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Here Paul explains why and how the Corinthians should complete the collection. Although he will give more reasons for generosity in 9:6-14, the reasons he offers in vv.1-9 are as follows. Paul mentions the extraordinary generosity of the Macedonian contribution to the project (vv.1-5), praising their self-sacrificing giving as granted them by the grace of God (v.1; see v.7; Ro 12:6-8). Beyond and behind their financial support, he highlights their gift of themselves to the Lord and then to [Paul] as especially in keeping with God’s will (v.5). It is on this basis that Paul announces that he has urged Titus to return to Corinth to allow the Corinthians to pay their pledges to the financial campaign (v.6). The apostle exploits the ancient technique of comparisons between rivals to challenge the Corinthians not only to emulate, but to surpass, the Macedonians (vv.7-8; Talbert, 183). He appeals to the model of self-giving of Jesus Christ as a reminder to the Corinthians of their indebtedness (v.9). Not only competition, but gratitude and reciprocity, should motivate their giving. Generosity to others would demonstrate the sincerity of [their] love (v.8) for the Lord and for Paul (see 6:11-13; 7:2; 8:5, 8).
Paul appeals again to the principle of reciprocity or mutuality (equality, niv; 8:13, 14) to motivate the Corinthians to finish what they began a year earlier. Their actions should match their willingness to give; their gift should match their ability to give and their indebtedness to the recipients (vv.11-12). The spiritual generosity of Jewish Christians of Jerusalem had enriched the Gentile Christians of Corinth (vv.13-15; see 9:12-14; Ro 15:27). Thus their gift is a just and only partial repayment of their indebtedness to these materially impoverished saints.