God and Money

Jesus said many radical things, perhaps none more so than this:

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt 6:24 NIV)

Instead of “money,” some translations say “wealth” (NASB, NRSV); others say “mammon” (KJV, RSV). Craig Keener explains that mammon “was a common Aramaic term for money or property” (293).

Here’s the point: Jesus personifies material wealth and sets it in competition to God. Keener adds, “Jesus warns his audience that one must choose which master one will serve: those who work for possessions will end up hating God; those who work for God will end up hating possessions” (293).

How does mammon compete with God? Both require our time, attention, and devotion (Goodchild, 6). Especially in a capitalistic society, we are expected to make the accumulation of wealth one of the primary goals of life. But Jesus directs our attention elsewhere:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt 6:19-21)

Money points in one direction and says, “serve here and you will get rich,” while God points in another direction and says, “serve there and you will have true riches.” Who will we obey?

Don’t get the wrong impression about Jesus: he was utterly unique in this matter. Philip Goodchild writes:

The teachings of Jesus of Nazareth on wealth stand out as distinct within the history of religions. Many others have taught and practiced asceticism, the renunciation of worldly ways and pleasures. Jesus, by contrast, warned against wealth while feasting and drinking himself. The kingdom of God was a feast promised for those without wealth. (2)

Jesus fasted and he feasted. He gave serious warnings to the wealthy (Lk 6:24-25) and he ate with them (Lk 19:1-10). There’s a lot more to say about Jesus and wealth, but allow me to highlight one more thing: he didn’t seek wealth, property, or power. Think of this: Jesus, the Son of God, came down from heaven and lived the perfect life and that did not involve accumulating possessions or wealth. He was born in a manger and died on a cross.

In contrast, Judas Iscariot loved money. John writes, “he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (12:6) and he sold Jesus to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver (Matt 26:15). But before we rush to judge Judas, we should take a second look at him:

We do great injustice to Iscariot, in thinking him wicked above all common wickedness. He was only a common money-lover, and, like all money-lovers, did not understand Christ;—could not make out the worth of Him or the meaning of Him. He never thought He would be killed. He was horror-struck when he found that Christ would be killed; threw his money away instantly, and hanged himself. (John Ruskin, cited in Goodchild, 225)

Judas’s love for money blinded him to the true riches of knowing Christ. As Jesus said, “You cannot serve both God and money.”

Les Bridgeman

I have served as a high school Bible teacher and counselor in Asia and the U.S. I am passionate about understanding and teaching the Bible. Here’s a link to my book page.