Corpus-Paul

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

David Hindley wrote:

> So I do not think it is necessary to postulate that Paul actively used famine 
> relief as the means to motivate the Macedonians or
> Achaeans, even though famine relief may have been how the money was intended 
> to be expended. I wonder whether Paul was not so
> anxious to get the temple priests to accept freewill offerings from his 
> gentile associates *on the same basis as they would
> circumcised Jews*, that he figured that bringing a freewill offering during a 
> time when he knew there was greater than usual need
> could help overcome reluctance on the part of the temple authorities. It 
> would certainly help his gentile friends associate more
> closely with circumcised Jews if they could at least be accepted as fellow 
> partners in charity.
>
>  
HH: I agree with much of your post, but I don't think Paul's collection 
was for the temple authorities. I think it was for the relief of the 
Christians  and would have been given to the church authorities. The 
service was for the saints, the Christians:

2Cor. 8:4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in 
this service to the saints. 

2Cor. 9:1 ¶ There is no need for me to write to you about this service 
to the saints.

HH: The project was sponsored by the churches:

2Cor. 8:18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised 
by all the churches for his service to the gospel.
2Cor. 8:19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us 
as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord 
himself and to show our eagerness to help.

HH: And when Paul arrived in Jerusalem in Acts 21, he went to the church.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard