Matthew 6:19-20

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 6:19

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth - Treasures, or wealth, among the ancients, consisted in clothes or changes of raiment, as well as in gold, silver, gems, wine, lands, and oil. It meant an abundance of “anything” that was held to be conducive to the ornament or comfort of life. As the Orientals delighted much in display, in splendid equipage, and costly garments, their treasures, in fact, consisted much in beautiful and richly-ornamented articles of apparel. See Genesis 45:22,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 6:20-21

Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven - That is, have provision made for your eternal felicity. Do not exhaust your strength and spend your days in providing for the life here, but let your chief anxiety be to be prepared for eternity. Compare the notes at Isaiah 55:2. In heaven nothing corrupts; nothing terminates; no enemies plunder or destroy. To have treasure in heaven is to possess evidence that its purity and joys will be ours. It is to be heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 6:19-21

Matthew 6:19-21. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth Our Lord here makes a transition from religious to common actions, and warns us of another snare, the love of money and earthly things, as inconsistent with purity of intention as the love of praise: where moth and rust doth corrupt, &c. Where all things are perishable and transient. “In the eastern countries, where the fashion of clothes did not alter as with us, the treasures of the rich consisted not only of gold and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:19-34

42. Concern about material things (Matthew 6:19-34; Luke 12:22-34)People who come into the kingdom of God should not view the material things of earthly life as others view them. They should put God’s interests first and be generous in giving to others. Those who set their hearts on material things are being disloyal to God, and guarantee bitter disappointment for themselves in the end (Matthew 6:19-21).To illustrate the results of right and wrong attitudes to material things, Jesus referred to... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 6:19

AS TO RICHES. Lay . . . up = Treasure . . . up. corrupt = cause to vanish. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 6:19

Lay, not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth; where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal.Christians must curb the acquisitive and hoarding instincts. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15). Earthly possessions cannot satisfy. This can be illustrated in nearly any community, indeed in almost every life. Say that one is a collector of souvenir spoons, plates, salt shakers, stamps, coins, or ANYTHING, and... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 6:20

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.The inducement that giving to righteous causes is for "yourselves" should not be overlooked. All that one gives or does for the kingdom of God will accrue to his eternal credit. Not even a cup of cold water will lose its reward (Matthew 10:42). read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 6:19-21

Matthew 6:19-21. Lay not up, &c.— By taking a general review of what we have been hitherto taught in this divine sermon, we shall be led more distinctly to the meaning of the words now before us. After the beatitudes, our Saviour goes on to treat of justice, that is, duty in general. And first he shews the extent of it; I mean, how far its obligations reach. He begins with a general proposition, ch. Mat 5:20 and this he illustrates and exemplifies in many instances, which fill up the... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 6:19

19. Lay not up for ourselves treasures upon earth—hoard not. where moth—a "clothes-moth." Eastern treasures, consisting partly in costly dresses stored up ( :-), were liable to be consumed by moths (Job 13:28; Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8). In James 5:2 there is an evident reference to our Lord's words here. and rust—any "eating into" or "consuming"; here, probably, "wear and tear." doth corrupt—cause to disappear. By this reference to moth and rust our Lord would teach how perishable are such... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 6:20

20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven—The language in Luke ( :-) is very bold—"Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not," &c. where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal—Treasures these, imperishable and unassailable! (Compare Colossians 3:2). read more

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