The book, “Money, Mammon & The Monkey uses the parable of Jesus, told in Luke, 16:1-15, called in many translations ‘The Unjust Steward.’ This book will explain how his master called the steward ‘shrewd,’ and how we can deal shrewdly, wisely with money in all our daily affairs.
Mammon
Modern Bible translations use the word ‘money’ for the original Greek ‘mammonas.’ A Catholic translation even uses the word “money devil,’ which is more in line with the original meaning.
The origin of the original word “Mammonas” in Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) comes from a word with the meaning of “permanent” or “that which one can rely on.” It is said that Jesus used a play on words saying, ‘m’aman’ or ‘my trust,’ using the word ‘amen’ or ‘so be it’. American coins carry the words, ‘in God we trust’. If only it was like that! (It reminds me of a sign I saw above the bar in an Irish pub. “In God we trust, all the rest pay cash!”)
Jesus stated on two occasions. “you cannot serve both God and mammon.| [1]During his famous “Sermon on the Mount,” he unmasked this power behind money and gave it a name – mammon. Unfortunately, in a lot of our modern Bible translations, the translators chose to use the word money or wealth and consequently rob us of the force of this statement of Jesus. The original word ‘mammon’ has been translated away by using the words wealth, or money, instead of ‘mammon,’ so that we miss the true meaning of what Jesus is warning us about! A trick of mammon is to remain unnoticed and be able to do his work unnoticed - even in our Bibles!
Mammon is not synonymous with money. God and mammon can never be integrated; but God and money should be! Mammon is the fallen spiritual power behind money, seeking to influence people in the spiritual realm to use money unwisely in the worldly or natural realm. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” [2]
Jesus could have said, more logically, you cannot serve both God and… Caesar … or Baal … or Moloch … or Apollo … or Athena …. all gods which were known and venerated at that time. However, he chose to warn us by unmasking for us a new god, mammon, which is a major competitor for our devotion, the power behind money!
Jesus personifies money and considers it a sort of god, which is diametrically opposed to the one true God. However, neither the Jews nor Gentiles of His day knew a god by this name. In other words, Jesus did not use a pagan god to show that one must choose between the true God and a false god. This personification and deification of money also means that it is something that claims divinity. What Jesus is revealing is that money is a power in the sense in which it is used in the New Testament.
The Monkey.
In de book, mammon is described as a tricky monkey ... a troublesome monkey that climbs on our backs and clings to us with the intention of moving us to choose money over God, competing for our devotion and service. It is a spiritual power which uses money to divert us from God’s ways.
In a humorous way, the analogy of a tricky money is used to shed some light on mammon’s tricks and mischief.
The Book
Here are some words about the book from Howard Dayton, founder of Compass – finances God’s way.
“A third of Jesus’ words were spoken in parables and about half of these had to do with money and possessions. In this book, Peter Briscoe sets about to inspire us from one parable which is one of the most difficult to understand. His novel approach to Jesus message on stewardship of the resources entrusted to us has certainly inspired me! Since I started on the topic of Biblical stewardship in 1974 and developing first Crown Ministries and then Compass - finances God’s way, I am constantly surprised at how many new and unique ways God teaches me to manage money and possessions - His way!
“This book will challenge your thinking about your own responsibilities as a faithful steward. Managing money is not merely a technical exercise, but also a spiritual discipline. This book is entered around Jesus unequivocal statement, “You cannot serve both God and mammon!” Most Bible translations render what Jesus called ‘mammon’ as money or wealth.
“In this book, Peter shows that there is much more depth to the word mammon than just money. He describes a power behind money which is diametrically opposed to God and which competes for our allegiance. The monkey in this book is mammon and in a humorous way, Peter describes how the clever monkey tries to trick us in ignoring Gods ways and in using people instead of serving them.”
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