1Ti 6:9-10 | JFB | STEP | 9. will be rich —have more than " food and raiment." Greek, " wish to be rich"; not merely are willing, but are resolved, and earnestly desire to have riches at any cost ( ). This wishing (not the riches themselves) is fatal to "contentment" ( ). Rich men are not told to cast away their riches, but not to "trust" in them, and to "do good" with them ( ). fall into temptation —not merely "are exposed to temptation," but actually " fall into " it. The falling into it is what we are to pray against, "Lead us not into temptation" ( ); such a one is already in a sinful state, even before any overt act of sin. The Greek for "temptation" and "gain" contains a play on sounds— porasmus, peirasmus. snare —a further step downwards ( ). He falls into "the snare of the devil." foolish —irrational. hurtful —to those who fall into the snare. Compare , "deceitful lusts" which deceive to one's deadly hurt. lusts —With the one evil lust (" wish to be rich") many others join themselves: the one is the "root of all evils" ( ). which — Greek, "whatever (lusts)." drown —an awful descending climax from "fall into"; this is the last step in the terrible descent ( ); translated "sink," . destruction . . . perdition — destruction in general (temporal or eternal), and perdition in particular, namely, that of body and soul in hell.

1 Timothy 6:9-10

9. will be rich—have more than "food and raiment." Greek, "wish to be rich"; not merely are willing, but are resolved, and earnestly desire to have riches at any cost (Pr 28:20, 22). This wishing (not the riches themselves) is fatal to "contentment" (1Ti 6:6). Rich men are not told to cast away their riches, but not to "trust" in them, and to "do good" with them (1Ti 6:17, 18; Ps 62:10).

fall into temptation—not merely "are exposed to temptation," but actually "fall into" it. The falling into it is what we are to pray against, "Lead us not into temptation" (Jas 1:14); such a one is already in a sinful state, even before any overt act of sin. The Greek for "temptation" and "gain" contains a play on sounds—porasmus, peirasmus.

snare—a further step downwards (1Ti 3:7). He falls into "the snare of the devil."

foolish—irrational.

hurtful—to those who fall into the snare. Compare Eph 4:22, "deceitful lusts" which deceive to one's deadly hurt.

lusts—With the one evil lust ("wish to be rich") many others join themselves: the one is the "root of all evils" (1Ti 6:10).

which—Greek, "whatever (lusts)."

drown—an awful descending climax from "fall into"; this is the last step in the terrible descent (Jas 1:15); translated "sink," Lu 5:7.

destruction . . . perdition—destruction in general (temporal or eternal), and perdition in particular, namely, that of body and soul in hell.

10. the love of money—not the money itself, but the love of it—the wishing to be rich (1Ti 6:9) —"is a root (ELLICOTT and MIDDLETON: not as English Version, 'the root') of all evils." (So the Greek plural). The wealthiest may be rich not in a bad sense; the poorest may covet to be so (Ps 62:10). Love of money is not the sole root of evils, but it is a leading "root of bitterness" (Heb 12:15), for "it destroys faith, the root of all that is good" [BENGEL]; its offshoots are "temptation, a snare, lusts, destruction, perdition."

coveted after—lusted after.

erred from—literally, "have been made to err from the faith" (1Ti 1:19; 4:1).

pierced— (Lu 2:35).

with . . . sorrows—"pains": "thorns" of the parable (Mt 13:22) which choke the word of "faith." "The prosperity of fools destroys them" (Pr 1:32). BENGEL and WIESINGER make them the gnawings of conscience, producing remorse for wealth badly acquired; the harbingers of the future "perdition" (1Ti 6:9).