When we read Matthew 6:24, we must ask ourself: who is your master?
Greek: Οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν· ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει. οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ.
Transliteration: oudeis dunatai dusi kurious douleuein e gar ton hena misesei kai ton heteron agapesei, e henos anthexetai kai tou heterou kataphronesei ou dunasthe theo douleuein kai mamona.
English (my translation): No one is able to 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 are not able to serve God and mammon.
A few observations should be made.
First, we see that Jesus is using a rhetorical device called a “chiasm” (pronounced k-eye-asm). A chiasm is a literary device that follows the pattern of A-B-B-A, and one of its uses is emphasis.
A: He will hate the one
B: Love the other
B1: Be devoted to the one
A1: Despise the other
Secondly, we must see the import of the word “to serve.” The lexical root for the word δουλεύειν (doulouein) is δουλεύω (doulouo) “to serve as a slave.” The noun form is δουλος (doulos) which means “slave.” Jesus is not mincing words here. Either one is enslaved to mammon (money, wealth, material possessions) or they are enslaved to God. The work of a slave is exclusive to one master because the master owns the slave. This service is not voluntary. It is enslavement, and you will always do the bidding of your master.
Thirdly, we see that Jesus makes a pointed application at the end. Notice first that He begins by saying, “No one…” by using the third person. When one speaks to another, the least direct way of speaking to another is by using the third person. Here is a quick break down from least direct to most direct:
- Third person (No one can serve…)
- First person plural (We cannot serve [note that the speaker is including himself, thus taking off the "pointedness"])
- Second person (You cannot serve)
So, Jesus begins by using the least direct means of address. However, by means of the chiasm mentioned earlier, He gives emphasis to His point. And notice how He ends. As this one verse builds, He ends by using the most direct address: You cannot serve God and mammon.
So the question is, who is your master? God or greed? Mammon or the Messiah? Christ or cash?
It cannot be both and it cannot be neither. For, you will either be enslaved to the one or the other.
