2 Corinthians 8:17

“For indeed, he accepted the exhortation, etc..] The Macedonians besought the apostle with much entreaty to give unto him, (<470804>2 Corinthians 8:4,6) or which being moved by their example, they gave unto him, namely, that he would go and finish what he had already begun; and accordingly he did not refuse, but readily accepted the exhortation: yea, not only so, but being more forward; than was known or could have been expected; which shows that this was put into his heart by God, before it was moved unto him; so that if he had never been asked, or exhorted hereunto, he would have gone of himself: of his own accord he went unto you; so great is his care of you; so great his love unto you so…”

“being more forward--more earnest than to need such exhortation. he went--Greek, "went forth." We should say, he is going forth; but the ancients put the past tense in letter writing, as the things will have been past by the time that the correspondent, receives the letter. "Of his own accord," that is, it is true he has been exhorted by me to go, but he shows that he has anticipated my desires, and already, "of his own accord," has desired to go.”

“For indeed he accepted the exhortation - He cheerfully complied with the exhortation which I gave him, to wit, to visit you, and excite you to this good work. But being more forward - More disposed to do this than I had supposed. The idea here is, that he was very ready to engage in this; he was more ready to engage in it than Paul was to exhort him to it; he anticipated his request; he had already resolved to engage in it. Of his own accord he went ... - He went voluntarily and without urging. The ground of Paul’s thankfulness here seems to have been this, He apprehended probably some difficulty in obtaining the collection there, He was acquainted with the distracted state of the church,…”

“Being more forward - Than to need it, though he received it well. 2 Corinthians 8:18”

“accepted: Co2 8:6; Heb 13:22 but: Co2 8:8, Co2 8:10 2 Corinthians 8:18”