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10 May ' 13:09
Part 4 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is witness –Paul was careful to explain the contrast between a biblical ministry and one that is not. Last week we considered the first part of this verse. Paul now addresses the fact that biblical ministry must not be driven by a pretext for greed.
The word “pretext” means a pretense or an excuse. The idea is that a person gives the impression that they are serving the Lord in ministry for all the right reasons, but in reality they have selfish motives.
Ephesians 5:3 states:
But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints…
In 2 Peter 2:1-3 and 14, Peter warns that greed is one of the characteristics of false teachers.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.…having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;
In the culture that Paul was in, itinerant preachers would often travel the country with the intent of taking advantage of others.
Paul ends this verse with the declaration “God is witness.” The Thessalonians could see the outward testimony of Paul; God could see his motives. As servants of the Lord there must be a consistency between what is on the outside and what is on the inside. Rather than being greedy, true ministers of the gospel will be the most generous of all.
Rocky Wyatt2010-05-10 Ministry Defined, Part 3, Rocky Wyatt, 2010-05-03
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