Now, we shall make a great mistake if we narrow down the
interpretation of that word 'mammon' in the context (which is 'that
which is least,' etc., here) to be merely money. It covers the whole
ground of all possible external and material possessions, whatsoever
things a man can only have in outward seeming, whatsoever things
belong only to the region of sense and the present. All that is in
the world, in fact, is included in the one name. And you must widen
out your thoughts of what is referred to here in this prolonged
contrast which our Lord runs between the two sets of treasures, so
as to include, not only money, but all sorts of things that belong
to this sensuous and temporal scene. And, on the other hand, there
stands opposite to it, as included in, and meant by, that which is
'most,' 'that which is the true riches,' 'that which is your own';
everything that holds of the unseen and spiritual, whether it be
treasures of intellect and lofty thought, or whether it be pure and
noble aims, or whether it be ideals of any kind, the ideals of art,
the aspirations of science, the lofty aims of the scholar and the
student--all these are included. And the very same standard of
excellence which declares that the treasures of a cultivated
intellect, of a pure mind, of a lofty purpose, are higher than the
utmost of material good, and that 'wisdom is better than rubies,'
the very same standard, when applied in another direction, declares
that above the treasures of the intellect and the taste are to be
ranked all the mystical and great blessings which are summoned up in
that mighty word salvation. And we must take a step further, for
neither the treasures of the intellect, the mind, and the heart, nor
the treasures of the spiritual life which salvation implies, can be
realised and reached unless a man possesses God. So in the deepest
analysis, and in the truest understanding of these two contrasted
classes of wealth you have but the old antithesis: the world--and
God. He that has God is rich, however poor he may be in reference to
the other category; and he that has Him not is poor, however rich he
may be. 'The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places,' says the
Psalmist; and 'I have a goodly heritage,' because he could also say,
'God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.' So there
is the antithesis, the things of time and sense, the whole mass of
them knit together on the one hand; the single God alone by Himself
on the other. Of these two classes of valuable things our Lord goes
on next to tell us the relative worth. For we have here