1 Timothy 6

1 Tim. 6:19. "Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." A most beautiful expression for the purpose that the Apostle intended it, naturally intimating that they that were rich had much to beat them back and to oppose and hinder their coming at so glorious a prize. The Apostle therefore would have them use those means he here directs to, as an earnest to obtain it, notwithstanding the peculiar difficulties that were in the way of rich men's obtaining it, if by any means they might violently press through the opposition and reach forward and lay hold of it. The Apostle probably had in his eye what Christ said concerning the difficulty of rich men's obtaining eternal life, and might possibly have some reference to what he himself had said just before. 1 Timothy 6:9-10, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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." The original word seems to have very much the same force as our English word "lay hold," naturally intimating opposition to the obtaining a thing, or danger of missing it. So in Matthew 14:30-31, where we read that when Peter was sinking in the tempestuous sea, Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him. The word in the original is the same. See also how he uses the same word, 1 Timothy 6:12, where the Apostle speaks of fighting the way through to reach this prize, and seems to allude to those that strove for the prize in the Olympic Games.

2 Tim. 2:18