1 Timothy 6:5

διαπαρατριβαί : The force of the διά is expressed in the R.V., wranglings, which denotes protracted quarrellings, perconfricationes ([294]), conflictationes ([295], Vulg.). Field (in loc.) comparing διαμάχεσθαι, διαφιλοτιμεῖσθαι, etc., prefers the sense of reciprocity, mutual irritations, gallings one of another (A.V. m.), “as infected sheep by contact communicate disease to the sound” (Chrys.). παραδιατριβαί (T.R.), perverse disputings, is given a milder sense by Winer-Moulton, Gram. p. 126, “misplaced diligence or useless disputing”.

[294] Cod. Frisingensis

[295] The Latin text of Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

διεφθαρμένων τὸν νοῦν : cf. κατεφθαρμένοι τὸν νοῦν, 2 Timothy 3:8, the acc. being that of the remoter object. Cf., for the notion, τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, Ephesians 4:22, also 1Co 15:33, 2 Corinthians 11:3; Jude 1:10.

ἀπεστερημένων : privati. ἀποστερέω conveys the notion of a person being deprived of a thing to which he has a right. See reff. This is expressed in R.V., bereft of. The truth was once theirs; they have disinherited themselves. The A.V., destitute of, does not assume that they ever had it.

νομιζόντων, κ. τ. λ.: since they suppose. For this use of the participle Bengel compares Romans 2:18; Romans 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 6:6.

πορισμόν : a means of gain, quaestus. The commentators quote Plutarch, Cato Major, § 25, δυσὶ κεχρῆσθαι μόνοις πορισμοῖς, γεωργίᾳ καὶ φειδοῖ.

τὴν εὐσέβειαν : not godliness in general, pietatem (Vulg.), but the profession of Christianity, culturam Dei ([296] 50). See 1 Timothy 2:2. Allusions elsewhere to those who supposed that the gospel was a means of making money have usually reference to self-interested and grasping teachers (2 Corinthians 11:12; 2 Corinthians 12:17-18; Titus 1:11; 2 Peter 2:3). Here the significance of the clause may be that the false teachers demoralised slaves, suggesting to slaves who were converts, or possible converts, that the profession of Christianity involved an improvement in social position and worldly prospects. The article before εὐσεβ. shews that the A.V. is wrong, supposing that gain is godliness.

[296] Speculum