Jesus was advising give to the poor

JESUS WAS ADVISING GIVE TO THE POOR
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 19:21 21
Jesus answered, "If you want to be
perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come,
followme."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Rich Young Man
Matthew 19:20
W.F. Adeney What lack I yet? Plainly the young man who put this question
was in earnest. He was not one of those who approachedJesus merely from
curiosity, or for the sake ofmeasuring themselves with this renowned
Dialecticianand Teacher. With him the searchfor life eternalwas an
important personalmatter. He went awaysorrowful, with no heart to prolong
the conversation, as soonas his own case waspronouncedupon. Probably he
had an idea that our Lord would recommend him to build a synagogue, or
ransom some of his countrymen who were slaves, ordo some striking religious
act. For when our Lord replies, "Keep the commandments," he asks, "What
commandments?" - fancying he might refer to some rules for the attainment
of extraordinary saintliness not divulged to the common people. And so, when
Jesus merely repeatedthe time-worn Decalogue, the young man was
disappointed, and impatiently exclaimed, "All these have I kept from my
youth up," not so much vaunting his blamelessness oflife as indicating that he
had had these commandments in view all his life, and that to refer him to
them was to give him no satisfaction. All the help they could give he had
already got. "What lack I yet?" He belonged to the "Tell-me-something-more-

to-do-and-I-will do-it" class ofPharisees.He thought he was ready to make
any sacrifice, ordo any greatthing which would advance his spiritual
interests. Remark -
I. HOW ENTIRELYEVEN AN INTELLIGENT MAN MAY
MISAPPREHENDHIS OWN SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT. It was natural
this young man should over-estimate himself. He was not only well disposed,
very much the model of what a rich young man should be, but was interested
in religion, as too few wealthy young men are. He was generallyesteemed, and
had already become a ruler of the synagogue. He came to Jesus, notto be
taught the rudiments, but to receive the finishing touches of a religious
character- and he is told he is wrong to the foundation. He is in the position of
a person who goes to his medical adviser complaining of a slight uneasiness
which he supposes a tonic will remove, and is told that he has heart disease or
cancer. Or he is in the position of a sanguine inventor, who has spent years on
the elaborationof a machine, and at lastputs it into the hands of the practical
man, merely to get steamapplied and the fittings adjusted, and is told by the
practicalman that the whole thing is wrong in conception, and can by no
possibility ever be made to work. He sees himselfas he never saw himself
before. He never knew how much he loved his money till he found he would
risk his soul rather than part with his money. He never knew how little he
caredfor the poor till he found he was not prepared to help them by becoming
one of them. He never dreamt he was ungodly till he found he preferred his
few acres ofland to that Personwhom he had confessedto be Incarnate
Goodness.
II. A MAN MAY NOT ONLY MISAPPREHEND HIS ATTAINMENT, BUT
HIS WILLINGNESS TO ATTAIN. This young man fancied he would
welcome any light upon duty. He thought himself willing to do anything that
would advance his spiritual condition. He finds he is by no means willing.
Thousands are in this state. "Give us," they would say, "something tangible to
do, and we will do it; but religion seems always so much in the clouds, we do
not know where to begin." Put present duty to such persons in an attainable
form, and it is not always so welcome as they expected. Tellthem that to be
holy is, in their case, to sayten words of apologyto some one they have
injured, to setapart some fixed time daily for thought and prayer, to abandon
some indulgence, or spend money for a relative; and they turn sullenly away,
like this young man.
III. BETWEEN OUR PRESENT ATTAINMENT AND PERFECTION
THERE MAY BE A SACRIFICE EQUIVALENT TO CUTTING OFF A
RIGHT HAND OR PLUCKING OUT A RIGHT EYE. This young man was

plainly told that, in order to attain life eternal, he must abandon his pleasant
home, his position in society, allhis comforts and prospects, and become a
poor wanderer. It seems a hard demand to make of a well-intentioned youth.
But it was no doubt justified by his state. Riches are not the only hindrance to
attainment, and we may ourselves be in need of treatment as sharp. To begin
the world with a penny would be no greattrial to some of us; it would, indeed,
be precisely what some of us are already doing; and there are probably few
who would not gladly sell all they have if the price would buy perfection of
characterand life everlasting. But it is no such bargainour Lord means. He
merely means that to us, as to this young man, salvation is impossible if it be
not the first thing. This young man's possessions happenedto be that which
prevented him from following Christ; but some pursuit of ours, or some
cherishedintention, or some evil habit, or mere indifference, may be as
effectually preventing us from holding true fellowshipwith him and becoming
like him. And discipline as penetrating and sore may in our case be required.
IV. FOR THE ONE THING ESSENTIAL, IF WE ARE TO ATTAIN
PERFECTION, IS THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST. This young man
respectedChrist, and was no doubt willing to do much to please him. He
would probably have given up half his possessions, but he could not give up all
for Christ. He did not scoffor argue:he "wentawaysorrowful," feeling that
the demand of Christ was reasonable, andthat by not responding to it he was
condemned. But he had not love enough to obey. It is not our judgment, but
our affections, ourreal tastes and likings, which make us what we are, and
determine where we shall ultimately be. Love to Christ, which will compelus
to cleave to him in preference to all else, - that alone is security that we shall
reachperfection. This is the answerto the question which we all ask, "What
lack I yet? What is it that prevents me from becoming a purer, stronger,
holier, more useful man than I am? I desire growth, and I pray for it; but still
it is chiefly my natural propensities that appear in my life. I do not seemto get
the help promised; I do not make the growth required. Why is this? What is it
always keeps me at the same point? What is it that always thwarts and baffles
me?" Radically, it is the lack of deep and genuine devotedness to Christ.
V. OTHER THINGS MAY ALSO BE LACKING, AS, FOR EXAMPLE,
DETERMINATION TO BE HOLY. It is in religion, in growthof character,
as in other things, we succeedwhenwe are determined to succeed;we fail
when this determination is awanting. In certain physical and mental
attainments, indeed, determination carries no efficacy. No amount of
determination will make you as tall as some other man, or as long sighted, or
as imaginative, or as witty. But to determine to be holy is already to be holy in

will, that is, in the spring of all amendment of characterand conduct.
Determination is everything, on the human side, in the matter of
sanctification. It is needless, therefore, seeking formysterious causes of
failure, if this first and lastrequisite be awanting. Are you determined to be
holy? Are you bent upon this? Becauseif you are not determined, common
sense should forbid you to wonder why you do not grow in character. If you
are not determined to be holy, the very root of the matter is still lacking in
you.
VI. Remark, in conclusion, that THE LACK OF ONE THING MAY MAKE
ALL OTHER, ATTAINMENTS USELESS.One mistake vitiates a whole
calculation. One disease is enough to kill a man; his brain may be sound, his
lungs untouched, all his organs but one may be healthy; but if one vital organ
be attacked, all the other healthy organs will not save him. So it is in
character. One vice destroys the whole, if a man is malicious, it does not avail
that he is temperate. If his heart is seton the world, attention to religion or
domestic virtue will not save him. Many do cultivate all points but one. How
often do we say, "What a pity so gooda man should give way in this or that
one respect!" So may it be said by others of ourselves. To some this question,
"What lack I yet?" may come with a tone of irony. "Whatlack I?" we are
tempted to say, "Whathave I, rather, that is not stainedwith sin, spotted by
the world, unsafe, unproductive? When shall the time come when I shall be
able in sincerity to say, 'What lack I yet?' when so much goodshall have been
achievedby me that I shall be at a loss to see whether further attainment is
possible? My youth was very different from this young man's. Instead of the
ingenuousness, the unbroken hope and ardent aspiration of youth, there was
its passion, its untamed desires, its selfish love of pleasure, its impatience, its
folly." There is, at least, the same choice now laid before you that was laid
before him. To you Jesus says, "Followme." He will infallibly lead you to
perfection; he sees to it that every one who forsakesaughtfor his sake receives
in this life a hundredfold, and in the world to come life everlasting. - D.

Biblical Illustrator
Honour thy father and thy mother.
Matthew 19:19
Honouring parents
A. Barnes, D. D.Implies:
I. OBEDIENCE.Keeptheir commands (Colossians3:20;Ephesians 6:1-3).
II. RESPECT, reverence.
III. REGARD THEIR OPINIONS. Do notdespise them or ridicule them.
IV. RESPECTTHEIR HABITS. May be different from ours, antiquated, etc.
V. PROVIDE FOR THEM. Deny ourselves to promote their welfare.
(A. Barnes, D. D.)
The duties of children
W. E. Channing, D. D.I. You are required to view and treat your parents with
RESPECT. Nothing is more unbecoming in you, nothing will render you more
unpleasant in the eyes of others, than forward or contemptuous conduct
towards your parents.
II. You should be GRATEFULto your parents. Considerhow much you owe
them — every comfort, etc.
III. You must make it your study to OBEY your parents, to do what they
command, and to do it cheerfully.
IV. Do all in your power to ASSIST AND OBLIGE your parents. You can
very soonmake some return for the kindness you receive.
V. Place your UNRESERVED CONFIDENCE in them. Be honest, sincere,
and open-hearted.
VI. Attend seriouslyto their INSTRUCTIONSAND ADMONITIONS, and
improve the advantages theyafford you for becoming wise, useful, good, and
happy for ever.
(W. E. Channing, D. D.)
And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Loving our neighbour
A. Barnes, D. D.I. WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOUR?
II. THE DUTY OF LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR.

1. This commandment evidently means — that we should not injure our
neighbour in his person, property, or character;that we should seek to do him
good;that in case ofdebt, difference, or debate, we should do what is right,
regarding his interest as much as our own, that in order to benefit him we
should practise self-denial, or do as we would wish him to do to us (Matthew
7:12).
2. It does not mean — that the love of ourselves, according to what we are, or
according to truth, is improper; that I am to neglectmy own business to take
care of my neighbour's (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5).
(A. Barnes, D. D.)
Love thy neighbour
C. H. Spurgeon.I. THE COMMAND.
1. Whom am I to love? Thy neighbour
(1)albeit that he be of a different religion;
(2)although he oppose thee in trade;
(3)though he offend thee with his sin.
2. What am I to do to my neighbour? It prohibits all rash temper. Then do not
neglecthim.
3. How we are to love our neighbour.
II. REASONS WHY WE SHOULD OBEY this command.
1. God commands it.
2. Selfishness itselfwould bid you love your neighbour. It is the short wayto
make yourself happy.
3. Becausethatwill be the way to do goodin the world.
4. The quiet of us all.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Our neighboursA gentleman once said to Dr. Skinner, who was asking aid for
foreign missions, "I don't believe in foreign missions. I won't give anything
exceptfor home missions. I want what I give to benefit my neighbours."
"Well," the doctor made reply, "whomdo you regardas your neighbours?
Why, those around me." "Do you mean those whose land joins yours? Yes."
"Well," saidDr. Skinner, "how much land do you own? .... About five
hundred acres," wasthe reply. "How far down do you own it?" inquired Dr.
Skinner. "Why, I never thought of it before, but I suppose I am half way

through? Exactly," said the doctor, "I suppose you do, and I want this money
for the Chinese — the men whose land joins yours at the bottom." Every
Christian should say in a higher sense than the heathen poet, "I am a man,
and nothing human is foreignto me." To a believerin Christ all men are
neighbours.
Selfness versus selfishness
H. W. Beecher.1. Christmade change from selfishness to benevolence the very
marrow of religion. Selfness is to become a mother and ministrant of true
benevolence — "as thy self." He did not put His hand upon slavery, but if this
principle could be securedall these evils would die away.
2. Religion, both in the individual and in the sects, as wellas in theology, is to
be tested by its power to develop benevolence.
3. All greatschemes of reformation will fail which do not begin with releasing
men from animal selfishness.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Socialevils not removed by outward means
H. W. Beecher.Go outin early June, and with your scythe cut the May-weed
that grows dense and malodorous along the sides of the road: and then let it
come up again, not destroying root nor seed, simply cutting it off. That is
Nihilism. It proposes to cut to the surface of the ground everything that has
been developed out of human life and experience, but not to touch the root out
of which they have selfishly and wrongfully developed. It leaves men just as
they were, to destroy simply these accretions ofoppressionand wrong. Some
goodwill be done, doubtless, in destroying multitudes of manners and
customs, even by revolutionary evolutions — some goodcame from the red-
hot ploughshare of the FrenchRevolution; but, after all, as a philosophical
method of correcting the evils of mankind and of the world, a child could have
conceivedsomething better than that. To destroy the outward forms of human
societyand to leave the inward causes ofthem, is to attempt to dry up a river,
and let alone the springs from which it is fed. Nihilism is contemptible, except
as a piteous exposition of men's suffering, and of their ignorance of how to
remedy that suffering. It is not the king, it is not the prince, it is not the
inexorable law; it is the vital selfishness ofthe individual and the collective
heart, that makes the trouble in this world. It is the fact men treat eachother
as animals treat eachother, and only to a limited degree have transformed
self-seeking into form of benevolence towardothers. Just in the proportion in
which it is transformed men grow happier and happier in society, and the
average conditionis better.

(H. W. Beecher.)
Socialsuffering arising from selfishness
H. W. Beecher.The same is true of all the schemes ofFourier and Comte, and
of all the socialreconstructionists thatare writing and planning to-day. They
vitiate the result that they seek, by leaving out of considerationthe prime
factorof the mischiefs that they would exterminate. If a man takes a book that
is being printed, and attempts to erase in eachproof-sheeta misprinted or a
blotted word, but does not correctthe wrong types in the form, the errors will
reproduce themselves just as fast as they are erased. All the forms of suffering
in human societyhave causesthat lie in the animal selfishness ofthe human
race;and if you will correctthem — exceptfor a moment, as it were, making
a temporary correction, others developing in the same way — you must teach
men, being born again, how to make themselves the instruments, not of
selfishness, but simply of benevolence and selfness. All the efforts which are,
in our day, being made to do this by law — as if machinery would ever correct
human nature — are ineffectual.
(H. W. Beecher.)
The effective operationof the law of love in sociallife
D. Jackson.Faithfuland uniform obedience to this royal law throughout the
churches of Christ would. be of itself an evangelistic power, an aggressive
spiritual energy far transcending all the revival meetings ever held. Just as the
regular actionof the tides does more to purify the oceanthan the occasional
storms that sweepover its surface, so would the constantoperationof this law
of love do for humanity more than the occasionalexcitements that sweepover
the surface of society.
(D. Jackson.)
The ideal the true object of love
D. Jackson.Ifmy neighbour be an evil-living man, who is not subjectto the
law of Christ; or if he be a proud, overbearing man, caring only to further his
own selfishinterests, regardless how he may wound the feelings of others, and
cause them to suffer wrong — if, I say, my neighbour be such a man, I cannot,
and I ought not, it would be againstthe royal law, to love these things in him,
just as it would be wrong to love them in myself.
(D. Jackson.)
The law of self-love

H. W. Beecher.Itis very dangerous for a man to care for himself, and not for
anybody else;and it is even more dangerous for a man to expend himself on
other persons, and neglectorcare nothing for himself. The danger is as great,
and, if possible, greater, whenthe law of self is paralyzed, than when the law
of benevolence itselfis paralyzed. These two laws must work under mutual
restraint. They are antithetical. They are counterparts. They are complements
the one of the other. To care for yourself is an indispensable pre-requisite of
caring for anybody else. If this be so, then, first, to rear up children to be
caredfor, and not to learn to care for themselves, is to make them self-
indulgent, soft, worthless. Secondly. Any method of charity which weakens or
destroys self-reliance is not charitable, but is cruel. Thirdly. It is therefore
dangerous to interfere with the law of suffering. Suffering is as beneficent as
enjoying. Indeed suffering is better than enjoying under certain
circumstances. If a man have a diseasedbrain, and the whole world to him
sparkles with fantastic visions of pleasure, and if, in order to restore him to a
healthful and normal condition, it is necessaryto put a blister on the nape of
his neck, then in his case surgery, with all its attendant suffering, is better
than the pleasing sights and sounds that he sees andhears. Charity should be
so directed as that it shall inspire men to avoid the reasons of suffering, and as
that it shall make suffering, when it cannot be avoided, educate men to bear it
till they can get out of it. An easyrelief of suffering not only is unwise as it
relates to humanity, but it is contrary to the fundamental principles on which
the globe has been organized. This leads me to say, fourthly, that the social
tendencies and theories which are beginning to be preached are demoralizing
and dangerous, and to no other part of the community so much as to those
who are seeking to better their condition by promulgating them.
(H. W. Beecher.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21)Jesus saidunto him . . .—St.
Mark (Mark 10:21)adds the striking and interesting words, “Jesus beholding
him” (better, perhaps, gazing on him), “lovedhim.” There was something in
the young seekerafterholiness which drew to him, in a measure altogether
exceptional, the affectionof the GreatTeacher. The same word is used in
regard to him which is used in relation to the “disciple whom Jesus loved,”
and (here the coincidence takes its place in the chain of evidence for the view

above suggested)to Lazarus, and Martha, and Mary (John 11:5). There was
the fervour, the longing after a higher life, the personaltrust, which made him
a not unworthy object of the love of Jesus, and therefore He would not spare
the discipline which the questioner needed, the testwhich, being such as he
was, was required for the completeness ofhis life.
If thou wilt be perfect.—Better, if thou wishest. St. Mark and St. Luke report
the words, “One thing thou lackest,”reminding us forcibly of the “One thing
is needful” of Luke 10:42. (See Note on Matthew 19:16.)
Go and sell that thou hast.—Itwould be altogethera mistake to see in this
either an obligationbinding on all seekersaftereternallife, or even what has
been calleda “counselof perfection,” a precept laying down an indispensable
condition for all who aim at its higher forms and powers. It was strictly a
remedy for the specialevil which hindered the young ruler’s progress to
perfection, applicable to others so far only as their casesare analogous. It
would be idle to deny that there have been and are many such analogous types
of character, and so far as any one is consciousofbeing under the powerof
wealth and its temptations, so far there is a callto some actasserting his
victory over those temptations, in the spirit, if not in the letter, of the
command thus given. But it is, we must remember, the spirit, and not the
letter, which is binding. Distribution to the poor was then almostthe only
form of charity. A wider range of actionis presented by the organisationof
modern Christian societies,and the same sacrifice may be made in ways more
productive of true and permanent good; in the foundation, e.g., of schools or
hospitals, in the erectionof churches, in the maintenance of home or foreign
missions.
Treasure in heaven.—The parallelismwith the Sermon on the Mount should
not be forgotten(5:20). The “treasure” is the “eternallife” which the young
ruler was seeking, the memory of gooddeeds, the characterformed and
perfected, the vision of the presence ofGod.
Come and follow me.—Here againSt. Mark adds words that are pregnant
with meaning, “Take up thy cross, and follow Me.” The seekercouldnot then
understand all their significance. To the Teacherthat cross was now coming,
day by day, nearer, and He saw that eachtrue disciple must be prepared to
follow Him in that path of suffering, which was also the path of glory. “Via
cruris, via lucis.”
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary19:16-22Christ knew that
covetousness wasthe sin which most easilybesetthis young man; though he

had gothonestly what he possessed, yethe could not cheerfully part with it,
and by this his want of sincerity was shown. Christ's promises make his
precepts easy, and his yoke pleasantand very comfortable;yet this promise
was as much a trial of the young man's faith, as the precept was of his charity
and contempt of the world. It is required of us in following Christ, that we
duly attend his ordinances, strictly follow his pattern, and cheerfully submit to
his disposals;and this from love to him, and in dependence on him. To sellall,
and give to the poor, will not serve, but we are to follow Christ. The gospelis
the only remedy for lostsinners. Many abstain from gross vices who do not
attend to their obligations to God. Thousands of instances ofdisobedience in
thought, word, and deed, are markedagainstthem in the book of God. Thus
numbers forsake Christ, loving this present world: they feelconvictions and
desires, but they depart sorrowful, perhaps trembling. It behoves us to try
ourselves in these matters, for the Lord will try us.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleIf thou wilt be perfect - The word "perfect" means
complete in all its parts, finished, having no part wanting.
Thus a watch is perfector complete when it has all its proper wheels, and
hands, and casements in order. Jobwas said to be perfect(see the notes at Job
1:1), not that he was sinless, for he is afterward reproved by God himself Job
38; 39;Job 40:4; but because his piety was properly proportioned, or had a
completeness ofparts. He was a pious father, a pious magistrate, a pious
neighbor, a pious citizen. His religion was not confined to one thing, but it
extended to all. Perfectmeans, sometimes, the filling up, or the carrying out,
or the expressionof a principle of action. Thus, 1 John 2:5; "Whoso keepeth
his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." That is, the keeping of
the commandments of God is the proper expression, carrying out, or
completion of the love of God. This is its meaning here. If thou wilt be perfect,
complete, finished - if thou writ show the proper expressionof this keeping of
the commandments, go, etc. Make the obedience complete. Mark says Mark
10:21, Jesus, beholding him, loved him. He was pleasedwith his amiableness,
his correctcharacter, his frankness, his ingenuousness. Jesus,as a man, was
capable of all the emotions of most tender friendship. As a man, we may
suppose that his disposition was tender and affectionate, mild and calm.
Hence, he loved with specialaffectionthe disciple John, eminently endowed
with these qualities; and hence he was pleasedwith the same traits in this
young man. Still, with all this amiableness, there is reasonto think he was not
a Christian, and that the love of mere amiable qualities was all the affection
that was everbestowedon him by the Saviour.

"One thing," adds Mark, "thou lackest."There is one thing missing. You are
not complete. This done, you would show that your obedience lackedno
essentialpart, but was complete, finished, proportionate, perfect.
Go and sell that thou hast ... - The young man declared that he had kept the
law. That law required, among other things, that he should love his neighbor
as himself. It required, also, that he should love the Lord his God supremely;
that is, more than all other objects. If he had that true love to God and man -
if he loved his Makerand fellow-creaturesmore than he did his property, he
would be willing to give up his wealth to the service of God and of man. Jesus
commanded him to do this, therefore, to test his character, and to show him
that he had not kept the law as he pretended, and thus to show him that he
needed a better righteousness than his own.
Treasure in heaven- See the notes at Matthew 6:20.
Follow me - To follow Jesus then meant to be a personalattendant on his
ministry; to go about with him from place to place, as wellas to imitate and
obey him. Now it means:
1. to obey his commandments.
2. to imitate his example, and to live like him.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible CommentaryMt 19:16-30. The Rich Young
Ruler. ( = Mr 10:17-31;Lu 18:18-30).
For the exposition, see on[1330]Lu 18:18-30.
Matthew Poole's Commentary Mark repeats it thus, Mark 10:21, Then Jesus
beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest:go thy
way, sellwhatsoeverthou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, andfollow me. Luke, Luke
18:22, repeats it as Matthew, only he begins it with, Yet lackestthou one
thing. Mark saith, that Jesus beholding him loved him: not with a special
saving love, for he sent him awaysad; upon his going he tells his disciples, that
it was a very hard thing for a rich man to come to heaven; he tells him one
thing was wanting to him: but he loved him with such a common love as he
loveth all his creatures with, and more especiallysuch as are better than
others. All that can be concludedfrom hence is, that acts of moral
righteousness are pleasing to God. He saith to him, If thou wilt be perfect, that
is, in keeping the commandments of God. The papists make a great dealof stir
to found upon this text their counsels of perfection;as if Christ here were
advising only the young man to do something beyond what the law strictly
required, in order to a more perfectstate than others. But that this cannotbe

the sense ofthe words will appearto him who will diligently consider;
1. That this had been needless, forour Saviour, in directing the young man to
keepthe commandments in order to his obtaining everlasting life, had
sufficiently declaredthat the keeping of the commandments was perfection
enough.
2. He says, One thing is wanting to thee, that is, in order to thy obtaining
everlasting life, which had not been true if our Saviour had granted him to
have kept all the commandments, for he had before let him know that the
keeping them was sufficient. Our Saviour therefore, by this speech, only
endeavours to convince him that he had not kept all the commandments.
But it may be objected, How could that be, for there was no commandment
that obliged him to go sell all that he had, and give to the poor? I answer,
there was a commandment that he should love the Lord his God with all his
heart, and soul, and strength, which he could not do unless he had a heart
ready to obey any command God should lay upon him, which our Saviour
puts upon the trial by this specialprecept:
3. There was a commandment of God that he should love his neighbour as
himself, and that he should not covet. Now not to be ready at the
commandment of God liberally to relieve the poor members of Christ, argued
a covetous mind, more in love with his estate than with God; so as though this
was not before speciallycommanded, yet it was commanded generally, and
that he would have understood had he rightly understood the law of God;
especiallyhaving such a promise annexed as thou shalt have treasure in
heaven.
4. Normust all the command be taken to be included in those Go sell that thou
hast, and give to the poor; but the following words must also be taken in, and
come, take up the cross, andfollow me. Perfectionhere is not made to lie in a
voluntary poverty only, but in coming after and following of Christ, with a
free taking up of the cross.
In short, no man canbe perfectin keeping the commandments of God, that
doth not love God with all his heart, soul, and strength; nor can any man
pretend to this, that hath not a heart ready to obey God in all things, whether
more generallyor more speciallycommanded. Nor canany man fulfil the
duties of the secondtable, without first fulfil the duties of the first: for if our

love to our neighbour flow not from a love to God, it is no act of obedience,
and consequentlyno fulfilling of the law;which is not fulfilled by mere doing
the external duty of it, but by doing what is required in it out of an obedience
unto God, which cannot be without a first loving God.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleJesus saidunto him, if thou wilt be
perfect,.... Wanting nothing, completely righteous, according to the tenor of
the covenantof works, having no evil, concupiscence,orworldly lusts: our
Lord signifies it was not enoughto be possessedof negative holiness, and do
no hurt to his neighbour, to his person, property, and estate, but he must love
him, and do him good; and therefore, though so far as he had complied with
the law, it was right and commendable; wherefore it is said by Mark, "that
Jesus beholding him loved him"; had an affectionate regardto him as man,
and approved of his intentions, seriousness, and actions, so far as agreeable;
yet tells him,
one thing thou lackest:not but that he lackedmany more, but he was only
willing to observe one thing to him, as a trial of his love to his neighbour,
which is the fulfilling of the law:
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure
in heaven: not that either the law of God, or Gospelof Christ, require this to
be done of all men, and at all times; for though it is a duty binding upon all,
and always, to relieve the poor and the needy, yet a man is not obliged to give
all that he has to them; see 2 Corinthians 8:11 nor does either legalor
Christian perfection lie in doing this: a man may give all his goods to the poor
and yet be destitute of the grace ofGod, 1 Corinthians 13:3 much less can
such an action merit the heavenly treasure of eternal life. Nevertheless ofsome
persons, and in some cases, it has been required, that they part with all their
worldly substance, for the sake ofChrist and his Gospel;as the apostles were
calledto leave all and follow Christ, as this man was also;for it is added,
and come and follow me: betweenthese two, Mark puts, "take up the cross";
all which to do, was much more than to sell what he had, and give to the poor;
and indeed, in this branch lies Gospelperfection, or to be really and truly a
Christian: for to "come" to Christ, is to believe in him, lay hold on him,
receive and embrace him as a Saviour and Redeemer;and to "follow" him, is
to be obedient to his will, to be observant of his commands, to submit to his
ordinances, and to imitate him in the exercise ofgrace, and discharge ofduty;
neither of which can be done, without "taking up the cross";bearing
reproachand persecutionwith patience;undergoing hardships and
difficulties, of one sort or another, which attend faith in Christ, a professionof
his name, and following him the Lamb, whithersoeverhe goes. The

consequence ofthis now, not by way of merit, but by way of grace, is the
enjoyment of the rich treasures of eternal glory: but this man was so far from
complying with the latter, with coming to Christ, taking up the cross, and
following him, that he could by no means agree to the former, parting with his
worldly substance;and which is mentioned, as a testof his love to God and his
neighbour, and to discoverhis sinful love of the world, and the things of it;
and consequently, that he was far from being in a state of perfection.
Moreover, it should be observed, that Christ is here speaking, not the pure
language ofthe law, or according to the principles of the Gospel, when he
seems to place perfectionin alms deeds, and as if they were meritorious of
eternal life; but according to the doctrine of the Pharisees, andwhich was of
this man; and so upon the plan of his own notions, moves him to seek for
perfection, and convicts him of the want of it, in a way he knew would be
disagreeable to him; and yet he would not be able to disprove the method, on
the footof his own tenets: for this is their doctrine (e);
"It is a tradition, he that says this "sela", orshekel, is for alms, that my son
may live, or I may be a sonof the world to come, lo! , "this man is a perfect
righteous man".''
The gloss adds,
"In this thing; and he does not saythat he does not do it for the sake of it, but
he fulfils the command of his Creator, who has commanded him to do alms;
and he also intends profit to himself, that thereby he may be worthy of the
world to come, or that his children may live.''
And so in answerto a question much like this, the young man put to Christ
(f);
"How shall we come at the life of the world to come?''
It is replied,
"take thy riches, and give to the fatherless and the poor, and I will give thee a
better portion in the law.''
(e) T. Bab. Pesach. fol. 8. 1, 2. & Roshhashanah, fol. 4. 1.((f) Zohar in Gen. fol.
60. 4.
Geneva Study BibleJesus saidunto him, If {n} thou wilt be perfect, go and sell
that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come and follow me.
(n) The young man did not answertruly in saying that he had kept all the
commandments: and therefore Christ sets forth an example of true charity
before him, to show the disease thatlay lurking in his mind.

EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT CommentaryHYPERLINK "/matthew/19-21.htm"Matthew
19:21. Τέλειος]perfect, one, who for the obtaining of eternallife, οὐδὲνἔτι
ὑστερεῖ. In accordancewith the moral tendencies and disposition which He
discernedin the young man, Jesus demands from him that moral perfectionto
which, from not finding satisfactionin legalism, he was striving to attain. The
following requirement, then, is a specialtestfor a specialcase,[3]thoughit is
founded upon the universal duty of absolute self-denial and devotion to
Christ; nor is it to be regardedmerely in the light of a recommendation, but
as a command. Observe that the Lord does not prescribe this to him as his
sole duty, but only in connectionwith ἀκολούθει μοι. It was intended, by
pressing this requirement upon him, that the young man should be led to
realize his own shortcomings, and so be enabledto see the necessityofputting
forth far higher efforts than any he had hitherto made. It was meant that he
should feelhimself weak, with a view to his being made morally strong;
accordinglyit is preciselyupon the weak side of the young man’s character
that Jesus imposes so heavy a task, for with all his inward dissatisfactionhe
was not aware of his actualweakness in that direction.
πτωχοῖς]the poor.
ἐν οὐρανῷ]thou wilt have (instead of thy earthly goods)a treasure in heaven,
i.e. in the hands of God, where it will be securelykept till it comes to be
bestowedat the setting up of the Messiah’s kingdom. Comp. Matthew 5:12,
Matthew 6:20. For the whole saying, comp. Avoda Sara f. 64, 1 : “Vendite
omnia, quae habetis, et porro oportet, ut fiatis proselyti.”
[3] The Catholics found upon this passagethe conmlium evangelicumof
poverty, as well as the opera süpererogativa in general. See, onthe other
hand, Müller, von d. Sunde, I. p. 69 ff., ed. 5.
Expositor's Greek TestamentHYPERLINK"/matthew/19-21.htm"Matthew
19:21. εἰ θέλες τέλειος εἶναι (on τέλειος vide Matthew 5:48): if you wish to
reachyour end, the true life and the rest it brings.—ὕπαγε, etc.:go, selloff,
distribute to the poor, and then come, follow me—suchis the advice Christ
gives:His final lessonfor this inquirer. It is a subjective counselrelative to the
individual. Jesus sees he is well-to-do, and divines where the evil lies. It is
doubtful if he cares passionately, supremelyfor the true life; doubtful if he be
τέλειος in the sense of single-mindedness. It is not a question of one more
thing to do, but of the state of the heart, which the suggestionto sell off will

test. The invitation to become a disciple is seriouslymeant. Jesus, who repelled
some offering themselves, thinks so well of this man as to desire him for a
disciple. He makes the proposalhopefully. Why should so noble a man not be
equal to the sacrifice? He makes it with the firm belief that in no other way
can this man become happy. noblesse oblige. The nobler the man, the more
imperative that the heroic elementin him have full scope. A potential apostle,
a possible Paul even, cannotbe happy as a mere wealthy merchant or
landowner. It is “a counselof perfection,” but not in the ascetic sense,as if
poverty were the sure way to the higher Christian life; rather in the sense of
the adage:of him to whom much is given shall much be required.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges21. If thou wilt be perfect] i. e. “if
thou desirestto be perfect.”
go and sell that thou hast] Jesus does indeedbid him do something, but to do
that would be a proof of being perfect, it is the test for his specialcase, nota
universal rule. With many it is more difficult to use wealth for Christ than to
give it up for Christ. St Mark has the touching words “Jesus beholding him
loved him.” The incident recalls the parable of the “merchantman seeking
goodly pearls” (ch. Matthew 13:45-46). Here is a seekeraftergood, the pearl
is found: will he not sell all that he hath and buy it?
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK"/matthew/19-21.htm"Matthew 19:21. Ἔφη
αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, κ.τ.λ., Jesus saidunto him, etc.)As the young man asks more,
and binds himself to more, more is proposedto him.—τέλειος, perfect) He is
perfect to whom nothing is wanting that he may enter into life eternal. As he
urgently asks it, our Lord proposes to him the most glorious condition, the
nearestto that of an apostle.—ὕπαγε—καὶ δεῦρο, ἀκολούθει Μοι, go—and
come, follow Me) sc. immediately. It is a command, not a counsel;[870]
necessary, not optional (cf. Matthew 19:24-25);but particular, not universal,
accommodatedto the idiosyncrasyof his soul, to whom it was addressed. For
many followedJesus, to whom He did not give this command. He may be
perfect, who still possesses wealth;he may give all to the poor, who is very far
from perfection.[871]Our Lord’s words laid an obligationon the man who
offered himself ultroneously, and that so unreservedly; although to him, being
as yet somewhatof a stranger, it was not expresslyenjoined, but rather given
in the form of advice to one seeking advice. In the case ofothers, who are not
yet able to receive peculiarcommands, a compensationis made by the leading
of divine Providence.—πώλησον, κ.τ.λ., sell, etc.)If the Lord had said, Thou
art rich, and art too fond of thy riches, the young man would have denied it:
wherefore, insteadof so doing, He demands immediately a direct proof[872]

[of the contrary].—ἕξεις, κ.τ.λ., thou shalt have, etc.)A promise inserted in the
command, and at once surely guaranteed:q.d. Thou shalt have, and thou
shalt know that thou hast.[873]—θησαυρὸν, treasure)The inheritance is
calledtreasure, in opposition to worldly goods. Dostthou wish to be rich?
Seek this treasure.—ἀκολούθειΜοι, follow Me)Instruction in faith would not
then be wanting.
[870]As opposedto the Romish doctrine of “counselsofperfection,” on which
they build the notion of works of ‘supererogation’:quoting this instance in
support of their theory.—ED.
[871]Zaccheus, as recorded Luke 19:8, when distributing one half of his
goods to the poor, obtained the Lord’s commendation. [He was not required
to give all that he had to the poor: nay, what he did give was voluntarily, not
by command.—ED.]—V. g.
[872]In the original the words are, “ipsum statim documentum postulat:” lit.
“he demands the very proof.”—(I. B.)
[873]For already now, in this life, those things which are needful are freely
held out to believers from this treasure, Matthew 19:29.—V. g.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 21. - If thou wilt (θέλεις) be perfect. I believe what
you tell me. You have led a religious life in the ordinary way; now yon aspire
to higher things; you have a noble ambition to serve God more completely;
yon have the power, if you have the will, to do so;I will tell you how. To be
"perfect" is to be lacking in nothing that is required for life eternal. It is
spokenof Noahand Job; it is required of Christ's disciples (Matthew 5:48).
Christ is here giving a counselof perfection, as it is called, not of obligationon
all men, but suited to the idiosyncrasyof this particular inquirer, and of
others who are capable of such absolute self-surrender and trustfulness. Go
and sellthat thou hast. Go back to thy home, and sellall thy substance, all thy
possessions. This was the counselwhich Jesus gave, denoting the stumbling
block which lay in the way of the ruler's endeavours after perfection. He was
voluntarily to deprive himself of the earthly thing to which he fondly clung,
his wealth, and to embrace a life of poverty and hardship. Give to the poor.
The money obtained by the sale of his possessionshe was to distribute, not to
relations and friends, who might make some return, but to the poor, from
whom he could expect no recompense. And thou shalt have treasure in heaven
(Matthew 5:12; Matthew 6:20). Thou shalt obtain that which thou desirest,

eternal life. Not that stripping one's self of goods and giving to the poor does
necessarilyensure the greatreward, but, in this youth's case,sucha sacrifice,
such a victory over the besetting sin, would be the turning point in his
character, and enable him to conquer all lessertemptations, and win the prize
of his high calling. Here was to be proved love of man. But there was one more
element in the required perfection, viz. love of God. Come and follow me. St
Mark adds, "take up the cross." If he would have apostolic perfection, he
must embrace the apostolic life. He must give up wealth, position, earthly ties,
earthly occupations, must castin his lot with the despisedJesus, sufferwith
him, and, if necessary, die with him. The twelve apostles had acceptedChrist's
call on these terms; from him was demanded the same sacrifice the same test
of sincerity. He had wished to be exceptionallygood;exceptionalconduct was
required from him in order to reachthis high standard. The condition
imposed, severe as it undoubtedly was, exactlysuited the case, showedthe
weak spotin the ruler's character, and, if acceptedfully and heartily, would
have led him to perfection. Reading these words of our Lord, St. Anthony was
so strickenin heart and consciencethat he obeyed them literally, stripped
himself of everything that he had, distributed to the needy, and went forth
poor and naked, trusting to God to provide for him. Many in all ages, inspired
by ardent love of life eternal, have done the same. We shall do well to
recognize that there are two ways of serving God acceptably - there is the
goodlife required from all religious Christians, and there is the life of
perfection to which some, by God's specialgrace, are called, and which they
embrace and fulfil. It was the latter life that Christ put before this young man.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Matthew 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal(NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Me theHYPERLINK
"http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=2343"saurizete
(2PPAM)huHYPERLINK
"http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=5213"min
thesaurouHYPERLINK

"http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=2344"sepi
tHYPERLINK "http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3588"es
ges, hopou ses kaibrosis aphanizei, (3SPAI) kai hopou kleptai
diorussousin(3PPAI) kai kleptousin; (3PPAI)
Amplified: Do not gatherand heap up and store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and
destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. (Amplified Bible -
Lockman)
KJV: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
NLT: Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten
by moths and getrusty, and where thieves break in and steal. (NLT -
Tyndale House)
Philips: "Don't pile up treasures onearth, where moth and rust can
spoil them and thieves canbreak in and steal(New Testamentin
Modern English)
Wuest: Stop accumulating treasures upon the earth for your selves,
where the clothes-mothand corrosiondestroyand where thieves break
in and steal
Young's Literal: Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth,
where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and
steal,
Do not store up for yourselves treasures onearth, where moth and rust
destroy, and where thieves break in and steal:
• Job 31:24;Ps 39:6; 62:10;Proverbs 11:4; 16:16;23:5; Eccl2:26; 5:10-
14; Zeph 1:18; Luke 12:21; 18:24;1Ti 6:8, 9, 10,17;Heb 13:5; James
5:1, 2, 3; 1Jn 2:15,16
• Matthew 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN'S ATTITUDE
TOWARD EARTHLY TREASURE
Now Jesus addressesthe correctattitude His kingdom citizens should have
toward temporal possessions.
Ironside explains that "All treasures are to be held in subjection to God and
used as He directs. He who is in touch with eternal realities canwell afford to
hold earthly possessions with a loose hand. Worldly wealthsoonpasses away
and leaves him who has nothing else poor indeed. But those who lay up

heavenly treasure by spending and being spent for God, while numbered
perchance among the poor of this world, will be rich in faith. When life is
ended here they will find endless treasure held in reserve above. The more we
distribute for the blessing of others as guided by the Lord, the more wealthwe
lay up in Heaven."
Wilmington entitles this section" The only bank that’s fully insured."
Charles Simeon - Much of our Lord’s sermonon the mount was intended to
explain the true import of the Law, in oppositionto the false glosseswith
which the Scribes and Phariseeshad obscuredit. But in many parts of it the
instruction is general, and unconnected with any particular persons or
circumstances. The Phariseesindeedwere covetous:but the whole human
race are more intent on earthly than on heavenly things; and therefore the
exhortation in our text may be consideredas equally important in every age
and place. (Horae Homileticae Volume 11, page 217)(Downloada Pdf of
Simeon's bio by H C G Handley Moule)
C H Spurgeon's comments…
MATTHEW 6:19-34 THE KING GIVES COMMANDS AS TO THE
CARES OF THIS LIFE He would not have his servants seeking two
objects, and serving two masters. He calls them awayfrom anxieties
about this life to a restful faith in God 19. Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal.
Lay not out your life for gathering wealth:this would be degrading to
you as servants of the heavenly kingdom. It you accumulate either
money or raiment, your treasures will be liable to “moth and rust ”; and
of both you may be deprived by dishonestmen. That earthly things
decay, or are takenfrom us, is an excellentreasonfor not making them
the greatobjects of our pursuit. Hoard not for thieves, gathernot for
corruption: accumulate for eternity, and send your treasures into the
land whither you are going. To live for the sake of growing rich is a
gilded death in life. (Commentary)
G Campbell Morgan…
THE King having declaredthe laws of human inter-relationship, and
having dealt with the principles of Divine relationship, proceededto the
discussionof the attitude of His subjects towards earthly things. The
subjects of the Kingdom still have necessaryrelationships with the
earth. They are spiritually minded, but they have to touch material
things. Howevermuch the inner life may be, and ought to be, in

communion with that which is essentiallyspiritual, we can only continue
to live at all as we touch and handle things which are seenand temporal.
The Manifesto of the King proceeds, therefore, to make clearwhat our
relationship ought to be to the material things by which we are
surrounded, and with which we have to deal.
Here, as on all former occasions, there is a remarkable absence ofrules,
but there is the clearestrevelationof principle. Not by legalenactments,
formulated, tabulated, and learned by heart; but rather by the creation
of an atmosphere, and the indication of an attitude, does the King
correctand condition our relationship to the things of the presentlife.
Broadly, He teaches that, in all contactof His subjects with earthly
things, they must be dominated by a super-earthly consciousness. Men
must deal with the wealth of the world, but if their consciousness is
conditioned merely within that material wealth, they fail. If all their
dealing with wealthis motivated by, and conditioned within a spiritual
conception, then they will have found the deepestsecretoflife, and
fulfilled the highest purpose of their Master. Menmust have food to eat,
must have clothes to wear;but if they spend all their days thinking
about what they shall eat, or what they shall wear, they are not
understanding or realizing the ethic of
JESUS.
If, on the other hand, they recognize their Father's recognitionof their
need, and trust it; and then seek the Kingdom, in matters of food and in
clothing, they are living in the realm of the true morality.
This sectionconsists oftwo parts, eachcharacterizedby warning and
instruction.
- The first is a revelationof the attitude of the subjects of the Kingdom
toward wealththey are to be without covetousness.
- In the secondsection, whichwe shall take for our next study, the
attitude of the same subjects toward necessarythings is indicated they
are to be without care.
This is the whole of His will for His people. This is not irrational; He
proves it to be reasonable. This is not an appealto credulity; it is a call
for faith. This is not fatalism; it is the essenceoffidelity, fidelity to the
principles afore enunciated, to the purposes perpetually revealed, and to
the greatLord and Masterto Whom allegiance is owned. (Matthew
6:19-24 Commentary)

Do not store up - Do have this habit! Some of His listeners were doing this!
Jesus does not saywe cannot have a retirement plan but is saying that the
retirement plan is not to be the objector goalof our life's work. As an aside, it
is difficult to find Biblical support for retirement per se. I am "retired" but
am now busier in the Lord's work than I was in medical practice (be
stimulated and encouragedby Paul's words in 1Co 15:58). Remember that in
this sectionJesus is giving us His divine advice on how to handle anxiety and
worry. He is fully aware that anxiety and worry often have their genesis
(pathogenesis!)in regard to financial matters. And so He begins by advising
us not to be in the habit of treasuring up treasure for ourselves.
As Wycliffe rendered the Greek…
Do not treasure
to you treasures
Spurgeon- Hold not earth's treasures with too firm a grasp. Our
bereavements would not be half so sharp if we always viewedour friends as
being lent to us. A man does not cry when he has to return a tool which he has
borrowed.
These ancientwords by Jesus are so appropriate to our wealthy Western
culture where possessionsoftenend up possessing their "owners". Orstated
another way, it is not wrong to possessthings, but it is wrong for things to
possessus. The desire of many in our societyis to build our lives around the
"things" we own. In Jesus'day Luke records that the Pharisees were "lovers
of money" (Luke 16:14HYPERLINK"/luke-16-commentary#16:14"+)
Matthew Henry had a pithy statementregarding riches writing thaT "Man
takes greatpains to heap up riches, and they are like heaps of manure in the
furrows of the field, goodfor nothing unless they be spread."
Keener - One researchersuggests thatprofessedfollowers ofChrist take in 68
percent of the world’s income, yet only 3 percent of that goes to the church
and a tiny percentage to world missions. (Keener, C. S. Vol. 1: Matthew. The
IVP New TestamentCommentary Series. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity
Press)
Not uncommonly we make an arbitrary division of our life into that which is
spiritual and that which is material. Jesus demolishes that division in this
sectiondeclaring that in the final analysis one's heart attitude toward material
things is a mark of one's true spiritual condition. Materialand spiritual
cannot be separated. As an aside, attending church on Sunday (the "spiritual
activity") should not and ultimately cannot be separatedfrom how one
conducts themselves Monday through Friday. This latter in fact is probably a

more genuine assessmentofone's spiritual condition then their regular
attendance at church or Sunday School. Religionthat is not real is just that…
lifeless religion! Religionthat involves a vital relationship with Christ 24/7 is
real life!
Mike Dunn - It may help if we begin by listing what Jesus was not forbidding.
First, there is no ban on possessions in themselves. Secondly, ‘saving for a
rainy day’ is not forbidden. Scripture praises the ant for storing in the
summer the food it will need in the winter, and declares that the believerwho
makes no provision for his family is worse than an unbeliever. Thirdly, we are
not to despise, but rather to enjoy, the goodthings which our Creatorhas
given us richly to enjoy. What Jesus forbids His followers is the selfish
accumulation of goods;extravagantand luxurious living; the hardheartedness
which does not feel the colossalneedof the world’s underprivileged people;
the foolishfantasy that a person’s life consists in the abundance of his
possessions;and the materialism which tethers our hearts to the earth. Our
heart always follows our treasure. In a word to lay up treasure on earth does
not mean being provident (making sensible provision for the future) but being
covetous. To lay up treasure in heavenis to do anything on earth whose effects
last for eternity. It seems that Jesus was referring to such things as these: the
development of Christlike character;the increase of faith, hope and charity,
all of which abide; growth in the knowledge ofChrist whom one day we shall
see face to face;the active endeavor (by prayer and witness)to introduce
others to Christ, so that they too may inherit eternal life; and the use of our
money for Christian causes, whichis the only investment whose dividends are
everlasting. All these are temporal activities with eternal consequences.(Notes
from Explore the Bible)
G Campbell Morgan…
First as to CHRIST's distinct command, "Lay not up for yourselves
treasures upon earth." The same word occurs twice;in the one case as
verb, and in the other as substantive. We come nearer to an
appreciationof what He said when we read, "Treasure not up treasures
upon the earth, but treasure for yourselves treasure in heaven."
The simple idea of the word treasure is that of placing something
somewhere;but it is in striking contrastto other words which also mean
to place something somewhere. There is a peculiar quality in the Greek
word which is not suggestedby our word "treasure." Very literally the
idea is to place something horizontally. There are other Greek words
which mean to place something perpendicularly. Here we have an
instance of the figurative element in language.

What was meant by placing horizontally? To place in a passive
condition, as the word which indicates to place something
perpendicularly means putting it in an active relationship. This word
means to lay something aside horizontally that is, to store something up,
to keepit; not to place something perpendicularly, ready for activity
and work, but to hoard it.
It is the laying of things up, one thing upon another, piece upon piece,
horizontally, that we may possessthem, take care of them, and
accumulate them. Every boy remembers that he has often been told,
that the miser says coins are flat that they may rest;and the spendthrift
says they are round that they may roll.
Now the King does not say that it is wrong to lay up, for while He says
"treasure not up," He also says "treasure up."
We need to recognize the positive as well as the negative part of the
command.
The common capacityto which He is here appealing is that of the
passionfor possession. There is not a single capacityof human life
wrong inherently. The abuse of it, the misuse of it, is wrong. Whenever
we see a man passionatelydesirous ofpossessionwe may say: That is all
right. It may be made all wrong by his method and motive; by the way
in which he attempts to possess, and the purpose for which he desires to
possess. It is always the purpose at the back of things which matters.
The King does not begin with externalities;He gets back to the deepest
thing in a man's life, and deals with that.
It is as though He said: You have a passionto possesswealth, you want
to be able to place things horizontally; and it is quite right that you
should do so GOD made you so. Being, having, doing; that is the story
of human life. There is no Beatitude on possessing, but possessionmay
be sanctified.
We want to make our fortunes. We have desires as passionate as those
of any man to possess. And the nearer we come to our Lord, and the
more we know of the indwelling Spirit, the more powerfully is the
passionto possessburning in our heart and life. But the question of
importance is as to the principle upon which we seek possession.
- Passionwithout principle burns out the life.
- Principle without passionsterilizes it, and makes it hard and cold and
stony.

That is a greatword in the book of Ezekiel, spokento the Prince of
Tyre: "I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the
stones of fire."
What a strange bringing togetherof contradiction!"Stones offire."
- A stone is the last embodiment of principle hard and cold.
- Fire is of the essence ofpassionwarm and energizing.
Put the two together, and we have stones principle; fire passion;
principle shot through with passion, passionheld by principle. Men
have the passionto possess,to treasure up. What principle is going to
govern us? That is the matter with which the Masteris dealing. The
principle revealedis not that it is wrong to lay up treasures for
ourselves, for when the Mastercomes to the positive statement, He
distinctly says, "Lay up for yourselves." We have not yet discoveredthe
secret.
It is discoveredin the phrases, "Treasures uponearth." "Treasuresin
heaven."
CHRIST says to His subjects, You are to fulfil that passionfor
possessionby making your
fortune, not for the present, the perishing, the passing;but for the
future, the lasting, and the eternal.
You are to remember, with the passionburning within you, that you are
not the child of to-day, you are not of the earth, you are more than dust;
you are the child of tomorrow, you are of the eternities, you are the
offspring of Deity. The measurements of your lives cannot be
circumscribed by the point where blue sky kisses greenearth. All the
fact of your life cannotbe encompassedin the one small sphere upon
which you live. You belong to the infinite.
If you make your fortune on the earth, poor, sorry, silly soul, you have
made a fortune, and stored it, in a place where you cannot hold it. Make
your fortune, but store it where it will greetyou in the dawning of the
new morning, when old earth passesfrom you. Make your fortune
there. Possessnotthe things of the now; but the things of the now and
the forever.
In dealing with CHRIST's comparisonof values, we must allow for the
Easterncoloring. Wealthconsistedin those days very largely of fabrics,
purple and fine twined linen: and the King says, I will tell you the story
of them moths! That is a fine touch of tender sarcasm. There is no anger

in it. There is no thunder in it. It is a fine play of the summer lightning.
Moths! Your immortal life cannotbe hurt by a moth; do not try to
enrich it with stuff which moths eat.
Or, if you will take some other currency, such as metal, store it up, lay it
horizontally, pile it up, make it your treasure. The King says, Rust!
What is rust? Fire. Presentin all things is this eremacausis, this slowly
burning fire, which eats into, disintegrates your most solid metal,
melting it into azure air. The subjects of the King are not to try and
make themselves rich with things which the frail moth can ruin, and the
silent rust destroy.
And once again, "Where thieves break through and steal."
We need not dwell upon that. That is so modern that it needs no
exposition.
What does JESUS say about the storing of the heavenly, about the
laying up of treasure in heaven? Nothing positive; it is all negative, but
thank GOD for the negatives ofthe spiritual world. No moth, no rust,
no thief. If we canonly store the true riches, as we work and toil, we
shall know that no moth canever eat the garment, or destroying fire
touch the fine gold, or marauding thief rob us of that which is our own.
(Matthew 6:19-24 Commentary)
Martin Luther - Whenever the Gospelis taught and people seek to live
according to it, there are two terrible plagues that always arise:false
preachers who corrupt the teaching, and then Sir Greed, who obstructs right
living.
Leon Morris quotes Glover who "reminds us that “avarice is the vice of
respectability.” Whether they are rich or poor, people see no harm in
concentrating on getting more. Everyone has some “treasure,”the main
objectin life. Jesus is asking whether that is to be the transient or the eternal,
and he warns that earthly riches may disappear. (The GospelAccording to
Matthew. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press)
Matthew Henry introduces this sectioncommenting that "Worldly-
mindedness is as common and as fatal a symptom of hypocrisy as any other,
for by no sin canSatan have a surer and fasterhold of the soul, under the
cloak ofa visible and passable professionof religion, than by this; and
therefore Christ, having warned us againstcoveting the praise of men,
proceeds next to warn us againstcoveting the wealth of the world; in this also
we must take heed, lest we be as the hypocrites are, and do as they do: the
fundamental error that they are guilty of is, that they choose the world for

their reward; we must therefore take heed of hypocrisy and worldly-
mindedness, in the choice we make of our treasure, our end, and our
masters."
John Piper summarizes Mt 6:19-34 writing that…
"Seek firstthe kingdom of God and his righteousness" is the large,
overarching command – be passionate aboutexperiencing the saving,
purifying, empowering, love-producing, reign of God in your life and
over all the world. "Thy kingdom come!" – in my life, and over the
nations.
Then "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" is a specific instance
of what seeking God’s kingdom involves. Seeking the kingdom of God
and his righteousness involves not trying to be rich on earth but trying
to be rich in heaven, that is, rich in God. Seeking the kingdom means
treasuring God and freeing yourself from the drag of earth.
Then "Do not be anxious" is the condition of the heart by which we
break free from our addiction to earth-treasure and give ourselves with
passionto heaven-treasure. Byfaith in his promises Godfrees us from
anxiety, and in this freedom we don’t crave treasures on earth anymore.
Those are the three main imperatives in the text. That is what Jesus
wants us to be like: Free from anxiety, seeking his kingdom, laying up
treasure in heaven and not on earth. That is the fruit of trusting Jesus
as our Lord and Saviorand Treasure. This is the normal Christian life –
radical freedom from earthly things and earthly security, with a joyful
pursuit of God and his righteousness as our treasure. Everything else in
these 16 verses is foundation and support. Jesus doesn’tjust tell us to be
this way; he gives us at least12 arguments to help us. And he spends
most of his time giving us reasons not to be anxious in verses 25-34.
(Readthe full message Matthew 6:19-34:Don’t Be Anxious, Lay Up
Treasures in Heaven)
Adam Clarke - What blindness is it for a man to lay up that as a treasure
which must necessarilyperish! A heart designed for God and eternity is
terribly degradedby being fixed on those things which are subject to
corruption… Take care not to shut up your bowels of compassionagainsta
brother in distress;if you do, the love of God cannotdwell in you.
John Stott - Worldly ambition has a strong fascinationfor us. The spell of
materialism is very hard to break (Christian Counter-Culture. The Message
of the Sermon on the Mount)

This heart illness takes ona macabre humor in the popular bumper sticker
which reads "He who dies with the most toys wins!" Wrong! He who dies
having placedhis faith in Jesus for his eternal salvationwins!
Matthew 6:19 is a play on words and is more literally translated "don't keep
treasuring up treasures for yourselves."
Store up (2343)(thesaurizo from thesaurós = treasure)originally meant to
amass or reserve, keepin store, lay, store or treasure up goods for future use.
Later thesaurizo was expanded to denote a chamber or chest in which
treasure was kept. Throughout the ancient Middle Eastit was especially
applied to a temple storehouse,where temple taxes were stored. People were
required to give a portion of their produce to the temple, and this was stored
in a treasury. Finally thesaurizo also meant private money boxes, the early
versions of home safes.
Here in Mt 6:19, the present imperative with a negative (me) is a command to
stop some actionalready in process!Don't have the habit of storing up
temporal treasure on earth! Stop storing up temporal, perishable treasure,
which you cannot take with you to heaven!
The root word thesauros means that which is deposited = a place where
something is kept and gives our English word thesaurus, a treasury of words.
In secularGreek thesauros means a treasure chamber, a storage room,
storehouse, granary, strong-boxor a treasure per se. Sometimes thesauros
was used metaphorically of the treasure itself (Mt. 2:11; 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk
6:45). Even at a very early period temples were built with treasure chambers,
where gifts and taxes in kind and money could be stored. The practice
appears to have spread from Egypt to Greece.Collecting boxes were also
known (cf. 2Ki 12:10).
The verb thesaurizo is used similarly in the sense of(1) storing up as treasure
or offerings of money put aside (1Co 16:2 = teaches proportionalgiving,
regular giving, and the church's role in receiving gifts.)or (2) putting it in safe
keeping. Keep something in store (eg, present heavens and earth are being
kept in store for future wrath in His day of judgment - 2Pe 3:7-note)! Paul has
a similar figurative use referring to God's wrath which is being "treasured"
up (Ro 2:5-note)!
Thayer writes that thesaurizo means primarily to to gather and lay up, to
heap up, store up: to accumulate riches (Jas 5:3, Lk 12:21, 2Co 12:14, 1Cor
16:2).
John MacArthur - The Greek (thesaurizo)also carriesthe connotationof
stacking orlaying out horizontally, as one stacks coins. In the context of this

passagethe idea is that of stockpiling or hoarding, and therefore pictures
wealth that is not being used. The money or other wealth is simply stored for
safekeeping;it is kept for the keeping's sake to make a show of wealthor to
create an environment of lazy overindulgence (cf. Luke 12:16-
21HYPERLINK"/luke-12-commentary#12:16"+). It is clearfrom this
passage, as wellas from many others in Scripture, that Jesus is not advocating
poverty as a means to spirituality....During his exceptionallylong ministry,
which spanned most of the eighteenth century, John Wesleyearneda
considerable amount of money from his published sermons and other works.
Yet he left only 28 pounds when he died, because he continually gave what he
earned to the Lord's work....Itis right to provide for our families, to make
reasonable plans for the future, to make wise investments, and to have money
to carry on a business, give to the poor, and support the Lord's work. It is
being dishonest, greedy, covetous, stingy, and miserly about possessions thatis
wrong. To honestly earn, save, and give is wise and good; to hoard and spend
only on ourselves not only is unwise but sinful. (MacArthur New Testament
Commentary – Matthew 1-7)(MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 Macarthur New
TestamentCommentary Chicago:Moody Press)
Thesaurizo - 8x in 8v - Mt 6:19, 20;Lk 12:21HYPERLINK"/luke-12-
commentary#12:21"+;Ro 2:5; 1Cor16:2; 2Cor12:14; Jas 5:3; 2Pe 3:7
Matthew 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
Luke 12:21 "So (Conclusionbased on the parable in Lk 12:16, 17, 18,
19, 20) is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich
toward God."
THOUGHT - Who are you "rich toward"? The transient world or the
eternal God?
Romans 2:5HYPERLINK "https://www.preceptaustin.org/romans_25-
8#2:5"+ But because ofyour stubbornness and unrepentant heart you
are storing up (present tense = continuous - pictures the cup of wrath
continually being filled to one day poured out upon the one whose filled
it with evil thoughts and deeds!What a dreadful picture!) wrath for
yourself in the day of wrath and revelationof the righteous judgment of
God,

1Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week leteachone of you put
aside and save, as he may prosper (this teaches the principle of
proportionate giving), that no collections be made when I come.
2Corinthians 12:14 Here for this third time I am ready to come to you,
and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek whatis yours, but
you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but
parents for their children.
James 5:3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be
a witness againstyou and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the
last days that you have stored up your treasure!
2Peter3:7HYPERLINK "/2_peter_37-10#3:7"+ Butthe present
heavens and earth by His word are being reservedfor fire, kept for the
day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Thesaurizo - 9x in the Septuagint - 2Ki 20:17; Ps 39:6; Pr 1:18; 2:7; 13:22;
16:27;Amos 3:10; Mic 6:10; Zech 9:3
Psalm39:6 "Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they
make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches (Lxx = thesaurizo), and
does not know who will gather them.
ReadSpurgeon's note: Surely every man walks in a vain show. Life is
but a passing pageant. This alone is sure, that nothing is sure. All
around us shadows mock us; we walk among them, and too many live
for them as if the mocking images were substantial;acting their
borrowedparts with zealfit only to be spent on realities, and lost upon
the phantoms of this passing scene. Worldly men walk like travelers in a
mirage, deluded, duped, deceived, soonto be filled with disappointment
and despair. Surely they are disquieted in vain. Men fret, and fume, and
worry, and all for mere nothing. They are shadows pursuing shadows,
while death pursues them. He who toils and contrives, and wearies
himself for gold, for fame, for rank, even if he wins his desire, finds at
the end of his labor lost; for like the treasure of the miser's dream, it all
vanishes when the man awakesin the world of reality. Readwell this
text, and then listen to the clamor of the market, the hum of the
exchange, the din of the city streets, and remember that all this noise
(for so the word means), this breach of quiet, is made about
unsubstantial, fleeting vanities. Brokenrest, anxious fear, over worked
brain, failing mind, lunacy, these are the steps in the process of
disquieting with many, and all to be rich, or, in other words, to load
one's self with the thick clay; clay, too, which a man must leave so soon.

He heaps up riches, and knows not who shall gather them. He misses
often the result of his ventures, for there are many slips betweenthe cup
and the lips. His wheat is sheaved, but an interloping robber bears it
away-- as often happens with the poor Easternhusbandman; or, the
wheatis evenstored, but the invader feasts thereon. Many work for
others all unknown to them. Especiallydoes this verse refer to those all
gathering muckrakes, who in due time are succeededby all scattering
forks, which scatterriches as profusely as their sires gatheredthem
parsimoniously. We know not our heirs, for our children die, and
strangers fill the old ancestralhalls;estates change hands, and entail,
though riveted with a thousand bonds, yields to the corroding power of
time. Men rise up early and sit up late to build a house, and then the
strangertramps along its passages, laughs in its chambers, and forgetful
of its first builder, calls it all his own. Here is one of the evils under the
sun for which no remedy can be prescribed.
He heaps up riches. This is the greatfoolishness and disease especially
of old age, that the less waya man has to go, he makes the greater
provision for it. When the hands are stiff, and fit for no other labor,
they are fitted and composedfor scraping together. RobertLeighton.
He heaps up riches. The Hebrew word rendered, He heaps up, signifies
to rake together;in which there is an allusion to the husbandman's
collecting his corn togetherbefore he carries it to the barn. The
metaphor is elegant, intimating the precariousness ofhuman life, and
the vanity of human acquisitions;which though heaped up togetherlike
corn, by one person, may soonbecome the possessionofanother.
Samuel Burder.
Proverbs 2:7 He stores up (Lxx = thesaurizo) sound wisdom for the
upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, (see Pr 2:7NLT)
Amos 3:10ESV "Theydo not know how to do right," declares the
LORD, "those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds."
Here are all 16 uses of the root noun thesauros - Mt2:11, 6:19, 20, 21 12:35,
13:44, 52, 19:21 Mk10:21, Lk 6:45, 12:33, 34, 18:22 2Co 4:7, Col 2:3, Heb
11:26.
Richards writes that this word group (thesaurizo/thesauros)"speaksofthat
which is storedup and saved by human beings as especiallyprecious. The NT
makes it clearthat God's value system is different from that of human beings;
thus, often what human beings treasure has little value to him. (Expository
Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency)

Wayne Detzlerwrites that…
In the Septuagint Greek Old Testamentthe word was used to describe
wealth which was amassed. Laterit also took on a more figurative
meaning. Alms given to the poor were seento be a treasure given to
God. This is reflectedbrightly in the New Testamentteaching of Christ.
There is also an emphasis in the New Testamenton the transient nature
of treasure. In the greatWestminsterAbbey of the faithful, the writer of
Hebrews reminded his readers that Moses gave up the treasures of
Egypt for the pleasures of eternity (Heb. 11:25, 26). James warnedhis
readers that treasures will corrupt and rust, if they are not passedon in
wages to the workers (James 5:3)…The contentof one's mind and heart
is also seenas a treasure (cp Mt 12:34). A goodpersonbrings forth good
from this treasury (thesauros), but an evil person spews out sin (Mt
12:35). This is especiallyseenin the words one utters. Paul returned to
this theme when he spoke ofthe Gospel. To him the Gospelwas an
inestimable treasure. God gave it to His people, in order that they might
pass it on to the world. This treasure (thesauros)is like a precious stone
kept in a crockerypot (2Cor4:7). In other words, the value is in the
treasure, not the pot. The value in us is the Gospel, not our physical
bodies. Jesus Christ is seenas the repositoryof all treasure. In fact, Paul
insisted that all the treasures (thesauros)ofGod are hidden in Christ
Jesus (Col2:3). When one seeksbasic wisdomand knowledge,Christ
must be the source, for He personifies all the wisdom and knowledge of
God. In the Scriptures treasure has two basic meanings. First, it is
material treasure which has a short life and must be left on earth.
Second, it is spiritual treasure. If we serve the Lord our treasure will
pay eternaldividends, but if we serve Satanour treasure of sin will pay
out an eternal penalty. (New TestamentWords in Today's Language)
For yourselves - This is the phrase "foryourselves!" That does not need much
comment for we all understand far too well what this means! When we begin
to accumulate possessionssolelyfor self, clearly those possessionsbeginto
replace God. In a word, our possessionsbecome idols and as is always the case
with idols, we begin to be possessedby the idol, worshipping and serving the
idol instead of God. Hoarding possessions is sin just as is lavish, extravagant
spending is a sin. Both speak ofwhat or who is on the throne of our heart and
it is certainly not Jesus!
Have you ever seena U-haul trailer attachedto the hearse? Didyou know that
funeral shrouds (burial garment) don't have any pockets?Why would they
need them? Guzik adds that " The pharaohs of Egypt were buried with gold

and treasures to take into the afterlife, but they left it all behind. Even further,
though gold is a precious thing on earth, God uses it to pave the streets of
heaven."
Job understood these truths and upon loosing unspeakable wealthincluding
his children, he declared…
"NakedI came from my mother's womb, and nakedI shall return
there. The LORD gave and the LORD has takenaway. Blessedbe the
name of the LORD." (Job 1:21)
The saying is true… You can't take it with you!
See relatedcomments by Warren Wiersbe on Psalm49:13 - Don't Trust in
Wealth
Don't misunderstand what Jesus is saying here - He is not advocating
financial poverty as a means of attaining spirituality. The problem He is
addressing is when one accumulates wealthfor "yourselves", forthat is when
money which is otherwise neutral becomes one's "god" or"idol".
David Guzik - The issue isn’t that earthly treasures are intrinsically bad, but
they are of no ultimate value either. If this is the case, thenit is wrong for the
disciple of Jesus to dedicate his life to continually expanding his earthly
treasures. To lay up for yourselves treasure on earth is also to doom yourself
to a life of frustration and emptiness. Regarding material things the secretto
happiness is not more, it is contentment. In a 1992 survey, people were asked
how much money they would have to make to have “the American dream.”
Those who earn $25,000orless a year thought they would need around
$54,000.Those in the $100,000annual income bracketsaid that they could
buy the dream for an average of$192,000a year. These figures indicate that
we typically think we would have to have double our income in order to find
the goodlife. But the Apostle Paul had the right idea in 1 Timothy 6:6: Now
godlinesswithcontentmentisgreat gain.(Commentary)
RelatedResources:
• Christian Contentment
• Contentment-Devotional
• The Rare JewelofChristian Contentment - JeremiahBurroughs
(Highly recommended – click some reviews)
• Art of Divine Contentment Exposition of Philippians 4:11 - Thomas
Watson(ReadReviews)
• Philippians 4:10-13 The Secretfor Contentment

Charles Simeon adds the caveatthat…
This is not to be understood as though there were no situation or
circumstances whereinit were allowable to lay up money: for it is
certainly the duty of all persons to make provision for those whose
subsistence depends upon them: those who should refuse to support
their agedparents or relatives would be deemed worse than infidels:
nor, by parity of reasoning, canthey be consideredas acting more
suitably to their Christian professionwho neglectto make a necessary
provision for their children. (Horae Homileticae Volume 11, page 217)
Jesus is not teaching that believers are to be carelessin handling their money.
Solid financial plans produce goodstewards ofthe earthly resources that God
has entrusted to us.
Simeon commenting on treasure on earth wrote that…
We are not to lay up “treasures.”Whatis necessaryfor the carrying on
of our trade, or for the supporting of ourselves in old age, or for the
enabling of our family to maintain that rank of life wherein they have
been educated, may be consideredas allowable:but what is laid up for
the sake ofenriching and aggrandizing our family, may be justly
included in the prohibition before us. Of course, no precise sum can be
fixed; because whatwould be wealth to one man, would be poverty to
another: but whateverargues discontent, and a desire of elevating
ourselves and our families above the rank which Providence has allotted
us in life, should be regardedwith a jealous eye and a trembling heart…
Christianity does not require a man to castaway, or even to give away,
his paternal inheritance, or all the fruits of his own labour: but it
absolutely forbids him to find delight in treasuring up his wealth, or in
looking to it as a source either of safetyor happiness. (Horae
Homileticae Volume 11, page 217)
Spurgeonadvises believers to "Hold not earth's treasures with too firm a
grasp. Our be-reavements would not be half so sharp if we always viewedour
friends as being lent to us. A man does not cry when he has to return a tool
which he has borrowed. Christ here first teaches us how to pray, and then
teaches us how really to live. He turns our thoughts from the objectin life
which allures and injures so many, but which is, after all, an objectunworthy
of our search;and he bids us seek something higher and better: “Lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven,”
Phil Newton- We must clarify that Jesus was notbanning possessions for
kingdom citizens. Scripture never condemns having things but only loving

things above the interests of the King. Nor is he forbidding Christians to save
and store up resources forfuture needs. The Bible commends this practice by
using the example of the ant wisely working to gather foodfor the future.
Neglecting providing for one's family is tantamount to infidelity according to
Paul (I Tim 5:8). Furthermore, "We are not to despise, but rather to enjoy,
the goodthings which our Creatorhas given us richly to enjoy," [Stott
155]...This is a heart-searching text, and one that we cannotabsorb in the
short time we have together. But it is one that we must not shrug off because
the sermonhas ended. We must hold our treasures up to the measuring stick
of eternity. What do they look like when viewed in this light? Let us repent of
idols of the heart that have crept into our treasures, and let us be steadfastin
treasuring those things that will be waiting upon us in heaven. (Sermon)
David Holwick - Money is an important Biblical topic. "One verse in every six
in the first three Gospels relates,eitherdirectly or indirectly, to money.
Sixteen of our Lord's forty-four parables deal with the use or misuse of
money. A loving, joyful, liberal giving to the Lord's work is an acidtest of a
spiritual heart, pleasing to God." ...Wealthcan be a replacementfor
God....Whatdo your possessions show aboutyou? Men, how many ties are in
your closet? How many do you wear? Dr. Albert Schweitzer - "You only have
one neck." Whatdoes God see in your checkbook?(Money, Money, Money)
ILLUSTRATION - Vic and Lillian Cooperof Maltby, England, lived on
welfare all their married life. Then they won$77,481in a bingo jackpot. They
spent $6,300 ona car, $7,200ona vacationtrailer, $7,200onfurniture, and
$56,781 onmiscellaneous.Mostofthis was gifts for relatives and toys for their
son Darren, 4. Four months later it was all gone and they applied for welfare
again. Vic and Lillian are now $144 behind in rent and living on $49 a week,
including a $13 government allowance anda loan. "It's very difficult when
you getmoney for the first time in your life not to go out and spend it," said
Vic. "We used to look in the shop windows and never be able to afford
anything." Welfare authorities said it would be a cold day in Gehenna before
they getany more help....Is there a formula?1)(E.g., is it true that) Spiritual
people do not buy BMW's. 2) Spiritual people do not wearexpensive fur. No,
there is no magic number. Materialismis a matter of the heart, not a figure.
(Money, Money, Money)
ILLUSTRATION - Some years ago, I happened to have contactwith two
quite wealthy men during the same week. One was a former professorat a
major university who, through a long series of goodinvestments in real estate,
had accumulateda fortune of possibly a hundred million dollars. But in the

process he lost his family, his happiness, his peace ofmind, and had agedfar
beyond his years. The other man, a pastor, also acquired his wealth through
investments, but they were investments to which he paid little attention.
Becauseofhis financial independence, he gave to his church over the years
considerablymore than he was paid for being its pastor. He is one of the
godliest, happiest, most fruitful, and contentedpersons I have ever met. (From
John MacArthur).
JosephStowell - ALL THESE THINGS—Matthew 6:19
Madame Blueberry, VeggieTalesheroine of materialism, loves shopping at the
“stuff-mart.” (Ed: Watchyoutube video of her house collapsing Her first
words were "My Stuff!" - would make a greatintro to a children's sermon
messageormaybe even on for adults!!!) Her problem, however, is that her
treetop cottage soonbecomes so overstuffedthat the tree collapsesunder the
weight of it all. It is not unlike that in many of our lives. Our families suffer as
we place material gain above spouses and children. Double incomes relegate
our children to day care centers and latchkeystatus. When the day is done,
our energies are spentand there is little left to pour out at home. The strength
of the work of Christ is compromisedas well. The promise of quick credit and
plastic cashleaves us in bondage to debt, which disables our support of the
kingdom. Living for financial and material gain means living for the realm of
empty treasures, where, as Christ said, “moth and rust destroy, and . . .
thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19), leaving few “left-over” resources
to support the kingdom of God. Ultimately, sometimes too late, we realize that
precious things have collapsedunder the weightof our own greed. Thousands
of missionaries retire eachyear. Who is going to replenish these troops? All
over North America our children are growing up just like us, choosing their
careers basedonhow they can make the most money and what will help them
achieve the highest standard of living as quickly as possible. What of the
legions of workers who will be needed to win the world to Christ? Who will
go? Who will support them? Our pursuit of a hollow prosperity threatens to
weakenthe supply line of eternity. According to Christ, true prosperity is
about things that lastforever. It is ours to live for the kingdom, and up to Him
to supply our needs. As Christ said, “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all
these things shall be added unto you” (Luke 12:31KJVHYPERLINK "/luke-
12-commentary#12:31"+). Whatdoes your heart desire? The advance of His
kingdom—or yours? (Strength for the Journey)
Gotquestions.orgRelatedto Retirement and Saving for the Future:

• What does the Bible say about saving for retirement?
Excerpt - The Bible does not specificallymention saving for retirement,
per se, and it doesn’t mention 401(k)plans, IRAs, or the like. However,
the Bible does speak ofsaving money, and it gives us clearprinciples to
guide us in whether Christians should save for retirement. The issues of
retirement and investment in stocks have been addressedin separate
articles. This article will focus primarily on the issue of whether
Christians should save money for perceived future needs, such as when
no longer generating income. The Bible speaks positivelyabout
providing for oneselffinancially through work. In 2 Thessalonians 3,
Paul gives a warning againstidleness. He reminds the Thessalonians of
how he and his companions workedto provide for themselves while
serving the church, despite the fact that they had a right to receive
monetary support from the church. In verse 10 Paul says the rule is that
“the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” It seems, then, that we
are responsible to provide financially for ourselves whenpossible. The
question becomes whetherwe should save money during our working
years in order to provide for ourselves during our retirement years,
when we are unable to generate income. The book of Proverbs has
many admonitions that promote saving money and other resources.
Proverbs 21:20 says, “The wise store up choice foodand olive oil, but
fools gulp theirs down.” Proverbs 6:6–8 uses an insect as an illustration
of the need to save:“Go to the ant, you sluggard;considerits ways and
be wise!It has no commander, no overseerorruler, yet it stores its
provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Recognizing a
future need and making provisions for it today is a biblically wise thing
to do. Financial stewardshipnow, including saving for retirement, can
enable us to better serve others later. We see Joseph exemplify the
wisdom of saving in Genesis 41 whenhe storedprovisions for the
prophesied famine to come. We could even say that God’s command to
the Israelites to gather enoughmanna on the sixth day to provide for
both Friday and Saturday is a form of saving for a future need (see
Exodus 16). Of course, “some ofthe people went out on the seventh day
to gather it, but they found none” (verse 27). In their failure to plan
aheadand save, they went hungry. (Click for full article)
• What is the Christian view of retirement?
Excerpt: The Christian never retires from Christ’s service;he only
changes the address of his workplace. In summary, as one reaches

“retirement age” (whateverthat is) the vocationmay change but one’s
life work of serving the Lord does not change.
• Should a Christian invest money in the stock market?
Moth…
Rust…
Thieves
Moth… rust… thieves - Jesus'point in this passage is that there is no
absolutely firm, unshakeable securityto be found in material things, which is
ironic as "securities"is a financial term defined as instruments giving to their
legalholders rights to money or other property. Securities include stocks,
bonds, notes, mortgages, bills of lading, and bills of exchange. Jesus is not
condemning goodstewardshipand wise investment in "securities" but is
addressing our heart attitude towards our "securities".Beloved, ask
yourself… "Where is my treasure?" (If you need help answering this
question, just take a look at lastmonth's credit card charges orlook at the
checks youwrote over the past 6 months!) Your answerwill tell you
indisputably where your heart is. And where your heart is will impact your
level of anxiety and/or worry. Beloved, I pray we as believers eachinvest
wiselyplacing our funds (including our time and talent) into the "bank of
heaven", which returns dividends now (e.g., affecting one's level of anxiety
and/or worry over money and possessions,etc)and will continue to pay
"interest" throughout eternity! Have you everheard of such a fantastic,
"sure", "can'tmiss" deal! But like most "bargaindeals" there are no "rain
checks"available!Once this life is over, the opportunity for this "sale"ceases.
Invest now in the only true security! Invest for eternity in Jesus Christ! You
will never regretyour decisionif you respond affirmatively!
Invest,
Then rest,
Knowing your future is secure
In Christ!
MacDonaldminces no words declaring that…
This teaching forces us to decide if Jesus meantwhat He said. If He did,
then we face the question, “Whatare we going to do with our earthly
treasures?”If He didn’t, then we face the question, “What are we going
to do with our Bible?” (Ibid)
Warren Wiersbe offers some wise words on this section…

Materialismwill enslave the heart (Matt. 6:19-21), the mind (Matt. 6:22-
23), and the will (Mt 6:24). We can become shackledby the material
things of life, but we ought to be liberated and controlled by the Spirit
of God. If the heart loves material things, and puts earthly gain above
heavenly investments, then the result canonly be a tragic loss. The
treasures of earth may be used for God. But if we gather material things
for ourselves, we will lose them; and we will lose our hearts with them.
Instead of spiritual enrichment, we will experience impoverishment.
(Wiersbe, W: Bible ExpositionCommentary. 1989. Victor)
As background to help understanding Jesus'words in this sectionit is notable
that in Jesus'day men would invest in possessions like clothing, grain, gold,
and precious stones, whichthen comprised a source of security with which
they sought to lessenanxiety about the future. The irony of possessionsis that
instead of minimizing anxiety, the possessionsbecome a source ofanxiety
(sometimes even greatangst!), since they are always vulnerable to the vagaries
of decay and loss!How true is the paradox of insecure security!
Brown adds that…
The Palestinianarchaeologistsometimes finds hoards of coins in the
remains of ancient houses. More frequently he finds only traces ofsuch
hoards. The ancient peasantor laborer had very little opportunity to
use hard money; and when it came into his hands, his instinct was to
bury it rather than spend it. He was especiallymoved to hide his little
store of coins at times of political disturbance: and there was always the
danger of thieves or robbers. (The Jerome Biblical Commentary)
MOTHS
Moth (4597)(ses)is from the larger division of order Lepidoptera (Moths,
skippers, and butterflies all belong to this order for all have scale-covered
wings) distinguished from butterflies by generallynocturnal activity and
antennae which are not club-shaped. The moth larva in many cases spins a
cocoonforthe protectionof the pupa or chrysalis, which is never the case with
butterflies. In the Bible the clothes-moth(species ofgenus Tinea)are
relatively tiny insects which lay eggs in woolenclothes upon which the larvae
later feed. Have you not experiencedthis distressing truth on Sunday morning
when you pulled your suit pants on only to see severallarge irregular holes
exposing your skin?! The moth larva feeds and composesa cocoonofits silk
togetherwith fibers of the woolit is eating, so that the colorof the cocoon
depends upon the colorof the fabric! Only the larval stage injures clothing.

Take my word for it - a significantly moth eatengarment is virtually beyond
repair or at best must be re-knit which is not cheap!
Severalmoth species in the family Tineidae are commonly
regardedas pests because their larvae eat fabric such as clothes
and blankets made from natural proteinaceous fibers such as
woolor silk. They are less likely to eatmixed materials containing
artificial fibers. There are some reports that they canbe repelled
by the scentof wood from juniper and cedar, by lavender or by
other natural oils. However, many considerthis unlikely to
prevent infestation. Naphthalene (the chemical used in mothballs)
is consideredmore effective, but there are concerns overits effects
on health. Moth larvae are not killed by freezing the items which
they infest. (from article on economic significance ofmoths - scroll
down)
Ses - 3x in 3v in the NT - Mt 6:19, 20;Luke 12:33HYPERLINK"/luke-12-
commentary#12:33"+
The NET note says that ses "refers to moths in general. It is specificallythe
larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49;BDAG
922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2 (BELOW) which mentions "moth-eaten" clothing."
James minced no words in his address to the worldly rich instructing them
to…
Come now, you rich, weepand howl for your miseries which are coming
upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become
moth-eaten (setobrotos from ses = moth + bibrosko = to eat). Your gold
and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness againstyou
and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have
storedup your treasure!(James 5:1-3)
Moth occurs 7 times in the Septuagint (LXX) always as a figure of speechto
illustrate that which is destructive (Job 13:28; Psalms 39:11;Isaiah50:9; 51:8;
Hosea 5:12) or frail (Job 4:19; 27:18).
Why would Jesus mention "moth"? The ancient world greatly valued clothing
and it was to some extent a measure of an individual's wealth. Today, most
people canbuy mass manufactured clothing with little difficulty, but as one
can imagine such was not the case whenclothing was made by hand. In fact
sometime the rich would have golden threads actually woveninto their
clothing, to display as well as store their wealth! The best quality fabrics were
woven with wool, one of the favorite entrees ofmoth larvae, making their fine
clothes vulnerable to destruction.

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