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| 1 Timothy 6:18 |
That they do good, that they be rich
in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate;
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This section has three verses.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that
they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly
all things to enjoy;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good
works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, that they may
lay hold on eternal life.
We will begin with the Barclay commentary:
ADVICE TO THE RICH
1 Timothy 6:17–19
First the paraphrase of the three verses
Charge those who are rich in this world’s goods not
to be proud, and not to set their hopes on the
uncertainty of riches, but on God who gives them all
things richly to enjoy. Charge them to do good; to
find their wealth in noble deeds; to be ready to
share all that they have; to be men who never forget
that they are members of a fellowship; to lay up for
themselves the treasure of a fine foundation for the
world to come, that they may lay hold on real life.
SOMETIMES we think of the early Church as composed
entirely of poor people and slaves. Here we see
that, even as early as this, it had its wealthy
members. They are not condemned for being wealthy,
nor told to give all their wealth away; but they are
told what not to do and what to do with it.
Their riches must not make them proud. They must not
think themselves better than other people because
they have more money. Nothing in this world gives
anyone the right to look down on another person,
least of all the possession of wealth. They must not
set their hopes on wealth. In the chances and the
changes of life, we may be wealthy today and find
ourselves in poverty tomorrow; and it is folly to
set one’s hopes on what can so easily be lost.
They are told that they must use their wealth to do
good, that they must always be ready to share, and
that they must remember that every Christian is a
member of a fellowship. And they are told that such
wise use of wealth will build for them a good
foundation in the world to come. As it has been put,
‘What I kept, I lost; what I gave, I have.’
There is a famous Jewish Rabbinic story. A man
called Monobaz had inherited great wealth, but he
was a good, a kindly and a generous man. In time of
famine, he gave away all his wealth to help the
poor. His brothers came to him and said: ‘Your
fathers laid up treasure, and added to the treasure
that they had inherited from their fathers, and are
you going to waste it all?’ He answered: ‘My fathers
laid up treasure below: I have laid it up above. My
fathers laid up treasure of Mammon: I have laid up
treasure of souls. My fathers laid up treasure for
this world: I have laid up treasure for the world to
come.’
Every time we could give and do not give lessens the
wealth laid up for us in the world to come; every
time we give increases the riches laid up for us
when this life comes to an end. The teaching of the
Christian ethic is not that wealth is a sin but that
it is a very great responsibility. If wealth
ministers to nothing but personal pride and enriches
no one but the wealthy individual, it becomes that
person’s ruination, because it impoverishes the
soul. But if wealth is used to bring help and
comfort to others, in becoming poorer, the wealthy
person really becomes richer. In time and in
eternity, ‘it is more blessed to give than to
receive’ (Acts 20:35).
~Barclay commentary
Now to the other commentaries
Again, our verse for tonight is verse 18
1 Timothy 6:18
That they do good, that they be rich in good works,
ready to distribute, willing to communicate.
We will begin with the Matthew Henry:
Timothy must charge those that are rich to beware of
the temptations, and improve the opportunities, of
their prosperous estate.
(1.) He must caution them to take heed of pride.
This is a sin that easily besets rich people, upon
whom the world smiles. Charge them that they be not
high-minded, or think of themselves above what is
meet, or be puffed up with their wealth.
(2.) He must caution them against vain confidence in
their wealth. Charge them that they trust not in
uncertain riches. Nothing is more uncertain than the
wealth of this world; many have had much of it one
day and been stripped of all the next. Riches make
themselves wings, and fly away as an eagle, etc.,
Proverbs 23:5.
Quoted Verse:
Proverbs 23:5
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for
riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly
away as an eagle toward heaven.
(3.) He must charge them to trust in God, the living
God, to make him their hope, who giveth us richly
all things to enjoy. Those who are rich must see God
giving them their riches, and giving them to enjoy
them richly; for many have riches, but enjoy them
poorly, not having a heart to use them.
(4.) He must charge them to do good with what they
have (for what is the best
estate worth, any more than as it gives a man an
opportunity of doing so much the more good?):
That they be rich in good works. Those are truly
rich who are rich in good works. That they be ready
to distribute, willing to communicate: not only to
do it, but to do it willingly, for God loves a
cheerful giver.
(5.) He must charge them to think of another world,
and prepare for that which is to come by works of
charity: Laying up in store a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may take hold on
eternal life.
Hence we may observe,
(1.) Ministers must not be afraid of the rich; be
they ever so rich, they must speak to them, and
charge them.
(2.) They must caution them against pride, and vain
confidence in their riches: That they be not
high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches. Stir
them up to works of piety and charity: That they do
good, etc.
(3.) This is the way for the rich to lay up in store
for themselves for the time to come, that they may
lay hold on eternal life; in the way of well-doing
we are to seek for glory, honour, and immortality,
and eternal life will be the end of all, Romans 2:7.
Quoted verse:
Romans 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing
seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal
life:
(4.) Here is a lesson for ministers in the charge
given to Timothy: Keep that which is committed to
thy trust. Every minister is a trustee, and it is a
treasure committed to his trust, which he has to
keep. The truths of God, the ordinances of God, keep
these, avoiding profane and vain babblings; not
affecting human eloquence, which the apostle calls
vain babbling, or human learning, which often
opposes the truths of God, but keep close to the
written word, for that is committed to our trust.
Some who have been very proud of their learning,
their science, which is falsely so called, have by
that been debauched in their principles and been
drawn away from the faith of Christ, which is a good
reason why we should keep to the plain word of the
gospel, and resolve to live and die by that.
Observe,
[1.] Ministers cannot be too earnestly exhorted to
keep what is committed to their trust, because it is
a great trust lodged with them: O Timothy, keep that
which is committed to thy trust! as if he had said,
“I cannot conclude without charging thee again;
whatever thou doest, be sure to keep this trust, for
it is too great a trust to be betrayed.”
[2.] Ministers are to avoid babblings, if they would
keep what is committed to them, because they [the
babblings] are vain and profane.
[3.] That science that opposes the truth of the
gospel is falsely so called; it is not true science,
for if it were it would approve of the gospel and
consent to it.
[4.] Those who are so fond of such science are in
great danger of erring concerning the faith; those
who are for advancing reason above faith are in
danger of leaving faith.
Now to the specific commentaries
The commas divide the verse into four parts:
1] That they do good.
2] That they be rich in good works.
3] Ready to distribute.
4] Willing to communicate.
1] That they do good.
That they do good - The
right use of wealth is given. Let it be a means of
doing good so that they may be rich in good works.
~People New Testament
That they do good —
like God Himself (Psalm 119:68; Acts 14:17) and
Christ (Acts 10:38). Tittmann translates, “to do,”
or “act well”; as the Greek for “to be beneficent”
is a distinct word, agathopoiein.
~Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
Quoted verses:
Psalm 119:68
...speaking of God
Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy
statutes.
Acts 14:17
...speaking of God
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in
that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and
fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and
gladness.
Acts 10:38
...speaking of Jesus
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Ghost [Spirit]
and with power: who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for
God was with him.
That they do good -
That they relieve the wants of their fellow
creatures, according to the abundance which God has
given them. The highest luxury a human being can
enjoy on this side of the grave.
~Adam Clarke
That they do good - On
the duty enjoined in this verse, see Galatians 6:10
note. ~Barnes Notes
Galatians 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good
unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
household of faith.
Commentary:
As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men -
This is the true rule about doing good. “The
opportunity to do good,” said Cotton Mather,
“imposes the obligation to do it.” The simple rule
is, that we are favored with the opportunity, and
that we have the power. It is not that we are to do
it when it is convenient; or when it will advance
the interest of a party; or when it may contribute
to our fame; the rule is, that we are to do it when
we have the opportunity. No matter how often that
occurs; no matter how many objects of benevolence
are presented - the more the better; no matter how
much self-denial it may cost us; no matter how
little fame we may get by it; still, if we have the
opportunity to do good, we are to do it, and should
be thankful for the privilege. And it is to be done
to all people. Not to our family only; not to our
party; not to our neighbors; not to those of our own
color; not to those who live in the same land with
us, but to all mankind. If we can reach and benefit
a man who lives on the other side of the globe, whom
we have never seen, and shall never see in this
world or in the world to come, still we are to do
him good. Such is Christianity. And in this, as in
all other respects, it differs from the narrow and
selfish spirit of clanship which prevails all over
the world.
Especially - On the
same principle that a man is bound particularly to
benefit his own family and friends. In his large and
expansive zeal for the world at large, he is not to
forget or neglect them. He is to feel that they have
special claims on him. They are near him. They are
bound to him by tender ties. They may be
particularly dependent on him. Christianity does not
relax the ties which bind us to our country, our
family, and our friends. It makes them more close
and tender, and excites us more faithfully to
discharge the duties which grow out of these
relations. But, in addition to that, it excites us
to do good to all people, and to bless the stranger
as well as the friend; the man who has a different
color from our own, as well as he who has the same;
the man who lives in another clime, as well as he
who was born in the same country in which we live.
Of the household of faith
- Christians are distinguished from other people
primarily by their believing the gospel, and by its
influence on their lives.
~Barnes Notes
That they do good -
Rich men sometimes do much ill to themselves, to the
hurt of their bodies, by luxury, intemperance, and
debauchery, and to their souls, to the ruin of them;
and to others by fraud, oppression, and violence;
for it is in the power of their hands to do much
evil, and also to do much good, as they should; and
much is required of them, since much is given them
to do good with, and for which they are accountable:
it becomes them, and especially such as believe in
Christ, to do every good work in general, and to do
acts of beneficence in particular, both to all men,
and to the household of faith.
~John Gill
2] That they be rich in good
works.
That they be rich in good
works - That their good works may be as
abundant as their riches.
~Adam Clarke
That they be rich in good
works - “That their good works may be as
abundant as their riches.”
~Barnes Notes
That they be rich in good
works - or abound in the performance of them,
as Dorcas is said to be full of good works and alms
deeds [money or goods give
to the poor]; and to reckon that their
true riches lie more in the exercise of grace, and
in the fruits of it, doing good works, than in their
worldly enjoyments. The phrase seems to be
Rabbinical. Frequent mention is made of עשיר בתורה,
"rich in the law", and עשיר במצות, "rich in the
commandments"; and it is said , no man is poor but
he that is without the law, and good works, for the
riches of a man are the law, and good works.
~John Gill
3] Ready to distribute.
Ready to distribute -
Ευμεταδοτους ειναι· That they give nothing through
partiality or favor, but be guided in their
distribution by the necessities of the objects
presented to them; and that they confine not their
charity at home, but scatter it abroad.
~Adam Clarke
Ready to distribute -
To divide with others. The meaning is, that they
should be liberal, or bountiful.
~Barnes Notes
Ready to distribute -
unasked; and when they are asked, do not turn away,
and put off, but give at once, and without grief,
and with cheerfulness; want no arguments to press
them to it, nor use any against it.
~John Gill
4] Willing to communicate.
Willing to communicate
- Κοινωνικους· Bringing every poor person into a
state of fellowship with themselves.
~Adam Clarke
Willing to communicate
- Margin, or “sociable.” The translation in the text
is a more correct rendering of the Greek. The idea
is, that they should be willing to share their
blessings with others, so as to make others
comfortable. ~Barnes Notes
Willing to communicate
- of their good things to the necessities of the
poor, making them common to them, and them partakers
of them. Some render the word "sociable", in
opposition to that moroseness, stillness, and those
haughty and forbidding airs, with which rich men are
apt to treat the poor, when they should be affable
and courteous to them, and admit them to a free
conversation with them.
~John Gill
Let us finish with some quotes on
subjects from this verse:
Quotes on doing good:
I believe that every human mind feels pleasure in
doing good to another.
~Thomas Jefferson
To be doing good deeds is man's most glorious task.
There's never a surefire good career move except
doing good work.
If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have
the worst kind of heart trouble.
~Bob Hope
Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how.
Kindness, like a boomerang, always returns.
Quotes on Ready to distribute
God has given us two hands - one to receive with and
the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for
hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.
A smile is the light in your window that tells
others that there is a caring, sharing person
inside.
The miracle is this: The more we share, the more we
have.
“Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we
have the opportunity of sharing it with others.”
“We confirm our reality by sharing.”
Quotes on Willing to Communicate
“An unshared life is not living. He who shares does
not lessen, but greatens, his life.”
“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others,
cannot keep it from themselves.”
“A smile is the light in your window that tells
others that there is a caring, sharing person
inside.”
“The most important thing in communication is to
hear what isn't being said.”
“Good communication is just as stimulating as black
coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.”
~Anne Morrow Lindbergh
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