1Ti 6:9-10 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 9. But they that will be rich ] οιδεβουλομενοι πλουτειν. The words are emphatic , and refer to persons who are determined to get riches; who make this their object and aim in life; who live to get money; who get all they can, save all they can, and keep all they get; and yet are apprehensive of no danger, because they seek to be rich by honest means ; for it is likely that the apostle does not refer to those who wish to get riches by robbery, plunder, extortion , &c. By the term rich it is very likely that the apostle refers to what he had said above: Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content . He that has more than these is rich in the sense in which the apostle uses the term. Fall into temptation and a snare ] τουδιαβολου, Of the devil , is added by D*FG, Vulgate, Itala , and many of the fathers . It is in consequence of the temptation of the devil that they have determined to be rich; this temptation once received, others quickly succeed: and when they have swallowed down the temptation to the thing , then they drink in a thousand temptations to the means ; and all these lead them ειςπαγιδα, into an unforeseen and concealed trap. παγις signifies a net, trap, gin, snare, springe, or pit dug in the ground filled with sharp stakes, and slightly covered over; so that when a man, or any animal, steps upon it, he tumbles in, and is taken or destroyed. Such a snare is that into which those who will be rich must necessarily fall. But who will believe this? . And into many foolish and hurtful lusts ] The whole conduct of such a person is a tissue of folly ; scraping, gathering, and heaping up riches, and scarcely affording to take the necessaries of life out of them for himself. These lusts or desires are not only foolish , but they are hurtful ; the mind is debased and narrowed by them; benevolent and generous feelings become extinct; charity perishes; and selfishness , the last and lowest principle in mental degradation, absorbs the soul; for these foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in destruction and perdition -the soul is destroyed by them here, and brought through them into a state of perdition hereafter. The apostle considers these persons like mariners in a storm; by the concurrence of winds, waves, and tide, they are violently driven among the rocks, the vessel is dashed to pieces, and in a moment they are all ingulfed in the great deep! Such is the lot and unavoidable catastrophe of them that will be rich , even though they should strive to accomplish their desires by means the most rigidly honest. In this place I beg leave to refer the reader to a sermon on this text by the late Rev. JOHN WESLEY, in which the whole of this subject is treated by the hand of a master; and, for usefulness, the sermon is superior to every thing of the kind ever published. It is entitled, The Danger of Riches ; and is found in his WORKS, Vol. 2, page 248, American edit.

‏ 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Verse 9. But they that will be rich] οιδεβουλομενοι πλουτειν. The words are emphatic, and refer to persons who are determined to get riches; who make this their object and aim in life; who live to get money; who get all they can, save all they can, and keep all they get; and yet are apprehensive of no danger, because they seek to be rich by honest means; for it is likely that the apostle does not refer to those who wish to get riches by robbery, plunder, extortion, &c.

By the term rich it is very likely that the apostle refers to what he had said above: Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. He that has more than these is rich in the sense in which the apostle uses the term.

Fall into temptation and a snare] τουδιαβολου, Of the devil, is added by D*FG, Vulgate, Itala, and many of the fathers. It is in consequence of the temptation of the devil that they have determined to be rich; this temptation once received, others quickly succeed: and when they have swallowed down the temptation to the thing, then they drink in a thousand temptations to the means; and all these lead them ειςπαγιδα, into an unforeseen and concealed trap. παγις signifies a net, trap, gin, snare, springe, or pit dug in the ground filled with sharp stakes, and slightly covered over; so that when a man, or any animal, steps upon it, he tumbles in, and is taken or destroyed. Such a snare is that into which those who will be rich must necessarily fall. But who will believe this? See Clarke on 1Ti 6:10.

And into many foolish and hurtful lusts] The whole conduct of such a person is a tissue of folly; scraping, gathering, and heaping up riches, and scarcely affording to take the necessaries of life out of them for himself. These lusts or desires are not only foolish, but they are hurtful; the mind is debased and narrowed by them; benevolent and generous feelings become extinct; charity perishes; and selfishness, the last and lowest principle in mental degradation, absorbs the soul; for these foolish and hurtful lusts drown men in destruction and perdition-the soul is destroyed by them here, and brought through them into a state of perdition hereafter. The apostle considers these persons like mariners in a storm; by the concurrence of winds, waves, and tide, they are violently driven among the rocks, the vessel is dashed to pieces, and in a moment they are all ingulfed in the great deep! Such is the lot and unavoidable catastrophe of them that will be rich, even though they should strive to accomplish their desires by means the most rigidly honest.

In this place I beg leave to refer the reader to a sermon on this text by the late Rev. JOHN WESLEY, in which the whole of this subject is treated by the hand of a master; and, for usefulness, the sermon is superior to every thing of the kind ever published. It is entitled, The Danger of Riches; and is found in his WORKS, Vol. 2, page 248, American edit.

Verse 10. The love of money is the root of all evil] Perhaps it would be better to translate παντωντωνκακων, 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.

While some coveted after] ορεγομενοι. Insatiably desiring.

Have erred from the faith] απεπλανηθησαν. Have totally erred-have made a most fatal and ruinous departure from the religion of Christ.

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 1Ti 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 οδυναιςπολλαις, the many torments, mentioned by the apostle. See Clarke on 1Ti 6:9.