What did Jesus teach about money?
BREAKDOWN
Jesus' teachings on money were revolutionary, challenging the prevailing societal values that often equated wealth with divine favor. He consistently taught that while money itself is not inherently evil, the love of money and its pursuit above God are spiritual snares. One of His most direct statements is found in 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 both God and Mammon." Here, Jesus personifies 'Mammon' as a rival deity, underscoring that one's ultimate allegiance cannot be divided between the material and the divine. He warned against covetousness, stating in Luke 12:15, "Beware! Keep yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses." This teaching subverts the worldly notion that security and worth are found in possessions. Furthermore, Jesus advocated for radical generosity and stewardship, urging His followers to store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. In Matthew 6:19-21, He says, "Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay 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." The encounter with the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-26 powerfully illustrates the spiritual obstacle wealth can present, with Jesus famously stating, "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." He praised the widow's mite (Luke 21:1-4), not for the amount given, but for the sacrificial heart behind it, contrasting it with the wealthy who gave from their abundance. His parables, such as the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21) and the dishonest manager (Luke 16:1-13), further elaborate on the themes of wise stewardship, prioritizing eternal values, and using earthly resources to bless others and honor God. Ultimately, Jesus taught that money is a tool for serving God and neighbors, and a test of one's true devotion, not an end in itself.
KEY TERMS
Mammon
A term of Aramaic origin for wealth or property, often personified by Jesus as a rival master or deity that competes with God for one's allegiance.
covetousness
An inordinate desire for material possessions, which Jesus identified as a spiritual danger that distracts from valuing life itself.
treasures in heaven
Spiritual rewards and eternal blessings that result from acts of righteousness, charity, and devotion to God, in contrast to temporary earthly wealth.
rich young ruler
A wealthy individual who sought eternal life from Jesus but was unwilling to part with his possessions, illustrating the difficulty wealth can pose to spiritual commitment.
widow's mite
A small offering given by a poor widow, praised by Jesus as more significant than larger gifts from the wealthy because it represented sacrificial giving from her complete livelihood.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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 both God and Mammon.
Luke 12:15
He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from all covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."
Matthew 6:19-21
Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay 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 19:16-26
Behold, one came to him and said, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder.' 'You shall not commit adultery.' 'You shall not steal.' 'You shall not give false testimony.' 'Honor your father and your mother.' And, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man said to him, "All these things I have observed from my youth. What still do I lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell that which you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. Jesus said to his disciples, "Most certainly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Again I tell you, 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." When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looking at them said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Luke 21:1-4
He looked up and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury. He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins. He said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them, for all these put in gifts from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all the living that she had."
Luke 12:16-21
He spoke a parable to them, saying, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?' He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry." ' But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Luke 16:1-13
He also said to his 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, people 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, 'A 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, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' "His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, 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 dwellings. He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest 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."
INTERLINEAR ANALYSIS
Interlinear Greek
Matthew 6:24ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
μαμμωνάς
Mammon
Definitionriches, wealth
πλεονεξία
covetousness
Definitiongreediness, avarice, an insatiable desire for more
θησαυρός
treasures
Definitiona storage place, a treasure, something stored up
πλούσιος
rich
Definitionwealthy, abundant
πτωχός
poor
Definitionbeggar, destitute, poor
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
During the 1st century AD in Roman Judea, the economic landscape was highly stratified. The Roman Empire imposed heavy taxation, and local Herodian rulers and the Temple hierarchy also exacted taxes and tithes. This led to significant wealth disparity, with a small elite (landowners, merchants, tax collectors, and some priests) accumulating vast fortunes, while the majority of the population—farmers, fishermen, and artisans—lived at or near subsistence level. Poverty was widespread, often exacerbated by debt, famine, and Roman military presence. The 'poor' (Greek: *ptochos*) were often the destitute, those without land or means of support. Charitable practices were prevalent within Jewish society, rooted in Old Testament commands for tzedakah (righteousness/charity). However, Jesus' teachings challenged the cultural norm where wealth was often seen as a sign of God's blessing, advocating instead for a radical detachment from material possessions and a focus on spiritual wealth and the coming Kingdom of God. The Temple treasury, into which the widow cast her mite, was a common sight, where people publicly offered their contributions, often in view of others.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
Jesus' teachings on money fundamentally reorient human priorities from accumulation and self-sufficiency to generous stewardship and radical dependence on God. He unveils money as a powerful spiritual force, not merely an economic tool. The core theological insight is that one's relationship with possessions directly reflects one's relationship with God; allegiance to 'Mammon' is idolatry that prevents true worship and entry into the Kingdom. True wealth, in Jesus' framework, is not earthly abundance but heavenly righteousness, eternal life, and selfless love expressed through giving. His teachings challenge believers to view all material resources as ultimately belonging to God, to be used for His purposes and the welfare of others, rather than for personal gain or security.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Jewish)
While Rashi himself did not comment on the New Testament, Jewish tradition, which informed Jesus' listeners, deeply emphasizes *tzedakah* (righteous giving/justice) and caring for the poor. The Torah commands various forms of charity, such as leaving gleanings for the poor (Leviticus 19:9-10) and observing the Sabbath year for debt cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:1-11). The Rabbis taught that wealth carries a significant responsibility to use it for righteous purposes, thus aligning with Jesus' call for stewardship, albeit through a different covenantal lens.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Matthew Henry, commenting on Matthew 6:24, emphasizes that serving God and Mammon are mutually exclusive because they demand opposing affections and pursuits. He states that 'Mammon' signifies 'riches, and the profits of this world,' and that the 'service of Mammon' is 'covetousness, and an inordinate affection to the things of this world.' Henry stresses that the heart cannot truly be divided; one will inevitably love one and despise the other, highlighting the spiritual danger of material attachment.
Augustine of Hippo (Christian)
Augustine frequently contrasted *amor sui* (love of self) with *amor Dei* (love of God). In the context of wealth, he would argue that the pursuit and love of money stem from *amor sui*, leading to a disordered will that prioritizes transient earthly goods over eternal heavenly ones. He saw the rich young ruler's inability to give up his possessions as a testament to the binding power of worldly attachments, which prevent the soul from truly cleaving to God and His kingdom.
Didache (Early Church Father)
The Didache, an early Christian treatise, instructs believers on ethical behavior, including charity. It states, 'You shall give to everyone who asks, and you shall not refuse' (Didache 1:5). This reflects the early Church's commitment to sacrificial giving and helping the poor, consistent with Jesus' teachings on generosity and the shared communal life that emerged among early Christians in Acts 2 and 4, where possessions were often pooled to meet needs.