### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **pleonexía**, represented by `{{G4124}}`, describes **avarice**, **fraudulency**, and **extortion**. It is translated as **covetousness**, **covetous practices**, or **greediness**. This term appears **10 times** in **10 unique verses**, highlighting its significance as a specific and serious vice. It denotes an insatiable desire for more, particularly what is not rightfully one's own.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{G4124}}` is presented as a sin to be strictly avoided. Believers are warned to "beware of **covetousness**," with the reminder that a person's life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions [[Luke 12:15]]. It is listed among the evils that proceed from the human heart, alongside **thefts** `{{G2829}}`, **wickedness** `{{G4189}}`, and **deceit** `{{G1388}}` [[Mark 7:22]]. The apostle Paul is explicit in equating **covetousness** with **idolatry** [[Colossians 3:5]]. Furthermore, it is described as a motivation for false teachers who, through **covetousness**, "make merchandise" of people with "feigned words" [[2 Peter 2:3]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Greek words help clarify the scope of `{{G4124}}`:
* `{{G1495}}` **eidōlolatreía** (idolatry): This term for "image-worship (literally or figuratively)" is directly linked to covetousness. This connection shows that the desire for more can become a form of worship, replacing God with material gain [[Colossians 3:5]].
* `{{G167}}` **akatharsía** (uncleanness): Defined as "impurity (the quality), physically or morally," this word is frequently listed with covetousness, emphasizing that such greed is a form of moral defilement that is unbecoming of saints [[Ephesians 5:3]].
* `{{G1939}}` **epithymía** (desire, lust): Meaning "a longing (especially for what is forbidden)," this word is often a component of covetousness. In [[Colossians 3:5]], believers are told to mortify "evil **concupiscence**" right alongside **covetousness** `{{G4124}}`.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4124}}` is significant, identifying it as a deeply rooted spiritual problem.
* **Idolatry of the Heart:** The most critical theological statement about **covetousness** is that it "is **idolatry**" [[Colossians 3:5]]. This elevates it from a mere desire for things to a fundamental violation of the first commandment, where the covetous heart worships creation rather than the Creator.
* **A Source of Exploitation:** It is portrayed as a motive for deception and taking advantage of others. It can be hidden behind a "cloke of **covetousness**" [[1 Thessalonians 2:5]] or used by false teachers to "make merchandise of you" [[2 Peter 2:3]].
* **Symptom of a Corrupt Heart:** The inclusion of **covetousness** in lists of grave sins demonstrates its origin in a heart turned away from God. It is grouped with sins like **fornication** `{{G4202}}`, **uncleanness** `{{G167}}`, **wickedness** `{{G4189}}`, and **murder** `{{G5408}}` ([[Romans 1:29]], [[Mark 7:22]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4124}}` is far more than a simple desire for more. It is a profound spiritual condition of avarice and greediness that the Bible defines as a form of **idolatry**. It is a vice that defiles a person from within, leads to the exploitation of others, and stands in direct opposition to a life of faith, which finds its sufficiency not in the **abundance** of possessions but in God alone [[Luke 12:15]].
TRV