Matthew 6:21 - Wikipedia

Verse of the New Testament

Matthew 6:21
← 6:206:22 →
Text of Matthew 6:21, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also", on a bench in Hatchmere, United Kingdom.
Book	Gospel of Matthew
Christian Bible part	New Testament

Matthew 6:21 is the twenty-first verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Mathew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion of wealth.

Content

[edit]

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:

ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία σου.

For additional translations see here: Matthew 6:21

Analysis

[edit]

In the previous two verses Jesus explained why one should store one's treasure in heaven rather than on earth. This verse states that if one places one's treasure in heaven that is where one's heart or attention will be. This is an implicit warning, which is made clear later in the chapter, that if one's treasure is on earth, one's heart and attention will also be on earthly matters, to the exclusion of God. While the previous verses stated that placing one's treasures in heaven was wise, this one shifts to warning that not doing so might lead to a life of futility seeking treasures that will not matter in light of eternity. Matthew 6:24 makes this explicit. This verse also makes clear that treasure is not some specific collection of objects, but is rather anything that one values in life.

Literary uses

[edit]

In the book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling, it is written that the inscription on the tombstone of Ariana Dumbledore reads "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also".[1] This is taken from the King James Version of Matthew 6:21 or Luke 12:34, which are identical.[2][3]

Commentary from the Church Fathers

[edit]

Pseudo-Chrysostom: Otherwise; He now teaches the benefit of almsgiving. He who places his treasure on earth has nothing to look for in Heaven; for why should he look up to Heaven where he has nothing laid up for himself? Thus he doubly sins; first, because he gathers together things evil; secondly, because he has his heart in earth; and so on the contrary he does right in a twofold manner who lays up his treasure in Heaven.[4]

References

[edit]

1. ^ Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Vol. Book 7 (illustrated ed.). Arthur A. Levine Books. pp. 326. ISBN 9780545010221.
2. ^ Garcia, Elena (19 October 2007). "Harry Potter author reveals books' Christian allegory, her struggling faith". Christian Today. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
3. ^ Egerton, Joe (26 November 2010). "From Harry Potter to Jesus Christ". Thinking Faith. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
4. ^ "Catena Aurea: commentary on the four Gospels; collected out of the works of the Fathers. Oxford: Parker, 1874. Thomas Aquinas". Oxford, Parker. 1874. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

Bibliography

[edit]

• Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1-7: A Commentary. trans. Wilhlem C. Linss. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortess, 1989.
• Morris, Leon. The Gospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans, 1992.

Preceded byMatthew 6:20

Gospel of MatthewChapter 6

Succeeded byMatthew 6:22

v t e Gospel of Matthew chapter 6
Verse	Matthew 6:1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14-15 16 17 18 19-20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31-32 33 34
Places	Galilee
Phrases	Lord's Prayer Sermon on the Mount Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof
← chapter 5 Gospel of Matthew chapter 7 →

v t e Gospel of Matthew
Bible(New Testament)	Chapters Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Verses Matthew 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16:2b–3,19 27:1–12; 52–66 28
Eventsand phrases	Jesus' birth Star of Bethlehem Magi Flight into Egypt Massacre of the Innocents Return to Nazareth Kingdom of heaven Baptism Temptation Galilean ministry Fishers of men Behold the bridegroom Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes Lord's Prayer Golden Rule Jesus preaches in a ship Calming the storm Feeding the multitude Walking on water Transfiguration Great Commandment Olivet Discourse Ten Virgins Anointing Passion of Jesus Last Supper Crucifixion of Jesus Burial Empty tomb Resurrection Great Commission
People	Andrew Caiaphas Herod James Jeremiah Jesus Christ John John the Baptist Joseph Judas Iscariot Mary Mary Magdalene Mary, sister of Martha Matthew Philip Pontius Pilate Rachel Simon Peter Thomas Zebedee Groups Angels Pharisees Sadducees Sanhedrin
Places	Bethany Bethlehem Bethsaida Capernaum Egypt Galilee Jerusalem Jordan River Judea Samaria Sea of Galilee
Related	Q source M source Gospel of Mark Textual variants Augustinian hypothesis Two-gospel hypothesis Matthean Posteriority Genealogy of Jesus Five Discourses of Matthew Calling of Matthew Kingdom of heaven Immanuel Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew Rabbinical translations Shem Tob Joseph Smith–Matthew
In culture	St Matthew Passion (Bach, 1727/29) Structure The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964 film) Godspell (1971 musical) Godspell (1973 film) The Visual Bible: Matthew (1993 film)
Manuscripts	Papyrus 1 4 19 21 25 35 37 44 45 53 62 70 71 73 77 83 86 96 101 102 103 104 105 110 Magdalen papyrus
Sources	Greek Text Latin Vulgate Wycliffe Version King James Version American Standard Version World English Version