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Bring Manna

May 14th, 2024

2 Corinthians 8:8-15

Paul often seems unrealistic in his writings, doesn’t he? In 2 Corinthians 8, he was writing to a church that was angry at him, and he expected them to love Jesus more than anything else. He expected them to look beyond their frustration with him, to love beyond their own covetous hearts, and to give in their time of surplus. Yet given Israel’s history, was it really that outlandish?

When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, they were told not to keep more than they needed. If they did, it would become full of maggots and start to smell. When Paul quoted from Exodus, he was creminding the Corinthians that plenty can stink. He wasn’t that explicit, but he certainly wanted to remind the Corinthians that God is the Giver of all.

The difference between the wilderness and their present was how God would provide. Instead of using wafers that came from heaven, God would use heavenly-minded people as the mechanism for equality. This is still true today.

Author: Ryan Quanstrom