Greed - Encyclopedia of The Bible

Encyclopedia of The Bible – Greed

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Greed

GREED (בֶּ֫טֶנ֒, H1061; LXX ὑπἀρχωσιν; נָעִימ֒, H5833; LXX ψυχή, G6034; NT πλεονεξία, πλεονέκτης). (1) Eager, unrestrained, insatiate longing, esp. for wealth or gain; avarice, cupidity, covetousness; (2) immoderate or ravenous hunger, esp. for food or drink; (3) in a good sense: keen, avid desire for knowledge, holiness, etc. The term “greed” is not found in the KJV but it appears seven times in the RSV as follows:

1. Job 20:20: beṭen, “belly,” “body,” “womb”; as seat of passion, “avarice”; LXX hypárchosin, “possessions”; Vul. venter, “entrails”; Luther Wanst, “belly”; KJV “belly”; ASV “within.”

2. Ezekiel 16:27: nepes, “seat of emotions and passions,” e.g. “desire”; LXX psychás, “wills”; Vul. animas, “minds”; Luther Willen, “wishes”; KJV, ASV, Moffat “will”; Berkeley “preferences.” Nepesh occurs 756 times in the OT.

3. Habakkuk 2:5: nepes; LXX psychē, “desire”; Vul. anima, “soul”; Luther Seele, “heart”; KJV, ASV “desire.”

4. 1 Corinthians 5:11: pleonéktēs, “one who is greedy for gain,” “a covetous person”; Vul. avarus, “eagerly desirous of something, esp. possessions,” “avaricious,” “covetous,” “greedy”; Luther Geiziger, “miser”; KJV, RSV, ASV “covetous”; Moffat “lustful”; NEB “grasping”; Berkeley “greedy.” Pleonéktēs has been used since Herodotus. It occurs four times in the NT; once on a vellum fragment of Oxyr. Pap. from perhaps the 3rd cent. a.d.

5. 1 Thessalonians 2:5: pleonexía, “greediness,” “avarice,” “insatiableness,” “covetousness,” lit. “a desire to have more”; Vul. avaritiae, “a greedy desire for possessions”; Luther Habsucht, “avarice”; KJV, RSV, ASV “covetousness”; Moffat “self-seeking”; Berkeley “money.” Pleonexia occurs in Herodotus, Thucydides, LXX, Epistle of Aristeas, Philo, Jos., Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs; ten times in the NT. The RSV “cloak for greed” (subjective gen.) means “pretext for avarice.”

6. 2 Peter 2:3: pleonexía, u.s.; Vul. avaritia; Luther Habsucht; KJV, ASV “covetousness”; Moffat “lust.” Pleonexía is a genuine vernacular term (cf. MM).

7. 2 Peter 2:14: pleonexía, u.s.; Vul. avaritia; Luther Habsucht; KJV, “covetous”; RSV, ASV “covetousness”; Moffat “lust.” (For pleonexía in a good sense cf. Epictetus ii. 10.9.)

In Scripture “greed” is depicted in a bad sense only. It is defined as (1) idolatry (Eph 5:5; Col 3:5), (2) vanity (Ps 39:6; Eccl 4:8), and (3) the root of all evils (1 Tim 6:10). God (1) abhors (Ps 10:3), (2) forbids (Exod 20:17), and even punishes (Job 20:15; Isa 57:17; Jer 22:17-19; Mic 2:2, 3) greed.

Greed is (1) characteristic of the wicked (Rom 1:29) and slothful (Prov 21:26); (2) inconsistent in believers (Eph 5:3; Heb 13:5)—esp. ministers (1 Tim 3:3); (3) originates in the heart (Mark 7:22, 23), (4) engrosses the heart (Ezek 33:31; 2 Pet 2:14), and (5) is never satisfied (Eccl 5:10; Hab 2:5).

It leads to (1) foolish and harmful lusts (1 Tim 6:9), (2) departure from the faith (6:10), (3) falsehood (2 Kings 5:22-25), (4) theft (Josh 7:21), (5) poverty (Prov 28:22), (6) misery (1 Tim 6:10), (7) injustice and oppression (Prov 28:20; Mic 2:2), (8) domestic affliction (Prov 15:27), and (9) murder (1:18, 19; Ezek 22:12).

It is commended only by the wicked (Ps 10:3); believers hate (Exod 18:21; Acts 20:33). Both Isaiah (5:8) and Habakkuk (2:9) denounced it; Jesus warned His disciples to beware of it (Luke 12:15).

This sin can cause one to miss heaven (1 Cor 6:10; Eph 5:5). It shall abound in the last days (2 Tim 3:2; 2 Pet 2:1-3) but those who hate it will be rewarded (Prov 28:16). Believers ought to (1) pray against (Ps 119:36), (2) mortify (Col 3:5), and (3) avoid those guilty of (1 Cor 5:11).

Biblical examples are (1) Laban (Gen 31:41), (2) Balaam (2 Peter 2:15; cf. Jude 11), (3) Achan (Josh 7:21), (4) Eli’s sons (1 Sam 2:12-14), (5) Samuel’s sons (8:3), (6) King Saul (15:9, 19), (7) Ahab (1 Kings 21:2-16), (8) Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27), (9) Jewish nobles (Neh 5:7; Isa 1:23), (10) Jewish people (Isa 56:11; Jer 6:13), (11) Babylon (Jer 51:1-12), (12) a young man (Matt 19:22), (13) the Pharisees (Luke 16:14), (14) Judas (Matt 26:14, 15), (15) Ananias (Acts 5:1-10), and (16) Felix (24:26).

Bibliography J. Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1949), III. vii. 9; M. Luther, Selected Psalms II, Vol. XIII, Works (c1956), 392f.; T. Laetsch, The Minor Prophets (1956), 151, 161f.; D. M. Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, II (1962), 86-96.