Opus 2011-44, Christian Cliches: The Root of All Evil

Often you will hear people say that “money is the root of all evil.”  Like so many other things in the Bible, this is misquoted.  What does the Bible say?

(1 Timothy 6:10 KJV)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It is the “love of money”, not the money itself.  This is a compound word in the Greek.  The first part is the word for brotherly love.  The second part is silver.  Put together is means holding silver very closely.

We have a tendency to put the moral value on the object rather than the attitude that uses it.  Money can be used to help the poor or bribe a judge.  It has not life of its own.  It is a tool.

So the question becomes, do you control your money or does your money control you?

homo unius libri