Covetousness

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 (Spoke 10, Cycle 3)

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.

The Tenth Commandment
(Exodus 20.17f)

The divine integration of the Ten Commandments with the Christian Canon finds its completion here on Cycle 3 of Spoke 10. In fact, the phrase "the end of the commandment" occurs only here on Spoke 10 in 1 Timothy:

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;

1 Timothy 1:5 (Spoke 10, Cycle 3)

The theme of Covetousness emerges more than a few times in 1 Timothy. In the qualifications for the bishop, Paul wrote that he must not be "greedy of filthy lucre [money] nor covetous" (1 Timothy 3.3). He repeated his admonition agains "filthy lucre" when he gave the qualifications for the deacon. And again, just before he before he writes the famous "love of money" verse, he speaks against "men of corrupt minds" who suppose that "gain is godliness!" Unfortunately this heresy is still alive and well on planet earth, only now its called the "Prosperity Gospel." Immediately following these verses, Paul turns the meaning of "great gain" on its head:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:5 (Spoke 10, Cycle 3)

Note the continued thematic integration with the Tenth Commandment. Everything in these verses is meant to teach us how to obey it! The same pattern is found in the sequence of the Psalms (KVJ), where the first occurrence of the word covet* (i.e. covet, coveted, covetous, etc) appears in Psalm 10 (vs. 3):

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

Psalm 10:3 (Spoke 10 Inner Cycle)

We have a Thematic Link which is amplified by the principle of First Occurrence:

Thematic Link: The Tenth Commanment

PPsalms( 101 ) PBible( 103 )

All of this integrates with the literal meaning of the name of Tenth Letter, יוד (Yod, Hand). As discussed in the introductory article, Yod is symbol of personal possession - the hand being that with which we grasp and hold things. Finally, this manifests in the Hebrew word for Ten, עשר (esser) which is a pun on the word for riches or wealth עשר (asher); the only difference being the pronunciation Shin as "sh" or "s".

Finally then, let us gather what we have seen in this brief review. The order of the Ten Commandments is integrated with the order of the Hebrew alphabet and the order of the Christian Canon, and all of this is integrated with the Hebrew pun linking the Number Ten with Wealth. Furthermore, the "love of money" verse - perhaps the most famous Biblical injunction against the violation of Tenth Commandment - appears here on Spoke 10. Divine Integration! I am at a loss for words - let me defer to the Apostle Paul:

[Praise the Lord] who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

1 Timothy 6:15 (Spoke 10, Cycle 3)

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