Praktik Ekonomi Eksploitatif dalam Komunitas Religius: Studi Eksposisi 1 Timotius 6:6-10 dan Relevansinya bagi Respons Sosial Gereja Masa Kini

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of economic exploitation within religious communities through an exegetical study of 1 Timothy 6:6–10, which states that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. This Pastoral Epistle emerged from the struggles of the Ephesian church, which was confronted with false teachings in which godliness was promoted as a means of gaining financial profit. This study employs a qualitative method using textual analysis and a socio-historical approach, exploring the socio-economic, political, and religious context of first-century Ephesus that provides the background for the writing of the epistle. The findings indicate that 1 Timothy 6:6–10 offers a sharp social critique of exploitative economic practices by emphasizing that true godliness must be accompanied by contentment with basic necessities. The desire to become rich, by contrast, leads people into various foolish and harmful desires that ultimately result in destruction. This study recommends that the church, as a social institution, has a responsibility to serve as an example in ethical teaching, liberate its members from the grip of economic greed, and promote alternative economic practices that uphold justice and the common good.