Tuesday, March 10, 2015




The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy
Chapter 6:9-10

9 For they that will be rich, fall into tentation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. 10 For the desire of money is the root of all evil, which while some lusted after they erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Study Notes

But they that will be rich

Not they that are rich; for some rich men are good men; and do much good with their riches; and are as free from temptations and snares, and foolish and hurtful lusts, as other persons, as Abraham, Joseph of Arimathea, Gaius, and others were; but such that would be rich, who labour after, make haste for it, and are resolved upon it, at any rate, right or wrong, as there be thousands, who never attain to it; so that the apostle does not point at rich men particularly, but at such who are determined to be rich, whether they ever are so or not.

Fall into temptation; and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts

Not in such sense in which the phrase is used in ( James 1:2 ) but in such sense as Christ uses it, ( Matthew 6:13 ) namely, a falling into temptation to sin, so as to be drawn away by it, and overcome with it. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "the snare of the devil", and so Beza's Claromontane copy; which perhaps is taken from ( 1 Timothy 3:7 ) , and though this seems not to be the genuine reading, yet it may give the true sense: Satan may be compared to a fowler; his temptations to sin are his nets and snares; and they that will be rich, are the birds that are caught and entangled therein, out of which sometimes it is impracticable to extricate themselves. Carnal and worldly lusts, the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, which are the things that are in the world and draw the affections to them; yea, what sin is there but such persons may, and do fall into; as defrauding of the neighbour, oppressing the poor, lying, perjury, theft, murder, rapine, violence, and injustice of every kind? So that they may be said to be "many", and some of them are "foolish". All sin is folly, and every wicked man is a foolish one, and acts a part quite contrary to reason; but some evil ways are notoriously silly, weak and foolish, and which they that will be rich make use of to get money; though others of them are sly and artful enough, and all of them are "hurtful" to their credit and reputation, or to the health of their bodies, and especially to the welfare of their immortal souls. So the phrase, "their foolish lust", is used by the Targumist in ( Ezekiel 20:25 ) and the corruption of nature in general is by the Jews called the old and foolish king, in ( Ecclesiastes 4:13 ). 

“why is he called a king? because all obey him; why is he called old? because he is joined to him (a man) from his birth to his old age; and why is he called, "foolish?" because he teaches him an evil way, which he knows not how to warn him of again.''

Which drown men in destruction and perdition

That is, in utter ruin, in the ruin both of soul and body; and which is irrecoverable, like that of the drowning of a man in the sea, with a millstone about his neck; such folly and danger do those expose themselves to, who will be rich at any rate

For the love of money is the root of all evil

Of all the evils before mentioned, and of others; not money itself, as silver and gold, which are God's creatures, and his gifts, and may be used to, and answer many good purposes; but the love of it, and not any love of it; for there may be a lawful love of it, and desire after it, so far as it is requisite to the necessaries of life, to answer the calls of Providence, the duties we owe to God and men, to serve the interest of Christ, and do good to fellow creatures and fellow Christians: but it is an immoderate insatiable desire after it, and an inordinate love of it, which is here meant, such as is properly idolatry: as when a man loves it, not only besides, but above God; serves it as if it was God, and places his trust and confidence in it, independent of God, and his providence; such love of it is the source and spring of all iniquity, as above; it was the sin of Judas, and the root of all his iniquity. The phrase is Jewish. So idolatry is said to be, "the root of all iniquities"  see ( Hebrews 12:15 )

Which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith. And pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

In a greedy and insatiable way, [have strayed from], the doctrine of faith. Observing that the professors of it are generally poor, they have declined that path, and have not so much as heard the word; and if they have heard and embraced it, yet when persecution arises because of it, they drop their profession of it; or else their minds are so filled with worldly cares, and deceitful riches, that the word is choked, and becomes unprofitable, and by and by, Demas like, they forsake it, having loved this present world. Riches are therefore fitly compared to thorns, which give great trouble and uneasiness, both in getting and keeping them, and oftentimes the reflection upon the unlawful ways and means made use of to obtain them, gives very pungent pain and distress; see ( Job 20:15-29 ) . The apostle seem to allude to, a covetous man, which signifies one that pierces, cuts, and wounds, as such an one does both himself and others.

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