Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Timothy 6:7
For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out.
7. we brought nothing into this world ] A further reason for contentment is drawn; ‘the nakedness of our birth and death.’ Exactly, into the world.
and it is certain ] Editors are divided as to the authority for this word here: the Revisers and Westcott and Hort omit. Inclining to this view with Codex Sinaiticus, and on the ground that proclivi praestat ardua lectio, we have to render the connecting particle that remains ‘because;’ but need not adopt Alford’s strained explanation ‘we were appointed by God to come naked into the world, to teach us to remember that we must go naked out of it,’ which mars the simple sequence of thought (we should look rather to the looser usage of such particles already beginning to prevail): ‘because’ may be referred back to the contentment, and so introduce a parallel not a subordinate clause to ‘we brought,’ because too we cannot carry anything out. The verse is linked at the commencement of the Prayer-Book Burial Service with Job 1:21, ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,’ and so illustrates further the ‘ godly content’ of the previous verse.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For we brought nothing into this world … – A sentiment very similar to this occurs in Job 1:21 – and it would seem probable that the apostle had that passage in his eye; see the notes on that passage. Numerous expressions of this kind occur in the classic writers; see Wetstein, in loc., and Pricaeus, in loc. in the Critici Sacri. Of the truth of what is here said, there can be nothing more obvious. It is apparent to all. We bring no property with us into the world – no clothing, no jewels, no gold – and it is equally clear that we can take nothing with us when we leave the earth. Our coming into the world introduces no additional property to that which the race before possessed, and our going from the world removes none that we may have helped the race to accumulate. This is said by the apostle as an obvious reason why we should be contented if our actual needs are supplied – for this is really all that we need, and all that the world is toiling for.
We can carry nothing out – compare Psa 49:17. For when he – the rich man – dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. We brought nothing into this world] There are some sayings in Seneca which are almost verbatim with this of St. Paul: Nemo nascitur dives; quisquis exit in lucem jussus est lacte et panno esse contentus; Epist. xx, “No man is born rich; every one that comes into the world is commanded to be content with food and raiment.” Excutit natura redeuntem, sicut intrantem; non licet plus auferre, quam intuleris; Epist., cap. ii. “Nature, in returning, shakes off all incumbrances as in entering; thou canst not carry back more than thou broughtest in.” Seneca and St. Paul were contemporary; but all the Greek and Latin poets, and especially the stoic philosophers, are full of such sentiments. It is a self-evident truth; relative to it there can be no controversy.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This agreeth with Job 1:21, and with experience, and is a potent argument against immoderate desires of having much of this worlds goods, or using extravagant actions to obtain them; for when we have got all we can, we have got but a viaticum, something to serve us in our journey, which we must leave when we die, and whether to a wise man or a fool none knoweth, Ecc 2:19.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. Forconfirming thereasonableness of “contentment.”
and it is certainVulgateand other old versions support this reading. The oldest manuscripts,however, omit “and it is certain”; then the translationwill be, “We brought nothing into the world (to teach us toremember) that neither can we carry anything out” (Job 1:21;Ecc 5:15). Therefore, we shouldhave no gain-seeking anxiety, the breeder of discontent (Mt6:25).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For we brought nothing into this world,…. Which is a reason both clearly showing that godliness is great gain, since those who have it brought nothing into the world with them but sin, and yet are now in such happy circumstances as before described; and that godly persons should be content with what they have, even of worldly things, seeing they are so much more than they had when they came into the world, into which they came naked; and which should be a quieting consideration under the most stripping providences; see Job 1:21
and it is certain we can carry nothing out: as men come into the world, so will they go out of it; nor will they need their worldly substance after death, any more than they did before they were born; and what they now have, and use not, will then be lost to them, whatever gain it may be to others: wherefore it becomes them cheerfully to use what they have, and be content therewith; see Ec 5:15. The Jews have a saying like this o, that
“as a man comes (into the world), , “simply” or “nakedly”, so he goes out in like manner.”
o Bereshit Rabba, sect. 42. fol. 36. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Brought into (, second aorist active stem with first aorist ending, common in the Koine),
carry out (, second aorist active infinitive). Note play on the prepositions – and –.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
And it is certain we can carry, etc. Omit and and certain. Rend. oti because. The statement is : We brought nothing into the world because we can carry nothing out. The fact that we brought nothing into the world is shown by the impossibility of our taking with us anything out of it; since if anything belonging to us in our premundane state had been brought by us into the world, it would not be separated from us at our departure from the world. Comp. Job 1:21; Ecc 5:15; Psa 49:17.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For we brought nothing into this world” (ouden gar eisenegkamen eis ton hosmon) “For not one thing have we brought into the world.” We came physically naked, Job 1:21 – empty handed we shall also depart, Ecc 5:15; Psa 49:17.
2) “And it is certain” (hoti oudei) “And it is certain” or “for that reason, one thing is certain.” God cares for His own, provides food and clothing today in this life, Mat 6:25-33.
3) “We can carry nothing out.” (eksenegkein ti dunametha) “We are not able, cannot carry anything out of the world,” neither of the rich men did, Luk 12:19-21; Luk 16:19-31.
VANITY OF RICHES
A distinguished man lay on his death-bed, when a great mark of distinction and honor was brought to him. Turning a cold glance on the treasure he would have once clutched with an eager grasp, he said with a sigh, “Alas!! This is a very fine thing in this country; but I am going to a country where it will be of no use to me!!”
-Dr. Haven
WHAT A FOOL I’VE BEEN!!
A rich man lay dying. His little daughter couldn’t understand why her big daddy was so helpless now. She asked, “Daddy, are you going away?” “Yes, dear, I am going away, and I am afraid you won’t see me again!” her father answered. The little girl asked, “Daddy, have you got a nice house to go to?” The rich man was silent for a moment, and then began to cry. He lamented, “What a fool I have been!! I have built a great business here and have amassed riches here, but I shall be a pauper there!!”
-Walter Knight
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
7 For we brought nothing into the world., He adds this for the purpose of setting a limit to the sufficiency. Our covetousness is an insatiable gulf, if it be not restrained; and the best bridle is, when we desire nothing more than the necessity of this life demands; for the reason why we transgress the bounds, is, that our anxiety extends to a thousand lives which we falsely imagine. Nothing is more common, and indeed nothing is more generally acknowledged, than this statement of Paul; but as soon as all have acknowledged it, (as we see every day with our eyes,) every man swallows up with his wishes his vast possessions, in the same manner as if he had a belly able to contain half of the world. And this is what is said, that,
“
although the folly of the fathers appears in hoping that they will dwell here for ever, nevertheless their posterity approve of their way.” (121) (Psa 49:13.)
In order, therefore, that we may be satisfied with a sufficiency, let us learn to have our heart so regulated, as to desire nothing but what is necessary for supporting life.
(121) “ Toutesfois les successeurs ne laissent pas de suyvre le mesme train.” — “Yet their successors do not cease to follow the same course.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.(Comp. Job. 1:21.) Every earthly possession is only meant for this lifefor the period between the hour of birth and the hour of death; we entered this world with nothing, we shall leave the world again with nothing. If we could take anything with us when death parts soul and body there would at once be an end to the contentment (of 1Ti. 6:6), for the future then would in some way be dependent on the present. This sentence is quoted by Polycarp, in his letter to the Philippians, written early in the second century. Such a reference shows that this Epistle was known and treasured in the Christian Church even at that early date.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. For Reason why earthly gains should not be the supreme end of our godliness; it ends with this world, and reaches not eternity.
Nothing into nothing out We go into eternity as naked of this world’s goods as we came into the world.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ti 6:7 begins the confirmation of the principle that godliness with contentment is a great . The apostle here places two clauses together, each of which contains a well-known and undoubted truth: “ We brought nothing into the world ,” and “ We can take nothing out of it .” (The same two thoughts are found elsewhere in collocation; so Job 1:21 ; Ecc 5:14 ; also in the profane writers, e.g. Seneca, Ep. 102: non licet plus efferre, quam intuleris. For the second thought, comp. Job 27:19 ; Psa 49:12 .) The question is only, in what relation do they stand to one another? According to the common view, the first thought serves to confirm the second: “As we brought nothing in, it is manifest that we will take nothing out.” Against this, Hofmann maintains that the second thought is in no way a consequence of the first. He therefore takes as an adverbial: “clearly,” standing at the end of the sentence, but belonging to both clauses; and he explains: “Clearly we have brought nothing in, and can also take nothing out.” He is certainly right that the first does not strictly prove the second; but then the apostle did not intend that it should; he simply placed the two sentences together, the second corresponding to the first in such a way as to be confirmed by it in popular opinion. Hence it is not right to connect contrary to the order of the words
with the first sentence. As to the lack of before (see the critical remarks), de Wette observes: “that in popular logic the consequence is often quoted with as the reason, e.g. Homer, Il. xvi. 35, Od. xxii. 36.” This, however, is not to the point here; in the two passages quoted, , simply denotes the logical ground of knowledge.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Ver. 7. We can carry nothing out ] But a winding sheet, as Saladin’s shirt, which he commanded to be hung up at his burial, a bare priest going before the bier, and proclaiming, Saladin the mighty monarch of the East is gone, and hath taken no more with him than what you see. (Carlon. Chron.) Indeed I read of one that being ready to die, clapped a twenty shilling piece of gold into his mouth, and said, Some wiser than some; if I must leave all the rest, yet this I will take with me. (Mr Rogers’ Treatise of Love.) But this was none of the wisest men, you will say; as that great caliph a of Babylon was none of the happiest, that was starved to death by the great Cham of Cataia, amidst the infinite treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones that he and his predecessors had most covetously heaped together, whereof he willed him to eat, and make no spare. It is with us in the world (saith one) as it was in the Jewish fields and orchards; pluck and eat, they might, while there; not pocket, or put up. Or as boys that rob an orchard and meet with the owner at the door.
” – modo quem fortuna fovendo
Congestis opibus donisque refersit opimis,
Nudum tartarea portarit navita cymba.
De Annibale, Silius Ital.
a The title given in Muslim countries to the chief civil and religious ruler, as successor of Muhammad. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7 .] Reason why this is so. For we brought nothing into the world, because neither can we carry any thing out (the insertion of or , or substitution of or for , betray themselves as having all sprung from the difficulty of the shorter and original construction. The meaning appears to be, we were appointed by God to come naked into the world, to teach us to remember that we must go naked out of it. But this sense of is not without difficulty. De W. cites Il. . 35, , , , and Od. . 36, , | , , in both which it has nearly the sense required, of ‘ seeing that .’ The sentiment is found in Job 1:21 , Ecc 5:14 ; and in words remarkably similar, in Seneca, Ep. 102. 24, ‘non licet plus efferre, quam intuleris.’ See other examples in Wetst.):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
1Ti 6:7 . The reasoning of this clause depends on the evident truth that since a man comes naked into this world (Job 1:21 ), and when he leaves it can “take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand” (Ecc 5:15 ; Psa 49:17 ), nothing the world can give is any addition to the man himself. He is a complete man, though naked (Mat 6:25 ; Luk 12:15 ; Seneca, Ep. Mor . Lev 25 , “Non licet plus efferre quam intuleris”).
Field is right in supposing that if , as read in the Received Text, is spurious, yet “there is an ellipsis of , or that is for . L. Bos adduces but one example of this ellipsis, 1Jn 3:20 : , ; in which, if an ellipsis of before the second . were admissible, it would seem to offer an easy explanation of that difficult text.” Field adds two examples from St. Chrysostom. Hort’s conjecture that “ is no more than an accidental repetition of the last two letters of , being read as ” is almost certainly right.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
nothing. Greek. oudeis.
into. App-104.
world. App-129.
and it is certain. Read “neither” (Greek. oude). This makes with the second ouden a double negative.
certain. The texts omit.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] Reason why this is so. For we brought nothing into the world, because neither can we carry any thing out (the insertion of or , or substitution of or for , betray themselves as having all sprung from the difficulty of the shorter and original construction. The meaning appears to be,-we were appointed by God to come naked into the world, to teach us to remember that we must go naked out of it. But this sense of is not without difficulty. De W. cites Il. . 35, , , ,-and Od. . 36, , | , , in both which it has nearly the sense required, of seeing that. The sentiment is found in Job 1:21, Ecc 5:14; and in words remarkably similar, in Seneca, Ep. 102. 24, non licet plus efferre, quam intuleris. See other examples in Wetst.):
Fuente: The Greek Testament
1Ti 6:7. , nothing) A man, when he is born, consists of soul and body: all other things are to him foreign and external.-, we have brought in) Supply, and yet we have obtained life (including a livelihood); see Mat 6:25.- ) to wit [Engl. Vers. and it is certain that]; a form of declaring.- , nor carry out) Why then do we heap up much wealth? The only object to be aimed at is that we may have , an unembarrassed journey, till we reach our true country.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Ti 6:7
for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out;-Every earthly possession is only meant for this life-for the period between the hour of birth and death-then we should only be concerned about what we can wisely use in our journey through life. To burden ourselves with more is to hinder our usefulness and our true enjoyment of life and our opportunities for doing good for others and for improving ourselves.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
we brought: Job 1:21, Pro 27:24, Ecc 5:15, Ecc 5:16
certain: Psa 49:17, Luk 12:20, Luk 12:21, Luk 16:22, Luk 16:23
Reciprocal: Luk 12:15 – Take
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ti 6:7. In this verse Paul enlarges on the thought of the preceding one, and shows why godliness is real gain while the temporal wealth of this world is not. We brought nothing into this world. This is expressed by Job, chapter 1:21 as follows: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither,” and David says in Psa 49:17, “For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away.” All of this shows the folly of making material things of the world the chief interest in life.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
1Ti 6:7. It is certain that we can carry nothing out. The word certain is not in the best MSS., and seems to have been inserted to make the sense of the passage clearer. Without it we must read, because neither can we carry anything out. God has made us enter the world with nothing, to teach that we must leave it as we came.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
ARGUMENT 16
THE DANGER OF RICHES
7. We brought nothing into the world, because we are not able to carry anything out.
8. Having food and raiment, we shall be content with these. I am sorry for my rich friends. They are slaves to their possessions. O how free I am, possessing nothing!still get as much as the rich. I am as sure of a coffin and shroud as they are.
9. Those wishing to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many injurious and hurtful lusts, which drown people in destruction and perdition. Could you uncap hell, and hear the mournful wails of the countless millions who have been drowned in the bottomless abyss of unquenchable fire through the allurements of riches, you would surrender forever your cherished aspirations after wealth. I knew a man, already rich, to kill his own dear brothers, and appropriate their part of the estate.
What will not fallen man do for money? Nothing but entire sanctification can make you as dead to money as to oyster shells. Hence, you are never safe without it. Satan is watching for a chance to throw the lasso of money love about your neck.
10. For the love of money is a root to all evils. The root of all evil, E.V., is not in harmony with the Greek, nor with the facts of universal observation. Many evils come from other sources than the love of money, and are really antagonistical to it; e.g., drunkenness and debauchery, which, instead of loving money, entail swift bankruptcy in earth and hell. Which certain ones seeking after have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The love of money is a wooden horse carrying Satans Greeks into the Churches of the present day. Why all these projects, causing wholesale apostasy? It is to get money, scandalizing the Christians God as if he were poor, when he is so rich that he needs none of these things. Preachers and people thus backslide together, hunting money. It ruined poor Judas, and nearly ruined Jacob. Look out, preacher, lest you prove a follower of Judas. You do not need any of these money-raising fandangoes. Gods ravens are not all dead. God open your eyes to see your members going to hell in platoons! You need a revival, instead of a festival.
11. O man of God, fly from these things! What things? Doctrinal heresiesi.e., all anti-holiness teaching; for godliness is everythingand from the love of money. Be Gods freeman, and not mans hireling. Good Lord, give us the spirit of Elijah, who stood alone for God! Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, Divine love, patience, and meekness. Let us appropriate these beautiful graces in their perfection!
12. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. When the sinner is not willing to be led captive by the devil at his will, he fights his own fight, and gets whipped all the time. When converted, it becomes a partnership fight between him and Jesus. But when he gets sanctified, then he fights the fight of faith alone, sweetly resting in the arms of Jesus, and shouting all the time over the victory which he receives by faith, even in anticipation; meanwhile Jesus does all the fighting for him, and gives him an everlasting victory. Lay hold on eternal life. Timothy was gloriously saved and sanctified long before this was written, and, of course, had the life of God in his soul. Yet he was still on probation, and liable to forfeit that life by apostasy; so Paul exhorts him to lay hold on eternal life; evidently, as we see from the context, referring to his admission into heaven at the end of probation. A man does not lay hold on what he already possesses. Hence, there was a sense in which Timothy did not then possess eternal life. What is that sense? Why, he did not at that time posses it in a non-forfeitable sense. There are no non-forfeitable blessings here. Let us take Gods Word as it is, and not trust to our creed, or trust that of another. This Scripture is decisive on this question. Lord, save us from controversy and creedism, make us to receive thy plain Word as the umpire in every case, and never bring our poor little ratiocinaton against thy ipse dixit!
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
1Ti 6:7 “For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out.”
Job 1:21 is a similar passage. “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
NOW, we have one of the more profound statements of the apostle Paul – no one can argue with this statement – it is near a universal principle. I doubt that anyone would be foolish enough to argue with this statement. It is kind of hard to bring anything with you when you are born for you have nothing that belongs to you!
The next statement is also a universal principle. There is nothing that can be done to change the fact that when you die you can’t take anything with you. Oh yes, you can wear a nice suit and all sorts of jewelry, but that is on the old body that is going to rot as will the clothes and jewelry. You aren’t there so you don’t even take that with you.
Many have attempted to take it with them, but none have been able to. The Pharaohs filled their vaults with treasure and servants, yet rotted in their mummy clothes. I read once of a man that was so in love with his 1931 Chevy that he requested he be buried in it – his relatives did it.
Faith had a rich uncle that always joked that he was taking his money with him – he was going to get an asbestos coffin – not too smart now that we know asbestos can kill you.
The soul/spirit are separated from the body and they can’t even take their body with them – nothing at all will accompany us to our time before the Lord. This is why our decision about Christ is so important. If we go before God without the finished work of the Lord Jesus, we will not enjoy our time before God in judgment.
On the other hand if we have accepted the work of Christ we will be clothed by Almighty God Himself and will be given all that we will need.
One must wonder about Paul’s recipients. Just who did he have to explain this one to? He must have wondered about some of those he was writing to – REALLY WONDERED! There must have been some that were way over the edge into intellectualism and away from truth and reality.
When my wife and I moved from Wyoming we had a truck full of belongings and the car on a tow dolly. I told her that one of the GREAT joys of death was that you didn’t have to take it with you!
Barnes put it well. “Of the truth of what is here said, there can be nothing more obvious. It is apparent to all. We bring no property with us into the world; no clothing, no jewels, no gold; and it is equally clear that we can take nothing with us when we leave the earth. Our coming into the world introduces no additional property to that which the race before possessed, and our going from the world removes none that we may have helped the race to accumulate. This is said by the apostle as an obvious reason why we should be contented if our actual wants are supplied; for this is really all that we need, and all that the world is toiling for.”
Psa 49:17 also relates the same truth. “For when he [the rich man] dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.” You can’t even take your degrees and social gains with you!
One must consider just how godliness is gain to us today. If you live a godly life, you will most likely be persecuted for it – you will be made fun of, you may be the brunt of jokes, and possibly even open ridicule – so how is godliness gain?
How is Godliness gain?
I have noticed over the years that an honest upright walk before the Lord is often noticed by employers. I have mentioned that I worked for two Jewish men in Denver years ago. They had seen the work and walk of Christians and they often hired them if they were qualified. They treated us very well, and we seldom had any complaints toward them. Basically we worked in a Christian surrounding. The bosses were working their way to heaven and the rest of us enjoyed the fellowship of believers. The bosses never accepted the Lord to my knowledge, but it was their clear choice to reject Christ – they had many walking examples of the Lord’s converting power and were witnessed to by several of the believers.
In our own personal lives we can and will have a much more peaceful existence not only personally, but within our families if we walk with the Lord. As we walk with Him, we naturally come into a closer relationship with Him and that certainly is gain.
We might take a moment and consider contentment and complacency. The two are very close, yet so far apart. Complacency is self-satisfaction or smugness. Contentment is satisfaction – interesting, one is satisfaction and the other is satisfaction in self – NOW that has to tell us something!
Complacency is aside from God, while contentment is with God.
Complacency is sin, while contentment is godly.
Complacency pleases self, while contentment pleases God.
Complacency is derived from the Devil, while contentment is derived from God.
Complacency has no goal, while contentment has a goal.
Complacency is indifference, while contentment is satisfaction.
Complacency is noninvolvement, while contentment is involvement.
Complacency is carnal, while contentment is spiritual.
You can’t take it with you is the opposite of you don’t have to take it with you, just to give you one more contrast.
III. CONTENTMENT OF LIFE
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
6:7 {7} For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out.
(7) He mocks the folly of those who do so greedily hunger after frail things, who can in no way be satisfied, and yet nonetheless cannot enjoy their excess.