The Bible has a great deal to say about greed. This study gathers passages from across Scripture and sets them out for reading and reflection.
What Scripture Says
Greed is not merely a love of money; Scripture treats it as a disposition of the heart that turns a person away from God and toward self. The psalmist prays, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness” (Psalm 119:36), setting the desire for God’s word in direct opposition to the desire for gain. The tenth commandment forbids coveting altogether (Exodus 20:17), and the law goes further, requiring generosity toward the poor: “Thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother” (Deuteronomy 15:7). In the wisdom literature, Agur asks neither poverty nor riches but “food convenient for me,” lest fullness lead him to deny God (Proverbs 30:8-9). Greed, then, is not a minor flaw but a rival loyalty.
Jesus addresses it with unusual severity. He warns, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15), and follows with the parable of the rich fool, whose stored-up goods could not postpone his death (Luke 12:16-21). He teaches that one cannot serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24), and that the deceitfulness of riches chokes the word so that it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4:19). To the rich young ruler, he gives a command that exposes the man’s heart: sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me (Mark 10:21). The rich man goes away grieved, showing that what we cling to can keep us from Christ.
The apostles carry the same teaching into the church. Paul writes that “the love of money is the root of all evil,” and that some, “while they coveted after,” have “erred from the faith” and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). He instructs Timothy to command the rich not to trust in uncertain riches but to be “rich in good works, ready to distribute” (1 Timothy 6:17-18). He names covetousness alongside fornication and idolatry, insisting that no covetous man, “who is an idolater,” has inheritance in Christ’s kingdom (Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5). The letter to the Hebrews adds a pastoral word: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). Greed is thus idolatry, unbelief, and a threat to the soul.
Living It Out
The practical battle against greed begins with honesty about what we actually want. Most of us would deny loving money, yet we check balances anxiously, compare possessions, and quietly resent those who have more. Scripture calls us to contentment rooted not in circumstances but in God’s promise never to forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). One concrete step is to give regularly and deliberately, since Paul describes the wealthy as those “ready to distribute” (1 Timothy 6:18). Generosity is not a nice extra; it is the ordinary evidence that money is not our master.
We can also examine how we spend our time, attention, and money. Does our giving reflect trust in God, or do we hold back out of fear? Do we pray the psalmist’s prayer, asking God to incline our hearts to his testimonies rather than to gain (Psalm 119:36)? When we find ourselves storing up for ourselves rather than being rich toward God (Luke 12:21), the remedy is repentance, not merely better budgeting. Contentment with what we have and open-handedness toward the poor are the fruit of a heart that has found its treasure elsewhere.
Reflection
- If someone examined your budget, calendar, and worries, what would they conclude you are actually trusting and pursuing?
- Where has the desire for more quietly crowded out your desire for God, and what would it look like this week to be “rich in good works” instead?