Second Corinthians 8:9 is a text that many use to teach what is known as divine wealth. This view holds that the Lord Jesus became materially poor so that believers may become materially wealthy.
For example, Grace Lubega in Phaneroo’s Dispensation of Truth Devotional states that the Spirit of God “reminds us that the Lord became poor that we may be rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He dispels the lie of poverty with the truth of divine wealth.” For Lubega, “Poverty in the New Testament is a lie.”
We find this same take on 2 Cor 8:9 with virtually every prosperity preacher. But does this text teach divine wealth—materially defined? Does Paul intend that the Corinthian believers should ‘claim their wealth’? Is 2 Cor 8:9 promising you and me material wealth?
To answer these questions, I will delve more into the text to see what Paul means when he says Jesus became poor. Then I shall discuss how the Macedonians are the example of riches that flow from Christ’s poverty.
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9
How Did Jesus Become Poor?
The word translated ‘poverty’ here is rare in the New Testament—with the noun occurring three times (2 Cor 8:2, 9; Rev. 2:9), while the verb ‘to become poor’ occurs once. The noun refers to the “state of being deficient in means of support” (BDAG). Now, we can interpret Paul’s use of this word in 2 Cor 8:9 in two ways: either Paul means that Jesus was materially “deficient in means of support,” or Paul uses this word metaphorically.
If we interpret poverty to be material, Jesus cannot qualify. Firstly, rather than being deficient in means of material support, Jesus had enough money to even need a treasurer (John 13:29). You may imagine that not many people in Jesus’ time afforded personal treasurers. Secondly, from this Johannine text, we learn that Jesus’ ministry so often gave to the poor that his apostles mistook his instructions to Judas for a command to give to the poor (John 13:29). Thus, Paul could not mean that Jesus was materially poor.
It, therefore, remains that Paul speaks of another kind of poverty. But what kind did he mean? How did Jesus become poor?
To answer this, we would need to backtrack to 2 Corinthians 5:21, which the reader of our text would still hear ringing in their ears. The parallels between these two texts are striking and unmissable.
For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21
though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9
First, we note how both texts speak of Christ becoming what he was not. In 5:21, Jesus became sin, while in 8:9, he became poor. Secondly, the concessive conjunction clause “though he was rich” in 8:9 corresponds to the relative clause “who knew no sin” in 5:21. Thus, his richness constituted in his knowing no sin, as his poverty corresponded to his becoming sin.
Thirdly, both texts have “for (y)our sake” as the reason why Jesus becomes what he was not. Fourth, both verses have a purpose clause “so that” in the second clause, indicating why Jesus became as he did. Fifth, these purpose clauses concern what we “might become.” Sixth, “in him” (5:21) corresponds to “by his” in 8:9 to insist that our benefit proceeds from our position in Christ.
These syntactical similarities in both texts lead the reader to see that “sin” in 5:21 corresponds to “poverty” in 8:9 and “righteousness of God” in 5:21 corresponds to “rich” in 8:9. In other words, Jesus became poor for our sake when he became sin for our sake, and we become rich in him when we become the righteousness of God in him. Material riches have nothing to do with both texts.
We must also remember that these letters were often read in one sitting; thus, 2 Cor 8:9 would be read the same day, or even the same hour, as 2 Cor 5:21.
The Macedonian Example
The reader of Second Corinthians 8 must note that Paul provides the materially poor Macedonians as examples to emulate instead of the wealthy Corinthians. I stated above that the noun “poverty” occurs three times in the New Testament. In 2 Cor 8:2, Paul says that the Macedonians had ‘extreme poverty.’ They were not just poor but deeply poor. And yet for Paul, these are the examples to emulate!
The Macedonians are worthy of emulating because “they first gave themselves to the Lord” (v. 5). This thought corresponds to 2 Cor 5:20, where Paul implores the Corinthians to “be reconciled to God.” The Macedonians placed their priority, not on material abundance but obedience to God. Yet, the Corinthians were of those who “boast about outside appearance and not about what is in the heart” (2 Cor 5:12).
Though the Macedonians were “extremely poor” materially, they were rich. They had an “abundance of joy,” and their extreme poverty “overflowed in a wealth of generosity” (v. 2). In this text, Paul defines what he means by ‘riches.’ The materially poor Macedonians were examples of the riches that come from Christ’s poverty. And yet, the arrogance of the materially rich Corinthians revealed them as poor.
Don’t Butcher the Text, Obey It
From the above, we learn that 2 Cor. 8:9 does not promise material riches. Of course, it does not condemn material riches either. But we should not read this text as if it validates claiming riches. We must work hard and smartly steward God’s resources to provide for ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. Only then can we excel in generosity, faith, speech, and knowledge (2 Cor 8:7). These are the riches that flow from Christ’s self-giving—his poverty, and they are the expression of what it means to become “the righteousness of God” (5:21).
Lastly, we should be wary of anyone who ignores textual context to mislead the masses. Do not pursue those who scratch your itching ear when you need an ear operation. Do not believe prosperity promises and cheques that the Bible does not cash.
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