Did I Make a Gain of You? 2 Corinthians 12:17

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth, “ I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile”, and in chapter twelve and verse seventeen of Second Corinthians, Paul asked the church members, “did I make a gain of you?” where we read:

Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?

The verse begins, “Did I make a gain of you ...” Paul began with the words, “did I make a gain” or “did Paul have a more or greater part, share, excel, surpassing or overreach” “of you” which refer to “the church members”. Paul wanted to know if the church members thought he took “advantage” of them.

The verse goes on to say, “...by any of them whom I sent unto you?” Paul continued with the words, “by any” which means “through a certain one or ones” “of them” or “the people” “whom I sent” which means “Paul dispatched” “unto you” or “to the church members”? Paul wanted to know if any of the others he “sent” to the church members took advantage of them as well.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we see his concern that he nor the people he “sent” to the church members were evaluated as taking advantage of them. Paul did not want the church of Corinth to think he or anyone associated with him were only there for what they might “gain”. Jesus Christ came to give the “gospel” freely, and there should never be any minister who seeks “gain” of a group of people. Those who do should think through Paul's question, and repent before they contend with the One who gives to all men “without charge”.

Next time Paul asks the church members, “Did Titus make a gain of you?”, 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.