Luke 16:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That which is least then is the mammon of unrighteousness, that is, earthly riches, which seem nothing to those that are heavenly wise. I think then that a man is faithful in a little, when he imparts aid to those who are bowed down with sorrow. If then we have been unfaithful in a little thing, how shall we obtain from hence the true riches, that is, the fruitful gift of Divine grace, impressing the image of God on the human soul? But that our Lord’s words incline to this meaning is plain from the following; for He says, And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

I speak to the faithful, to whom we dispense the body of Christ. But if you have such money, it is of evil that you have it. Be no longer doers of evil. Zaccheus said, Half my goods I give to the poor. (Luke 19:8.) See how he runs who runs to make friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; and not to be held guilty from any quarter, he says, I If hare taken any thing from any one, I restore fourfold. According to another interpretation, the mammon of unrighteousness are all the riches of the world, whenever they come. For if you seek the true riches, there arc some in which Job when naked abounded, when he had his heart full towards God. The others are called riches from unrighteousness; because they are not true riches, for they are full of poverty, and ever liable to chances. For if they were true riches, they would give you security.

The one who neglects virtuous actions will indeed face consequences, and the person who clings to ruin will reap what they have embraced. Thus, he who discerns through the Word the essence of virtue and vice will understand how to navigate both realms. Ecclesiastes clearly identifies temperance and indulgence, purity and filth, humility and pride, kindness and malice, along with all the other contrasting notions presented, so that you may guide your soul wisely in these matters with a righteous heart. Therefore, now is the moment to foster self-control and to reject hedonism, that you may not be a lover of pleasures, but rather a lover of God. Additionally, it is essential to disdain all other vices such as lust, selfishness, and the pursuit of glory, as misdirecting love towards what should not be adored disrupts one’s relationship with the good. For example, we learn among other truths that every inclination of the soul towards goodness is ordained by our Creator; yet, if these inclinations are misapplied, they give rise to vice. Our free will, inherently good, becomes the epitome of evil when it is misused for wrongdoing. Conversely, the force that dismisses unpleasantness, known as hatred, can function as a tool of virtue when directed against its opposite, yet it becomes a weapon of sin when wielded against the good. Thus, “every creature of God, of those prepared in us, is good, and nothing is to be rejected if received with gratitude” (1 Tim. 4:4); however, the ungrateful misuse of these creations has transformed them into passions that sever one’s proximity to God, replacing Him with what is contrary to His nature, resulting in passions being idolized by such individuals. Consequently, the insatiable declare that “their god is their belly” (Phil. 3:19). In this way, the greedy fashion their affliction into an idol. Through deception, those who have darkened the eyes of their souls in this age have rendered vanity their deity. In summary, the one who submits their mind as a servant of their passions ultimately worships them; yet such a fate could have been avoided had they not allowed love to overcome their inclination towards evil.

And perhaps the word commended was spoken not in the sense of real commendation, but in a lower sense; as when we speak of a man being commended in slight and indifferent matters, and in a certain measure clashings and sharpness of wit are admired, by which the power of the mind is drawn out.

The Pharisees exemplified this mindset. To them and others like them, the Lord proclaims that it is simply not feasible, illustrating this with a familiar everyday example that has clear spiritual implications. The Lord calls for a wholehearted, undivided commitment to the eternal goals which He regards as truly ours—faithful, authentic, and meaningful. This must be accompanied by a strong detachment from all that is transitory, unfaithful, and insignificant. Anyone who seeks to merge earthly selfish pursuits with a yearning for eternal refuge is attempting the impossible. These are fundamentally opposing forces; loyalty to one excludes loyalty to the other. One cannot effectively pursue both temporal and eternal aims with the same heart, just as one cannot faithfully serve two masters.

While the acquisition and retention of worldly possessions is unavoidable in this life, the Lord does not condemn this act itself; rather, He denounces the addiction to material goods and the obsessive preoccupation with acquiring more to enhance comfort. This fixation on earthly matters, which consumes the time and energy of those ensnared by greed, becomes a heavy burden, forcing them to labor like serfs who have no time or desire to contemplate spiritual matters or what lies beyond this transient existence. The Lord declares that one should possess what is given without becoming enslaved to it, managing it with freedom, generosity, and willingness to sacrifice. The challenge lies in learning how to possess without greed and to acquire, save, and utilize gifts without a spirit of servitude—this constitutes Christian wisdom, imparted by the Spirit of grace to those who earnestly seek it. Historical experiences validate that such a mode of living is possible; moreover, the Lord's words underscore its necessity.

The term "steward" perfectly encapsulates how one ought to approach the gifts of this life—possessing and managing all as if it were entrusted to them for a season, in a manner aligned with the giver’s intentions, with accountability. By doing so, one becomes as wise as the children of this age; one secures eternal friendships and refuge; one proves faithful in small, ephemeral, and foreign matters and will be rewarded with great things that genuinely belong to them. This approach testifies to one's service to God rather than to material wealth. The sentiment, 'Ye cannot serve God and mammon,' encapsulates the central message. While the discourse may initially appear to address prudent behavior concerning earthly possessions, its true undercurrent emphasizes unreserved devotion to God, manifesting through living in accordance with His will, free from all passions, and embracing actions that—despite seeming insignificant in worldly terms—are valued by God according to the heart's total commitment to Him.

Over all matters entrusted to humanity in this life, the Lord inscribes a reminder: this is for your use, but “give Me thine heart” (cf. Proverbs 23:26). Only those who are inclined this way can genuinely serve God. Conversely, a divided heart results in a doubly unstable individual (cf. James 1:8). The one condition under which the Lord acknowledges the wise use of wealth and possessions as a service to Him is the attachment of the heart to God, with hands merely touching what one possesses in accordance with God's will. This is also the way to have without covetousness. A heart filled with love for God leaves no space for greed.

Likewise, He instructed those desiring to be part of the kingdom to proactively transfer their assets into the hands of the poor, as it is through these individuals that God receives your offerings, rather than clinging to the worldly possessions that once belonged to them. Such actions do not signify disloyalty to the one who has entrusted you with resources, nor to the world from which these riches stem; rather, they reflect your loyalty to the true Sovereign and Lord, upon whom all of creation and its wealth rely. It is through demonstrating faithfulness with the resources of others, drawn from the world, that you can garner the trust of the Lord in being entrusted with your own possessions—the treasures of the kingdom of God. This trust will be progressively expanded, leading to increasingly abundant gifts within the kingdom. One cannot transition into the kingdom of God while remaining affiliated with the kingdom of the world; it is impossible to serve both God and wealth.

‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’” For our hearts to aspire toward divine matters, it is essential to possess an inner illumination within our souls, enabling our minds to fully grasp the truth. If our minds are obscured, our hearts will stray from God and His truth. The mind serves as the soul's light, just as the eye does for the body. Therefore, “if your eye is clean, your whole body will be bright, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be dark.” Similarly, if the mind is illuminated, the soul shines; if the mind is clouded, the soul becomes dim and instead pursues earthly aspirations (Mt. 6:20-23). Some of the more discerning scribes recognized this principle, and there were instances of individuals who embodied it within their lives. Among those devoted to Judaism, there were some who ascended to the fullness of these truths. One notable conversion to Judaism was Monobaz, a confidant of the Adiaben prince Isat; according to the Talmud, when his brothers chided him for squandering their family's wealth, he replied, “My fathers collected treasures here on earth, but I collect there in heaven; my fathers had treasures where the hands of men can encroach upon them, but I have them where no hand can reach them; my fathers collected treasures for this world, but I collect for the world to come.” However, the vast majority, despite acknowledging the sinful nature of their complete attachment to temporal goods, struggled to overcome their avarice and believed they could simultaneously pursue both earthly and heavenly aspirations. Christ directly called out this duplicity and lack of commitment, stating, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be zealous for the one and neglect the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

The Pharisees, known for their love of silver, greatly mocked this teaching from the Savior, particularly the declaration that one cannot serve both God and riches. They prided themselves on their righteousness, believing they held the foremost positions in the Kingdom of Heaven. To illustrate their misguided conviction, the Savior shared the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).