Lectionary Year C
September 23, 2001
1 Timothy 6:6-19

Distillation

Step V - Distillation

A. Summary of Salient Features

A. Summary of Salient Features

(JFC) Starting with the most important item seen in this passage, "the theological 'center of gravity' in the text" is found in verses 13a and b and 17c, ". . . God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus . . . God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." Additional major elements in these lines come in verses 12's saying about "eternal life", and 14c and 15f, referring to Christ's (second) coming. Next, the descriptions of the blessings believers receive, food and clothing and contentment and still more citations of Jesus' testimony before Pontius Pilate and His being the "only sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, . . ." Then, perhaps still among the major concerns fall the bad news of those who "desire to be rich" and the charges they get in the final three verses of this lection. So, that leaves as minor points the empty-handedness with which we come into and go out of this world, the mention of avarice, what the man of God should pursue and the good confessions' evaluations as "good", only. However, where does the "Fight the good fight" image belong? Is it major or minor?

B. Smoother Translation

(JFC) 6 Godliness with contentment is a means of great gain. 7 For nothing we brought into the world, so nothing will we be able to carry out of it; 8 But we have food and clothing, with which we shall be contented. 9 But those desiring to become rich fall into temptation and a snare/trap/noose/net and they crave much foolishness that proves harmful and goes to (utter) destruction. 10 For a root of all of the evil is the love of money, some having longed for it have wandered from the faith and have pierced themselves with much grief.
11 But you, oh man of God, flee from these fantasies;
and pursue righteousness godliness in faith,
love, patience and gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith,
take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called
and you made confession of the good profession in the sight of many witnesses. 13 I command you in the sight of the God who gives life to all things and of Christ Jesus who testified to Pontius Pilate the good profession, 14 to keep the commandment spotless and blameless until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which in proper times He will point out;
He, the blessed and only sovereign,
the King of the kings
and Lord of the lords,
16 the only one having immortality,
dwelling in light unapproachable,
whom has seen no one nor is anyone ever enabled to see;
to whom is given honor and power everlasting, Amen.
17 Instruct those well-to-do in the present age not to be proud nor to have put their hope in an abundance of insecurity but to trust in God who shows Himself to be richly in granting much enjoyment, 18 to do good, to become rich in works good, to be generous, liberal, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they might take hold of the true "Life".

C. Hermeneutical Bridge

(JFC) On September 11, 2001, hijacked airliners destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City, several floors of the Pentagon Building in Washington D. C's suburbs and another hijacked plane crashed near Pittsburgh, PA. Such terrors sadden, anger and confuse people the world over. Part of our dilemma is in that we know not for sure who the enemy is. Of course, Osama Bin Laden came quickly to mind. The same question arises when school pupils shoot fellow students and faculty and staff members. Is it the violence on TV, the movie screens, the video games? Today's lection identifies at least one of early Christians' enemies. It is avarice. Loving money too much diverts money lovers' attention from loving God primarily. I Timothy 6:6-19 might speak a clear message to overcome this temptation.

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