Jesus gave money a significant, personified name: Mammon. Mammon is an Aramaic word typically meaning 'money' or 'wealth.' However, in using this term, Jesus elevated it beyond a simple noun. He did not say, "You cannot serve God and Caesar" or "God and Baal," referencing a known pagan deity. Instead, He introduced a spiritual competitor. By personifying and deifying money, Jesus revealed it as a power—a spiritual force competing for our ultimate allegiance.

Money gives you power that nothing else can give you. The power of money operates without the dependency inherent in most other types of...