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1 Timothy 6:10 |
For the love of money is the root of
all evil: which while some coveted after, they have
erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.
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This section includes verses 9 and 10.
1 Timothy 6:9-10
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation
and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful
lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil:
which while some coveted after, they have erred from
the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows.
THE PERIL OF THE LOVE OF MONEY
1 Timothy 6:9–10
The paraphrase of the verse:
Those who wish to be rich fall into temptation and a
snare, and into many senseless and harmful desires
for the forbidden things, desires which swamp men in
a sea of ruin and total loss in time and in
eternity. For the love of money is a root from which
all evils spring; and some, in their reaching out
after it, have been sadly led astray, and have
transfixed themselves with many pains.
HERE is one of the most misquoted sayings in the
Bible. Scripture does not say that money is the root
of all evil; it says that the love of money is the
root of all evil. This is a truth of which the great
classical thinkers were as conscious as the
Christian teachers. ‘Love of money’, said the Greek
philosopher Democritus, ‘is the metropolis of all
evils.’ Seneca speaks of ‘the desire for that which
does not belong to us, from which every evil of the
mind springs’. ‘The love of money’, said the Cynic
teacher Diogenes of Sinope, ‘is the mother of all
evils.’ Philo, the Jewish writer, spoke of ‘love of
money which is the starting-place of the greatest
transgressions of the law’. The Greek writer
Athenaeus, who lived in the second century, quotes a
saying: ‘The belly’s pleasure is the beginning and
root of all evil.’
Money in itself is neither good nor bad, but the
love of it may lead to evil. With it, people may
selfishly serve their own desires; with it, they may
answer the cry of their neighbor's need. With it,
they may advance the path of wrongdoing; with it,
they may make it easier for other people to live as
God meant them to do. Money is not itself an evil,
but it is a great responsibility. It has power for
good and power for evil. What then are the special
dangers involved in the love of money?
(1) The desire for money tends to be a thirst
which cannot be satisfied. There was a Roman
proverbial saying that wealth is like sea water; far
from quenching thirst, it intensifies it. The more
we get, the more we want.
(2) The desire for wealth is founded on an
illusion. It is founded on the desire for security;
but wealth cannot buy security. It cannot buy
health, nor real love, and it cannot preserve from
sorrow and from death. The security which is founded
on material things is doomed to failure.
(3) The desire for money tends to make people
selfish. If they are driven by the desire for
wealth, it is nothing to them that someone has to
lose in order that they may gain. The desire for
wealth fixes people’s thoughts upon self, and others
become merely means or obstacles in the path to
their own enrichment. True, that need not happen;
but in fact it often does.
(4) Although the desire for wealth is based
on the desire for security, it ends in nothing but
anxiety. The more people have to keep, the more they
have to lose, and the tendency is for them to be
obsessed by the risk of loss. There is an old story
about a peasant who performed a great service to a
king, who rewarded him with a gift of much money.
For a time, the man was thrilled; but the day came
when he begged the king to take back his gift, for
into his life had entered the hitherto unknown worry
that he might lose what he had.
(5) The love of money may easily lead people
into wrong ways of getting it, and therefore, in the
end, into pain and remorse. That is true even
physically. They may so drive their bodies in their
passion to get that they ruin their health. They may
discover too late what damage their desire has done
to others and be saddled with remorse.
To seek to be independent and prudently to provide
for the future is a Christian duty, but to make the
love of money the driving force of life cannot ever
be anything other than the most perilous of sins.
~Barclay commentary
Let us look first at the general commentaries:
What sins will not men be drawn into by the love of
money! People may have money, and yet not love it;
but if they love it, this will push them on to all
evil. Every sort of wickedness and vice, in one way
or another, grows from the love of money. We cannot
look around without perceiving many proofs of this,
especially in a day of outward prosperity, great
expenses, and loose profession.
~Matthew Henry Concise
commentary
Now from the Matthew Henry volume set commentary
The apostle affirms that the love of money is the
root of all evil. What sins will not men be drawn to
by the love of money? Particularly this was at the
bottom of the apostasy of many from the faith of
Christ; while they coveted money, they erred from
the faith, they quitted their Christianity, and
pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Observe, [1.] What is the root of all evil; the love
of money: people may have money, and yet not love
it; but, if they love it inordinately, it will push
them on to all evil. [2.] Covetous persons will quit
the faith, if that be the way to get money: Which
while some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this
present world, 2 Timothy 4:10. For the world was
dearer to him than Christianity. Observe, Those that
err from the faith pierce themselves with many
sorrows; those that depart from God do but treasure
up sorrows for themselves.
~Matthew Henry
Let us take a look at the John Wesley commentary:
Love of money -
Commonly called "prudent care" of what a man has.
Is the root - The
parent of all manner of evils.
Which some coveting have erred - Literally,
missed the mark. They aimed not at faith, but at
something else. And pierced
themselves with many sorrows - From a guilty
conscience, tormenting passions, desires contrary to
reason, religion, and one another. How cruel are
worldly men to themselves!
~John Wesley Explanatory Notes
Now to the specific commentaries:
This verse is generally handled in 4 parts:
1] For the love of money is the root of all evil.
2] Which while some coveted after.
3] They have erred from the faith.
4] And pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1] For the love of money is the root of all evil.
For the love of money is
the root of all evil - That is, of all kinds
of evil. This is evidently not to be understood as
literally true, for there are evils which cannot, be
traced to the love of money - the evils growing out
of ambition, and intemperance, and debasing lusts,
and of the hatred of God and of goodness. The
expression here is evidently a popular saying - “all
sorts of evils grow out of the love of money.”
Similar expressions often occur in the classic
writers; see Wetstein, in loc, and numerous examples
quoted by Priceaus. Of the truth of this, no one can
doubt. No small part of the crimes of the world can
be traced to the love of gold. But it deserves to be
remarked here, that the apostle does not say that
“money is the root of all evil,” or that it is an
evil at all. It is the “love” of it which is the
source of evil. ~Barnes
Notes
The love of money is the root
of all evil - Perhaps it would be better to
translate παντων των κακων, of all these evils; i.e.
the evils enumerated above; for it cannot be true
that the love of money is the root of all evil, it
certainly was not the root whence the transgression
of Adam sprang, but it is the root whence all the
evils mentioned in the preceding verse spring. This
text has been often very incautiously quoted; for
how often do we hear, “The Scripture says, Money is
the root of all evil!” No, the Scripture says no
such thing. Money is the root of no evil, nor is it
an evil of any kind; but the love of it is the root
of all the evils mentioned here.
~Adam Clarke
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 עיקר כל עונות, "the root of all
iniquities." ~John Gill
2] Which while some coveted after.
Which while some coveted after
- That is, some who were professing Christians. The
apostle is doubtless referring to persons whose
history was known to Timothy, and warning him, and
teaching him to warn others, by their example.
~Barnes Notes
While some coveted after
- Ορεγομενοι· Insatiably desiring.
~Adam Clarke
Which while some coveted after
- in a greedy and insatiable way:
~John Gill
3] They have erred from the faith.
They have erred from the faith
- Margin, “been seduced.” The Greek is, they have
been led astray from; that is, they have been so
deceived as to depart from the faith. The notion of
deception or delusion is in the word, and the sense
is, that, deceived by the promises held out by the
prospect of wealth, they have apostatized from the
faith. It is not implied of necessity that they were
ever real Christians. They have been led off from
truth and duty, and from all the hopes and joys
which religion would have imparted.
~Barnes Notes
They have erred from the faith
- Απεπλανηθησαν· Have totally erred - have
made a most fatal and ruinous departure from the
religion of Christ. ~Adam
Clarke
They have erred from the faith
- 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.
~John Gill
4] And pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.
And pierced themselves through
with many sorrows - With such sorrows as
remorse, and painful reflections on their folly, and
the apprehension of future wrath. Too late they see
that they have thrown away the hopes of religion for
that which is at best unworthy the pursuit of [salvation/eternal
life]; which leads them on to a life of
wickedness; which fails of imparting what it
promised when its pursuit is successful, and which,
in the great majority of instances, disappoints its
votaries [adherent of
religion] in respect to its attainment.
The word rendered “pierced themselves through” -
περιέπειραν periepeiran - occurs nowhere else in
the New Testament, and is a word whose force and
emphasis cannot be well expressed in a translation.
It is from πείρω peirō, and is made more emphatic
by the addition of the preposition περι peri. The
word πείρω peirō, means, properly, “to pierce
through from one end to another,” and is applied to
meat that is “pierced through” by the spit when it
is to be roasted (Passow); then it means to pierce
through and through. The addition of the preposition
περι peri to the word, conveys the idea of doing
this “all round;” of piercing everywhere. It was not
a single thrust which was made, but they are gashed
all round with penetrating wounds. Such is the
effect on those who cast off religion for the sake
of gold. None can avoid these consequences who do
this. Every man is in the hands of a holy and just
God, and sooner or later he must feel the effects of
his sin and folly. ~Barnes
Notes
And pierced themselves through
with many sorrows - The word περιεπειραν
signifies to be transfixed in every part; and is an
allusion to one of those snares, παγιδα, mentioned
1Timothy 6:9, where a hole is dug in the earth,
and filled full of sharp stakes, and, being slightly
covered over with turf, is not perceived; and
whatever steps on it falls in, and is pierced
through and through with these sharp stakes, the
οδυναις πολλαις, the many torments, mentioned by the
apostle. ~Adam Clarke
And pierced themselves through
with many sorrows - 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. The apostle seem to
allude to the Hebrew word בצע, used for a covetous
man, which signifies one that pierces, cuts, and
wounds, as such an one does both himself and others.
~John Gill
Let us go now to the Treasury of
Scriptural Knowledge:
For the love of money is the root of all evil:
Proverbs 1:19
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;
which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
Ezekiel 22:12
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou
hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast
greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and
hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
Micah 3:9-12
9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of
Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that
abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with
iniquity.
11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the
priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets
thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon
the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none
evil can come upon us.
12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a
field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the
mountain of the house as the high places of the
forest.
Titus 1:10-11
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and
deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for
filthy lucre's sake.
Which while some coveted after:
1 Timothy 6:21
Which some professing have erred concerning the
faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to
Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the
chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.
2 Timothy 4:10
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this
present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;
Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Jude 1:11
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of
Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for
reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Revelation 2:14-15
...to the church at
Pergamos
14 But I have a few things against thee, because
thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of
Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock
before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of
the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
And pierced themselves through with many sorrows:
Psalm 32:10
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that
trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Proverbs 1:31
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own
way, and be filled with their own devices.
2 Peter 2:7-8
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy
conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in
seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from
day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
We will finish now with some quotes on the
inordinate love of money.
A little thought and a little kindness are often
worth more than a great deal of money.
A business that makes nothing but money is a poor
business. ~Henry Ford
There are people who have money and people who are
rich.
If you want to rear financial blessings, you have to
sow financially.
A wise man should have money in his head, but not in
his heart.
Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there
is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The
more of it one has the more one wants.
~Benjamin Franklin
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