Editing Mammon

{{Short description|Wealth or an entity that promises wealth}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:The worship of Mammon.jpg|250px|thumb|1909 painting ''The Worship of Mammon'' by [[Evelyn De Morgan]]]]
'''Mammon''' ([[Aramaic]]: מָמוֹנָא, māmōnā) in the [[New Testament]] is commonly thought to mean money, material [[wealth]], or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the [[Greed (deadly sin)|greedy]] pursuit of gain. The [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]] both quote [[Jesus]] using the word in a phrase often rendered in English as "You cannot serve both God and mammon."{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In the [[Middle Ages]], it was often [[Anthropomorphism|personified]] and sometimes included in the [[seven princes of Hell]].
''Mammon'' in [[Hebrew]] (ממון) means 'money'. The word was adopted to [[modern Hebrew]] to mean wealth.

==Etymology==
The word ''Mammon'' comes into English from [[Late Latin|post-classical Latin]] ''mammona'' 'wealth', used most importantly in the [[Vulgate Bible]] (along with [[Tertullian|Tertullian's]] ''mammonas'' and pseudo-Jerome's ''mammon''). This was in turn borrowed from [[Greek language|Hellenistic Greek]] μαμωνᾶς, which appears in the [[New Testament]], borrowed from Aramaic מָמוֹנָא  ''māmōnā'', an emphatic form of the word ''māmōn'' 'wealth, profit',<ref name="oed">"Mammon, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2016. Web. 3 September 2016.</ref> perhaps specifically from the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] dialect. The spelling μαμμωνᾷ refers to "a Syrian deity, god of riches; Hence riches, wealth"; μαμωνᾶς is transliterated from Aramaic [ממון] and also means "wealth".<ref name="Webster">''Webster's Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged'': Publishers International Press, New York, 1977.</ref> However, it is not clear what the earlier history of the Aramaic form was.<ref name="oed"/><ref name="Hastings">Hastings, James, ed.; New York, Scribners, 1908–1921, [https://archive.org/stream/encyclopaediaofr08hastuoft#page/374/mode/1up ''Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics''], Volume 8:374</ref> The word may have been present throughout the [[Canaanite languages]]: the word is unknown in Old Testament Hebrew, but has been found in the [[Qumran documents]];<ref name="Fitzmyer1997">{{cite book|author=Joseph A. Fitzmyer|title=Essays on the Semitic Background of the New Testament|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ElJQNk_r9AEC&pg=PA169|date=1 December 1997|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-4845-1|pages=169–}}</ref> post-biblical Hebrew attests to ''māmōn''; and, according to [[Augustine of Hippo]], Punic included the word ''mammon'' 'profit'.<ref name="oed" /> It has been suggested that the Aramaic word ''māmōn'' was a [[loanword]] from [[Mishnaic Hebrew]] ממון (mamôn) meaning money,<ref>Michael Sokoloff, JHU Press, Jan 3, 2003, [https://books.google.com/books?id=WdNOtHEPlf4C&q=money%2C+monetary+penalty&pg=PA682 ''A Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmudic and Geonic Periods''], p.682</ref><ref>[http://en.glosbe.com/he/en/%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9F Translation and definition "ממון", Dictionary Hebrew–English online] (Modern Hebrew)</ref><ref>Howard H. Covitz (March 30, 2000), [http://home.comcast.net/~hhcovitz/site/?/page/Shabbos_and_Proper_Nouns/&PHPSESSID=b0640460cc5eec30d3ae9588f1653d1b ''Shabbos and Proper Nouns'']: "When scriptural translators chose not to translate ממון (mammon), this common Babylonian-exile word for money, they effectively neutered the Galilean's admonition against idolizing riches, against wealth-worship, by thus-making scripture resonate with proscriptions against another transgression, against the worship of strange gods."</ref> wealth,<ref>{{cite book|last=Fernandez|first=Miguel Perez|title=An Introductory Grammar of Rabbinic Hebrew|year=1999|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-10904-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OPQXid589wIC&dq=mammon+money%7Cwealth+aramaic%7CHebrew&pg=PA5|page=5}}</ref> or possessions;<ref name="france">{{cite journal |first=R. T. |last=France |title=God and Mammon |journal=The Evangelical Quarterly |volume=51 |issue=January–March 1979 |page=9 |url=https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/eq/1979-1_003.pdf }}</ref> although it may also have meant "that in which one trusts".<ref name=Hastings/>

According to the [[Textus Receptus]] of the New Testament,<ref name="TR">[https://www.logosapostolic.org/bibles/textus_receptus/] (07 Jan 2025)</ref> the Greek word translated "Mammon" is spelt in the dative case as [οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ] μαμμωνᾷ in the [[Sermon on the Mount]] at [[Matthew 6]]:24, while in the [[Parable of the Unjust Steward]] at [[Luke 16]], it appears respectively as [ἐκ τοῦ] μαμωνᾶ (genitive case) in verse 9, [ἐν τῷ ἀδίκῳ] μαμωνᾷ (dative case) in verse 11, and [οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ] μαμωνᾷ (dative case) in verse 13. The 28th edition of the popular Critical Text of the New Testament<ref name="NA28">Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 28., revised ed., edited by Barbara and Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini and Bruce M. Metzger together with the Institut für Neutestamentliche Textforschung, Münster,  Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, 2012</ref> has the same readings as the TR, except in Matthew: μαμωνᾷ. The [[LSJ]]<ref name="LSJ">Liddell, Henry George, Robert Scott, and Henry Stuart Jones. A Greek-English Lexicon. 9th ed. with revised supplement. Oxford: Clarendon, 1996</ref> has a listing for only [nominative:] μαμωνᾶς, [genitive ending:] ᾶ, with entry "wealth. Ev.Luc 16.9, al. (Aramaic word)," without any entry for the -μμ- form. The [[Authorised Version]] uses "Mammon" for both Greek spellings; [[John Wycliffe]] uses ''richessis''.

The [[Revised Standard Version]] of the Bible says it is "a Semitic word for [[money]] or riches".<ref>''Bible – Revised Standard Version'' (RSV), footnotes p. 6 NT Matthew 6:24, Melton Book Company, 1971</ref> The International Children's Bible (ICB) uses the wording "You cannot serve God and money at the same time".<ref>''International Children's Bible'' p. 482 Matthew 6:24 (Word Publishing, 2003)</ref>

Christians began to use "mammon" as a term that was used to describe gluttony, excessive materialism, greed, and unjust worldly gain.

[[File:Ill dict infernal p0455 mammon.jpg|thumb|right|Mammon from [[Collin de Plancy]]'s ''[[Dictionnaire Infernal]]'']]
{{blockquote|Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 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.|[[Matthew 6:19–20|Matthew 6:19]]–[[Matthew 6:21|21]], [[Matthew 6:24|24]] ([[King James Version|KJV]])}}

Early mentions of Mammon allude to the [[Gospels]], e.g., ''[[Didascalia]]'', "''De solo Mammona cogitant, quorum Deus est sacculus''" (lit. ''They think only of Mammon, whose God is the purse''); and [[Augustine of Hippo|Saint Augustine]], "''Lucrum Punice Mammon dicitur''" (lit. "''Riches is called Mammon by the Phoenicians''"  (Sermon on the Mount, ii).

== Personifications ==
[[Gregory of Nyssa]] also asserted that Mammon was another name for [[Beelzebub]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Graef| first=Hilda |title=The Lord's Prayer: The Beatitudes |year=1954|publisher=Paulist Press|pages=83| isbn=9780809102556 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=txtYdIXpoJYC&pg=PA83}}</ref>

In the 4th century [[Cyprian]] and [[Jerome]] relate Mammon to greed and greed as an evil master that enslaves, and [[John Chrysostom]] even personifies Mammon as greed.<ref name="Rosner2007">{{cite book|author=Brian S. Rosner|title=Greed as Idolatry: The Origin and Meaning of a Pauline Metaphor|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Un6q9ZcMj4cC&pg=PA23|date=28 August 2007|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-3374-7|pages=23–}}</ref>

During the [[Middle Ages]], Mammon was commonly personified as the demon of wealth and greed. Thus [[Peter Lombard]] (II, dist. 6) says, "Riches are called by the name of a devil, namely Mammon, for Mammon is the name of a devil, by which name riches are called according to the Syrian tongue." [[Piers Plowman]] also regards Mammon as a deity. [[Nicholas of Lyra|Nicholas de Lyra]], commenting on the passage in Luke, says: "''Mammon est nomen daemonis''" (Mammon is the name of a demon).

[[Albert Barnes (theologian)|Albert Barnes]] in his ''Notes on the New Testament'' states that Mammon was a Syriac word for an [[cult image|idol]] worshipped as the god of riches, similar to [[Plutus]] among the Greeks, but he cited no authority for the statement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://biblecommenter.com/matthew/6-24.htm |title=Matthew 6:24 Commentaries: "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 |publisher=Biblecommenter.com |access-date=2014-03-20}}</ref>

No trace, however, of any Syriac god of such a name exists,<ref name="france"/> and the common literary identification of the name with a god of covetousness or avarice likely stems from [[Edmund Spenser|Spenser]]'s ''[[The Faerie Queene]]'', where Mammon oversees a cave of worldly wealth. [[John Milton|Milton]]'s ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' describes a fallen angel who values earthly treasure over all other things.<ref>{{cite CE1913|wstitle= Mammon |volume= 9 |last=  Pope  |first= Hugh |author-link= Hugh Pope |short=1}}</ref><ref name="lessons">''Select Notes on the International Sabbath School Lessons'', F. N. Peloubet, W. A. Wilde and Company, Boston, 1880.</ref>  Later [[occult]]ist writings such as [[Jacques Collin de Plancy]]'s ''[[Dictionnaire Infernal]]'' describe Mammon as Hell's ambassador to England.<ref>{{cite book|last=de Plancy| first=J. Collin|title=Infernal Dictionary Deluxe Edition|year=2015|publisher=Abracax House|pages=764|isbn=978-0997074512|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29607971-infernal-dictionary-deluxe-edition}}</ref> For [[Thomas Carlyle]] in ''[[Past and Present (book)|Past and Present]]'' (1843), the "Gospel of Mammonism" became simply a metaphoric personification for the [[materialist]] spirit of the 19th century.

Mammon is somewhat similar to the Greek god [[Plutus]], and the Roman [[Dis Pater]], in his description, and it is likely that he was at some point based on them; especially since Plutus appears in ''[[The Divine Comedy]]'' as a wolf-like demon of wealth, wolves having been associated with greed in the [[Middle Ages]]. [[Thomas Aquinas]] metaphorically described the sin of Avarice as "Mammon being carried up from Hell by a wolf, coming to inflame the human heart with Greed".

Under the influence of the Social Gospel movement, American populists, progressives and "muck-rakers" during the generation of 1880–1925 used "Mammon" with specific reference to the consolidated wealth and power of the banking and corporate institutions headquartered on Wall Street and their predatory activities nationwide.

==In various countries==
* "Mamona" (sometimes "Mamuna") is a synonym for mammon among [[Slavs]].  In the 21st century, the word "mamona" is used figuratively and derogatorily in [[Polish language|Polish]] as a synonym of [[money]]. In [[Slovak language|Slovak]] the word ''mamonár'' is sometimes used to refer to a greedy person.
* The word "mammona" is quite often used in the [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Estonian language]]s as a synonym of material wealth.
* In [[German language|German]], the word "Mammon" is a colloquial and contemptuous term for "money". Usually as a phrase in combination with the adjective "schnöde" ("der schnöde Mammon" = the contemptible mammon).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Mammon |title= Mammon |publisher=Bibliographisches Institut GmbH |location=Berlin |language=de |access-date=30 August 2013}}</ref>

==In literature==
The 1409 [[Lollard]] manuscript titled ''[[Great Architect of the Universe#Lanterne of Light classification of demons|Lanterne of Light]]'' associated Mammon with the [[Seven deadly sins|deadly sin]] of [[Greed#Aquinas|greed]].

In [[Past and Present (book)|''Past and Present'']] (1843), [[Thomas Carlyle]] describes [[Victorian England]]'s worship of money as the "Gospel of Mammonism".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Carlyle |first=Thomas |title=Past and Present |year=1843 |chapter=Book III. Chapter II. The Gospel of Mammonism. |chapter-url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/26159/26159-h/26159-h.htm#Page_181}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
{{main|Mammon in popular culture}}
Numerous characters and demons are named Mammon in books, film, television, and games.

==See also==
{{Portal|Money|Bible}}
* [[Asceticism]]
* [[Christian demons in popular culture]]
* [[Christian views on poverty and wealth]]
* [[Evangelical counsels]]
* [[Jewish views of poverty, wealth and charity]]
* [[Prosperity theology]]
* [[Seven deadly sins]]
* [[Vow of poverty]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Wiktionary|Mammon}}
{{commons category|Mammon}}
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09580b.htm "Mammon"] at thmon-mammon "Mamon"] at the ''Jewish Encyclopedia''
*[https://www.britannica.com/topic/mammon "Mammon"] at the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Demons in Christianity]]
[[Category:Fortune gods]]
[[Category:Money]]
[[Category:New Testament Aramaic words and phrases]]
[[Category:New Testament Hebrew words and phrases]]
[[Category:Personifications]]