Skip to content

Luke 16:9

Footnote:

60

Lord Mammon

The Greek term μαμωνแพถς (mamลnas), found in the New Testament, is often translated as "wealth" or "riches" and is personified as a master that competes with God for loyalty.  The etymology of "μαμωνแพถς" provides deeper insight into its meaning. It is derived from the Chaldean term ืžืืžื•ื ื (mamona), which is associated with trust and reliance, being derived from the Hebrew ืืžืŸ aman meaning to trust, believe, support. This led to certain interpretations of "money" or "wealth" as a common thing people trust in (according to Gesenius is contracted from the Hebrew word ืžื˜ืžื•ืŸ (matmon Strongs #4301), meaning "hidden treasure" or "buried treasure.").

The Hebrew term ืืžื•ื ื” (amunah) means "faith/trust/confidence" 

The Hebrew word ืžืืžื•ื ื” (ma'amunฤ) comes from the root ืืžื  (’mn), which is related to ideas of faith, trust, and reliability (as seen in ืืžื•ื ื” (emunah), meaning faith or trustworthiness). However, ืžืืžื•ื ื” has a distinct meaning, usually related to concepts of trust, reliability, or faithfulness in a more practical or functional sense.

The term μαμωνแพถς (mammon) derives from the Aramaic ืžืืžื•ึนื ื, itself apparently from the root ืืžืŸ, meaning "to trust." Scholars such as Buxtorf and those cited in Thayer’s Lexicon understand the word as signifying “that which is trusted”, reflecting not merely wealth, but literally the object of trust or reliance, especially in a moral or religious context.

ืžืืžื•ื ื” Someone who is trusted:

  1. Trust / Faithfulness – In Aramaic, ืžืืžื•ื ื” refers to the concept of being entrusted or reliable, often indicating someone who is trusted or someone appointed to a role of responsibility.

  2. Appointed Overseer or Guardian – It can also refer to someone who is appointed to a position of responsibility, such as a steward, warden, or guardian. This is often the sense in Jewish Aramaic literature, particularly in the Talmud, where ืžึทืึฒืžื•ึผื ึธื” might describe a guardian of something or someone entrusted with a task or responsibility.

Etymology and Morphology:

  • Root: The root ืึพืžึพื  (’mn) is connected to trust and faith, as seen in the related words ืึฑืžื•ึผื ึธื” (emunah, faith) and ืžึธืžื•ึนื ึธื (mฤmลnฤ, wealth).

  • Pattern: The word ืžืืžื•ื ื” would be a passive participle in Aramaic, derived from the root, and denotes something or someone that is entrusted, faithful, or reliable. Is it riches? Or, a person?

The key meaning here lies in the personification. Mammon is also personifed as a master or lord, and thus one representing the power of ืืžื•ื ื” "faith", placed in a person of trust. As a master or lord, Mammon would thus be one demanding trust, devotion, faith. 

------

The verb แผκλεฮฏπω (ekleípล), from แผκ ("out of") and λεฮฏπω ("to leave"), broadly means "to fail," "cease," or "abandon." Its uses span both literal and metaphorical contexts in classical and post-classical Greek. In a transitive sense, it can mean to omit, leave out, or forsake (cf. Herodotus, Aeschylus); intransitively, it often connotes failing or ceasing to function, especially of natural or divine phenomena.

Of particular note is its astronomical usage, where แผκλεฮฏπειν refers to the eclipse of a celestial body, especially the sun or moon. This application appears in authors such as Thucydides and Herodotus—e.g., แฝ แผฅλιος แผκλιπแฝผν τแฝดν แผκ τοแฟฆ οแฝρανοแฟฆ แผ•δρην (“the sun departed from its seat in the sky,” Hdt. 7.37), describing the temporary darkening during an eclipse. The noun แผ”κλειψις, later standardized in astronomical terminology, is derived directly from this verbal root and retains this specialized sense.

By extension, แผκλεฮฏπω can also refer to death (as in แผκλεฮฏπειν βฮฏον, Sophocles), highlighting the metaphor of life being extinguished like a light. Its semantic field therefore encompasses absence, cessation, and disappearance, whether applied to light, presence, strength, or life itself.