Perverse wranglings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw yourself.
All Commentaries on 1 Timothy 6:5 Go To 1 Timothy 6
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Perverse disputings, that is, leisure or conversation, or he may mean intercommunication, and that as infected sheep by contact communicate disease to the sound, so do these bad men.
Destitute of the truth, thinking that gain is godliness. Observe what evils are produced by strifes of words. The love of gain, ignorance, and pride; for pride is engendered by ignorance.
From such withdraw yourself. He does not say, engage and contend with them, but withdraw yourself, turn away from them; as elsewhere he says, A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject. Titus 3:10 He shows that they do not so much err from ignorance, as they owe their ignorance to their indolence. Those who are contentious for the sake of money you will never persuade. They are only to be persuaded, so long as you give, and even so you will never satisfy their desires. For it is said, The covetous man's eye is not satisfied with a portion. Sirach 14:9 From such then, as being incorrigible, it is right to turn away. And if he who had much obligation to fight for the truth, is advised not to engage in contention with such men, much more should we avoid it, who are in the situation of disciples.
