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1Ti 6:17. Τοῖς πλουσίοις, the rich) There were many rich men at Ephesus. This forms the Appendix (the Postscript) of the epistle, which is of great importance.-ἠλπικέναι, to have trust) This bad ‘trust,’ which nerves the grasp with which they cling to riches, checks the enjoyment (ἀπόλαυσιν), which Paul presently mentions.-ἀδηλότητι, uncertain) [lit. the uncertainty of riches]. We ought for this reason not to trust in wealth, because it is most uncertain, as regards the time to come (εἰς τὸ μέλλον, 1Ti 6:19).-ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ, upon, or in God) Al. Aug. 6, Boerner. Clar. Colb. 7, even more than these have ἐπί. So the antithesis is more expressly marked to the words, ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι. Trust, when leaning upon God, is strong. The common reading has ἐν, subjoining τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ζῶντι, taken from ch. 1Ti 4:10, as I think; for Al. Boern. Colb. 7, Rae. 2, Aeth. Lat. in M.S., Reutling, Gildas, Haimo, have not τῷ ζῶντι.[54]-πλουσίως, richly) otherwise no one would be πλούσιος, rich.-εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν, to enjoy) Enjoyment consists in giving, not in holding fast. Inactivity (i.e. the state of non-employment) should be far removed, as from man, so also from his resources: Jam 5:2-3.
[54] Ἐπὶ is the reading of Lachm., with AD(Δ) corrected, G Orig. 1, 709b cod. Tisch., with less authority, viz. f Vulg. Orig. cod., and Rec. Text, reads ἐν. These latter, except Vulg. (best MSS.), add τῷ ζῶντι to Θεῷ; and so also D(Δ) and both Syr. Versions. But AG Orig. cod., g Vulg.(Amiat.) Memph. and Theb. omit τῷ ζῶντι.-ED.