Why were the Macedonian and Achaian believers so poor?
The Macedonian and Achaian believers were intensely poor because they lived in the mountainous rural areas of Greece, where the terrain provided very little opportunity for creating wealth. Their poverty was due to geographic and economic limitations, yet they still gave of what they had to help the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Les explains that the Apostle Paul labored in western Turkey and later in Greece, specifically Achaia and Macedonia. The area of Greece is totally mountainous, and there is very little opportunity for creating any wealth to speak of. So the new believers Paul brought about in Achaia and Macedonia, in the more rural parts of Greece, were intensely poor and poverty stricken. Yet they gave of what they had so Paul could take the offering to the poor saints in Jerusalem, who were Jews.
For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
More Questions
How did the poor Greek believers give to the Jerusalem saints?
Even though the Macedonian and Achaian believers were poverty stricken, they gave of what they had so Paul could take the offering to the poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem.
How could poor believers in Macedonia and Achaia give an offering to Jerusalem?
Even though the Macedonian and Achaian believers were poverty stricken, they gave of what they had so Paul could take the offering to the poor Jewish saints in Jerusalem.