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Testament of Judah

Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs

About this book
Chapter 19

1 My children, the love of money leads to idolatry, because when people are led astray by money, they call gods those who are not gods, and it drives the one who has it into madness.⁠ For the sake of money I lost my children, and if my repentance, my humbling of myself, and my father's prayers had not been accepted, I would have died childless. 2 But the God of my fathers had mercy on me, because I had done it in ignorance. 3 The prince of lies blinded me, and I sinned as a mortal man, corrupted by sins, and I learned my own weakness while I had thought myself invincible.

Texts in conversation

Compare Testament of Judah 19:1 and Colossians 3:5

Pseudepigrapha, Testaments · New Testament

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Summary

Colossians compares greed to idolatry, describing the love of wealth as similar to other destructive habits. The Testament of Judah uses similar language, saying how the love of money leads to idolatry, moral failure, and tragedy.

Passages

Testament of Judah 19:1

Pseudepigrapha, Testaments · Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs
1 My children, the love of money leads to idolatry, because when people are led astray by money, they call gods those who are not gods, and it drives the one who has it into madness. For the sake of money I lost my children, and if my repentance, my humbling of myself, and my father's prayers had not been accepted, I would have died childless. 2 But the God of my fathers had mercy on me, because I had done it in ignorance. 3 The prince of lies blinded me, and I sinned as a mortal man, corrupted by sins, and I learned my own weakness while I had thought myself invincible.
100 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Testament of Judah

Colossians 3:5

New Testament
1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, 3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ (who is your life) appears, then you too will be revealed in glory with him. 5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
80–85 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Colossians

References

"... There is good evidence, however, that in the generation after Paul's death the proper use of wealth remained a critical issue for the church and that this concern arose as a result of the continued leadership of the well-to-do. Colossians 3:5 includes in a list of vices "greed which is idolatry." Commentators have interpreted this as part of a traditional rhetorical list which is loosely connected with the first vice of the series, fornication (porneia), an instance of cribbing from the undisputed Pauline letters, a reference to Matthew 6:24, or as an example of shorthand rabbinic exhortation. A more satisfactory explanation is to interpret the phrase in light of the social context in which wealthier householders are responsible for the leadership of the community. It was probably included for more than rhetorical effect: the presence of a hierarchical household code in 3:18–4:1 permits one to conclude that the patterns Paul established in his community continued after his death. It seems likely that the exhortation against greed will have had an important role in reminding well-to-do leaders of their primary allegiance to the church, especially when business concerns would have tempted them to form close associations with outsiders ..."
Harry O. Maier, “Purity and Danger in Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians: The Sins of Valens in Social Perspective,” JECS 1.3 (1993): 229–247.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Testament of Judah 19:1 and Colossians 3:5

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