The use of word “Mammon”, could be seen long before it was personified to a demon. “Mammon” in Hebrew means, "money". In modern Hebrew, the word gives a broader meaning as wealth. The word comes into English, from post-classical Latin word “Mammona”, which has the same meaning, 'wealth'. Many countries, such as Germany, Poland, French and many more, use derivatives from this word, to describe wealth and treasure, both in a positive way and a negative way.
The word seem to have originated from the Syrian cultures since there seems to have a deity with the similar spellings. The god is considered to be the god of riches and represents wealth, hence the word has come to use. Christians began to use "Mammon" with a negative emphasis on it.
In Matthew 6: 19 - 24,
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. No man 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. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Through this passage, Jesus invites not to desire over treasures on earth that can be destroyed by nature, or could be robbed by thieves. Jesus says, to seek treasure in heaven where such loss is not possible. Jesus also explains that if one decided to love the material wealth, he will not be able to love god.
Jesus again uses the word, mammon, in Luke 16: 9 - 13,
“And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness. That, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant 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. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Again Jesus highlights, that one must choose between god and mammon, since no one can serve them both. Jesus also says, that you will fail in mammon’s hands and then realize that you served the wrong. Then you will no longer become faithful to mammon. If you don’t have faith in the path that you chose, how will god trust you with the true riches god have for you in the heaven? So Jesus advice to choose and act wisely, since no man can serve both god and mammon.
But it’s not until the Middle Ages, mammon is mentioned as a demon. Until then the word mammon was used to describe money and wealth, not necessarily as an evil possess. After his personification, mammon is even ranked as one of the seven princes of hell. Due to his immense control over mankind, he is often viewed as an archdemon. Because it is easy to tempt humans for greed, the number of demons he rules upon is considerably low. But it doesn’t stop him from commanding his lesser demons wisely to spread greed.
The bishop of Nyssa, Gregory of Nyssa, identified that mammon, as non-other than the demon Beelzebub. Mammon is said to have the ability to enslave men if they decided to give into his ways, which of cause is quite visible with people who are greedy.
Milton's Paradise Lost describes him as a fallen angel, who values earthly treasure over all other things, and thereby support the claim, that mammon is a fallen angel.
During the period England laid a tyrannical rule, Mammon is considered as the Hell's ambassador to England. This could be seen in occultist writings, where work such as “Dictionnaire Infernal”, written by “Jacques Collin de Plancy”, describe mammon with such titles.
In middle ages, wolves are considered to signify greed. Mammon is therefore often associated with wolves. It is said that Mammon rides a wolf. He is carried up from Hell to earth by a wolf, to inflame the human heart with Greed.
Money is a vital factor for survival. Therefore it is not completely reasonable to personify it to a demon. But when someone desire to have more than they need for themselves that is considered as an act of the demon. It’s just, too much of anything is not good. If one needs to spare from the ways of this demon, he has to earn what he need in honest ways and share with those who are less fortunate.
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