12 Why Gentiles Gave to Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9 Background)

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In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we step behind 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 to uncover the story of the Jerusalem Collection. Krisan shows how this long term fundraising project was never just about money for a famine. It was about caring for real people in real need, healing tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers, and strengthening the bond between Paul and the original apostles in Jerusalem.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• What the Jerusalem Collection was and why it mattered so much to Paul.
• Paul’s early, fragile relationship with the Jerusalem church and how Barnabas helped bridge the gap.
• Key moments from Acts and Galatians that shaped the relationship between Paul, the apostles, and the Gentile churches.
• Why the question of Gentile believers and the Law created so much conflict and confusion.
• Why the apostles in Jerusalem asked Paul to "remember the poor" and how that became a long term calling.
• How this background helps us read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 with fresh understanding instead of treating them as random fundraising tips.

By the end of this episode, you will see the Jerusalem Collection as a living picture of one worldwide church family, not a dry historical footnote. You will understand how generosity can express unity, gratitude, and shared faith across distance and difference. And you will be better able to read 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 in context, with a clearer sense of what God was doing through Paul, the Jerusalem apostles, and the many believers who gave so that others could stand firm in Christ.

 Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts

 Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity launches January 9, but you can pre-order your copy now. Just visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.