Paul uses the term "grace" to refer to ability to give financial support to other people, in this case to poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. Paul has spoken of God's grace being given to people for eternal salvation (Rm. 3:24; Rm.5:2; Ep.2:8) and God's grace being given to believers in the form of a spiritual gift (2 Cor. 6:1-2; Rm. 12:3,6; 1 Pt. 4:10). Now, Paul says he wants the Corinthians "to know about the grace God has given the Macedonian churches" to generously give money even in "their extreme poverty."
The Christian Jews in Judea where suffering financially due to a famine and persecution. These Jews in Judea would have faced social persecution for their faith that could result in loss of employment, excommunication from the synagogues and being ostracized by the family unit which could have included disinheritance. This combined with the fact that earlier in the book of Acts (Acts 4:32-37) these same believers in Jerusalem sold their possessions in order to share material possessions with other believers which may have caused financial disruption:
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had." - Acts 4:32
This practice may have led to some problems similar to what was seen later in Thessalonica where some believers stopped working and planned on living off of the other believers causing the disruption Paul warns about:
"In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling...For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies...Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat...Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed." - 2 Thes. 3:6-14
So, by the time Paul writes to the Corinthians in 56 AD, he and Barnabus had already taken a collection of money to Jerusalem for the church that had become drastically poor very quickly between 30 AD and Paul's first visit to Jerusalem as a believer in 37 AD. In 46 AD Paul and Barnabus brought an offering to the poor believers in Jerusalem according to Acts 11:27-29:
"During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch....The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul." - Acts 11:27, 29
As mentioned to the Corinthians in Second Corinthians 8, Paul was organizing a collection of money that would be taken again to these believers Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Paul had first mentioned this collection to the Corinthians in First Corinthians 16:1-3:
"Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem."
So, besides the Macedonian churches, the Galatian churches were also giving money towards this collection of money for the poor Jewish believers. When Paul arrived in Corinth a few weeks later, he wrote to the Romans in his letter to them about this collection of money (Rm. 15:24-31) and his plans to take it to Jerusalem before coming to visit the church in Rome:
"Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea) and Achaia (Corinth) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it...I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. ...Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there." - Romans 15:25-31
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