Bible Study series: Matthew 6:24. Who is your Lord? Do you have money or does money have you?
A warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together. I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 6:24
24 No one is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are unable to serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)
No servant can serve two masters. Why not?
Paraphrase: Either he will hate one and love the other vs. he will be loyal to one and despise the other.
Who are the two masters? Jesus reveal them: God vs. Mammon. The Shorter Lexicon suggests that here Mammon should be personified or turned into a personal being of some kind, as if it is lurking to devour you. In Gen. 4:7 sin is depicted as crouching, lurking by the door, ready to attack Cain.
You cannot—are unable—to serve God and Mammon.
The Greek word for serve is more closely related “to be a slave to.” Whose slave are you? In his comment on v. 24, R. T. France says we should translate it: “You cannot be slaves of both God and wealth.” He says we can work two jobs, so it’s better to translate it as he has it, but that misses the point. Yes, we can work two jobs, but if we are greedy and lust for money over God, then we are heading for trouble. He is right, however, in saying that Jesus means we cannot be doubleminded. We have to be totally committed to God and his kingdom. Finally, he is skeptical about Mammon being a god or spirit of some kind. “There is no evidence that anyone in the ancient world thought of an actual being called ‘Mammon.’” Yet, the Shorter Lexicon says it can mean this.
You can decide on this one.
Finally, 1 Timothy 6:17-19 is relevant:
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works and to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life (1 Tim. 6:17-19, ESV).
So the rich converts to Christianity are called to use their money generously, do good with it, and to be rich in good works, so they can store up for themselves treasures in heaven.
Be faithful with worldly wealth, but don’t serve it. Let it serve God, and you should serve God. And then you can stand on top of money, as you look up to God.
I like Blomberg here:
Against those who might protest that they can accumulate both spiritual and earthly treasures, Jesus replies that they have only two options. They must choose between competing loyalties. “Master” suggests a slaveowner who required total allegiance. People could not serve two masters in the way in which people today often work two jobs. “Money” is more literally mammon, referring to all of a person’s material resources. Of course, many people do try to cherish both God and mammon, but ultimately only one will be chosen. The other will be “hated,” even if only by neglect. “Love” and “hate” in Semitic thought are often roughly equivalent to choose and not choose. (comment on 6:24, emphasis original)
“Love” and “hate” = “choose” and “not choose.” Don’t over-work the verbiage “love” and “hate.”
GrowApp for Matt. 6:24
1.. Study 1 Timothy 6:10 and 17-19. How are rich Christians called to use worldly wealth? What should your attitude be about money?
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1. Church Fathers and Matthew’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom.
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