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.

Luke 12:18-20

12:18 Then ⁴  he said, ‘I ⁵  will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 12:19 And I will say to myself, ⁶  “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 12:20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life ⁷  will be demanded back from ⁸  you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ⁹ 

Luke 12:33

12:33 Sell your possessions ¹⁰  and give to the poor. ¹¹  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ¹²  that never decreases, ¹³  where no thief approaches and no moth ¹⁴  destroys.

Luke 16:9-13

16:9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, ¹⁵  so that when it runs out you will be welcomed ¹⁶  into the eternal homes. ¹⁷ 

16:10 “The one who is faithful in a very little ¹⁸  is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 16:11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy ¹⁹  in handling worldly wealth, ²⁰  who will entrust you with the true riches? ²¹  16:12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy ²²  with someone else’s property, ²³  who will give you your own ²⁴ ? 16:13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate ²⁵  the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise ²⁶  the other. You cannot serve God and money.” ²⁷ 

[6:19]  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.

[6:21]  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.

[6:21]  ³ sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so.

[12:18]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[12:18]  ⁵ sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.

[12:19]  ⁶ tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.

[12:20]  ⁷ tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

[12:20]  ⁸ tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).

[12:20]  ⁹ tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:33]  ¹⁰ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

[12:33]  ¹¹ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

[12:33]  ¹² tn Grk “in the heavens.”

[12:33]  ¹³ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

[12:33]  ¹⁴ 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.

[16:9]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “unrighteous mammon.” Mammon is the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19. The call is to be generous and kind in its use. Zacchaeus becomes the example of this in Luke’s Gospel (19:1-10).

[16:9]  ¹⁶ sn The passive refers to the welcome of heaven.

[16:9]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “eternal tents” (as dwelling places).

[16:10]  ¹⁸ sn The point of the statement faithful in a very little is that character is shown in how little things are treated.

[16:11]  ¹⁹ tn Or “faithful.”

[16:11]  ²⁰ tn Grk “the unrighteous mammon.” See the note on the phrase “worldly wealth” in v. 9.

[16:11]  ²¹ sn Entrust you with the true riches is a reference to future service for God. The idea is like 1 Cor 9:11, except there the imagery is reversed.

[16:12]  ²² tn Or “faithful.”

[16:12]  ²³ tn Grk “have not been faithful with what is another’s.”

[16:12]  ²⁴ tn Grk “what is your own.”

[16:13]  ²⁵ sn The contrast between hate and love here is rhetorical. The point is that one will choose the favorite if a choice has to be made.

[16:13]  ²⁶ tn Or “and treat [the other] with contempt.”

[16:13]  ²⁷ tn Grk “God and mammon.” This is the same word (μαμωνᾶς, mamwnas; often merely transliterated as “mammon”) translated “worldly wealth” in vv. 9, 11.