*** As Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We should no more reject the blessing of prosperity than we should covet it, which would be idolatry. ***

Date:   3/9/2017 9:08:54 PM ( 7 y ago)

Matthew 6:19
Note on Matthew 6:19
The Greek for this phrase “Lay not up” is literally “THESAURIZO ME THESAURIZO.” THESAURIZO means “to amass or reserve (literally or figuratively)” (Strong’s Concordance). The word ME is “a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas <3756> expresses an absolute denial)” (Strong’s Concordance). This means this command not to lay up treasure for ourselves is not absolute. In fact, there are scriptures that enjoin us to lay up treasures for ourselves and offspring. 2 Corinthians 12:14 says, “For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” How could the Lord bless our stores if we never store anything up (Deuteronomy 28:5)? We cannot leave an inheritance for our grandchildren if we never save anything.
How does Jesus’ statement here square with commands given to us to leave an inheritance for our children’s children? Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” The answer is that it is not about laying up treasure for ourselves. It is about laying up treasure for our children and grandchildren. I think this could be expanded to say that prosperity so that we can bless others or the kingdom of God is not a violation of this verse.
Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 36 at Matthew 6:19: If isolated from the rest of God’s Word, there are some scriptures that could be interpreted to say that having money or wealth is wrong (Psalms 37:16; Proverbs 10:2, 11:4, 28, 13:7, 15:16-17, 16:8, 23:4-5, 28:8, 20, 22, 30:8-9; Ecclesiastes 5:10-15; Jeremiah 9:23; Matthew 6:19-34, 13:22, 19:23-24; Luke 12:15-21; 1 Timothy 6:4-11, and 17-19). However, there are other scriptures that speak of riches as a blessing (Genesis 13:2, 6, 24:35; Deuteronomy 8:18, 28:1-14; 1 Kings 3:11-13, 10:21-23; 2 Kings 20:13; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Job 1:3; Psalms 112:3; Proverbs 3:13-16, 8:1, 18, 21, 21:20; Matthew 6:33; Mark 10:28-30; 2 Corinthians 8:9; and 3 John 2).
The harmony between these two apparently opposite positions is that money is neither good nor bad. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and many have committed that sin who don’t have a dime. The love of things (covetousness) is idolatry and that is what Jesus was addressing.
Jesus gave this same teaching another time, recorded in Luke 12:22-32. His teaching in Luke (which is nearly word for word the same as here in Matthew 6) was in response to a man who asked Jesus to arbitrate the dividing of his family’s inheritance. Jesus warned the man concerning covetousness, taught a parable about the rich fool, and then spoke of seeking first the kingdom of God. Through this, it is easy to see that Jesus was not speaking against riches but rather covetousness.

Because it is so easy to lust after money and the things it can provide, the Lord established a system whereby prosperity is a byproduct of putting God first. As Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We should no more reject the blessing of prosperity than we should covet it, which would be idolatry.

Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.

 

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