What Is "Filthy Lucre"?

The English word "lucre" originated from a French word, lucre, which itself originated from a Latin word, lucrum, which meant to gain, or to profit (the English word "lucrative" is merely an adjective form of the noun "lucre").

To profit from honest work is not wrong. The Fourth Commandment is based upon work ("Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work"), so that there is something to rest from on the Sabbath Day (the only true Christian Sabbath Day, which was created by Christ Himself - see Christ The Creator, 'Before Abraham Was, I AM' and 'The God Of The Old Testament').

"^20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ^20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: ^20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: ^20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11 KJV)

Jesus Christ used honestly profiting in business as an analogy of living a righteous life according to His teachings - the one who does not increase is a "worthless servant."

"^25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ^25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ^25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ^25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ^25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his LORD money.

^25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ^25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

^25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

^25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.

^25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

^25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: ^25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

^25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: ^25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.

^25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ^25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ^25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:14-30 KJV)

What Is "Filthy Lucre"?

Four different Hebrew and Greek words of the Holy Scriptures are translated in the King James Version as "lucre." The first, the Hebrew word pronounced bay-tsaw, means to profit by plunder. Notice here that, along with their turning aside, from God's Law, after "lucre," Samuel's corrupt sons "took bribes, and perverted judgment."

"^8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel [see The Prophets: Samuel] was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

^8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

^8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment." (1 Samuel 8:1-3 KJV)

The Greek word pronounced af-il-ar-goo-ros means without covetousness i.e. "filthy lucre" is a violation of the Tenth Commandment ("^20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's" Exodus 20:17 KJV). It is translated here as "not greedy of filthy lucre."

"^3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. ^3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ^3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; ^3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ^3:5 For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? ^3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ^3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:8-10 KJV)

The Greek word pronounced ahee-skhrok-er-dace means greedy. It is translated all three times that it was written as "filthy lucre" or "greedy of filthy lucre."

"^3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; ^3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. ^3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless." (1 Timothy 3:8-10 KJV)

"^1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; ^1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; ^1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1:7-9 KJV)

"^5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: ^5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ^5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:1-3 KJV)

The Greek word pronounced ker-dos means ill gain by persuasion, translated here as "teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."

"^1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: ^1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." (Titus 1:10-11 KJV)

Fact Finder: Do economic circumstances determine "righteousness" - or does behavior?
See No Class Struggles In Christianity

This Day In History, October 22

4004 BC: The date calculated in the 17th century by James Usher, Archbishop of Armagh, and Dr. John Lightfoot of Cambridge, as the day the earth was created. It was actually took place far earlier than that (listen to our Sermon Creation in 4004 BC?).

741: Charles Martel died at age 53. The rulership of Gaul was divided between his two sons Pepin III and Carloman.

1721: Peter the Great became czar (czar is the Russian form of "Caesar," as is the German kaiser) of all Russia.

1764: The Battle of Baksar, fought between the East India Company's forces and those of the Mughals. The decisive battle confirmed the British control of Bengal.

1797: The first successful parachute jump was made by Andre-Jacques Garnerin from a balloon over Paris, France.

1836: Sam Houston became the first President of the Republic of Texas (unlike the "New England" States, Texas declared independence from Mexico).

1844: The date predicted by religious leader William Miller when the Return of Jesus Christ would occur. Among the many thousands of his followers, the day became known as the "Great Disappointment" (Miller and his followers chose to ignore the only Biblically-stated proof that Christ's return would soon happen - the beginning of the 42 month miraculous ministry of the "two witnesses," immediately after which Christ's return will happen; see The Prophets: The Two Witnesses and Could Christ Return Tonight?)

1859: Spain declared war on the Moors in Morocco.

1952: The complete Jewish Torah was published in English for the first time.

1954: West Germany joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

1954: After Geneva accords conceded Communist control over North Vietnam, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower authorized U.S. training of the South Vietnamese Army. The U.S. "advisors" soon became the primary combatants in that Vietnamese civil war; it ended in the 1970s with North and South Vietnam unified into a single nation under the rule of the communist North.

1966: The Soviet Union launched Luna 12 to orbit the moon.

1975: The Soviet unmanned spacecraft Venera 9 landed on Venus.

1979: The exiled Shah of Iran arrived in the U.S. for medical treatment. In response, Iranian "students" invaded the U.S. embassy in Tehran, thereby beginning the Iranian Hostage Crisis.