2 Corinthians 8:7-15 talks about grace in a little different way. We typically think about grace in terms of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). This passage tells of acts of grace and excelling in grace. I have long been compelled by the idea of receiving “grace upon grace” (John 1:16) so this idea of some excellent grace appealed to me.
What Paul is saying to the Corinthians, in short, is finish the work of giving to the poor that you began to do a year ago. Finishing that project would be an act of grace. That opens the door, though, to the very idea of acts of grace. I am not only saved but must work out my salvation (Philippians 2:1-12). And just so, I am not only saved by grace but must act out that grace as well. Of course this is the case but I’d never considered a “work” as an act of grace before.
Even more, though I have tried to excel in the spiritual life (with varying degrees of success) I had never considered the notion of excellence in acts of grace. Yet Paul tells us here to see to it that we do just that: excel in acts of grace. That, as is usually the case, got me to considering what excel really means; or rather, what it means based on the etymology of the word. A quick, online search got me headed in the right direction. Ex means “out of” or, I think, even “from.” And the online dictionary I checked said the other part of the word was from collis, meaning “hill” or “hilltop.” So I assume the etymology is that excellent means something like “from the top” or something higher than a low view or even lower performance.
That doesn’t seem quite right though, at least in terms of how the word was used early on. In 1382, Wyclif used it in a letter to the Corinthian Church, where the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthian Christians that he will “schewe to [them] a more exellent weye.” (1 Corinthians 12:31). That is one of the earliest recorded (if not the earliest) uses of the word “excellent,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Interestingly, over the years “schewe” and “weye” became show and way but “excellent” has remained unchanged. But how does this excellent word mean what it means?
I think the “cell” part of excellent may trace back to caelum, the Latin word for heaven. If so, then excellent would mean “out of heaven” which is exactly where grace comes from—and the inspiration and ability to do acts of grace.
Paul was not pleased with the ungracious response of the Corinthian Church. Their perspective needed to change from an earthly view to a heavenly perspective. They needed to finish the gracious work of giving to the poor. He wanted the Church in Corinth to experience a more excellent way—the way of grace that comes with a view from beyond the hilltops.
I need to adjust my view too. Perhaps it’s one way to receive grace upon grace.
Sermon audio