Matthew 6:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

NIV: 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.

NASB: No one can 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 cannot serve God and wealth.

CSB: "No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

NLT: No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

KJV: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

NKJV: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

"But I want both." This is a common reaction when we're faced with a choice between two desirable things. It's also a natural response to this teaching from Jesus on money (Matthew 6:19–23), part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2). Those committed to the Lord desire to store up treasure, or rewards in heaven. They desire to serve Him by making right choices out of sincere devotion. God-fearing people can also desire to build wealth in this world, to feel financially secure, to accumulate possessions and experiences that please them. This is human nature.

Jesus does not say here that it is wrong to want both service to God and material wealth. What He does say, in crystal-clear terms, is one cannot place ultimate priority on both at the same time. At some moments in life, one must choose which is more important. Christ's calling forces those who would follow Him into such choices.

Scripture puts this in the context of servanthood. It doesn't work for a servant to be co-owned by two independent masters—this is why such a thing isn't practiced. The servant can only prioritize one or the other. They might be "loyal," in a sense, to both. But separate masters will command the servant in different, competing directions. As a result, the servant will naturally grow to hate or despise one of the two, while growing to love and be devoted to the other.

Jesus is casting human beings as slaves either to God or money. He uses the Greek word mammōna, which comes from the Aramaic word for wealth. Those who surrender themselves to following Jesus become servants of God for life (Romans 6:17–18). Those who prioritize building wealth for themselves on earth surrender themselves as slaves to materialism. As slaves depend on their masters to provide everything that is needed, those devoted to money or to God also depend on their respective masters to provide for them. The demands of those two masters will always compete.

So, Jesus concludes, a person cannot serve both God and money. This does not mean that someone who serves God whole-heartedly will not have money or possessions. Jesus is not suggesting that Christians must be poor, or destitute, or flee from any kind of luxury. It doesn't mean that being a Christian is incompatible with being "rich." What He means is that a person sincerely serving God will not organize their lives around acquisition of wealth. Money, for a righteous person, is just another tool given by God to be used for His purposes.

Similarly, this does not mean someone who lives for money can never acknowledge or honor God, in any way. However, there can only be one "most important" thing in any person's life. The materialistic person who honors God only does so in the margins or for false motives. They live out their days in the moral darkness Jesus described in the previous verses.

Matthew 6:19–24 contains Jesus' perspective on money and its place in the hearts of God's people. This flows directly from His teaching that inner thoughts and motivations are part of righteousness. God, and His will, are what matter, not the opinions of other people. Here, Jesus tells the crowds not to stockpile temporary treasure on earth. Rather, they should be working towards godly goals—''storing up'' rewards in heaven with choices driven by sincere devotion to God. Where we place our treasure indicates the real priority of our hearts. Those who live for worldly wealth live in inner darkness. Only one thing can be truly primary in a person's life. Each person must choose whether to serve God, or their own selfish interests.

The Sermon on the Mount continues in chapter 6, which is entirely composed of the words of Christ. Jesus teaches that God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. He teaches a simple and authentic model prayer. Christ warns against stockpiling money and possessions on earth. Instead, believers should make choices that store up treasure in heaven. A person's top priority can either be God, or money, but cannot be both. Along with that, Jesus says believers should fight against anxiety about daily needs. The heavenly Father knows what we need. All we need to do is pursue His kingdom and righteousness; He will take care of our needs, one day at a time.

Chapter 5 began Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount. In that passage, Jesus pointed out that thoughts and attitudes are part of righteousness, just as much as actions. In Chapter 6, He explains how good deeds are only righteous when done out of sincere devotion to God, rather than for other people's approval. He also provides a model for prayer. Jesus explains how excessive worry, such as over money, interferes with faith in God. Knowing that God loves us should lead believers to trust Him, not to be anxious. Chapter 6 is one of the few chapters of the New Testament entirely composed of the words of Christ. In chapter 7 Jesus will introduce additional themes such as appropriate judgment, trust in God, and treatment of others.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.