Jesus, Though Rich, Became Poor 2 Corinthians 8:9

Paul the apostle spoke to the church members in Corinth, “not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of” the church members' “love”. In chapter eight and verse nine of Second Corinthians, Paul shared how he wrote these things to the Corinthian church members “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor” where we read:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich,

yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.

The verse begins, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, ...” Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “you know” which means “the church members perceive, understand and are become acquainted with” “the grace” which means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor” “of our Lord” which refers to “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title for God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate” “Christ” which refers to “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God ”, “that” or “because and since”, “though he was rich” which means “being as Jesus was wealthy, abounding in material resources and abundantly supplied”. Paul declared the “unmerited favor” of “Jesus Christ” who was “wealthy and abounding in material resources”.

The verse goes on to say, “... yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.” Paul added the words, “yet for your sakes” which means “though and by means of the church members' cause, ground and reason” “he became poor” which means “Jesus became as a beggar and indigent”, “that you” or “the church members” “through his poverty” or “by way of Jesus' beggary and being destitute of riches and abundance” “might be rich” or “to have abundance and outward possession”. Paul shared how Jesus became a beggar so the church members might have “abundance”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how Jesus emptied Himself of His heavenly “wealth” for the benefit of those whom He came to save. Jesus, as God Himself, gave up His “abundance and outward possessions” so people who were “spiritually” poor could be made “rich” in spiritual things. Jesus' invitation is to any and everyone who will believe and trust in Him, and those who are wise shall submit their lives to Him and trade their “spiritual poverty” for His “abundant riches”.

Next time Paul “gives his advice” to the church members, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.