1 Timothy 6:18

6:17-21 Being rich in this world is wholly different from being rich towards God. Nothing is more uncertain than worldly wealth. Those who are rich, must see that God gives them their riches; and he only can give to enjoy them richly; for many have riches, but enjoy them poorly, not having a heart to use them. What is the best estate worth, more than as it gives opportunity of doing the more good? Showing faith in Christ by fruits of love, let us lay hold on eternal life, when the self-indulgent, covetous, and ungodly around, lift up their eyes in torment. That learning which opposes the truth of the gospel, is not true science, or real knowledge, or it would approve the gospel, and consent to it. Those who advance reason above faith, are in danger of leaving faith. Grace includes all that is good, and grace is an earnest, a beginning of glory; wherever God gives grace, he will give glory.

That they do good; that is, to others, as they have opportunity. That they be rich in good works; be plentiful in alms-deeds, or more generally in all good works of piety or charity. Ready to distribute; that they be not backward to distribute that of which God hath made them stewards, to those that want. Willing to communicate; but give freely and without grudging, according to their Master’s order, as becometh those who are but stewards as to the riches which they have.

1 Timothy 6:18 . Ἀγαθοεργεῖν ) to aim to do good. To be rich in good works follows as the consequence of this diligence: ἀγαθὸν and καλὸν differ; ἀγαθὸς involves at the sametime the idea of (divine) blessedness (comp. Mark 10:18 , note): καλὸς includes in its notion, beauty .— εὐμεταδότους , [“ready to distribute”] liberal ) in imparting , viz. individually.— κοινωνικοὺς , willing to communicate ) by lending, by contributing for the common good, viz. along with many. In ordinary cases i.e. where the grace of God does not change them], the rich are chiefly delighted with a division [ i.e. individual monopoly, as opposed to communicating ] in proceedings, plans, and properties, and are imperious and insolent.

Do good (ἀγαθοεργεῖν) In this uncontracted form, N.T.o. olxx, oClass. Comp. Acts 14:17. The usual word is ἀγαθοποιεῖν, see Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9, Luke 6:33, Luke 6:35; 1 Peter 2:15. oP. who has ἐργάζεσθαι τὸ ἀγαθὸν to work that which is good, Romans 2:10; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 4:28. Good works (ἔργοις καλοῖς) For καλός see on 1 Timothy 3:7, and John 10:11 : for ἀγαθός on Romans 5:7. Ready to distribute (εὐμεταδότους) N.T.o. olxx, oClass. For the verb μεταδιδόναι to impart to the poor, see Luke 3:11; Ephesians 4:28. Willing to communicate (κοινωνικούς) N.T.o. olxx. See on fellowship, Acts 2:42, and comp. κοινωνεῖν to partake, 1 Timothy 5:22, and κοινός common, Titus 1:14. Stronger than the preceding word, as implying a personal share in the pleasure imparted by the gift.

18. do good—like God Himself (Ps 119:68; Ac 14:17) and Christ (Ac 10:38). Tittmann translates, "to do," or "act well"; as the Greek for "to be beneficent" is a distinct word, agathopoiein. rich in good works—so "rich in faith," which produces good works (Jas 2:5). Contrasted with "rich in this world," 1Ti 6:17. Literally, it is "rich in honorable (right) works." Greek, "kalois," "ergois," are works good or right in themselves: "agathois," good to another. ready to distribute—free givers [Alford]; the heart not cleaving to possessions, but ready to impart to others. willing to communicate—ready contributors [Alford]: liberal in admitting others to share our goods in common with ourselves (Ga 6:6; Heb 13:16).

Verse 18. - That they be ready for ready , A.V. Do good ( ἀγαθοεργεῖν ; here only, for the more common ἀγαθοποιεῖν ). That they be rich in good works ( 1 Timothy 5:10 , note); not merely in the perishing riches of this present world - the same sentiment as Matthew 6:19-21 ; Luke 12:33 and 21. Ready to distribute ( εὐμεταδότους ); here only in the New Testament, and rarely in later classical Greek. The opposite, "dose-handed," is δυσμετάδοτος The verb μεταδίδωμι means "to give to others a share or portion of what one has" ( Luke 3:11 ; Romans 1:11 ; Romans 12:8 ; Ephesians 4:28 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:8 ). Willing to communicate ( κοινωνίκους ); here only in the New Testament, but found in classical Greek in a slightly different sense. "Communicative" is the exact equivalent, though in this wider use it is obsolete. We have the same precept in Hebrews 13:16 , "To do good and to communicate forget not." (For κοινωνεῖν in the sense of "giving," see Romans 12:13 ; Galatians 6:6 ; Philippians 4:15 ; and for κοινωνία in the same sense, see Romans 15:26 ; 2 Corinthians 9:13 ; Hebrews 13:16 .) 1 Timothy 6:18

18 . that they do good ] Another of the many compound words; used however (according to the right reading) of God in providence, Acts 14:17 , ‘in that He did good;’ stronger than the ordinary word (e.g. Luke 6:9 ), and taken up in the next clause; render that they work at doing good . rich in good works ] The riches are jewels of God’s giving, and can be best seen and best enjoyed ‘in a setting of fair works.’ The two adjectives for ‘good’ here have a distinction, but not that given by Alford; the first according to a probable derivation signifying what is ‘kind and good’ in its inner character in a man’s conduct towards others, the second what is ‘fair and gracious’ in outer expression and bearing. The two together came to be used at Athens as one phrase to denote ‘a gentleman.’ And so such a use of wealth marks ‘the Christian gentleman.’ For the second word is the one used Matthew 5:16 , ‘let your light shine … that they may see your good works,’ and 1 Peter 2:12 , ‘your good works which they behold. Compare Bp. Westcott’s definition, Hebrews 10:24 ‘works which by their generous and attractive character win the natural admiration of men,’ and his synonym Hebrews 6:5 , ‘tasted the goodness— the beauty —of the Word of God.’ See notes on Titus 1:16 ; Titus 2:7 ; Titus 3:8 . ready to distribute, willing to communicate ] Again two peculiar compound adjectives.

Cranmer’s version followed in the Offertory Sentences of the Prayer-Book has ‘ready to give and glad to distribute,’ giving also the same rendering to the second of our two words in the text from Hebrews 13:16 , ‘to do good and to distribute forget not,’ where A.V. and R.V. ‘to do good and to communicate.’ Possibly ‘communicate’ in such a connexion would have been misunderstood. The corresponding noun is rendered ‘distribution’ by A.V. in 2 Corinthians 9:13 , by R.V. ‘contribution.’ The ‘sympathy’ suggested by the margin here of R.V. is certainly implied in the word, which may be said to sum up, in itself, the unity, generosity, and practical piety of the Church, as it worked out, under St Paul (see esp. 2 Corinthians 8:9 ), that problem of ‘rich and poor together’ which the earliest impulses of ‘the faith’ had solved for the moment only by the short rule of Acts 2:44-45 , ‘all that believed were together and had all things common ,’—the same word from which our ‘willing to communicate ’ comes. The root principle remains the same ( 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 ), and this our word conveys, though the practice was not workable for long of selling all into a common stock. G. Herbert seems to express both of the present adjectives in ‘Joyn hands with God to make a man to live, Give to all something; to a good poore man, Till thou change names, and be where he began.’ The Church Porch .

1 Timothy 6:18 . ἀγαθοεργεῖν : corrects any possible misunderstanding of εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν . πλουτεῖν ἐν ἔργοις καλοῖς : see note on 1 Timothy 3:1 . Cf. εἰς θεὸν πλουτῶν , Luke 12:21 . εὐμεταδότους : facile tribuere (Vulg.), ready to impart ( cf. the use of μεταδίδωμι in Luke 3:11 ; Romans 1:11 ; Romans 12:8 ; Ephesians 4:28 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:8 ). κοινωνικούς : This does not mean sociable (A.V. m.), ready to sympathise (R.V. m.), as Chrys., and Thdrt. explain it, but ταῖς χρείαις τῶν ἁγίων κοινωνοῦντες . Romans 12:13 ( cf. Galatians 6:6 ; Php 4:15 ). A good illustration of the general sentiment is Hebrews 13:16 , τῆς δὲ εὐποιΐας καὶ κοινωνίας μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθε . Von Soden notes that the thought in εὐμεταδ . is of the needs of others, in κοινων . of the imparting of one’s own.

(18) That they do good, that they be rich in good works. —These words—coming directly after the statement that the good and pleasant things of this world, which are possessed in so large a share by the “rich,” are, after all, the gifts of God, who means them for our enjoyment—these words seem to point to the highest enjoyment procurable by these “rich”—the luxury of doing good, of helping others to be happy the only enjoyment that never fails, never disappoints. Ready to distribute, willing to communicate.—In distinguishing between these words, which are nearly synonymous, the first points rather to the hand which generously gives, and the second to the heart which lovingly sympathises. The first obeys willingly the Master’s charge—“Give to him that asketh;” the second follows that loving command which bids His own to rejoice with those that rejoice, and to mourn with those that mourn.