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2 Corinthians Chapter 8

2 Corinthians Chapter 8

(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability.  "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love".  However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior.  It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings.  (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".)  Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé".  Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing.  It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)

Glossary

Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits

Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively.  The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9).  Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.

Clean/unclean

Covenant

Faith

Flesh

Forgive/forgiveness

Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)

Holy

Justification

Law (Torah)

Make purification

Pure/Impure

Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.

Ransom

Redemption

Repent/repentance

Righteous/righteousness

Salvation/save

Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Sin

Click to Collapse the Glossary
Macedonian Generosity

(Parallel teachings: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; Romans 15:25-28)
(Thematic parallels: Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35; Luke 21:1-4)

  • 1 And we declare to you, brothers, the grace of God which was *given among the church assemblies of Macedonia.
  • 2 That in much testing through affliction, the abundance of their joy and the depth of their poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity.
  • 3 For I testify that in accordance with their ability – even beyond their ability – they gave voluntarily,
  • 4 imploring us with much supplication to let them join in the grace and the partnership in the service of the holy ones [to welcome us].
  • 5 And not only as we hoped, but they gave themselves, first to the Lord and then to us through God’s will.
  • 6 For we encouraged Titus so that just as he previously began, so also he might complete this grace in you too.
  • 7 But just as you overflow in everything — in faith, and word, and knowledge, and all eager diligence, and the ^love from [us to you]fn“us to you” many manuscripts have “you to us” here instead. — so that you should overflow in this grace also.
  • 8 I don’t speak as a command, but through the eager diligence of others and for proving that your ^love is genuine.
  • 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, that while being rich, He became poor for your sakes, so that through His poverty you might become rich. CFParallel teachings: Philippians 2:5-8
  • 10 And I give an opinion on this matter, for this is beneficial for you who since last year previously began not only to work, but also to desire to work.
  • 11 Now then, also complete the work so just as you had the eagerness to desire, so also you’ll have the eagerness to complete it from what you have.
  • 12 For if the eagerness is present, it’s acceptable in accordance with what a man has, not in accordance with what he doesn’t have.
  • 13 For this isn’t so that others might have ease but you have affliction, but so that there’s equality.
  • 14 At the present season, your overflow would go to those in need, so that also their overflow might go into your need, so there might be equality.
  • 15 Just as it’s *written, “The man who gathered much didn’t have abundance, and the man who gathered little didn’t lack.“fnquotation/allusion to Exodus 16:18
Praising Titus
  • 16 But grace be to God, the One putting the same eagerness for you in the heart of Titus.
  • 17 For he indeed welcomed our appeal, and being more eager, he went out to you voluntarily.
  • 18 And with him, we sent the brother whose praise in the good news is throughout all the church assemblies.
  • 19 And not only that, but he was also electedfn“he was… …elected” is one word in Greek.  It literally means “to vote by stretching out the hand”, or to “elect by a show of hands”, sometimes with the idea of appointing someone to an office or position. by the church assemblies as our fellow traveler in this act of grace administered by us for our readiness and the glory of the Lord Himself.
  • 20 We’re taking care of this gift, lest someone discredit us through this abundant gift administered by us.
  • 21 For we take care to be noble, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.fnquotation/allusion to Proverbs 3:4
  • 22 And we sent with them our brother, whom we proved to be eagerly diligent many times, in many things, and now he’s much more eagerly diligent because of his great confidence in you.
  • 23 Whether concerning Titus – who’s my partner and a fellow worker to you – or our brothers who are messengers of the church assemblies, they’re a glory to the Anointed.
  • 24 Therefore, show proof of your ^love and the reason for our boast about you to them in front of the church assemblies.

 

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