8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
8 I'm not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians' enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you.
8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.
8 I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8:8
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8:7-9
(Read 2 Corinthians 8:7-9)
Faith is the root; and as without faith it is not possible to please God, Hebrews 11:6, so those who abound in faith, will abound in other graces and good works also; and this will work and show itself by love. Great talkers are not always the best doers; but these Corinthians were diligent to do, as well as to know and talk well. To all these good things the apostle desires them to add this grace also, to abound in charity to the poor. The best arguments for Christian duties, are drawn from the grace and love of Christ. Though he was rich, as being God, equal in power and glory with the Father, yet he not only became man for us, but became poor also. At length he emptied himself, as it were, to ransom their souls by his sacrifice on the cross. From what riches, blessed Lord, to what poverty didst thou descend for our sakes! and to what riches hast thou advanced us through thy poverty! It is our happiness to be wholly at thy disposal.