2 Corinthians 8:14

“But by an equality, etc..] All that he meant was, that there might be an equality both in givers and receivers, proportioned to their several circumstances and stations of life: that now at this time; which was a very necessitous time at Jerusalem, there being a famine there, and their common stock exhausted: your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want; which respects either the different abilities of givers at different times; and that whereas now the church at Corinth was rich, and wealthy, and had great abundance of the things of this world, they in this general collection were able to make up the deficiencies of other churches;…”

“by an equality--"by the rule of equality" [ALFORD]: literally, "Out of equality." now at this time--Greek, "at the present juncture" or season. that their abundance also--The Greek being distinct from the previous "that," translate, "in order that," namely, at another season, when your relative circumstances may be reversed. The reference is solely to temporal wants and supplies. Those, as BENGEL, who quote Rom 15:27 for interpreting it of spiritual supplies from the Jews to the Gentiles, forget that Rom 15:27 refers to the past benefit spiritually, which the Jews have conferred on the Gentiles, as a motive to gratitude on the part of the latter, not to a prospective benefit to be looked for…”

“But by an equality - On just and equal principles. “That now at this time,” etc. That at the present time your abundance may be a supply for their needs, so that at some future time, if there should be occasion for it, their abundance may be a supply for your needs. The idea is this. Corinth was then able to give liberally, but many of the other churches were not. They were poor, and perhaps persecuted and in affliction. But there might be great reverses in their condition. Corinth might be reduced from its affluence, and might itself from its affluence, and might itself become dependent on the aid of others, or might be unable to contribute any considerable amount for the purposes of…”

“That their abundance - If need should so require. May be - At another time. A supply to your want: that there may be an equality - No want on one side, no superfluity on the other. It may likewise have a further meaning: - that as the temporal bounty of the Corinthians did now supply the temporal wants of their poor brethren in Judea, so the prayers of these might be a means of bringing down many spiritual blessings on their benefactors: so that all the spiritual wants of the one might be amply supplied; all the temporal of the other. 2 Corinthians 8:15”