Texts in Conversation
The Aramaic translation of Isaiah in Targum Jonathan describes the righteous avoiding wealth gained through injustice, called the “mammon of iniquity.” In Luke, Jesus echoes this language, suggesting he was influenced by a similar Aramaic tradition.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Luke 16:9
New Testament
7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied, ‘100 measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write 80.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon31, so that when it runs out, you will be welcomed into the eternal homes. 10 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches?
Jonathan Isaiah 33:15
Targum
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; terror has seized the wicked, who, when they were committing theft in their ways, said, “Who of us can dwell in Zion, in which the brightness of His Shekinah is like devouring fire? Who of us can sojourn in Jerusalem, where the wicked will be judged, to be delivered into hell, into everlasting burning?” 15 The prophet said, The just will live in it, everyone who walks in righteousness and speaks honest things, who keeps himself far from the mammon of iniquity, who keeps himself from oppressions, who restrains his hands from holding a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of the shedding of innocent blood, and who shuts his eyes from looking at the workers of iniquity. 16 His dwelling will be in a high and exalted place; in the house of the sanctuary his soul will be satisfied; his food will be sufficient; his waters will continue, like a fountain of water whose waters do not fail.
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Notes and References
"... In Luke 16:9 Jesus tells his disciples to ‘make friends of the mammon of injustice [or dishonesty].’ Although the Aramaic word 'mamona' occurs in the talmuds, especially the Palestinian version, the expression ‘mammon of injustice/dishonesty’ coheres with the targumic description of bribery as ‘mammon of falsehood/deceit’ (compare Targum 1 Samuel 12:3; Targum Hosea 5:11; Targum Isaiah 5:23; 33:15; Targum Job 27:8). The targumic expression, especially since it often has to do with political corruption or economic oppression, appears to offer a closer parallel than the Qumranic expressions ‘wealth of violence’ (1QS 10:19) or ‘wealth of evil’ (CD 6:15). Not only are the respective concerns different, Qumran used the word 'hon', not 'mamona'. The appearance of 'mamona' in 11QtgJob 11:8 (at MT Job 27:17) proves, moreover, that the word was utilized in the targumic tradition in the first century (see Chilton 1984: 117–23) ..."
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