“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” – 2 Corinthians 8:9
LIGHT FOR NOW: How poor did Jesus become?
Where Bible interpretation is concerned, it is not your feelings or opinion that matter but the intent communicated by the author that is very vital and thus any interpretation of a text of the scripture will be to arrive at the author’s intent when it was written. Bible interpretation must be devoid of feelings, opinions, and hearsays but must be an attempt of any teacher of the gospel to delve into the author’s mind in order to excavate in its accurateness what was in the intent of the author when a text of scripture was written. That said, one of the most misinterpreted text of the scripture is the above text where the term, ‘he became poor’ was used. The above text has been given a meaning that is a direct contradiction to what is being communicated by the author in this text. What have been wrongly implied from the above text by so many folks is that Jesus who was rich became poor so that we can be rich and in their minds, they think the ‘riches’ there is literal (physical money and possessions) and the poverty there (that is Jesus becoming poor) is literal (he lost all his money and possessions) because of us and because He became poor, we who believe in Him will be made rich. That will be a very big injustice done to that text because we have so many in the church today who are not still financially buoyant. That text obviously is not a prosperity text and thus, those who have made it so only succeed in deceiving those listening to them. Now, the questions that should come to mind in arriving at the clarity of the above text is first, when Paul said Jesus was rich, was he referring to physical riches or material things? Second, when he said Jesus became poor, did he mean that he lost all of the riches he possessed (material things) because of us so that we will now be materially rich
Now, to start with in order to arrive at clarity of the above text, let us first observe the word, ‘grace’. The word, ‘grace’ was translated from the Greek word ‘charis’ which implies what was given. Notice, he said the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then in context used the pronoun, ‘he’ for grace (the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ). In other words, grace is a person (the person of Jesus is grace; the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ). Now, he says, ‘though he was rich’. What could he mean by this? And secondly, he says, ‘yet for your sakes he became poor’. What could he also mean by this? And then finally he says, ‘that through his poverty, we might be rich’. What did he mean by this? Let’s find out in the subsequent days as we peruse this subject.
INSTRUCTION: The interpretation of the scripture should not contradict the intent of the author else a vital truth will be lost.
PRAYER: Father, I declare that the eyes of my understanding is enlightened. I am diligent and dutiful in Bible study and Bible interpretation, in Jesus name, Amen.
QUOTE: Scriptures wrongly interpreted means a vital truth will be lost.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 8; EVENING: 2 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 2
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 