<p>9:5- see on 2 Cor. 8:9.</p><p><i>So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you- </i>The 'urging' suggests Titus and his team were not altogether confident of the whole plan, and Paul had to urge them. This gives the lie to Paul's rejoicing in chapter 7 that Titus had been welcomed by the Corinthians and was relieved and confident in their giving. That, I suggested, was written on the cusp of the joy which comes from the love which believes all things, on the slenderest and most unrealistic of evidence.</p><p><i>And arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not, as it were, as an extortion</i>- Again there appears a tension within Paul's argument. He says that the gift must be &quot;willing&quot; and not extorted or pressured out of them. But he has just asked them to make the gift lest they be ashamed (:4). We are left with the impression of high pressure tactics being palmed off as 'things which don't really need to be said but I'll just mention them' (:1). &quot;Extortion&quot; is the word for coveting. We can give money generously, apparently, but do so from a motive of <i>covetousness</i>- the very opposite of true generosity and acceptable sacrifice. We can covet respect, admiration from our brethren... and not give as a pure and private reflection of the endless grace we have received.</p>