The epistle for Trinity 15 in Year C is 1 Tim 6.6–19. Once more, the lectionary cuts the reading in an odd place, starting half way through an argument of Paul, and finishing two verses short of the end of the letter.
There are some important issues to address in terms of Paul’s language and argument. He appears to make use of Stoic philosophical ideas—but he retools them by rooting them in the wisdom tradition of Scripture, and in particular in the ‘wisdom’ elements of Jesus’ own teaching. Indeed, there are multiple connections with the teaching of Jesus—but these are expressed in a way which makes clear connections with the local context, in particular Ephesus as a centre of wealth and banking.
In all of this, he exhorts Timothy to struggle and fight for the cause, motivated by the grace of God.
The gospel lectionary reading is Luke 16.19–31, Jesus’ parable of ‘Dives and Lazarus’. Commentary on this will be posted as the next article.
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Covetousness and Contentment
Paul here does not condemn the rich or riches as some do
He does warn against coveting riches of any kind as also
does the decalogue not to “covet another’s wife or possessions”.
Covetousness or Lust was the cause of all but two of the isrealites who came out of Egypt eventualy entered the promised land
1 COR.10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
Contentment was exhorted at the first beginning of the Gospel
John the Baptist to the soldiers “be content with your wages” perhaps they topped up their wages by accepting bribes maybe.
I recommend C.H.Spurgeon on Contentment .
“While true contentment was a work of grace, Spurgeon also saw contentment as a discipline, one “possessed by some men who make no pretense to spiritual attainments.” However, such “natural” contentment was fragile and the learning difficult. Nonetheless, learning contentment, in all its forms, “was far better than much that is acquired in the schools.” But, only God himself could “teach you how to be full,” truly full. Indeed, when a man’s soul is “full of God” he “is a truly rich man.” He is truly content”.
Anyone who is filled with all the fulness of God is one who is without care anxiety, fear or doubt, a soul at rest and peaceful, truly content.
As the Apostles taught seek those things above where Christ is seated, at rest.
They are the riches of Glory if one knows and possesses the riches of His mercy and the riches of His grace.
” Rest assured, my dear hearers, it is harder to know how to be full than it is to know how to be hungry. To know how to be hungry is a sharp lesson, but to know how to be full is the harder lesson after all. So desperate is the tendency of human nature to pride and forgetfulness of God!”
Contentment is the peculiar jewel of the beloved of the Lord Jesus. All the Indies could not fill a human heart: the soul is insatiable till it finds the Savior, and then it leans on his bosom and enters into perfect peace.”
Nothing would oil the wheels of the chariot of life so well as more of the praising of God. Praise would end murmuring, and nurse contentment. If our mouths were filled with the praises of God, there would be no room for grumbling.”
Furthermore, such contentment, being “full of God” enabled believers to trust God during hardship. This is why Spurgeon said, “one ought not to murmur” if one is a believer in Jesus Christ. Murmuring was an “easy thing,” indeed, “anyone can murmur, anyone can grumble, anyone can complain,” but Christians “ought to be content.” After all, believers’ “delight in God” would “sweeten it all” because, in Spurgeon’s experience, delighting in God was “more than half the battle.”C H Spurgeon.
.spurgeon.org/resource-library/blog-entries/10-spurgeon-quotes-on-contentment/
Apparently In the New Testament, the Greek word for contentment (autarkeia) translates to “a perfect condition of life.” Contentment is not promised to come easy to us, but what a wonderful description of the result that’s in store for us.
https://tifwe.org/learning-to-be-content-in-every-circumstance/