Matthew 6:21

Mat 6:21. Θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν—καρδία ὑμῶν,[273] your treasure—your heart) Others read θησαυρός σου—καρδία σου, thy treasure—thy heart.[274] The objects which are mentioned in Mat 6:22-23 (consequentia) are in the singular, those which are mentioned in Mat 6:19-20 (antecedentia), with which this verse is connected, are in the plural number. The plural therefore must stand in this verse. The singular, “thesaurus tuus,” “thy treasure,” easily crept into the Latin Vulgate, and was convenient to the Greeks for ascetic discourses. The treasure which YOU collect is called in Luk 12:34 ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, YOUR treasure.—ἔσται, will be) sc. in heaven or in earth respectively.

[273] Thus E. M.—(I. B.)

[274] Θησαυρός σου—καμδία σου is the reading of Babc Vulg. Memph. Theb. Cypr. 239. 303. The change to Sing. from Plur. Mat 6:20, is perhaps to imply that the heart of each individually is to be given to God.—ED.

Such is the reading supported by Bengel in his German Version, where he writes, “Denn wo dein Schatz ist, da wird auch dein Herz seyn.” “For where THY treasure is, there will THY heart be also.” He explains dein Sehatz (thy treasure) by “Thy possession (dein Gut), on which thy Anxiety is set night and day.” In his App. Crit. he supports the reading of the Received Text, and speaks of σου as having crept in from the next verse.—(I. B.)

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat_6:21. For (deep moral obligation to comply with that exhortation) if the treasure which you have gathered is upon earth, so will your heart, with its feelings, dispositions, and tendencies, be also upon the earth as in the congenial sphere of your inner life, will be ethically bound to the earth, and vice versa. From the treasure, which is the result of effort and the object of love, the heart also cannot be separated. In the ground of obligation just stated it is assumed that the believers heart must be in heaven (Php_3:20; Col_3:2 ff.; 2Co_4:17; 1Jn_2:15 ff.).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 6:21 . ὅπου θησ .… ἐκεῖ καρδία . The reflection goes back on the negative counsel in Mat 6:19 . Do not accumulate earthly treasures, for then your heart will be there, whereas it ought to be in heaven with God and the Kingdom of God.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For where your treasure is--that which ye value most.

there will your heart be also--"Thy treasure--thy heart" is probably the true reading here: "your," in Luk 12:34, from which it seems to have come in here. Obvious though this maxim be, by what multitudes who profess to bow to the teaching of Christ is it practically disregarded! "What a man loves," says LUTHER, quoted by THOLUCK, "that is his God. For he carries it in his heart, he goes about with it night and day, he sleeps and wakes with it; be it what it may--wealth or pelf, pleasure or renown." But because "laying up" is not in itself sinful, nay, in some cases enjoined (Co2 12:14), and honest industry and sagacious enterprise are usually rewarded with prosperity, many flatter themselves that all is right between them and God, while their closest attention, anxiety, zeal, and time are exhausted upon these earthly pursuits. To put this right, our Lord adds what follows, in which there is profound practical wisdom.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. Where your treasure is] If God be the treasure of our souls, our hearts, i.e. our affections and desires will be placed on things above. An earthly minded man proves that his treasure is below; a heavenly minded man shows that his treasure is above.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) Where your treasure is.—The words imply the truth, afterwards more definitely asserted, that it is impossible to “serve God and mammon” (Mat_6:24). Men may try to persuade themselves that they will have a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven also, but in the long-run, one or the other will assert its claim to be the treasure, and will claim the no longer divided allegiance of the heart.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. where your treasure is] The words gain point if we think of the hoards buried in the earth.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This seems to be a proverbial expression, and contains in it another reason, dissuading from worldly mindedness; because of the danger the heart is in of being ensnared and ruined thereby: and the sense of it is, if your treasure is on earth, and lies in earthly things, your hearts will be set upon them, and be in them, in your bags, your coffers and storehouses; and so your souls will be in danger of being lost; which loss will be an irreparable one, though you should gain the whole world. But if your treasure is put into the hands of God, your hearts will be with him, and be settled on him; your desires will be after heavenly things; your affections will be set on things above; your conversation will be in heaven, whilst you are on earth; and that will be the place and seat of your happiness, to all eternity.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This seems to be a proverbial expression, and contains in it another reason, dissuading from worldly mindedness; because of the danger the heart is in of being ensnared and ruined thereby: and the sense of it is, if your treasure is on earth, and lies in earthly things, your hearts will be set upon them, and be in them, in your bags, your coffers and storehouses; and so your souls will be in danger of being lost; which loss will be an irreparable one, though you should gain the whole world. But if your treasure is put into the hands of God, your hearts will be with him, and be settled on him; your desires will be after heavenly things; your affections will be set on things above; your conversation will be in heaven, whilst you are on earth; and that will be the place and seat of your happiness, to all eternity.

Matthew 6:22

mat 6:22

mat 6:22

mat 6:22The light of the body is the eye,.... Or, the "candle of the body is the eye"; for the eye is that in the body, as a candle is in the house; by the light of it, the several members of the body perform their office; and what is said of the eye of the body, is transferred to the eye of the mind:

if therefore thine eye be single: that is, if thy mind be liberal, generous, and bountiful: for Christ is still upon the same subject of liberality, and against covetousness; and here speaks entirely in the language of the Jews, who could easily understand him; in whose writings we read of three sorts of eyes; a good eye, a middling one, and an evil one; so in the offerings of the first fruits (s),

, "a good eye" gave the fortieth, the house Shammai say, the thirtieth part; a middling one, the fiftieth; and an evil one, the sixtieth part.''

Upon which the commentators say (t), a "good eye" means one that is liberal, and an "evil eye" the contrary: hence you often read (u) of "trading, dedicating", and "giving with a good" or "an evil eye"; that is, either generously, liberally, or in a niggardly and grudging manner; which may help us to the sense of our Lord in these words; whose meaning is, that if a man is not covetous, but his mind is disposed to generosity and liberality; if this be the case, as if he should say,

thy whole body shall be full of light: all thy actions will be influenced by this noble principle; thy whole life will be illuminated, guided and governed by it; thy mind will be cheerful and pleasant, and thy estate and condition will be prosperous and successful.

(s) Misn. Trumot, c. 4. sect. 3. (t) Maimon. Bartenora & Ez. Chayim in ib. (u) T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 37. 2. & 71. 1. & 72. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Ver. 21. For where your treasure is, &c.] i.e. Where your chief happiness is, there your affections will be settled: where the carcase is, there will the eagles be also. Beetles delight in muck hills; but Christ’s eagles are never in their pride till farthest off from the earth: they are said (even here) to "be set together with Christ in heavenly places," Eph 2:6. The Church in the Canticles hath this given her for a high commendation, that she had a "nose like the tower of Lebanon," Son 7:4. Si verborum faciem spectemus, saith an interpreter, quid poterit magis dici ridiculum? The words at first sight seem somewhat strange; for what so great a praise is it to have a nose like a tower? But by this expression is notably set forth that spiritual sagacity and sharpness of smell, whereby the saints resent and savour the things above, being carried after Christ, the true carcase, with unspeakable desire and delight. The earthly minded, that have their bellies filled with God’s hidden treasure, the trash of this world, and take it for their portion, Psa 17:14; these have their heads so stuffed and their eyes so stopped with the dust of covetousness, that they neither see nor savour heavenly things. As they are of the earth, so they speak of the earth, and the earth hears them, Joh 3:31. As the grasshopper is bred, liveth, and dieth in the same ground, so these terrigenae fratres, these muck-minded men, are wholly earth in their whole course; and as the grasshopper hath wings but flieth not, sometimes she hoppeth upwards a little, but falleth to the ground again; so these have some light and short motions to godliness, when they hear a piercing sermon, or feel a pressing affliction, or see others snatched away by sudden death before them; but this is not of any long continuance, they return to their former worldliness. The devil hath gotten full possession of them, as once of Judas by this sin; and could a man rip up their hearts he might find there fair written, "The god of this present world," 2Co 5:4. He holds his black hand before their eyes, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine upon them. We cry, "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord;" but the devil hath made a pathway over their hearts, so that the seed cannot enter. Earth is cold and dry, so are earthly minded men to any holy duty. Earth is heavy, and bears downward, so do earthly affections. Earth doth often keep down the hot exhalations that naturally would ascend; so do those, holy motions and meditations. Earth stands still, and hath the whole circumference carried about it; so are God’s mercies and judgments about earthly minded men, and they are no whit moved thereat. Grace, on the other side, as fire, is active and aspiring. And as Moses would not be put off with an angel to go before the people, he would have God himself, or none; so the true Christian must have Christ, or nothing will give him content. Christ is his treasure, and hath his heart; all his cry is, "None but Christ, none but Christ." As the sun draws up vapours, so doth the Sun of righteousness the affections of his people. And as the hop in its growing windeth itself about the pole, always following the course of the sun, from east to west, and can by no means be drawn to the contrary, choosing rather to break than yield; so the saints (as well militant as triumphant) do "follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth;" and being risen with Christ, and spiritualized by him, they seek the things that are above; their thoughts feed upon the fairest objects (such as are those set down by the apostle, Php 4:8), and run with much content, upon that firmament and those stars, in Daniel; that inheritance undefiled and unfadable, in Peter; {a} those palms and white robes, in the Revelation. They take ever and anon a turn or two on Tabor, and are there transfigured with Christ; or on Mount Olivet, where he was taken up, and have thence continual ascensions in their hearts. And as our Saviour in the interim between his resurrection and ascension, while he walked here on the earth, spake "of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God," and waited for his exaltation into heaven, Act 1:3; so the faithful Christian (that hath his part in the first resurrection) walks, in his measure, as Christ walked, talks as he talked, he speaks of the things concerning the King, and therein his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer, 1Jn 2:6; Psa 45:1. Of Origen it is said that he was ever earnest, but never more than when he treats of Christ. {b} And of St Paul it is well observed, that when he speaketh of heaven he useth a transcendent, lofty kind of language, his speech riseth higher and higher, as 2Co 4:17, a degree above the superlative: so Php 1:23, to be with Christ is far, far the better: so 1Th 2:19. {c} See how the apostle’s mouth is opened, his heart enlarged, he cannot satisfy himself, nor utter his conceptions. This a Christian can do, he can sigh out a cupio dissolvi, " I desire to be with Christ," whom as he more or less enjoyeth here, in the same measure he is merry; like as birds never sing so sweetly as when they are gotten in the air, or on the top of trees. As when Christ withdraws his gracious presence and influence, he is all amort, you may take him up for a dead man. He cries after Christ, as idolatrous Micah did after his lost gods, Jdg 18:14. And as King Edward III, having the King of France prisoner here in England, and feasting him one time most sumptuously, pressed him to be merry; the French King answered, "How can we sing songs in a strange land?" So the good soul is in great heaviness while Christ absents himself, and never heartily merry till she get home to him, till she lay hold on him whom her soul loveth.

{a} Dan 12:3. αμιαντος και αμαραντος, 1Pe 1:4.

{b} Nusquam Origenes non ardet, sed nusquam est ardentior, quam ubi Christi sermones actusque tractat. Erasmus.

{c} Hic oratio altius assurgit, &c. Rolloc.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. Where your treasure is, there… heart — If your treasure is earthly, your heart is earthly.

Now, our Lord condemns no true earthly good, no true earthly enjoyment; he simply claims that in these shall not consist our treasures; and that all their value shall consist in their enabling us to be better servants of God and winners of the true treasures. For this purpose a single eye is necessary, as shown in the next two verses.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For where. A further reason for laying up treasures in heaven: wherever they are they have a positive effect on the soul. Your treasure; thy (Revised Version). The singular was altered by the copyists so as to correspond with the plural found in the earlier part of the utterance and in the undisputed text of Luke. But our Lord loves to speak to each soul individually. Your heart. (Mat_5:8, note)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luke xi, 34.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

21. For. This introduces a reason for the preceding precepts. Where thy treasure is will be thy heart. This states a universal truth. A man's heart will be upon what he treasures most. If his treasure is in heaven, heaven will have his heart.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

21. σου is rightly restored for ὑμῶν. The sing. individualises the action.

21. ὅπου … ὁ θησαυρός. The words gain point if we think of the hoards buried in the earth.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21.] The connexion with the foregoing is plain enough to any but the shallowest reader. ‘The heart is, where the treasure is.’ But it might be replied, ‘I will have a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven also: a divided affection.’ This is dealt with, and its impracticability shewn by a parable from nature.

22,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. For where thy treasure is, there will be thy heart also.] Luk 12:34 has: “For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.