Matthew 6:19-34 - Choose your Treasure - by Jeff Byerley

Study on Matt 6:19-34 Choose your Treasure

Outline of Passage
6:19-21 Lay Up Treasures in Heaven.
6:22-23 The Lamp of the Body
6:24 You Cannot Serve God and Riches.
6:25-34 Do not Worry

Our Reflections
1. Why would Jesus' warning about wealth surprise the Jews (vv19-21, 24)?
2. What do verses 22-23 mean in regard to the "good" and "bad" eye?
3. What does it matter whether we worry or not (vv.25-34)?

Our Conclusions

This passage follows on from the first half of Ch.6, that might be titled “Choose Your Reward”. Jesus warned importantly about how to give, pray and fast. The hypocrite Pharisees were choosing earthly rewards rather than heavenly rewards. Now Jesus uses examples from every day concerns to show how to choose your treasure. We are to remember that people mostly lived in simple homes, which they often used to also shelter their live stock. Conditions were often very unhygienic compared to our modern way of life. Famine, hunger, poverty, disease and death were never far from the door. After exiled Jews returned from Babylon, they never again worshiped carved idols etc. There were new subtle idols of materialism, riches and self, things our world would be very familiar with.
10 Why would Jesus' warning about wealth surprise the Jews (vv19-21, 24)?

The Jews remembered that God blessed Abraham with wealth (Gen.13:2). Likewise God blessed Joseph who used his wealth and power to give refuge to his family (Gen.42:33-36; 45:71). Moreover, the story of Job shows God restoring his wealth as a result of his faithfulness (Job 42:10-15). So the Jews sought after wealth because they believed it was a blessing from God. No doubt they also sought it because it gave them a sense of power, security and contempt of the poor! Jesus, gives a stark choice , choose God or riches. The earlier OT examples do include rich servants of God, but their hearts were focused on God, not riches for its own sake. Yet we are to be on guard for the temptation is always there (Matt.19:24).

20 What do verses 22-23 mean in regard to having a “good” or “bad” eye?

“22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”
William Barclay points out that the Authorised Version uses the words “single” and “evil”, rather than “good” and “bad”. These are valid translations of the Greek words “haplous” and “poneros”. But in other scripture passages they are translated “generous” and “grudging”. This fits in with Jesus teaching on treasures. Again there is the choice of focusing on the generosity of God or the grudging life of focusing on what the world offers. Consider those who feast their eyes upon pornography and violent films and video games. We remember Martin Bryant and the Port Arthur massacre amongst others. There can be no divided loyalties with Christ. There is no middle ground.

30 What does it matter whether we worry or not (vv. 25-34)?

Worrying about things is a sign of a lack of trust in God. More to the point, it can become an idol in that we take our eyes off Jesus and start placing our security (heart) in the things of the world. This commands an inordinate amount of our time, energy, resources and priorities, which should be devoted to Christ and his kingdom.