Matthew 6:19

King James Version

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Contextual Overview

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Job 31:24, Psalms 39:6, Psalms 62:10, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 16:16, Proverbs 23:5, Ecclesiastes 2:26, Ecclesiastes 5:10-14, Zephaniah 1:18, Luke 12:21, Luke 18:24, 1 Timothy 6:8-10, 1 Timothy 6:17, Hebrews 13:5, James 5:1-3, 1 John 2:15, 1 John 2:16

Reciprocal: Exodus 16:20 - bred worms Exodus 22:2 - breaking Deuteronomy 17:17 - neither shall he Judges 14:12 - change Job 21:19 - layeth Job 27:16 - prepare raiment Proverbs 2:4 - thou Proverbs 8:18 - durable Proverbs 21:20 - treasure Ecclesiastes 5:14 - those Isaiah 23:18 - it shall Ezekiel 26:12 - make a spoil Obadiah 1:6 - are the Matthew 7:24 - whosoever Matthew 19:21 - go Mark 10:21 - treasure Luke 12:19 - Soul Luke 12:33 - provide Luke 16:9 - Make Luke 18:22 - sell John 6:27 - the meat 2 Corinthians 6:10 - and Philippians 3:20 - our Colossians 1:5 - laid Colossians 3:2 - not 1 Timothy 6:19 - Laying 2 Timothy 4:8 - there Hebrews 10:34 - in yourselves that ye have James 5:2 - Your riches

Cross-References

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Gill's Notes on the Bible

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,.... Meaning either treasures that are of an earthly nature and kind, the more valuable and excellent things of the earth, worldly wealth and riches; or the things and places, in which these are laid up, as bags, chests, or coffers, barns and other treasuries, private or public. Christ here dissuades from covetousness, and worldly mindedness; an anxious care and concern, to hoard up plenty of worldly things for themselves, for time to come, making no use of them at present for the good of others: and this he does, from the nature of the things themselves; the places where they are laid up; the difficulty of keeping them; and their liableness to be corrupted or lost.

Where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal. Garments, formerly, were a considerable part of the treasures of great men, as well as gold and silver; see Job 27:16. So according to the m Targumist, Haman is bid to go לבית גנזי דמלכא, "to the king's treasury", and take from thence one of the purple garments, the best, and raiment of the best silk, c. and these were liable to be eaten with the moth, James 5:2. The word translated rust, does not here signify the rust of metals, as gold and silver by which there is not so much damage done, so as to destroy them, and make them useless; but whatever corrupts and consumes things eatable, as blasting and mildew in corn, or any sort of vermin in granaries: for gold and silver, or money, with jewels and precious stones, which make a very great part of worldly treasure, seem to be more particularly designed, by what thieves break through into houses for, and carry away. So that here are three sorts of earthly treasures pointed at, which are liable to be corrupted, or taken away: garments, which may be destroyed, and rendered useless for wearing; provisions of things eatable, as all sorts of corn and grain, which may be so corrupted by smut and vermin, as not to be fit for use; and money and jewels, which may be stolen by thieves: so that no sort of worldly riches and treasure is safe, and to be depended on; and therefore it is a great folly and vanity to lay it up, and trust in it.

m Targum Sheni. in Esth. vi. 10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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, where Joseph gave to his brethren “changes of raiment;” Joshua 7:21, where Achan coveted and secreted “a goodly Babylonian garment.” Compare also Judges 14:12. This fact will account for the use of the word “moth.” When we speak of “wealth,” we think at once of gold, and silver, and lands, and houses. When a Hebrew or an Orientalist spoke of wealth, he thought first of what would make a “display;” and included, as an essential part, splendid articles of dress. The “moth” is a small insect that finds its way to clothes and garments, and destroys them. The “moth” would destroy their apparel, the “rust” their silver and gold; thus all their treasure would waste away. The word rendered “rust” signifies anything which “eats into,” and hence, anything which would consume one’s property, and may have a wider signification than mere rust.

And where thieves break through and steal - The houses in the East were not unfrequently made of clay hardened in the sun, or of loose stones, and hence it was comparatively easy, as it was not uncommon, for thieves to “dig through” the wall, and effect an entrance in that way. See the notes at Job 24:16.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 6:19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth — What blindness is it for a man to lay up that as a treasure which must necessarily perish! A heart designed for God and eternity is terribly degraded by being fixed on those things which are subject to corruption. "But may we not lay up treasure innocently?" Yes.

1st. If you can do it without setting your heart on it, which is almost impossible: and

2dly. If there be neither widows nor orphans, destitute nor distressed persons in the place where you live.

"But there is a portion which belongs to my children; shall I distribute that among the poor?" If it belongs to your children, it is not yours, and therefore you have no right to dispose of it. "But I have a certain sum in stock, c. shall I take that and divide it among the poor?" By no means; for, by doing so, you would put it out of your power to do good after the present division: keep your principal, and devote, if you possibly can spare it, the product to the poor; and thus you shall have the continual ability to do good. In the mean time take care not to shut up your bowels of compassion against a brother in distress; if you do, the love of God cannot dwell in you.

Rust — Or canker, βρωσις, from βρωσκω, I eat, consume. This word cannot be properly applied to rust, but to any thing that consumes or cankers clothes or metals. There is a saying exactly similar to this in the Institutes of MENU: speaking of the presents made to Brahmins, he says, "It is a gem which neither thieves nor foes take away, and which never perishes." Chapter of Government, Institute 83.

Where thieves do not break through — διορυσσουσι, literally dig through, i.e. the wall, in order to get into the house. This was not a difficult matter, as the house was generally made of mud and straw, kneaded together like the cobb houses in Cornwall, and other places. Matthew 7:27.