Strong’s Greek 5365, philargyria, designates “love of money” or “avarice,” the disposition that exalts material gain above the will of God. While the noun itself occurs only once in the Greek New Testament, the concept saturates Scripture. Philargyria is not a neutral economic interest but a moral posture that enthrones wealth in the heart, displacing devotion to the Lord and endangering faith.

Canonical Context and Scriptural Usage

1 Timothy 6:10 contains the sole New Testament occurrence: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows”. Set within Paul’s final instructions to his protégé, the verse closes a warning against teachers who “suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5). The phrase underscores that philargyria is not merely one sin among many but a breeding ground for diverse evils and an apostasy trigger.

Theological Implications

1. Idolatry: Love of money competes with allegiance to God (Matthew 6:24; Colossians 3:5).
2. Corrosion of Faith: Philargyria seduces believers away from sound doctrine, spawning discontent and ethical compromise (1 Timothy 6:9–10).
3. Spiritual Bondage: Avarice promises security but produces anxiety (Ecclesiastes 5:10; Hebrews 13:5).
4. Root vs. Fruit: Paul portrays philargyria as an underground root system feeding multiple sins—fraud, oppression, envy, and apostasy.

Relation to Old Testament Teaching

The Mosaic Law repeatedly warns against covetousness (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21). Wisdom literature intensifies the warning: “Whoever trusts in riches will fall” (Proverbs 11:28). The prophets denounce economic exploitation (Amos 8:4–6; Micah 2:1–2). Philargyria therefore stands in continuity with Israel’s most serious heart-sins: idolatry and injustice.

Warning for Church Leaders

Paul’s Pastoral Epistles often pair ministry with financial integrity: overseers must be “free from the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7). Monetary affection erodes teaching purity, converts shepherds into hirelings (John 10:12–13), and discredits gospel witness. First-century false teachers who merchandised the faith (2 Peter 2:3) foreshadow modern distortions of prosperity preaching.

Pastoral and Discipleship Applications

• Cultivate Contentment: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Gratitude quenches avarice.
• Practice Generosity: Systematic giving unseats money’s rule (2 Corinthians 9:6–8).
• Model Simplicity: Leaders demonstrate freedom from philargyria by transparent finances and modest lifestyles.
• Teach Eschatological Hope: Setting hearts on the coming kingdom relativizes earthly wealth (Matthew 6:19–21; 1 Peter 1:4).

Historical Reception in Christian Thought

Early church fathers classed philargyria among the eight deadly thoughts (Evagrius) and later the seven deadly sins (avaritia). Chrysostom warned that love of money was “more tyrannical than any despot.” Reformers like Martin Luther linked covetousness to false worship. Throughout revival movements, calls to social justice and sacrificial missions flowed from repudiating philargyria.

Contemporary Relevance

Global consumer culture normalizes relentless acquisition. Credit-based lifestyles, online gambling, and prosperity doctrines intensify exposure to philargyria. Believers must discern between legitimate provision and the insatiable craving Paul condemns. Stewardship, ethical investing, and compassionate relief ministries serve as antidotes.

Illustrations and Practical Counsel

• Zacchaeus illustrates conversion from philargyria to generosity (Luke 19:8–9).
• Ananias and Sapphira expose the lethal hypocrisy of feigned generosity (Acts 5:1–10).
• Contentment training: track spending, set giving goals, meditate on Hebrews 13:5—“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”

Summary

Philargyria, the love of money, appears once in the New Testament yet echoes across the canon as a root sin that entangles the heart, undermines faith, and spawns manifold evils. Scripture calls believers to radical contentment, open-handed generosity, and wholehearted trust in God, the sure antidotes to a disease as ancient as Eden and as contemporary as today’s stock ticker.