Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Timothy 6:9

"But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition." — 1 Timothy 6:9 (ASV)

But they that will be rich. To further enforce the duty of contentment, the apostle refers to some of the evils that necessarily accompany a desire to be rich.

These evils have been so great and consistent in all ages, and are such necessary accompaniments of that desire, that even amid many inconveniences that may attend the opposite condition, we should be content with our lot.

Indeed, if we could see everything, it would only be necessary to see the evils that the desire for wealth produces in the world to make us content with a most humble condition of life.

Perhaps nothing more would be necessary to make a poor person satisfied with their lot, and grateful for it, than to be familiar with the perplexities and cares of a rich person.

More emphasis should be placed on the word will here, in the phrase "will be rich," than one might suppose from our translation. It is not the sign of the future tense but implies an actual purpose or design to become rich—oi boulomenoi. The reference is to those in whom this becomes the object of earnest desire and who lay their plans for it.

Fall into temptation. That is, they are tempted to do wicked things to accomplish their purposes. It is extremely difficult to cherish the desire to be rich as the leading purpose of the soul and to be an entirely honest person.

And a snare. Birds are taken in a snare, and wild beasts were in the past. (See the comments on Job 18:8, Job 18:9).

The net was sprung suddenly upon them, and they could not escape. The idea here is that those who have this desire become so entangled that they cannot easily escape.

They become involved in the meshes of worldliness and sin; their movements are so fettered by cares, inordinate desires, and artificial wants, that they are no longer free. They become so involved in these things that they can hardly break away from them, even if they wanted to. .

And into many foolish and hurtful lusts. These are desires such as the love of wealth creates. They are foolish—as not being such as an intelligent and immortal being should pursue; and they are hurtful—as being injurious to morals, to health, and to the soul.

Among these desires are the fondness for display; for a magnificent dwelling, a train of servants, and a splendid carriage and retinue; for sumptuous living, feasting, social drinking, company, and riotous indulgence.

Which drown men in destruction and perdition. The word translated here as drown, buyizw, means to sink in the deep, or to cause to sink. The meaning here is that they become submerged, like a ship that sinks.

The idea is not precisely that of drowning, as the apostle uses the term, but the image is that of a wreck, where a ship and all that is in it go down together. The destruction is complete. There is a total ruin of happiness, of virtue, of reputation, and of the soul.

The ruling desire to be rich leads to a train of follies that ruins everything in this life and in the life to come. How many of humanity have been destroyed in this way!