𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫?

Last year, the same man of God (Korede Komaya) made inaccurate statements during the annual programme at his friend’s church, the Commonwealth of Zion. This interview presents my perspective on his 2026 edition of his sermon, in which he glorified Mammon again.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫: Excuse me, sir, what does The Poverty of Jesus in II Corinthians 8:9 means?

𝐃𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢: The peak of Jesus’ poverty was described in his words on the cross when he said 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦. Being forsaken by God is the real poverty. The beginning of Jesus’ poverty was when he took up human flesh in the womb of Mary. The poverty was so great that when he grew up, some Jews attempted to kill him; they wanted to push him down the cliff. They even came to ask him theological questions.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫: If Jesus poverty was living without God, why do some preachers insist that Jesus poverty is financial, and he is making us rich financially?

𝐃𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢: Before I answer that question, I must make reference to the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:28-29

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Here, Jesus was warning against worry and the cares of life. He compared the clothing and appearance of the lilies of the field and the beauty of Solomon’s clothes. 𝙃𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙣’𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨. This is instructive; it should shape our perspectives on riches because the riches of the richest man in history could not match the lilies.

𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚, 𝒊𝒇 𝑱𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒔, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒔.

𝐃𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢: Now, to the question, we must interpret this scripture in the context of II Corinthians 8:9. The context is that Paul was writing to the church in Corinth and wanted them to learn a few things from the Macedonian church. Here are a few things he wanted them to learn.

1. The Macedonian church had many challenges, and one of them was financial struggle, yet they gave financially to support the church in Jerusalem and the ministry of Paul (2 Corinthians 8:13). Paul stated that their generosity exceeded their financial ability. They gave like the widow in Luke 21:1-4 who gave all she had.

2. Paul also mentioned that the church in Macedonia first gave themselves to the Lord before they honoured the Lord with their financial substance. This is evident in their request that Paul grant them the privilege of sharing their gifts with Christians in Jerusalem. Imagine begging a man of God to help you participate in the giving towards the work of God. Nowadays, the men of God ask Christians to contribute, not the other way around.

3. Paul encouraged the Corinthian Church to emulate the Macedonian Church regarding giving. Telling them that their love for the Lord is real when they give themselves to God and their substance.

4. The popular verse 9 that you made reference to at the beginning of this interview was written to show the Corinthian church the example of how Christ gave, and not only what he gave. The Corinthians were first given the example of a church, and second, the Lord Jesus himself, who gave himself so that God might have many sons in glory. The giving of Jesus cured the problem of sin, which had made us poor towards God. The Macedonian Church begged Paul, just as Christ is also begging men to come unto him.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐫: When next we hear a man or woman of God speak concerning II Corinthians 8:9, what should we do?

𝐃𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐎𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐢: What the person is doing is that he is altering, misrepresenting and distorting the message of Christ, and the person is the enemy of the cross. Whoever listens and believes them will be partaker of a curse. Do not believe such teaching, and ensure you intercede for them because there is punishment for such evil.