Money, Godliness, and the Good Fight
What’s 1 Timothy 6 about?
Paul wraps up his letter to Timothy with some of the most practical—and uncomfortable—teachings about money, contentment, and what it actually means to be rich toward God. It’s the kind of chapter that makes you squirm a little because it hits so close to home.
The Full Context
Paul is writing his final instructions to Timothy, who’s leading the church in Ephesus—a wealthy commercial hub where the temple of Artemis generated massive economic activity. This isn’t just any city; this is ancient Wall Street meets Las Vegas, where money flows and religious commerce thrives. Timothy is dealing with false teachers who are literally making merchandise out of the gospel, treating godliness like a get-rich-quick scheme.
The broader context of 1 Timothy shows Paul addressing church leadership, sound doctrine, and practical Christian living. Chapter 6 serves as Paul’s grand finale, tackling one of the most challenging aspects of faith: our relationship with money and material wealth. Paul knows that in a city like Ephesus, where economic prosperity and religious devotion often intertwined, Timothy needs clear guidance on navigating wealth, contentment, and the true meaning of spiritual riches. This passage provides timeless wisdom about finding satisfaction in God rather than in our bank accounts.
What the Ancient Words Tell Us
The Greek word autarkeia that Paul uses for “contentment” in 1 Timothy 6:6 is fascinating. It literally means “self-sufficiency”—but not in the way we might think. Ancient Stoic philosophers used this word to describe someone who didn’t need anything external to be happy. But Paul flips it completely. For Christians, autarkeia isn’t about being self-sufficient; it’s about being God-sufficient.
Grammar Geeks
When Paul says “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” in verse 10, the Greek construction is precise: philarguria (literally “silver-loving”) is a root, not the root. Paul isn’t saying money is the only source of evil, but that this particular form of idolatry opens the door to all sorts of spiritual disasters.
The phrase “godliness with contentment” uses eusebeia for godliness—a word that encompasses both reverence toward God and the practical life that flows from it. Paul is saying that when genuine godliness meets genuine contentment, you’ve struck spiritual gold. It’s the combination that creates what he calls “great gain.”
What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
Timothy’s congregation in Ephesus would have heard these words with their stomachs tied in knots. Ephesus was a city where your net worth often determined your social worth. The silversmiths who made shrines for Artemis (Acts 19:24-27) had already shown how religious devotion and economic profit were deeply intertwined in their culture.
When Paul talks about people who “suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5), the Ephesians would have immediately thought of the many religious charlatans in their city. Temple prostitution, magical practices, and religious merchandise were big business. Paul is essentially saying, “Don’t turn Christianity into another Ephesian money-making scheme.”
Did You Know?
Archaeological evidence from Ephesus shows that the city’s economy was so tied to religious tourism that when Christianity began to spread, it literally threatened the local GDP. The temple of Artemis wasn’t just a place of worship—it was the ancient equivalent of a major corporation.
The wealthy believers in Timothy’s church would have felt the sting of Paul’s warning about being “rich in this present world” (1 Timothy 6:17). In a culture where wealth was often seen as divine blessing, Paul’s call to “be rich in good works” would have sounded like a complete reorientation of values.
Wrestling with the Text
Here’s where Paul gets really challenging. He doesn’t say money itself is evil—he says the love of money is problematic. But how do we draw that line? When does appropriate stewardship cross over into unhealthy attachment?
Paul’s instruction to the wealthy in verses 17-19 is particularly nuanced. He doesn’t tell rich people to stop being rich. Instead, he tells them to stop trusting in their wealth and start using it generously. The Greek word for “generous” (eumetadotos) literally means “good at sharing.” It’s not just about writing checks—it’s about having a heart that naturally flows toward others.
“We brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it—everything in between is just borrowed time with borrowed resources.”
The phrase “laying up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future” (1 Timothy 6:19) uses banking language that the Ephesians would have understood perfectly. Paul is saying: instead of storing up earthly investments, make deposits in the eternal economy through generosity and good works.
How This Changes Everything
Paul’s teaching here fundamentally shifts how we think about success and security. In a world that measures worth by wealth, Paul introduces a completely different metric system. Contentment becomes more valuable than accumulation. Generosity becomes better investment strategy than hoarding.
The concept of “fighting the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) isn’t just spiritual warfare language—it’s athletic imagery. Paul uses agonizomai, which gives us our word “agonize.” It’s the word used for Olympic competition. Following Jesus isn’t a casual stroll; it’s an intense athletic contest that requires training, discipline, and everything you’ve got.
Wait, That’s Strange…
Paul’s charge to Timothy “in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 6:13) seems almost like a courtroom scene. Why such formal, legal language for a personal letter? Paul is creating a moment of ultimate seriousness—this isn’t just advice, it’s a sacred commission.
What’s revolutionary is how Paul connects eternal life with present living. When he talks about “taking hold of eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:12), he’s not just talking about heaven someday. He’s talking about the kind of life that starts now—life that finds its satisfaction in God rather than in stuff.
Key Takeaway
True wealth isn’t measured by what you can accumulate, but by how content you can be with what you have while generously sharing it with others. Godliness plus contentment equals the only kind of prosperity that actually satisfies.
Further Reading
Internal Links:
External Scholarly Resources:
- The Message of 1 Timothy & Titus by John Stott
- 1-2 Timothy, Titus by Philip Towner
- The Pastoral Epistles by William Mounce
Tags
1 Timothy 6:6, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, contentment, money, wealth, godliness, generosity, eternal life, false teaching, stewardship, good fight of faith, Timothy, Paul, pastoral epistles, Christian living
