Luke 16: 13
No servant 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.
servant – (oiketes – pronounced oy-ket-ace)
menial domestic or household servant
serve – (douleuo – pronounced dool-yoo-o)
be a slave to, literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily, be in bondage, do service
masters – (kurios – pronounced koo-ree-os)
supreme in authority, controller, by implication Mr. as a respectful title, God, Lord, Sir
hate – (miseo – pronounced mis-eh-o)
to detest, especially to persecute; by extension to love less
love – (agapao – pronounced ag-ap-ah-o)
to love in a social or moral sense
hold to – (antechomai – pronounced an-tekh-om-ahee)
by implication to adhere to; by extension to care for; hold fast, support
despise – (kataphroneo – pronounced kat-af-ron-eh-o)
to think against or disesteem
mammon – (mammonas – pronounced mam-mo-nas)
Of Chaldee origin (confidence, that is figuratively wealth, personified); deified
Even though we might think we make our own decisions, we are a slave to something. This is a law of human nature. We can only concentrate on one huge thing at the time. Jesus was telling them that they couldn’t do both.
Mammon is a name given to an idol worshiped as the god of riches. The Jews used this word to denote wealth.
Jesus was telling them that you could not serve the one true God, and at the same time be supremely engaged in obtaining the riches of this world. The one would interfere with the other. It’s not money that is a bad thing; it is the LOVE of wanting more and more of it so that it completely controls you and you don’t have time for anything of God.
God wants us to concentrate on serving Him and let Him bless us in return.
