NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Timothy 6: 6 - 19 (RCL)
1 Timothy 6: 11 - 16 (Roman Catholic)

1Tim 6:6 (NRSV) Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pon'tius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.


Our passage is the concluding section of the book. In vv. 3-5, the author has again warned against those who teach other than the body of faith passed down from Jesus and the apostles. He has charged these teachers with monetary gain for teaching falsehoods. Now, writing in Paul’s name, he counters that there is “great [spiritual] gain” (v. 6) in teaching the truth; those who do so are content with enough to pay for necessities (“food and clothing”, v. 8). But false teachers “who want to be rich” (v. 9) succumb to “senseless and harmful desires”, and lead people astray from godliness. The true church leader is very different.
Now he addresses Timothy, a “man of God” (v. 11), spiritual leader of the Church. He sees Christian life as a “fight” (v. 12). Timothy “made the good confession” that Jesus is Lord at his baptism; Jesus made his “confession” (v. 13) of fidelity in his conduct when facing death. Timothy is to keep “the commandment” (v. 14, Christ’s orders) until he returns at the end of the era, “at the right time” (v. 15), i.e. when God chooses. “Immortality” (v. 16) is an attribute of God. We cannot see him, but Jesus can and will reveal him. The author now speaks to affluent members of the community (v. 17). They should not set store in money, but rather in God, for it is God’s gift. It is to be used in a godly way, for “good works” (v. 18) and sharing with the needy, for through such generosity they will attain eternal life, “life that really is life” (v. 19).

GOSPEL: Luke 16: 19 - 31 (all)

Luke 16:19 (NRSV) "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Laz'arus by his side. 24 He called out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Laz'arus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25 But Abraham said, "Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27 He said, "Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- 28 for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29 Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30 He said, "No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

h/t montreal anglican
Luke has described Pharisees as “lovers of money” (v. 14). Now Jesus expands on a tale from popular folklore to tell a parable. Only the rich could afford cloth dyed with “purple” (v. 19), and “fine linen” undergarments from Egypt. No moral judgements are made directly on the “rich man” and Lazarus (v. 20), but they are implied: v. 30 infers that the rich man, and his brothers, have not repented of their sins, but “Lazarus” (v. 21) means God helps, so he has. (“Dogs” ate the bread guests had used to wipe their plates and hands and then tossed under the table.) Vv. 22-23 tell of the reversal of fates after death, in contemporary Jewish terms: Lazarus goes to a place of bliss, beside “Abraham”, the founder of God’s covenant people, but the rich man roasts in “Hades” (v. 23, the Greek name for Sheol, the abode of the dead). Recall the Abraham was wealthy, and obedient to God’s will.
In v. 27-28, the rich man changes tactics: upon learning that the gulf between him and Lazarus cannot be bridged (“a great chasm has been fixed”, v. 26), he asks that his brothers be saved from the same fate. Abraham’s answer (v. 29) amounts to: God reveals himself and his will in the Old Testament, so the “brothers” (v. 28) have been warned of the fate that awaits them. The Law required landowners, God’s tenants, to share with the needy.
In v. 31, in speaking of “someone rises from the dead”, Jesus is referring to his resurrection. Even then, “they” will not “repent” (v. 30). Like Lazarus, those whom God helps will come into his presence but, like the rich man, the ungodly will suffer irreversible punishment. God has revealed his will through “Moses and the prophets” (v. 29); those who neglect it will suffer after death. In this case, Jesus overturns conventional Jewish wisdom: it said that wealth was a sign of being blessed by God; if one was poor, one must be ungodly.