sober them and to make them more generous, he reminds them of the benefits they had received from God. Nothing has greater power to spur people on to every virtue, and that is why he ended his discourse with it. [e]

But if his gift is indescribable, what could match the madness of those who raise curious questions about his being? And not only is his gift indescribable; that “peace” too “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4, verse 7) — the peace by which he reconciled the things above with the things below.

Since, then, we enjoy such great grace, let us strive to show a virtuous life worthy of it, and to make much of almsgiving. And we will do this if we avoid excess and drunkenness and gluttony. For God gave food and drink not for excess but for nourishment. It is not the wine that produces drunkenness; if that were so, everyone would have to be drunk. “But,” someone says, “it would be better if even drinking a great deal did no harm.” These are drunkards’ words. For if drinking a great deal does harm, and even so you do not give up your excess; if it is so shameful and so harmful, and even so you do not stop your depraved longing — then if it were possible to drink a great deal and suffer no harm at all, where would your excess have stopped? Would you not have longed for the very rivers to turn into wine? Would you not have destroyed and ruined everything?

There is a limit in food, and when we pass beyond it we are harmed. Yet even so you cannot bear the bridle; you snap it in two and seize what belongs to everyone else, to serve the wicked tyranny of this gluttony. What would you not have done if this natural limit had been abolished? Would you not have spent all your time on it? Would it have been a good thing, then, to strengthen so unreasonable a craving, and not to prevent the harm that comes from excess? And how many other harms would that have given birth to?

But oh, the senseless people! They wallow in drunkenness and every other kind of debauchery as if in mud, and when they have sobered up a little, they sit down and do nothing but utter sayings like this: “Why does it end this way?” They ought to be condemning their own sins instead. Instead of what you are saying now — “Why has he set limits? Why doesn’t everything go on without any order?” — say, “Why do we not stop getting drunk? Why are we never satisfied? Why are we more senseless than the animals without reason?” [f]

These are the questions they ought to put to one another. They ought to listen to the voice of the apostle and learn how many good things, as he testifies to the Corinthians, come from almsgiving, and seize hold of this treasure. For despising money makes people proven, as he said; it brings it about that God is glorified; it warms love; it produces loftiness of soul in people; and it makes them priests — yes, priests of a priesthood that brings great reward.

For the merciful man is not dressed in a robe reaching to his feet, nor does he carry bells about, nor does he wear a crown. He is wrapped in the robe of kindness, holier than the sacred vestment. He is anointed with oil — not oil made of material ingredients, but oil produced by the Spirit. He wears a crown of mercies, for it is said, “Who crowns you with compassion and mercies” (Psalm 103, verse 4). And instead of wearing a plate bearing the name of God, he is himself like God. How so? “You,” he says, “will be like your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5, verse 45).

Would you like to see his altar as well? Bezalel did not build it, nor anyone else but God himself; not of stones, but of a material brighter than the sky — of rational souls. The priest enters the holy of holies; but you may enter places more awe-inspiring still when you offer this sacrifice, where no one is present but “your Father, who sees in secret” (Matthew 6, verse 4), where no one else is watching. “And how,” someone says, “is it possible that no one should see, when the altar stands in public view?” Why, this is exactly what is wonderful. In those times double doors and veils made the seclusion; but now, though you offer your sacrifice in public view, you may offer it as though in the holy of holies, and in a far more awe-inspiring way. For when you do not do it for show before people, then even if the whole world has seen it, no one has seen it, because of the way you have done it. He did not simply say, “Do not do it before people,” but added, “to be seen by them” (Matthew 6, verse 1). [g]

This altar is made of the very members of Christ, and the Lord’s body becomes your altar. Revere it, then: it is on the Lord’s flesh that you offer the victim. This altar is more awe-inspiring even than this one we now use, and not only than the one used of old. No, do not cry out in protest. This altar here is wonderful because of the sacrifice that is laid on it; but the merciful man’s altar is wonderful not only for that reason, but also because it is made of the very sacrifice that makes the other one wonderful. Again, this one is only a stone by nature, and has become holy because it receives Christ’s body; but that one is holy because it is itself Christ’s body. So this altar, beside which you stand as a layman, is more awe-inspiring than that one.

Does Aaron seem anything at all to you in comparison with this, then — or his crown, or his bells, or the holy of holies? What need is there any longer to measure it against Aaron’s altar, when even compared with this one it has been shown to be so glorious? Yet you honor this altar because it receives Christ’s body, while the one who is himself Christ’s body you treat with contempt, and when he is perishing you neglect him. This altar you may see lying everywhere, in the lanes and in the marketplaces, and you may sacrifice on it at every hour; for on this one too sacrifice is performed. And as the priest stands calling down the Spirit, so you too call down the Spirit — not by speech, but by deeds. For nothing so sustains and kindles the fire of the Spirit as this oil poured out generously.

But if you would like to see also what becomes of the things laid on it, come here, and I will show them to you. What, then, is the smoke, what the sweet aroma of this altar? Praise and thanksgiving. And how far does it rise? As far as heaven? Not at all. It passes beyond heaven itself, and the heaven of heavens, and arrives at the very throne of the King. For “your prayers,” he says, “and your alms have come up before God” (Acts 10, verse 4). The aroma the senses perceive does not reach far into the air, but this one opened the very vault of heaven. You are silent, but your work speaks; and a sacrifice of praise is made — no heifer slain, no hide burned, but a spiritual soul presenting its own proper offering. For a sacrifice like this is more acceptable than any kindness.

So when you see a poor believer, think that you are looking at an altar. When you see such a person begging, not only do not insult him, but even revere him; and if you see someone else insulting him, stop it, drive it off. In this way you yourself will be able both to have God gracious to you and to obtain the good things promised — which may we all attain, through the grace and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom be glory, might, and honor to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and forever and ever. Amen.