157 Christoffer H. Grundmann MAMMON

157 Christoffer H. Grundmann MAMMON - ITS BIBLICAL PERCEPTION In light of the ensuing IAMS conference featuring 'God and Mammon: Economies in Conflict' it seems appropriate to make a critical stocktaking of the very term 'mammon' in biblical literature itself. In this article the respective texts will be screened and some of their possible implications for the deliber- ations at the said conference highlighted. Since the vast material used in the preparation of this paper and the very complicated way of citing rabbinic texts with their proper acronyms exceed the ordinary scope and style of an article in Mission Studies it was decided not to mention literature at all. The knowledgeable reader will recognize it anyhow and to those who would like to have this additional information the author is most happy to supply it on request. I - The Biblical Material and Etymological Background The term'mammon' occurs in the New Testament only. Within this group of texts we find it in two of the synoptic Gospels and there just in direct speech by Jesus alone. To be more precise, we find it mentioned four times, namely in Mt 6:24 (and its parallel in Lk 16:13) and in Lk 16:9 and 11, in portions belonging to the so called 'Q'-source with its Syrian Greek. It is found neither in the narrative of the nor in John and the Johannine literature, parts synoptics, ' nor in Paul or the Deuteropaulines. This indicates that the historical Jesus . obviously used this term himself occasionally. The word 'mammon' is not of Greek but most probably of Chaldaic origin. While it was a foreign word to the Greek tongue, as it still is to ours today, it is common to the Aramaic instead. It abounds in the rabbinic writing, especially in the Mishna, Talmud and Targtunim. The Greek term mammonas is a transliteration of the original Aramaic inamona and belongs theologically to the apocalyptic tradition of the period in between the two Testaments. Ety- mologically not totally and unanimously identified, there is yet good reason to accept the stem aman as its root, meaning 'that in which one trusts.' Originally the Aramaic noun served to describe anything of cash value, the 'property' and the 'fortune' without any depraved ethical or religious connotations. Only when the emphasis shifted toward 'profit,' especially 'unjust profit' (see Lk 16:9 mammonas tds adikias) and 'bribe,' the term 'mammon' received its negative accent, for 'profit' is aiming at something beyond 158 the honorable ordinary business, it is something for the sole benefit of one party only This made the term take on its pejorative character in which we encounter it in the rabbinic sources and the said four New Testament verses. 'Mammon' has thus become a term denoting the personal attitude 'trust in material goods/ 'coLtnting on pecuniary profits' and 'dishonesty' as well as the accumulated wealth therefrom. It thereby characterizes a peculiar way of thinking as well, a way which is totally self-centered and materialistic, not minding the repercussions such an attihide has on other people, on the community as a whole and on the environment. In the Apocryphal Ethiopian Henoch we find the remark that on the day of judgement those who enjoyed their life accordingly will say: "Our soul is fed by the unjust mammon, but that does not save us from the fire/flame of hell" (Hen 63:10). Thus, when Jesus referred to 'mammon' he did refer to a judgmental term (apocalyptic and eschatological dimension) which at the same time carried a highly critical attitude toward the means of making profit which we should be aware of when we too avail of it. But it is not only the critical attitude with regard to 'unjust profit' that matters here. It is not only the economies in conflict. Much more goes along with it, as will be seen when carefully analyzing its scriptural locus dassicus Mt 6:24. 1T - Exegesis o f Mt. 6,24 In the centerpiece of the sermon on the mount, after having talked about the Gospel-like way of consorting with one another, Jesus addresses the issue of people's expressed relationship to God. He mentions prayer (6:5-13 [14s]) . and fasting (6:16-18) and concludes this part of his 'sermon' with comments about the genuine devotion to the living God. The whole of the paragraph 6:19-34 deals with the problem of uninhibited devotion to God and with the question of an unequivocal service to him. Since human devotion is always hampered by trust in other sources of pretended security and by the care for one's own life, though understandable, Jesus admonishes not to accumulate earthly riches (Mii twsaurizete hymin thäsaurous epi tds gds; 6:19) in order not to make people dependent on them. "Nobody can serve two masters!" That sounds like a principle statement, a timeless rule applicable to all. But is it really? Talking about "two masters" presupposes a social setup where there are masters and servants. At the time of Jesus this was the social institution of slavery, which was prevalent in Palestine then. While for the Old Testament period we are informed about its existence among Israel in Ex 21:20s; 21, 26 f.i., for the New Testament time we have ample proof of its continuation in the manifold regulations regarding .

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