The Meaning of 2 Corinthians 8:18 Explained

2 Corinthians 8:18

KJV: And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

YLT: and we sent with him the brother, whose praise in the good news is through all the assemblies,

Darby: but we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the glad tidings through all the assemblies;

ASV: And we have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  we have sent  with  him  the brother,  whose  praise  [is] in  the gospel  throughout  all  the churches; 

What does 2 Corinthians 8:18 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Corinthians 8:16-24 - "things Honorable" Both To God And Men
Those who handle the gifts of the Church should be extremely careful that all their financing be above the slightest suspicion. The Apostle shrank from handling these gifts himself, lest any should insinuate that he was appropriating them to his personal use. Even when we have no reason to accuse ourselves in the sight of the Lord, we should be careful of appearances in the sight of men; and whatever is entrusted to us should be administered by us to the glory of God.
In the present instance the Apostle designated three brethren to attend to this matter. First, Titus, his partner and fellow-worker; next, the brother whose praise was in all the churches and who had been appointed for this very purpose; and thirdly, another brother, referred to in 2 Corinthians 8:22. Titus represented the Apostle, and the others represented the churches themselves. These brethren are distinctly mentioned as the glory of Christ, 2 Corinthians 8:23. It must be an encouragement to those who handle the financial matters of our churches, that they also may promote Christ's glory and participate in its transfiguring beauty. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Corinthians 8

1  He stirs them to a generous gift for the poor saints at Jerusalem, by the example of the Macedonians;
7  by commendation of their former forwardness;
9  by the example of Christ;
14  and by the spiritual profit that shall redound to themselves thereby;
16  commending to them the integrity and willingness of Titus, and those other brothers

Greek Commentary for 2 Corinthians 8:18

We have sent with him [συνεπεμπσαμεν μετ αυτου]
Epistolary aorist. [source]
The brother [τον αδελπον]
This may be, probably is, Luke who may also be the brother of Titus (see also 2 Corinthians 12:18) according to a common Greek idiom where the article is used as “his.” But this idiom is not necessary. As a matter of fact, we do not know who this brother is. Is spread through all the churches (δια πασων των εκκλησιων — dia pasōn tōn ekklēsiōn). No verb in the Greek (ellipsis). [source]
Is spread through all the churches [δια πασων των εκκλησιων]
No verb in the Greek (ellipsis). [source]
The brother whose praise is in the Gospel []
Is should be joined with throughout all the churches; as Rev., whose praise in the Gospel is spread throughout, etc. The person referred to has been variously identified with Titus' brother, Barnabas, Mark, Luke, and Epaenetus, mentioned in Romans 16:5. The reference to Epaenetus has been urged on the ground of a supposed play upon the word praise, epainos Epaenetus meaning praiseworthy; and the parallel is cited in the case of Onesimus profitable, of whom Paul says that he will henceforth be useful, Philemon 1:11. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 2 Corinthians 8:18

Romans 15:28 Have sealed [σπραγισαμενος]
First aorist middle participle (antecedent action, having sealed) of σπραγιζω — sphragizō old verb from σπραγις — sphragis a seal (Romans 4:11), to stamp with a seal for security (Matthew 27:66) or for confirmation (2 Corinthians 1:22) and here in a metaphorical sense. Paul was keenly sensitive that this collection should be actually conveyed to Jerusalem free from all suspicion (2 Corinthians 8:18-23). [source]
2 Corinthians 8:20 Avoiding this [στελλόμενοι τοῦτο]
The verb, which occurs only here and 2 Thessalonians 3:6, means to arrange or provide for. As preparation involves a getting together of things, it passes into the meaning of collect, gather: then contract, as the furling of sails; so, to draw back, draw one's self away, as 2 Thessalonians 3:6. Connect with we have sent, 2 Corinthians 8:18. Compare 2 Corinthians 12:17, 2 Corinthians 12:18, where it appears that he had been charged with collecting money for his own purposes. [source]
2 Corinthians 12:18 The brother [τον αδελπον]
Probably the brother of Titus (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:18). [source]
2 Corinthians 2:3 I wrote this very thing [εγραπσα τουτο αυτο]
Is this (and εγραπσα — egrapsa in 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:12) the epistolary aorist referring to the present letter? In itself that is possible as the epistolary aorist does occur in the N.T. as in 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 9:3 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 854f.). If not epistolary aorist as seems improbable from the context and from 2 Corinthians 7:8-12, to what Epistle does he refer? To 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 or to a lost letter? It is possible, of course, that, when Paul decided not to come to Corinth, he sent a letter. The language that follows in 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 Corinthians 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 can hardly apply to I Corinthians. [source]
Philemon 1:11 Unprofitable [ἄχρηστον]
A play on the word Onesimus profitable. Compare unprofitable ( ἀχρεῖος ) servant, Matthew 25:30. These plays upon proper names are common both in Greek and Roman literature. Thus Aeschylus on the name of Helen of Troy, the play or pun turning on the root ἑλ , hel destroy: Helene helenaus helandras heleptolisHelen, ship-destroyer, man-destroyer, city-destroyer (“Agamemnon,” 671). Or, as Robert Browning: “Helen, ship's-hell, man's-hell, city's-hell.” So on Prometheus (forethought ): “Falsely do the gods call thee Prometheus, for thou thyself hast need of prometheus i.e., of forethought ” (“Prometheus Bound,” 85,86). Or Sophocles on Ajax. Aias (Ajax) cries ai, ai! and says, “Who would have thought that my name would thus be the appropriate expression for my woes?” (“Ajax,” 430). In the New Testament, a familiar example is Matthew 16:18; “thou art Petros and on this petra will I build my church.” See on Epaenetus, 2 Corinthians 8:18.Now profitable“Christianity knows nothing of hopeless cases. It professes its ability to take the most crooked stick and bring it straight, to flash a new power into the blackest carbon, which will turn it into a diamond” (Maclaren, “Philemon,” in “Expositor's Bible”).And to meThe words are ingeniously thrown in as an afterthought. Compare Philemon 2:27; Romans 16:13; 1 Corinthians 16:18. A strong appeal to Philemon lies in the fact that Paul is to reap benefit from Onesimus in his new attitude as a christian brother. [source]

What do the individual words in 2 Corinthians 8:18 mean?

We have sent now with him the brother whose - praise [is] in the gospel through all of the churches
Συνεπέμψαμεν δὲ μετ’ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὗ ἔπαινος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν

Συνεπέμψαμεν  We  have  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: συμπέμπω  
Sense: to send together with.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ἀδελφὸν  brother 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
οὗ  whose 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἔπαινος  praise 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἔπαινος  
Sense: approbation, commendation, praise.
ἐν  [is]  in 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐν 
Sense: in, by, with etc.
εὐαγγελίῳ  gospel 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: εὐαγγέλιον  
Sense: a reward for good tidings.
διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐκκλησιῶν  churches 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: ἐκκλησία  
Sense: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.