2 Corinthians 8:5

“And this they did not as we hoped, etc..] All this was unexpected by the apostles, who knew their great affliction and deep poverty, and therefore could not have hoped for such a collection from them; or that they would have desired the apostle to have ministered it for them: but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God; the sense of which is not barely, or only, that they committed themselves to the care of Providence in all their afflictions and poverty, trusting in God that he would provide for them for time to come, and therefore even in their strait circumstances gave liberally; and were so much under the direction of the apostles, God so disposing their…”

“And this they did, not as we hoped--Translate, "And not as we hoped (that is, far beyond our hopes), but their own selves gave they first to the Lord." "First," not indicating priority of time, but first of all, above all in importance. The giving of themselves takes precedency of their other gifts, as being the motive which led them to the latter (Rom 15:16). by the will of God--not "according to the will of God," but "moved by the will of God, who made them willing" (Phi 2:13). It is therefore called (Co2 8:1), "the grace of God."”

“And this they did ... - They did not give what we expected only. We knew their poverty, and we expected only a small sum from them. Not as we hoped - Not according to the utmost of our hopes. We were greatly disappointed in the amount which they gave, and in the manner in which it was done. But first gave their ownselves to the Lord - They first made an entire consecration of themselves and all that they had to the Lord. They kept nothing back. They felt that all they had was his. And where a people honestly and truly devote themselves to God, they will find no difficulty in having the means to contribute to the cause of charity. And unto us by the will of God - That is, they gave themselves…”

“And not as we hoped - That is, beyond all we could hope. They gave themselves to us, by the will of God - In obedience to his will, to be wholly directed by us. 2 Corinthians 8:6”

“first: Co2 5:14, Co2 5:15; Sa1 1:28; Ch2 30:8; Isa 44:3-5; Jer 31:33; Zac 13:9; Rom 6:13, Rom 12:1, Rom 14:7-9; Co1 6:19, Co1 6:20 unto: Co2 4:5; Ch1 12:18; Ch2 30:12 2 Corinthians 8:6”