avoiding this, that any one should blame us in this abundance [which is] administered by us;
Paul is gathering a large gift from many assemblies for poor believers in Jerusalem. In this verse he explains why he will not carry it alone: the question is not whether he is honest, but what people could say.
Paul never speaks of this collection as plain money. One writer lists the names he gives it.
He uses a great variety of expressions for the gift for Jerusalem, and so brings out its value in the sight of God: ministry of the saints (8:4; 9:1); "this grace" (8:6, 7, 19); for the glory of the Lord (8:19); a rich gift (8:20); "the proof of your love" (8:24).
Money attracts accusation, and Paul knows it. One writer sets his caution beside the damage money has done to the church since.
There is always danger of reproach in these matters... The apostle knew the enemy's schemes, so he guarded against suspicion and malicious hints. See what damage the love of money — covetousness, which is idolatry — has done in the professing church, and what offence it has given to unbelievers.
Paul had every reason to say his record spoke for itself. Instead, his standing made him more careful.
It was not enough for him here that God would know all, so that he might leave it to Him to justify him in His own time and way. If there was any way to prevent even suspicion, he would use it. Not using it might itself become a cause of suspicion... He did not build on his apostleship, or on the clear blessing God had given his work. He never thought himself above the need to clear his name by the same precautions anyone would expect from any other man.
Does such care show a lack of trust in God? One writer says the opposite.
Here is the moral reason for the caution. It is not lack of faith, but faith working by love, which would cut off occasion from men, as well as walk with a pure conscience before God. Paul's words about providing things honourable before the Lord and before men allude to Proverbs 3:4 in the Greek version of the Old Testament.
The practical answer was a team. Paul sent Titus with two others, and the arrangement protected the men as much as the money.
Paul clearly had full confidence in Titus. Even so, he arranged for two other brothers to travel with him, to protect Titus and his reputation (8:18, 22). That way at least two witnesses would confirm everything (verses 20-21). He valued his fellow worker Titus (verse 23), and he did not want any shadow of suspicion to fall on him.
Paul did not appoint the escorts himself. The assemblies that raised the money chose the men who would carry it.
Here we see an important principle, exactly in line with what the twelve apostles directed in Acts 6. The whole body of Christians gave the money, so the apostles left them free to choose those who would handle it. This was as wise as it was gracious. They kept clear of any appearance of favouritism. They stayed with their own work and with prayer, the condition of power... Where the saints gave, they chose. They used their best judgment for the right use of their gifts, whether in one assembly or for the special work of many assemblies.
This care was never meant to stop with Paul. One writer turns it into a test of honesty.
Indeed, the more honest a man is, the more he should want others to examine his actions. So too, anyone trusted to handle money in an assembly should make sure that others check the amounts and the use of any funds.
- The danger. Money in religious hands always draws reproach. The enemy is quick to turn it into suspicion.
- The refusal. Paul would not lean on his apostleship or his record. If a precaution could remove suspicion, he took it.
- The motive. His care was not weak faith. It was faith working by love, cutting off occasion from men and keeping a clear conscience before God.
- The method. Three men travelled together, so at least two witnesses confirmed everything.
- The result. Those who give choose who handles the gift. The honest man welcomes the check.
for we provide for things honest, not only before [the] Lord, but also before men.
Paul was carrying a large gift from the churches to poor believers in Jerusalem, and he refused to handle it alone. Why take such care, if God already knew he was honest?
That care could look like a failure to trust God with his own good name. One writer reads it the other way round, and traces the wording back to Proverbs.
The moral reason for the caution follows in verse 20: Paul guards against anyone blaming him over the large gift that he and others are handling. It is not a lack of faith, but faith working by love, that would cut off any occasion for blame from men, and would also walk with a pure conscience before God. The allusion is to Proverbs 3:4 in the Greek Old Testament.
"Aim at what is honorable" is not a vague call to be good. It describes planning ahead so that the arrangement itself looks right.
Our God is above all a God of order. He delights to see His people careful in all their ways, and especially with money… In Darby's translation there is a footnote to the word "provide": "taking care by forethought that there should be what is proper and fitting."
One writer clears away a common misreading of these words, then sets them against a familiar excuse.
Paul is not telling us to provide for ourselves or our families in an honest way. He means acting in a way that wins the confidence and good opinion of everyone… That openness of character and conduct in providing what is good and proper seems to be the true sense of this clause. It lifts the Christian far above any idea of suspicion. We may have heard Christians say, when challenged about something that looked crooked, "Well, my own conscience is clear on that point, and I don't care what anyone else thinks of me." But that spirit is the exact opposite of this command, which means, "above suspicion before all men."
Paul had every reason to consider himself above questioning. He refused to use that standing as a shortcut.
It was not enough for him that God knew it all, so that he could leave it to Him to clear his name in His own time and way. Where he could take steps to prevent even suspicion, he took them — and not taking them might itself have caused suspicion… He does not build on his apostleship, or on the clear blessing God had given his work, as if that put him beyond the need to clear himself. He takes the same precautions that would be thought necessary for any other man.
Paul was not being over-careful. He knew who watches how Christians handle money.
The apostle knew the enemy's schemes, and so he guards carefully against suspicion and sly accusations. Sadly, the love of money and greed — which is idolatry — have done great damage in the professing church, and have given unbelievers real cause for offence.
The travelling companions were not a hint that Paul suspected anyone. They shielded the reputation of the man he trusted most.
There is no doubt that Paul had full confidence in Titus. Even so, he arranged for two other brothers to travel with him, to protect Titus and his reputation (8:18, 22). That way at least two witnesses confirmed everything. He valued his fellow-worker Titus, and he did not want any shadow of suspicion cast on him.
One writer turns the usual instinct around.
Indeed, the more honest a man is, the more he should want others to examine his actions closely. So too, anyone trusted to handle money in a church should make sure that others check the amounts and the use of the funds closely.
Another writer says the first move belongs to the person holding the money.
They should be careful to give an account of their stewardship, and not wait until someone asks for it.
- Two sights. A pure conscience before the Lord is the starting point, not the finish line. The verse adds the sight of men.
- Forethought. Plan honesty in advance. Arrange things so they look proper and fitting, instead of defending them later.
- Above suspicion. "I know my own heart, and I don't care what others think" is the exact attitude this command overturns.
- Precautions. Paul would not rest on his standing or his record. Where a step could prevent suspicion, he took it — and it guarded Titus's name as well as his own.
- Accounts. The more trustworthy you are, the more you welcome others checking the books — and you give the account before anyone asks.