Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 6:19-21

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also." — Matthew 6:19-21 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: After driving away the disease of vanity, He rightly introduces the topic of contempt for riches. For there is no greater cause for the desire for money than the love of praise. For this reason, people desire troops of slaves, horses adorned with gold, and silver tables—not for use or pleasure, but so they may be seen by many. Therefore, He says, Lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For if anyone does a work with the intention of gaining an earthly good, how can his heart be pure while it is focused on earthly things? For anything that is mixed with an inferior nature is polluted by it, even if that inferior thing is pure in its own kind. Thus, gold is alloyed when mixed with pure silver; in the same way, our mind is defiled by the desire for earthly things, even though the earth is pure in its own kind.¹

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, since the Lord had not previously taught about alms, prayer, or fasting, but had only rebuked the pretense of them, He now proceeds to deliver a teaching in three parts, following the division He made before. First, He counsels that alms should be given; second, He shows the benefit of almsgiving; and third, He teaches that the fear of poverty should not hinder our commitment to giving alms.

St. John Chrysostom: Saying, Lay not up for yourselves treasure on earth, He adds, where rust and moth destroy, to show the insecurity of treasure here and the advantage of treasure in heaven, considering both the location and the things that cause harm. It is as if He had said: Why do you fear that your wealth will be consumed if you give alms? Indeed, you should give alms, and your wealth will increase, for the treasures in heaven will be added to it. But those earthly treasures perish if you do not give alms. He did not say, "You leave them to others," because that idea is often pleasant to people.

Rabanus Maurus: Here are three warnings corresponding to three different kinds of wealth. Metals are destroyed by rust and clothes by moths. But since there are other things, like precious stones, that fear neither rust nor moth, He therefore names a common danger: thieves, who can steal wealth of all kinds.²

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Another reading is, Where moth and banqueting consume. For a threefold destruction awaits all the goods of this life. They either decay and are eaten by moths, like cloth; are consumed by their owner's luxurious living; or are plundered by strangers—whether by violence, theft, false accusation, or some other injustice. For all who rush to make other people's goods their own by any unlawful means can be called thieves.

But you might ask, "Do all who have these things necessarily lose them?" I would answer that while not all do, many do.

Besides, you have lost ill-hoarded wealth spiritually, if not actually, because it does not contribute to your salvation.

Rabanus Maurus: Allegorically, rust denotes the pride that obscures the brightness of virtue. The moth, which secretly eats away at garments, represents the jealousy that corrodes good intentions and destroys the bond of unity. Thieves denote heretics and demons, who are always on the watch to rob people of their spiritual treasure.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: But the praise of Heaven is eternal; it cannot be carried off by an invading thief, nor consumed by the moth and rust of envy.

St. Augustine of Hippo: By "heaven" in this passage, I do not mean the physical heavens, for everything that has a body is earthly. Instead, it is fitting that the whole world be despised by the one who lays up his treasure in that Heaven of which it is said, The heaven of heavens is the Lord's (Psalm 115:16)—that is, in the spiritual firmament. For heaven and earth shall pass away (Matthew 24:35), but we ought not to place our treasure in what passes away, but in what abides forever.³

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Which, then, is better? To place your treasure on earth, where its security is doubtful, or in Heaven, where it will be preserved with certainty? What folly it is to leave it in this place, from which you must soon depart, and not send it ahead to where you are going. Therefore, place your substance where your true country is.

St. John Chrysostom: But since not every earthly treasure is destroyed by rust or moths or carried away by thieves, He introduces another motive: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is as much as to say: Even if none of these losses should happen to you, you will still sustain a significant loss by attaching your affections to earthly things, becoming a slave to them, falling away from Heaven, and being unable to think of anything lofty.

St. Jerome: This must be understood to apply not only to money, but to all our possessions. The god of a glutton is his belly, and the god of a lover is his lust. In this way, every person serves that to which he is in bondage, and his heart is wherever his treasure is.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Alternatively, He now teaches the benefit of almsgiving. The one who places his treasure on earth has nothing to look for in Heaven. For why should he look up to Heaven, where he has laid up nothing for himself? Thus, he sins in two ways: first, by gathering evil things, and second, by having his heart on earth. Conversely, the one who lays up his treasure in Heaven does right in two ways.

1. Serm. in Mont., ii, 13
2. ap. Anselm
3. Serm. in Mont., ii, 13