O'Donoghue MTh_Thesis-FinalCopy.pdf - South African Theological ...

and is also a kind of love that cannot be kept in the heart only but expresses itself inaction (Spicq 1994:12).Thus the reason one cannot have two Masters is one will inevitable show greatervalue for and preference for one over the other. The slave is to work for the benefit ofher or his Master (Spicq 1994:382) Thus a split allegiance between will not suffice.Further, to love can be used interchangeably with to serve, thus Jesus is showingthat one would serve one over the other (Talbert 2006:123).Verse 24d brings the application (Talbert 2006: 121). This is where Jesus says, “Youcannot serve God and mammon (Mtt 6:24).” Thus, as mammon could be one’sMaster, mammon could be served at the expense of the Master who is God. God,who is the Lord of the universe and who is to be pleased and obeyed, can bedisplaced with mammon. Lioy (2004:167) notes this would be a violation of the firstcommandment.The question remains, what is mammon? France (1985:139) says that mammon isfrom the Aramaic word, mamona which refers to possessions. Keener (1993:63)attests that mammon is the Aramaic word for ‘possessions or money.’ In a similarvein Kapolyo (2006:1123) notes that mammon can be translated as money. Further,the NIV translates mammon as Money (Carson 1994:88). What is important for thisthesis is that money is included in the meaning of the word or at least implied.The root meaning of the word denotes something in which people put their trust(Bruce 1978:22; Haughey 1997:6). It seems that as people often put their confidencein wealth, Mammon eventually referred to “all material possessions (Carson1994:88).” Kapolyo (2006:1123) says that mammon is “the Carthaginian god ofwealth.” However France (1985:139) says that mammon is not a personal name.It is unclear who is correct. Whether or not mammon was the Carthaginian god ofwealth, clearly it is being presented as something which competes for the disciples’allegiance to God, and is thus a potential idol. As a general rule wealth seems toeasily displace Christ as of central importance (Bruce 1978:23). Bruce points toColossians 3:5 which equates covetousness with idolatry.49