Matthew 6:19-21

Lasting Treasure

6:19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth ¹  and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 6:20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 6:21 For where your ²  treasure ³  is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 24:28

24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures ⁴  will gather. ⁵ 

Matthew 8:19

8:19 Then ⁶  an expert in the law ⁷  came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁸ 

Matthew 28:6

28:6 He is not here, for he has been raised, ⁹  just as he said. Come and see the place where he ¹⁰  was lying.

Matthew 13:5

13:5 Other ¹¹  seeds fell on rocky ground ¹²  where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. ¹³ 

Matthew 26:13

26:13 I tell you the truth, ¹⁴  wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Matthew 26:57

Condemned by the Sanhedrin

26:57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house ¹⁵  the experts in the law ¹⁶  and the elders had gathered.

Matthew 25:24

25:24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed,

Matthew 25:26

25:26 But his master answered, ¹⁷  ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter?

¹ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

² tn The pronouns in this verse are singular while the pronouns in vv. 19-20 are plural. The change to singular emphasizes personal responsibility as opposed to corporate responsibility; even if others do not listen, the one who hears Jesus’ commands should obey.

³ sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so.

³ tn The same Greek term can refer to “eagles” or “vultures” (L&N 4.42; BDAG 22 s.v. ἀετός), but in this context it must mean vultures because the gruesome image is one of dead bodies being consumed by scavengers.

⁴ tn Grk “will be gathered.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in English.

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then.”

⁵ tn Or “a scribe.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

⁶ sn The statement I will follow you wherever you go is an offer to follow Jesus as a disciple, no matter what the cost.

⁵ tn The verb here is passive (ἠγέρθη, hgerqh). This “divine passive” (see ExSyn 437-38) points to the fact that Jesus was raised by God.

⁶ tc Expansions on the text, especially when the Lord is the subject, are a common scribal activity. In this instance, since the subject is embedded in the verb, three major variants have emerged to make the subject explicit: ὁ κύριος (Jo kurio", “the Lord”; A C D L W 0148 Ë^1,13 Ï lat), τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου (to swma tou kuriou, “the body of the Lord”; 1424 pc), and ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo Ihsou", “Jesus”; Φ). The reading with no explicit subject, however, is superior on both internal and external grounds, being supported by א B Θ 33 892* pc co.

⁶ tn Here and in vv. 7 and 8 δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁷ sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.

⁸ tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”

⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁸ tn Grk “where.”

⁹ tn Or “where the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

⁹ tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.