“Understanding ‘Desire for Riches’ in Paul’s Discourse in 1 Timothy 6:3-10”

Abstract

Paul warns the Ephesian church against the teaching of a different doctrine that is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ words on godliness. The study examined Jesus’s teaching on godliness. According to Paul, godliness is a great gain. Paul seems to suggest in 1 Tim 6:8 that a believer must find contentment in the necessities of life. Paul appears to reference Jesus in His teaching on godliness. The study aimed to investigate the concept of “desire for riches” in 1 Tim 6:3-10, with a particular focus on the lexical and syntactical connection between βούλοµαι in v. 9 and φιλαργυρία in v. 10. Paul cautions against a misguided quest for wealth, which entraps people into temptation, spiritual degradation, and ethical decay. His argument centers on the premise that βούλοµαι in v. 9 controls the interpretation of φιλαργυρία “love of money” in v. 10. By replacing “desire” with “love” in v. 10, Paul emphasizes that it is not riches per se, but the purpose driving one’s desire for riches that determines its spiritual and ethical implications. Paul contends that pursuing wealth as the goal turns it into a trap that leads to apostasy and destruction. However, Paul does not explicitly denounce wealth. He 
distinguishes between a desire for wealth and the legitimate attainment of resources for sustenance (διατρoφάς καὶ σκεπάσµατα, v. 8). His caution pertains to riches that replace godliness rather than wealth that supports human existence. This study examines Paul’s language, theology, Greco-Roman, and New Testament contexts. The study suggests that Paul’s principal concern is the “end” of ἐπιθυµία, whether it culminates in εὐσέβεια (godliness) accompanied by contentment or in self-destructive desire for riches that leads to temptation. The study indicates that Paul’s exhortation is pertinent in contemporary discussions on wealth and poverty.