begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 4. Begging of us the grace, and so forth We may translate, benevolence, or charity, meaning their charitable alms or contributions. It also may be called a grace, a favour, or a charity, which they did for the poor. He exhorts them to these charitable contributions by the example of Christ, who being the God of glory, made himself the lowest and poorest of men to enrich us with grace and glory. Witham.—Towards the saints. The saints whom Saint Paul is here speaking of, are the faithful of Jerusalem, who had been deprived of all their property at the beginning of their conversion, by their countrymen, for their steady adherence to the Christian faith, and were now reduced to the greatest want. It is for the support of their brethren in Palestine that the charitable contributions here mentioned by Saint Paul, were raised in the Churches of Macedon. Calmet.—In the Greek we read, entreating us to receive the alms which they offered as a contribution to the charitable fund destined for the saints, or faithful, at Jerusalem. See Romans 15:25, 26 and 1 Corinthians 16:1, 3.