A chronological timeline of giving reveals a somewhat different view of giving than what I was traditionally taught.
• A.D. 44 — The Coming Famine
Prophets
from the Jerusalem church pay Antioch a visit. One of them named Agabus
prophesies of a great famine that will encompass the entire Roman
world. The Jerusalem church is in poverty and will be devastated by the
coming famine.
Upon hearing this, the believers in
Antioch begin laying up a collection of money to relieve their brethren
in Jerusalem. Each person gives according to his ability, in proportion
to his prosperity. The church selects Barnabas and Saul to bring the
money to the elders in Jerusalem.Acts 11:27-30
• A.D. 45-48 — Judea Suffers Famine
Historically, Judea suffered famine at this time.
• A.D. 46-47 — Jerusalem Gets Relief from Antioch
Saul,
Barnabas, and Titus graciously hand the collection over to the
Jerusalem elders. (Titus was with them as a representative of the
Antioch church.)Acts 11:30; Galatians 2:1
The three
Jerusalem apostles request of Saul and Barnabas that they continue to
remember the poor saints in Jerusalem Galatians 2:9-10
• A.D. 51 — A Church Planted in Corinth
Paul plants the Corinthian church. He works among them and evangelizes the city for a total of eighteen months.
• A.D. 53 Summer — Paul Departs Corinth for Ephesus
He
sets sail across the Aegean Sea, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.
On their way, they stop at a little town seven miles east of Corinth
called Cenchrea. Cenchrea is the seaport of Corinth. After reaching
Ephesus, Paul sails to Caesarea and from there he visits the church in
Jerusalem. He greets the Jerusalem church and returns to his home base
in Antioch of Syria where he rests.
• A.D. 54 Spring — The Jerusalem Relief Fund Begins
While
in Antioch, Syria, Paul decides to begin the Jerusalem relief fund.
This is a collection campaign taken from among all the Gentile churches
that Paul planted to relieve the chronic poverty of the Jerusalem
Christians. Paul does this to mend the rift between the Hebrew and
Gentile believers. He sends a letter to the churches in Galatia, telling
about the relief fund and gives specific instructions to them on how to
begin collecting for it. We do not have this letter, nor do we know
exactly when Paul told the Galatians about the relief fund.1 Corinthians
16:1 (Also see Romans 15:25-27)
• A.D. 54 — Paul Writes a Letter to Corinth (from Ephesus)
This
letter is lost to us. Paul explains to the Corinthians his desire to
have a Jerusalem relief fund and tells them he will visit them after he
leaves Ephesus. He will then visit the churches in Macedonia and return
again to Corinth, after which he will take the relief fund to Jerusalem
in Judea. He sends this letter with Titus. While in Corinth, Titus helps
the Corinthian believers to begin collecting money for the Jerusalem
relief fund. Titus leaves and returns to Ephesus.2 Corinthians 1:15-16;
8:6
• A.D. 55 Spring — Paul Writes 1 Corinthians (from Ephesus)
In
chapter 16, he goes over his instructions for collecting the Jerusalem
relief fund. He then gives the church his new travel plans, which had
changed from before. Instead of traveling from Ephesus to Corinth, then
to Macedonia, and then back to Corinth as he first planned, he will
travel from Ephesus to Macedonia and then make one long visit to
Corinth.
• A.D. 57 June — Paul's Trip to Macedonia
Paul
is plotting his next move. He plans to leave Ephesus and visit the
churches in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea) and Corinth.
He then plans to bring the relief fund from these churches to Jerusalem,
after which he plans to visit Rome. Paul sends Timothy and Erastus
ahead of him to prepare for his arrival in Macedonia.Acts 19:21-22
Paul
leaves Ephesus and heads for Troas and then to Macedonia. Once in
Macedonia, he encourages the three Macedonian churches (Philippi,
Thessalonica, and Berea), exhorts each of the churches to continue
collecting for the Jerusalem relief fund, and boasts in the example set
by the church in Corinth...for they have been zealous in laying up for
their collection for the past year.2 Corinthians 9:2
Paul
finds Titus in Macedonia with good news from Corinth but Titus also
informs him that they have slacked off in collecting money for the
relief fund.2 Corinthians 8:6-11
• A.D. 57 Between June and Winter — Paul Discredited in Corinth, Writes 2 Corinthians (from Macedonia)
The
Jewish "super apostles" try to discredit Paul in the eyes of the
Corinthians by telling them Paul is exploiting them by means of a
supposed relief fund.Mirror-Reading 2 Corinthians
Paul
writes 2 Corinthians (from Macedonia) and encourages the church to
resume their collections for the Jerusalem relief fund. He urges Titus
to visit the church along with another brother "whose fame in the gospel
has spread to all the churches" (probably Luke) to help the Corinthians
complete the collection. Titus and this brother willingly accept Paul's
appeal.2 Corinthians 8-9
• A.D. 57 Winter — Paul Visits Corinth
Paul
leaves Macedonia and visits the church in Corinth for the third time.
He spends three winter months with the church. Paul is pleased to learn
that the Corinthians have received his last letter, and they have
completed their collection for the relief fund.2 Corinthians 8:6ff
Paul's
eight coworkers join Paul in Corinth and bring him the collection for
the Jerusalem relief fund from their respective churches. The men make
plans to accompany Paul to Jerusalem to deliver the relief fund.Acts
20:1-6
Paul writes Romans (from Corinth). He intends
to go to Jerusalem—before he travels to Rome and then to Spain in the
west—in order to deliver the relief fund.Romans 15:22-25
• A.D. 58 Spring — Paul Arrives in Jerusalem
Paul
and his company arrive in Jerusalem. The church receives them gladly.
They appear before James (the Lord's half-brother) and the Jerusalem
elders. Paul greets them and testifies about what God has done among the
Gentiles through his ministry. He then hands the relief fund to the
elders. The elders rejoice and give glory to God. Acts 24:17
Since
Luke never mentions the relief fund in Acts and Paul does not mention
its effect in his "Captivity Letters" (the epistles he wrote after he
was imprisoned in Rome), it is possible, but not certain, that the fund
did not have the kind of effect that Paul wanted it to have—namely, the
uniting of Jewish and Gentile churches.
