Matthew 6:19-21

Matthew 6:19-21

[19] not  up  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust  doth corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break through  and  steal:  [20] But  lay up  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth corrupt,  and  where  thieves  not  break through  nor  steal:  [21] For  where  treasure  there  heart  also. 

What does Matthew 6:19-21 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

In view of the imminence of the kingdom, Jesus" disciples should "stop laying up treasures on earth." [1] Jesus called for a break with their former practice. Money is not intrinsically evil. The wise person works hard and makes financial provision for lean times ( Proverbs 6:6-8). Believers have a responsibility to provide for their needy relatives ( 1 Timothy 5:8) and to be generous with others in need. We can enjoy what God has given us ( 1 Timothy 4:3-4; 1 Timothy 6:17). What Jesus forbade here was selfishness. Misers hoard more than they need ( James 5:2-3). Materialists always want more. It is the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil ( 1 Timothy 6:10).
"What Jesus precludes here is the accumulation of massive amounts of treasure as a life goal." [2]
It is foolish to accumulate great quantities of goods because they are perishable. Moths eat clothing, a major form of wealth in the ancient Near East. "Rust" (Gr. brosis) refers to the destructive force of rats and mildew as well as the corrosion that eats metal. [3] Thieves can carry off just about anything in one way or another.
The treasures in heaven Jesus spoke of were the rewards God will give His faithful followers ( Matthew 5:12; Matthew 5:30; Matthew 5:46; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:15; cf. Matthew 10:42; Matthew 18:5; Matthew 25:40; 2 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Timothy 6:13-19). They are the product of truly good works. These are secure in heaven, and God will dispense them to the faithful at His appointed time (cf. 1 Peter 1:4).
The thing that a person values most highly inevitably occupies the center of his or her heart. The heart is the center of the personality, and it controls the intellect, emotions, and will. [4]
"If honour is reckoned the supreme good, the minds of men must be wholly occupied with ambition: if money, covetousness will immediately predominate: if pleasure, it will be impossible to prevent men from sinking into brutal indulgence." [5]
On the other hand if a person values eternal riches most highly, he or she will pursue kingdom values (cf. Colossians 3:1-2; Revelation 14:13). Some Christians believe that it is always carnal to desire and to work for eternal rewards, but Jesus commanded us to do precisely that (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Serving the Lord to obtain a reward to glorify oneself is obviously wrong, but to serve Him to obtain a reward that one may lay at His feet as an act of worship is not (cf. Revelation 4:10).
"What does it mean to lay up treasures in heaven? It means to use all that we have for the glory of God. It means to "hang loose" when it comes to the material things of life. It also means measuring life by the true riches of the kingdom and not by the false riches of this world." [6]