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Commentary on 1 Timothy 6 verses 13–21
The apostle here charges Timothy to keep this commandment (that is, the whole work of his ministry, all the trust reposed in him, all the service expected from him) without spot, unrebukable; he must conduct himself so in his ministry that he might not lay himself open to any blame nor incur any blemish. What are the motives to move him to this?
I. He gives him a solemn charge: I give thee charge in the sight of God that thou do this. He charges him as he will answer it at the great day to that God whose eyes are upon us all, who sees what we are and what we do: - God, who quickens all things, who has life in himself and is the fountain of life. This should quicken us to the service of God that we serve a God who quickens all things. He charges him before Christ Jesus, to whom in a peculiar manner he stood related as a minister of his gospel: Who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession. Observe, Christ died not only as a sacrifice, but as a martyr; and he witnessed a good confession when he was arraigned before Pilate, saying (Joh 18:36, Joh 18:37), My kingdom is not of this world: I am come to bear witness unto the truth. That good confession of his before Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world, should be effectual to draw off all his followers, both ministers and people, from the love of this world.
II. He reminds him of the confession that he himself had made: Thou hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (Ti1 6:12), namely, when he was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. The obligation of that was still upon him, and he must live up to that, and be quickened by that, to do the work of his ministry.
III. He reminds him of Christ's second coming: "Keep this commandment - until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; keep it as long as thou live, till Christ come at death to give thee a discharge. Keep it with an eye to his second coming, when we must all give an account of the talents we have been entrusted with," Luk 16:2. Observe, The Lord Jesus Christ will appear, and it will be a glorious appearing, not like his first appearing in the days of his humiliation. Ministers should have an eye to this appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ in all their ministrations, and, till his appearing, they are to keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable. Mentioning the appearing of Christ, as one that loved it, Paul loves to speak of it, and loves to speak of him who shall then appear. The appearing of Christ is certain (he shall show it), but it is not for us to know the time and season of it, which the Father has kept in his own power: let this suffice us, that in time he will show it, in the time that he thinks fit for it. Observe,
1.Concerning Christ and God the Father the apostle here speaks great things. (1.) That God is the only Potentate; the powers of earthly princes are all derived from him, and depend upon him. The powers that exist are ordained of God, Rom 13:1. He is the only Potentate that is absolute and sovereign, and perfectly independent. (2.) He is the blessed and the only Potentate, infinitely happy, and nothing can in the least impair his happiness. (3.) He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. All the kings of the earth derive their power from him; he gave them their crowns, they hold them under him, and he has a sovereign dominion over them. This is Christ's title (Rev 19:16), upon his vesture and his thigh; for he has a name higher than the kings of the earth. (4.) He only has immortality. He only is immortal in himself, and has immortality as he is the fountain of it, for the immortality of angels and spirits derived from him. (5.) He dwells in inaccessible light, light which no man can approach unto: no man can get to heaven but those whom he is pleased to bring thither, and admit into his kingdom. (6.) He is invisible: Whom no man hath seen, nor can see. It is impossible that mortal eyes should bear the brightness of the divine glory. No man can see God and live.
2.Having mentioned these glorious attributes, he concludes with a doxology: To him be honour and power everlasting. Amen. God having all power and honour to himself, it is our duty to ascribe all power and honour to him. (1.) What an evil is sin, when committed against such a God, the blessed and only Potentate! The evil of it rises in proportion to the dignity of him against whom it is committed. (2.) Great is his condescension, to take notice of such mean and vile creatures as we are. What are we then, that the blessed God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, should seek after us? (3.) Blessed are those who are admitted to dwell with this great and blessed Potentate. Happy are thy men (says the queen of Sheba to king Solomon), happy are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, Kg1 10:8. Much more happy are those who are allowed to stand before the King of kings. (4.) Let us love, adore, and praise, the great God; for who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy, Rev 15:4.
IV. The apostle adds, by way of postscript, a lesson for rich people, Ti1 6:17-19.
1.Timothy must charge those that are rich to beware of the temptations, and improve the opportunities, of their prosperous estate. (1.) He must caution them to take heed of pride. This is a sin that easily besets rich people, upon whom the world smiles. Charge them that they be not high-minded, or think of themselves above what is meet, or be puffed up with their wealth. (2.) He must caution them against vain confidence in their wealth. Charge them that they trust not in uncertain riches. Nothing is more uncertain than the wealth of this world; many have had much of it one day and been stripped of all the next. Riches make themselves wings, and fly away as an eagle, etc., Pro 23:5. (3.) He must charge them to trust in God, the living God, to make him their hope, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Those who are rich must see God giving them their riches, and giving them to enjoy them richly; for many have riches, but enjoy them poorly, not having a heart to use them. (4.) He must charge them to do good with what they have (for what is the best estate worth, any more than as it gives a man an opportunity of doing so much the more good?): That they be rich in good works. Those are truly rich who are rich in good works. That they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate: not only to do it, but to do it willingly, for God loves a cheerful giver. (5.) He must charge them to think of another world, and prepare for that which is to come by works of charity: Laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come, that they may take hold on eternal life.
2.Hence we may observe, (1.) Ministers must not be afraid of the rich; be they ever so rich, they must speak to them, and charge them. (2.) They must caution them against pride, and vain confidence in their riches: That they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches. Stir them up to works of piety and charity: That they do good, etc. (3.) This is the way for the rich to lay up in store for themselves for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life; in the way of well-doing we are to seek for glory, honour, and immortality, and eternal life will be the end of all, Rom 2:7. (4.) Here is a lesson for ministers in the charge given to Timothy: Keep that which is committed to thy trust. Every minister is a trustee, and it is a treasure committed to his trust, which he has to keep. The truths of God, the ordinances of God, keep these, avoiding profane and vain babblings; not affecting human eloquence, which the apostle calls vain babbling, or human learning, which often opposes the truths of God, but keep close to the written word, for that is committed to our trust. Some who have been very proud of their learning, their science, which is falsely so called, have by that been debauched in their principles and been drawn away from the faith of Christ, which is a good reason why we should keep to the plain word of the gospel, and resolve to live and die by that. Observe, [1.] Ministers cannot be too earnestly exhorted to keep what is committed to their trust, because it is a great trust lodged with them: O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust! as if he had said, "I cannot conclude without charging thee again; whatever thou doest, be sure to keep this trust, for it is too great a trust to be betrayed." [2.] Ministers are to avoid babblings, if they would keep what is committed to them, because they are vain and profane. [3.] That science that opposes the truth of the gospel is falsely so called; it is not true science, for if it were it would approve of the gospel and consent to it. [4.] Those who are so fond of such science are in great danger of erring concerning the faith; those who are for advancing reason above faith are in danger of leaving faith.
V. Our apostle concludes with a solemn prayer and benediction: Grace be with thee. Amen. Observe, this is a short, yet comprehensive prayer for our friends, for grace comprehends in it all that is good, and grace is an earnest, yea, a beginning, of glory; for, wherever God gives grace, he will give glory, and will not withhold any good thing from him who walketh uprightly. Grace be with you all. Amen.
I have taught those that are eminent and rich not to be lifted up, and hope in uncertainty of riches, but to place their hope in God;
"Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded."
He has well said, "rich in this world." For there are others rich in the future world. And this advice he gives, knowing that nothing so generally produces pride and arrogance as wealth. To abate this, therefore, he immediately adds, "Nor trust in uncertain riches"; since that was the source of pride; inasmuch as he who hopes in God, is not elated. Why dost thou place thy hopes upon what is instantly transferable? For such is wealth! and why hopest thou on that of which thou canst not be confident? But you say, how can they avoid being high-minded? By considering the instability and uncertainty of riches, and that hope in God is infinitely more valuable; God being the Author of wealth itself.
"But in the living God," he says, "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy."
This "all things richly" is justly spoken, in reference to the changes of the year, to air, light, water, and other gifts. For how richly and ungrudgingly are all these bestowed! If thou seekest riches, seek those that are stable and enduring, and which are the fruit of good works. He shows that this is his meaning by what follows.
For nothing is so faithless as wealth; of which I have often said, and will not cease to say, that it is a runaway, thankless servant, having no fidelity. If you should throw over him the thousand chains, he will make off dragging his chains after him. Frequently, indeed, have those who possessed wealth shut him up with bars and doors, placing their slaves round about for guards. But he has overpersuaded these very servants and has fled away together with his guards, dragging his keepers after him as if in a manacle, so little security was there in this custody.
The rich man stands in more uncertainty than the poor man, experiencing, as he does, frequent and diversified changes. What is the sense of this phrase: “Hope in God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy”? God gives all things with liberality that are more necessary than riches: the air, the water, the fire, the sun—all things of this kind. The rich man is not able to say that he enjoys more of the sunbeams than the poor man. He is not able to say that he breathes more plenteous air. These are offered to all alike. It is the greater and more necessary blessings, and those which maintain our life, that God has given to all in common. The smaller and less valuable (I speak of money) are not thus common.
It wasn’t riches he was in dread of, but the disease of riches. The disease of riches is great pride. A grand spirit it is indeed, that in the midst of riches is not prone to this disease, a spirit greater than its riches, surpassing them not by desiring but by despising them.
Praise to the rich if they remain humble. Praise the rich for being poor. The one who writes to Timothy wants them to be like that, when he says, “Order the rich of this world not to be haughty in mind.” I know what I am saying: give them these orders. The riches they have are whispering persuasively to them to be proud; the riches they have make it very hard for them to be humble.
Riches are understood in a threefold way in holy Scripture—that is, as bad, good and indifferent.… The indifferent are those which can be either good or bad, since they can tend either way depending on the desire and the character of those who use them. The blessed apostle says with regard to these, “Charge the rich of this world not to be haughty or to hope in uncertain riches but in God, who gives us everything abundantly to enjoy, to do good, to give freely, to share, to store up for themselves a good foundation in the future, so that they may seize the true life.” … When we abandon the visible riches of this world, then, we reject not our own but others’ wealth, even though we boast either of having acquired it by our own labor or of having inherited it from our ancestors. For, as I have said, nothing is ours except this one thing, which is possessed by the heart, which clings to the soul and which can never be taken away by anyone.
Pride is the first worm of riches; it is a harmful gnawing worm which gnaws at everything and reduces it to ashes. “Charge the rich of this world not to be proud, or to trust in the uncertainty of riches,” lest perhaps one goes to sleep as a rich man and arises a poor man.
To the rich, in this present age, command not to be arrogant, nor to hope in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
For there are also other rich men, but not in this age. The truly rich are the righteous ones, that is.
not to be arrogant, Paul says. For nothing so much inflates and exalts the mind as money and possessions.
nor to hope in uncertain riches. See how he insults them, and how foolish they are. For who hopes for something uncertain?
but in the living God. For Paul says that he who hopes in God is not disappointed.
who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. For he, to whom all things common belong, has given abundantly and freely: heaven, earth, air, life, food. But greed, having taken tyranny as a partner, has seized many of the common things and made them private.
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SUMMARY
1 Timothy 6:17 delivers a crucial apostolic command to believers who possess material wealth, urging them to guard against the spiritual perils of pride and misplaced trust in fleeting earthly possessions. Instead, it redirects their faith and security towards the immutable character of the "living God," who is the ultimate source of all good things, generously providing for His people not merely for sustenance, but for their genuine enjoyment and His glory.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Antithesis is prominent, setting up a clear contrast between "uncertain riches" and "the living God" as objects of trust. This stark opposition underscores the folly of relying on material wealth versus the wisdom of trusting in the divine. The phrase "living God" itself serves as a powerful epithet, emphasizing God's active, dynamic, and life-giving nature, which stands in direct contrast to the inanimate and perishable nature of wealth. The use of the strong verb "Charge" (from parangéllō) is an example of imperative mood, conveying the urgency and authority of Paul's instruction. Finally, the concluding phrase, "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy," functions as a statement of divine benevolence, painting a picture of God's generous and purposeful provision, which serves as the foundation for the call to trust Him.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly shapes a biblical theology of wealth, moving beyond a simple condemnation or endorsement to a nuanced understanding of its spiritual dangers and divine purpose. It asserts God's absolute sovereignty as the ultimate provider and challenges the human tendency to deify material possessions. The command to trust in the "living God" rather than "uncertain riches" is a call to radical dependence on Christ, recognizing that true security and contentment are found only in Him. It reorients the believer's heart from self-sufficiency and worldly pride to humble gratitude and stewardship, viewing wealth as a temporary trust from God for His glory and the good of others, rather than a personal achievement or a source of ultimate satisfaction.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
1 Timothy 6:17 serves as a timeless mirror for every believer, regardless of their financial standing. It compels us to honestly examine the true object of our trust and the source of our security. Do we find ourselves subtly, perhaps even unconsciously, placing our hope in our bank accounts, investments, career stability, or material possessions? The warning against being "highminded" challenges us to cultivate humility, recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, not a testament to our own inherent superiority or self-made success. The call to trust in the "living God" invites a profound reorientation of our affections and priorities, reminding us that He alone is unchanging, utterly dependable, and infinitely generous. This verse encourages us to enjoy God's good gifts with gratitude, but always with an open hand, ready to share and to remember that our ultimate treasure is found not in what we possess, but in the One who possesses us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse condemn wealth itself?
Answer: No, this verse does not condemn wealth itself, but rather the attitude and trust placed in it. Paul's instruction is directed "them that are rich," indicating that wealth is a reality within the Christian community. The prohibition is against being "highminded" (proud or arrogant) and trusting in "uncertain riches." Instead, the wealthy are commanded to trust in "the living God" who generously provides "all things to enjoy." The emphasis is on the heart's disposition towards wealth, not the mere possession of it. This is consistent with other biblical passages that acknowledge wealth while warning against its dangers, such as Matthew 19:23-24 and Proverbs 30:8-9.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 1 Timothy 6:17 is a direct command to the wealthy, its deeper Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the trust in the living God and the ultimate generosity of divine provision. Jesus, though "rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). He did not trust in earthly riches or worldly power, but perfectly submitted to the will of the Father, even unto death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8). His life demonstrated complete reliance on God's provision, and His teachings consistently warned against the deceitfulness of wealth (Matthew 6:24). Through His sacrifice, Christ became the ultimate "living God" in whom we are to trust, offering us not uncertain riches, but "unsearchable riches" (Ephesians 3:8) of grace, forgiveness, and eternal life. He is the one who "giveth us richly all things to enjoy," not merely material blessings, but the spiritual abundance of the Holy Spirit, peace, and joy that far surpass any earthly treasure (Romans 15:13). Thus, in Christ, we find the perfect model for how to relate to wealth—with humility, generosity, and absolute trust in the Father's unfailing provision.