Handling Treasure (6:17-19)
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Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. (6:17-19)
As the apostle closes out his first epistle to his beloved son in the faith, two issues remain on his mind that relate to handling treasure. How believers handle those two treasures is a measure of their spiritual maturity and devotion to Christ. All believers are stewards, given the responsibility to protect and manage what the Lord has given them. In this passage Paul mentions the first of these vital areas in which believers are called to be stewards: material possessions.
The marvelous doxology of verses 15 and 16 was in reality a worshipful digression from which Paul now returns to his theme of duty. In so doing, he brings Timothy crashing down to earth from the glorious heights of God’s exalted nature. The Christian life consists of both worship and duty. The highest form of worship is to do God’s will (Rom. 12:1-2), while duty not springing from a worshipful heart is nothing but legalism. The Lord Jesus Christ joined worship and duty in Matthew 4:10: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” What He has joined together, man dares not separate.
Paul had already discussed the issue of earthly treasures as it relates to false teachers (6:5,9-10). He pointed out the devastating consequences of loving and pursuing money. In verses 17-19 he covers the same topic from a different perspective. In verses 5, 9-10, the apostle spoke of those who desired to be rich. In verses 17-19, he counsels those who are already rich. Obviously, in the prosperous city of Ephesus there were some wealthy church members, so this passage provides an important balance to Paul’s teaching earlier in the chapter. Had the apostle not added this further teaching, those in the congregation who were rich would have been left open to the charge of loving and pursuing money.
Paul does not condemn those whom God has enriched with material wealth, but does call upon them to exercise a proper stewardship of their God-given resources (cf. Deut. 8:18; 1 Sam. 2:7; 1 Chron. 29:12). It is not a sin to be rich. Such Old Testament saints as Abraham, Job, and Solomon were wealthy, as were such New Testament figures as Lydia, Dorcas, and Philemon. It is a sin, however, to love riches and fail to be a good steward of one’s possessions.
While having money is not a sin, neither does it necessarily indicate God’s blessing on a life. Many godly people are poor; even some faithful pastors can hardly afford to buy a new Bible when theirs wears out. On the other hand, many wicked men are very wealthy (cf. Ps. 73:3-12).
As Paul’s delegate and the Lord’s representative in prosperous Ephesus, Timothy was to instruct those who are rich in this present world. Those who are rich are not just those with the most expensive homes and the most extensive lands. To be rich is to have more than the mere essentials of food, clothing, and shelter. In today’s terminology, it means to have discretionary dollars. Most Western Christians today fall into that category. This present world (literally, “the now age”) is identified to indicate that earthly wealth is in view here, not spiritual riches.
Paul does not command the rich to divest themselves of their possessions and take a vow of poverty, but to have a proper perspective on handling their treasure. That includes realizing there is a danger to avoid, a duty to fulfill, and a development to consider.
THE DANGER TO AVOID
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. (6:17)
The first danger facing those who are rich is that they will become conceited. Conceited is from hupsōlophroneo, a compound verb meaning “to think lofty,” “be haughty,” or “have an exalted opinion of oneself.” Looking down on those lower on the economic ladder is a distressing trait of fallen human nature. Rich people are constantly faced with the temptation to put on airs of superiority. Riches and pride are frequently found together, and the wealthier an individual is, the greater the temptation. It is exceedingly difficult to be wealthy and have a humble spirit. The temptation is to view others as mere servants, since wealthy people tend to hire others to do everything for them. Proverbs 18:23 describes what often transpires: “The poor man utters supplications, but the rich man answers roughly.” That happens because “the rich man is wise in his own eyes” (Prov. 28:11).
The opposite of being conceited is having “humility of mind” (Phil. 2:3). That virtue was scorned by the haughty Greek culture, with its glorification of pride. Paul wants the rich in the Ephesian assembly to avoid that cultural iniquity and be humble.
Ezekiel 28:1-5 illustrates one who fell prey to pride due to his wealth:
The word of the Lord came again to me saying, “Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “because your heart is lifted up and you have said,” ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas’; yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God—behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is a match for you. By your wisdom and understanding you have acquired riches for yourself, and have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries. By your great wisdom, by your trade you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches.’”
James warns against such an attitude in the church:
My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? (2:1-4)
A second danger facing the rich is the temptation to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. To base their hope on the uncertainty of riches, instead of God, is foolish. Proverbs 11:28 warns that “he who trusts in his riches will fall.” Proverbs 23:4-5 adds, “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings, like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Once again, this is especially a temptation for the rich. Those who have a lot tend to trust in it, while those who have little can’t trust in what they have, and so are more likely to turn to God in hope that He will supply.
In the parable of the rich fool, the Lord Jesus Christ warned of the foolishness of trusting riches (Luke 12:16-21):
And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a certain rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’” But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Rather than trusting in riches, believers are to fix their hope on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. God provides far more security than any earthly investment. Psalm 50:10-12 describes His incalculable wealth: “Every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all it contains.” God is not stingy; He richly supplies His children with all things to enjoy. Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 reads,
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
The highest form of joy for the believer is to bring glory to the Lord. True gladness, then, comes when believers give heed to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
THE DUTY TO FULFILL
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,(6:18)
The duty of all rich believers is to use their resources to meet the needs of others. The apostle gives four phrases that define that duty.
First, Timothy is to instruct them to do good. Agathoergeō (do good) appears only here in the New Testament. It means “to do what is inherently, intrinsically, and qualitatively good.” The verb refers to doing what is noble and excellent, not what is only superficially good. It describes the most general aspect of the duty; the wealthy are to use their lives and their money to do genuinely good and noble things.
The second aspect narrows the duty of the rich further. They are to be rich in good works. God does not intend for material wealth to be hoarded or doled out sparingly. The key word is rich, meaning “abounding,” or “abundantly furnished.” Material wealth is to be used to perform good works on behalf of others. Believers’ resources are to be used to support their own families (5:8), especially needy widows (5:4). The leaders of the church (5:17), and any believer in need (Acts 4:34-35), must also be provided for. And all such sharing is not to be minimal, but to fully cover the need and more.
A third phrase sharpens the apostle’s focus still more as it zeros in on the motive. As they meet the needs of others, those with money must be generous. Eumetadotos (generous) means “liberal,” or “bountiful.” The duty of the rich involves meeting the needs of others beyond mini-mums, and that requires a generous, unselfish heart. Believers are to act toward others with the same generous love that moved God to act so richly toward them. Like the Macedonians commended by Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:1-4, they must give sacrificially from an open and unrestrained heart.
Such an attitude of generous giving is illustrated by the people of Israel. First Chronicles 29:1-17 records the story of their liberal giving to prepare for the building of Solomon’s temple:
Then King David said to the entire assembly, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is still young and inexperienced and the work is great; for the temple is not for man, but for the Lord God. Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, onyx stones and inlaid stones, stones of antimony, and stones of various colors, and all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster in abundance. And moreover, in my delight in the house of my God, the treasure I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, over and above all that I have already provided for the holy temple, namely, 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings; of gold for the things of gold, and of silver for the things of silver, that is, for all the work done by the craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?” Then the rulers of the fathers’ households, and the princes of the tribes of Israel, and the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with the overseers over the king’s work, offered willingly; and for the service for the house of God they gave 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics of gold, and 10,000 talents of silver, and 18,000 talents of brass, and 100,000 talents of iron. And whoever possessed precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the Lord, in care of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly. So David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Thine, 0 Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from Thee, and from Thy hand we have given Thee. For we are sojourners before Thee, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build Thee a house for Thy holy name, it is from Thy hand, and all is Thine. Since I know, O my God, that Thou triest the heart and delightest in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Thy people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to Thee.”
The final phrase states that the duty of the rich is to be ready to share. Koinōnikos (ready to share) derives from the common New Testament word for fellowship, koinōnia, and means “beneficent.” Giving to others is not to be done in a cold, detached manner. Rather, there must be mutual care and concern arising from the common life believers share.
THE DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. (6:19)
Paul urges the rich to consider the end result of properly handling treasure. By sharing their earthly treasures with others, they are storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future. Apothēsaurizō (storing up) could be translated “amassing a treasure,” while themelios (foundation) can refer to a fund. The rich are not to be concerned with getting a return on their investment in this life. Those who lay up treasure in heaven will be content to wait to receive their dividends in the future when they reach heaven.
Those who invest in eternity show that they have taken hold of that which is life indeed. Real life, life indeed, is eternal life. Believers must live their lives in light of eternity. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ said in Luke 16:9, “Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Christians should invest their money in the souls of men and women, who will be there to greet them and thank them when they arrive in heaven.