What did Jesus teach about money?
BREAKDOWN
Jesus' teachings on money were profoundly counter-cultural, challenging the prevailing human tendencies towards accumulation and security in wealth. He did not condemn money itself, but rather the *love* of money, the trust placed in it, and the covetousness that often accompanies its pursuit. Central to His instruction was the concept of stewardship, emphasizing that all possessions ultimately belong to God and believers are merely managers of these resources. For instance, in the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13), Jesus encourages shrewdness in using worldly wealth to secure eternal outcomes, culminating in the declaration: "No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve God and Mammon." (Luke 16:13). This clearly articulates an exclusive loyalty required by God that wealth often competes with. Furthermore, Jesus repeatedly warned about the spiritual dangers of riches. He advised His followers not to store up treasures on earth, "where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21). This call to prioritize eternal over temporal wealth was vividly demonstrated in His encounter with the rich young ruler, whom Jesus instructed to "sell all that you have, and distribute to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me." (Luke 18:22). The man’s inability to part with his great wealth illustrated Jesus' solemn observation: "It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God." (Luke 18:25). His teachings underscored radical generosity, a complete trust in God's provision (Matthew 6:25-34), and the selfless use of resources to advance God’s Kingdom and care for the poor, as exemplified by the widow's mite (Mark 12:41-44), where her small sacrificial offering outweighed the large gifts of the wealthy.
KEY TERMS
stewardship
The responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving, particularly resources entrusted by God.
covetousness
A strong desire for something, especially for something belonging to another, often leading to greedy accumulation.
Mammon
An Aramaic word for wealth or profit, often personified by Jesus as a rival master to God, signifying the idolization of material possessions.
Kingdom of God
The spiritual reign of God over His people and creation, characterized by His justice, righteousness, peace, and joy, which Jesus came to inaugurate.
radical generosity
An extreme or thorough willingness to give, often to the point of personal sacrifice, as taught and exemplified by Jesus.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Luke 16:1-13
He also said to the disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions. He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, since my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg. I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’ Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ He said, ‘One hundred barrels of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ His lord commended the unrighteous manager because he had done skillfully, for the children of this world are in their own generation wiser than the children of light. I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is unrighteous in a very little is also unrighteous in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve God and Mammon."
Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve God and Mammon.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t store up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 18:22
When Jesus heard these things, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have, and distribute to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven. Come, follow me.”
Luke 18:25
For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”
Matthew 6:25-34
“Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? “Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his life span? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’, or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient for itself.”
Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which make a quadrans. He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are casting into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.”
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve God and Mammon.”
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
μαμωνᾶς
Mammon
DefinitionWealth, riches, property; often personified as an idol representing avarice.
θησαυρός
Treasures
DefinitionA place for safekeeping valuables, a treasury; collected riches, wealth.
πτωχός
Poor
DefinitionDestitute, beggarly, reduced to poverty; also, spiritually poor, humble.
πλοῦτος
Riches
DefinitionWealth, abundance of outward possessions, resources.
οἰκονόμος
Steward
DefinitionA household manager, steward, administrator.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The economic landscape of 1st-century Judea and Galilee, during Jesus' ministry, was characterized by significant social stratification and Roman occupation. The Roman imperial system, coupled with local Herodian rulers and the Temple hierarchy, extracted heavy taxes (land taxes, poll taxes, customs duties), leading to widespread poverty among the peasant population. A small elite, including wealthy landowners, merchants, and tax collectors (like Zacchaeus), prospered. The Temple in Jerusalem also served as a major economic institution, with its treasury receiving donations and supporting a vast priestly system. In this context, Jesus' teachings on money directly addressed the struggles of the poor, the temptations of the rich, and the ethical dilemmas posed by a system that often exploited the vulnerable. His parables frequently featured elements of contemporary economic life—debtors, stewards, landowners, and laborers—making His messages highly relevant and impactful to His audience, many of whom faced daily financial precarity. The practice of tithing and almsgiving (tzedakah) was deeply ingrained in Jewish society, but Jesus challenged the external show, emphasizing the heart behind the giving.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
Jesus consistently challenged the prevailing human tendency to find security and identity in material possessions, redirecting focus to eternal values, radical generosity, trust in God's provision, and the supreme importance of the Kingdom of God. Money, for Jesus, was a tool for kingdom service, not an end in itself or a source of ultimate happiness. His teachings reveal that one's relationship with wealth is a direct indicator of one's spiritual allegiance and priorities, often serving as a test of genuine discipleship.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Didache (c. 1st-2nd Century AD) (Early Church Father/Document)
The Didache strongly emphasizes practical charity and communal sharing, echoing Jesus' call to generosity. It instructs: 'Do not hesitate to give, neither complain when you give; for you shall know who is the good paymaster.' It also warns against greed and highlights the importance of giving to those in need, seeing it as giving to God.
Matthew Henry (17th-18th Century AD) (Christian)
Regarding the Parable of the Unjust Steward, Henry emphasizes that while the steward's dishonesty is not commended, his foresight and diligence in preparing for his future should inspire believers to apply similar earnestness in securing their eternal salvation. He states that 'we must make good use of our worldly wealth, and turn it to a good account, that we may be rich in good works, and so secure to ourselves a happy eternity.'
Augustine of Hippo (4th-5th Century AD) (Christian)
On Matthew 6:19-21, Augustine argues that true riches are not those that can be lost or stolen, but those that reside in the heart and are directed towards God. He posits that 'where your treasure is, there your heart will be also' means that our affection naturally follows what we value most. He encourages detachment from earthly possessions to secure heavenly ones, viewing earthly goods as merely means to a spiritual end.
Rashi (11th Century AD) (Jewish)
While Rashi did not comment on the New Testament, the Jewish tradition he represents offers insights into the concept of 'tzedakah' (charity/justice). Tzedakah is not merely voluntary giving but an obligation to ensure justice and provide for the poor. This aligns with Jesus' emphasis on caring for the needy, suggesting a foundational principle within Judaism that wealth is not solely for personal gain but carries a communal responsibility, a perspective that Jesus radicalized and spiritualized.
John Calvin (16th Century AD) (Christian)
Calvin, commenting on Matthew 6:24, underscores the impossibility of serving both God and Mammon, defining Mammon not just as wealth but as the 'trust we place in it.' He asserts that the heart cannot be divided in ultimate allegiance, and therefore the pursuit and confidence in riches inherently conflicts with true devotion to God. He views this as a fundamental principle of Christian life.