John Calvin Commentary Matthew 6:33

"But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." — Matthew 6:33 (ASV)

But rather seek first the kingdom of God—this is another argument for restraining excessive anxiety about food. It argues a gross and indolent neglect of the soul and of the heavenly life. Christ reminds us that there is the greatest inconsistency in people who, though born to a better life, are entirely focused on earthly objects.

One who assigns the first rank to the kingdom of God, will not allow his anxiety about food to become excessive. Nothing is better adapted to restrain the wantonness of the flesh from breaking out during this present life than meditation on the life of heaven.

The word righteousness may be understood as applying either to God, or to the kingdom:⁴⁶³ For we know that the kingdom of God consists in righteousness, (Romans 14:17), that is, in the newness of spiritual life. All other things shall be added—this means that those things that relate to this present life are merely favorable additions and should be considered far inferior to the kingdom of God.

⁴⁶³ On the latter supposition, we would naturally have expected that, instead of τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, we would have had τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτὢς, when αὐτὢς would have stood for τὢς βασιλείας. — Ed.