Matthew
6:19-34
Lesson 11
6:19-34
Lesson 11
Matthew 6:19-34
Money and worry 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. |
Margin notes:
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth." (6:19) - Since contentment comes with Godliness, we should "seek those things which are above (Colossians 3:1). Commit to Jesus and practice righteousness, faith, love, patience, good works, and gentleness. Adding these to your life, being a good Christian role model, and spreading the good news of Jesus (1 Timothy 6:6-16) is how to build a treasure in heaven. "Moth and rust doth corrupt." (6:19) - "Moths and rust destroy." "If therefore thine eye be single." (6:22) - "Therefore if your eye is healthy." Jesus repeats this message in Luke 11:34. See questions one and two below. "If thine eye be evil." (6:23) - "If your eye is not good." "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness." (6:23) - "If the light in you is really darkness." "No man can serve two masters." (6:24) - We cannot serve spiritual and material things at the same time. Jesus reinforces this teaching in Luke 16:13. "He will hold to the one." (6:24) - "He will be devoted to one." "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (6:24) - "You can't serve God and money." "Take no thought for your life." (6:25) - "Don't worry about this life." "Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" (6:25) - "Isn't life about more than food, and the body about more than clothes." "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" (6:27) - This is an old Greek phrase that means, "Which of you can add one minute to your life by worrying?" "Solomon." (6:29) - The son of King David and Bath-Sheba (2 Samuel 12:24), and the third king of Israel. Famous for his great wisdom (1 Kings 3:12; 4:34; 5:7; 10:4-8), Solomon (meaning "peaceable") ruled Israel for forty years (I Kings 11:42), from 965 to 925 BC. He was the most powerful and famous king of his day. His intellect was renowned. Scholars, kings, and queens traveled long distances to meet him (1 Kings 10:1-2). Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1; 9:1; 1 Chronicles 28:6), forged military and commercial pacts (1 Kings 5:12) with other nations, wrote the Old Testament books of "Ecclesiastes," "Song of Solomon," most of Proverbs and part of Psalms. He penned 1,005 songs and was interested in everything from botany to science, politics, commerce, poetry, and animal husbandry (1 Kings 4:32-33). However, Solomon lost the loyalty of the Jewish people when he overtaxed them. He praised God (2 Chronicles 6:12-14) but eventually turned his back on Him (1 Kings 11:4-6; 11:9). Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Some of his wives were pagan idolaters. To satisfy them, Solomon built pagan altars and introduced heathenism into the Kingdom. Fortunately, Solomon repented. After Solomon died, his Kingdom was split in two. The northern half was called Israel, and the southern half Judah. You can read more about Solomon in 2 Samuel 12:24-1 Kings 11:43 and 2 Chronicles 1:1-10:19. "O ye of little faith?" (6:30) - The Encarta ® World English Dictionary defines faith as; "belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof." In the Bible, "faith is the ability to feel so sure of God, that, no matter how dark the day, there is no doubt as to the outcome. For God's people there is a glorious future. It may be a long way off. But it is absolutely sure." ("Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 373). Faith is necessary for our salvation. The word "faith" appears only twice in the Old Testament but 229 times in the New Testament. "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" (6:31) - "How will we be clothed?" "Gentiles." (6:32) - "Unbelievers." "Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (6:32) - God knows our needs. Jesus is repeating His teaching from verse 6:8 (lesson 10). He reminds us again in Luke 12:30. "All these things shall be added unto you." (6:33) - "All these things will be given to you," as promised in Isaiah 30:23 and Philippians 4:19. "Take therefore no thought for the morrow." (6:34) - "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow." "Evil." (6:34) - In this context, evil means trouble or hardship. |