Early Christian Views on Money and Riches

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...e image of the rich and poor? And what does the saying mean, "No man can serve two masters, God and Mammon?" The Lord so calling the love of money. For example, the covetous, who were invited, did not answer the invitation to the supper, not because they possessed property, but because of their excessive affection for what they possessed. "The foxes, then, have holes." He called those evil and earthly men, who are occupied with wealth mined and dug from the ground, "foxes." So also, in reference to Herod: "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out devils, and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected,'" Luke 13:32. For He applied the name "birds of the air" to those who were distinct from the other birds, those truly pure ones, those who have the power of flying to the knowledge of the heavenly Word. For not only riches, but also honor, marriage, and poverty, bring ten thousand cares to the person who is unfit for them. And He pointed to those cares in the parable of the fourfold seed, when He said that the seed of the word which fell among the thorns and hedges was choked by them and could not bear fruit. It is therefore necessary to learn how to mak

Peter of Alexandria, Canonical Epistle Direct teaching

...e gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" Matthew 16:26 And again, "You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24 In these things, then, they have shown themselves to be servants of God, since they have hated, trodden under foot, and despised money, and have thus fulfilled what is written: "The ransom of a man's life is his riches." Proverbs 13:8 For we also read in the Acts of the Apostles that those who, in place of Paul and Silas, were dragged before the magistrates at Thessalonica, were released with a heavy fine. For after they had been very troublesome to them for his name, and had troubled the people and the rulers of the city, "having taken security," he says, "from Jason and the others, they let them go. And the brothers immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea." Acts 17:9-10

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...roperty may fail you, life itself and salvation are failing. While you are anxious that any of your wealth might be reduced, you do not see that you yourself are being reduced, because you love money more than your own soul. And while you are afraid that, for your own sake, you might lose your inheritance, you yourself are perishing for the sake of your inheritance. Therefore the apostle rightly cries out and says, "We brought nothing into this world, and truly we cannot carry anything out. Therefore, having food and clothing, let us be content with these. For those who want to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful desires, which drown a man in ruin and destruction. For covetousness is a root of all evils. By desiring it, some have made shipwreck of the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:7-10

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

For the root of all evil is the love of money, which, while some have coveted, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Direct teaching

...a little, covetousness begins to grow as the passion increases, and at last there comes a fall into avarice. After this, when blindness of mind has followed passion, and the hostile powers drive the mind onward by their suggestions, money is no longer merely desired, but stolen, and gained by force, or even by shedding human blood. Finally, clear evidence that vices of such enormity proceed from demons can easily be seen in this: those who are oppressed by excessive love, uncontrollable anger, or overwhelming sorrow suffer no less than those whose bodies are tormented by devils. For it is recorded in certain histories that some have fallen into madness from love, others from anger, many from sorrow, and even from excessive joy. I think this happens because those opposing powers, that is, those demons, having gained an entrance into their minds, which had already been opened to them by intemperance, have taken full possession of their sensitive nature, especially when no sense of the glory of virtue has stirred them up to resist.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

But now love of money is found to be the stronghold of evil, which the apostle says is the root of all evils, which, while some coveted, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10

Polycarp, Connection to 1 Timothy 6:10 Direct teaching

keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money.

1 Timothy 6:10 Direct teaching

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:9 Supporting witness

But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

... 16:13, because while one is pleased, the other must necessarily be displeased. He mentions God and mammon. If you have no interpreter with you, you may learn again from Him what He meant by mammon. For when He advised us to provide for ourselves the help of friends in worldly matters, after the example of that steward who, when removed from his office, relieved his lord's debtors by reducing their debts so that they might repay him with their help, He said, "And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves from the mammon of unrighteousness," that is, from money, just as the steward had done. Now we all know that money is the instigator of unrighteousness, and the lord of the whole world. Therefore, when He saw the covetousness of the Pharisees giving slavish worship to it, He hurled this sentence against them: "You cannot serve God and mammon," Luke 16:13. Then the Pharisees, who were covetous of riches, mocked Him, because they understood that by mammon He meant money. Let no one think that by the word mammon the Creator was meant, and that Christ was calling them away from the service of the Creator. What folly! Rather, learn from this that one God was pointed out by Christ. Fo

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ard, for from such things come whoredoms and adulteries. Do not be a lover of money, lest you serve mammon instead of God, as in Matthew 6:24. Do not be vainglorious, or haughty, or high-minded. For arrogance springs from all these things. Remember him who said, "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. I have not occupied myself with great matters, nor with things too high for me. But I was humble."

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

And what the saying, No man can serve two masters, God and Mammon?— the Lord so terming the love of money.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

Luke 16:13 Then the Pharisees, who were covetous of riches, derided Him, when they understood that by mammon He meant money.

Clement of Rome, Second Epistle (attributed) Supporting witness

Now the Lord says, “No servant can serve two masters.” If we want to serve both God and mammon, it will do us no good. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? This world and the next are two enemies. The one urges adultery and corruption, greed and deceit. The other says farewell to these things. Therefore, we cannot be friends of both. By giving up the one, we must make sure of the other. Let us consider it better to hate the things that are present, since they are small, temporary, and corruptible, and to love the things that are to come, since they are good and incorruptible. For if we do the will of Christ, we will find rest. Otherwise, nothing will deliver us from eternal punishment if we disobey His commandments. For Scripture also says in Ezekiel, “If Noah, Job, and Daniel should rise up, they would not deliver their children in captivity.” Now if men so exceptionally righteous cannot, by their righteousness, deliver their children, how can we hope to enter the royal residence of God unless we keep our baptism holy and undefiled? And who will be our advocate unless we are found to have works of holiness and righteousness?

Didache, Connection to Matthew 6:24 Supporting witness

The Lord Jesus also said justly: "No one 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."

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...Similarly, the saying "You cannot serve two masters" is explained by Him: "You cannot serve God and mammon," recognizing God as God but mentioning mammon as something that exists. He does not call mammon Lord when He says, "You cannot serve two masters," but He teaches His disciples, who serve God, not to be subject to mammon, nor to be ruled by it. For He says, "He that commits sin is the slave of sin." Since He calls those who serve sin "the slaves of sin" but does not call sin itself God, He also calls those who serve mammon "the slaves of mammon," not calling mammon God. For mammon, in the Jewish language, also used by the Samaritans, means a covetous person who wants more than they should have. In Hebrew, with the addition of a syllable, it is called Mamuel and means insatiable. Therefore, by both meanings, we cannot serve God and mammon.

Luke 16:13 Direct teaching

No servant can 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 cannot serve God and money.”

Luke 16:14 Direct teaching

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.

Clement of Alexandria, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? Supporting witness

What then? Are you to take money for effects, by effecting an exchange of riches, by turning your visible substance into money?

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

... question and understanding nothing? These are the people who do have faith, but they also have the riches of this world. Therefore, when tribulation comes, they deny the Lord because of their riches and their business. I answered and said to her, When then will they be useful for the building, Lady? When the riches that now lead them astray have been cut back, then they will be useful to God. For just as a round stone cannot become square unless parts of it are cut off and thrown away, so also those who are rich in this world cannot be useful to the Lord unless their riches are cut down. Learn this first from your own case. When you were rich, you were useless. But now you are useful and fit for life. Be useful to God, for you also will be used as one of these stones.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

...an has much wealth, but he is poor in matters relating to the Lord, because he is distracted by his riches. He offers very few confessions and intercessions to the Lord, and those that he does offer are small and weak, and have no power above. But when the rich man refreshes the poor and helps him in his needs, believing that what he does for the poor man will receive its reward from God, because the poor man is rich in intercession and confession, and his intercession has great power with God, then the rich man helps the poor in all things without hesitation. And the poor man, being helped by the rich, intercedes for him, giving thanks to God for the one who gives him gifts. And he continues to care zealously for the poor man, so that his needs may always be supplied. For he knows that the intercession of the poor man is acceptable to God and has influence with Him. So both of them accomplish their work. The poor man makes intercession, a work in which he is rich, which he received from the Lord, and with which he repays the master who helps him. And the rich man, in the same way, without hesitation gives to the poor man the riches that he received from the Lord. And this is a

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

When the letter of the law promises riches to the just, Celsus may follow the letter that kills and understand it as worldly riches, which blind men. But we say it refers to those riches that enlighten the eyes and enrich a man in all utterance and in all knowledge. In this sense, we charge those who are rich in this world not to be high-minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. For, as Solomon says, riches are the true good, which are the ransom of the life of a man. But the poverty that is the opposite of these riches is destructive, for by it the poor cannot bear rebuke. And what has been said of riches also applies to dominion, in regard to which it is said, "The just man shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight." Now if riches are to be taken in the sense we have just explained, consider whether it is not according to God's promise that he who is rich in all utterance, in all knowledge, in all wisdom, and in all good works, may, out of these treasures of utterance, of wisdom, and of knowledge, lend to

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Love of wealth displaces a man from the right mode of life, and induces him to cease from feeling shame at what is shameful;

1 Timothy 6:17 Supporting witness

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

For so you may see the lovers of money wholly intent on money and upon preserving and gathering it, the lovers of ambition wholly intent on a little glory, for they gape for praise from the masses and the vulgar;

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes Supporting witness

...tion for his desire, nor goodwill from his neighbors, even if he has gathered the greatest possible wealth. For this also is vanity. But goodness gives great joy to those who hold fast to it, and it makes them strong, giving them the ability to see through all things. And it is also a great thing not to be consumed by such anxieties. For the poor man, even if he is a slave and cannot fill his stomach with plenty, still enjoys at least the gentle refreshment of sleep. But the desire for riches is accompanied by sleepless nights and anxious thoughts. And what could be more absurd than to gather wealth with great anxiety and trouble, and then guard it with jealous care, when all the while a person is only preserving for himself the source of countless evils? Besides, this wealth must perish sooner or later and be lost, whether the one who gained it has children or not, Job 20:20. And the man himself, however unwillingly, is fated to die and return to the earth in the very same condition in which he once came into being, Job 1:21; 1 Timothy 6:7. And the fact that he is destined to leave the earth empty-handed will make the evil even more painful for him, because he does not consider

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes Supporting witness

But even as property acquired by violence is a most hurtful as well as impious possession, so the man who lusts after money never finds satisfaction for his passion, nor good-will from his neighbours, even though he may have amassed the greatest possible wealth.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes Supporting witness

but the lust of riches is attended by sleepless nights and anxieties of mind.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 Supporting witness

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:13 Supporting witness

There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

Wisdom of Sirach 34:1 Supporting witness

Watching for riches consumeth the flesh, And the care thereof driveth away sleep.

Hosea 5:9 Supporting witness

He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: And who has loved gain, in the abundance thereof? This is also vanity.