How does Matthew 6:19-21 relate to Proverbs 10:2's message on treasures?

Scripture Texts

• Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

• Proverbs 10:2: “Ill-gotten treasures profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.”

---

One Message, Two Settings

• Proverbs offers a concise wisdom principle: material gain apart from righteousness is ultimately worthless.

• Jesus expands that principle into a life-shaping command: pursue heavenly wealth, not perishable earthly wealth.

• Both passages tie “treasure” to moral character—wicked gain vs. righteous, eternal investment.

---

Key Parallels

• Permanence vs. Perishability

– Proverbs: ill-gotten gain gives “nothing”; Matthew: earthly stores are doomed to decay.

• Righteousness as True Wealth

– Proverbs: righteousness “delivers from death.”

– Matthew: heavenly treasure aligns the heart with eternal life in God’s kingdom.

• Heart Orientation

– Jesus highlights that treasure directs affections; Solomon implies the same by contrasting motives behind ill-gotten wealth and righteous living.

---

Supporting Scriptures

• 1 Timothy 6:17-19—rich instructed to be “rich in good deeds… storing up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.”

• Psalm 49:16-17—wealth cannot follow a person into eternity.

• Luke 12:15-21—parable of the rich fool: earthly abundance without being “rich toward God” is emptiness.

---

Practical Takeaways

• Evaluate income sources: gain acquired unrighteously is disqualified from eternal value.

• Redirect resources—time, talents, finances—toward what carries over into eternity: gospel ministry, acts of mercy, cultivating Christlike character.

• Remember the heart connection: every deposit into God’s purposes trains affection heavenward and guards against idolatry of possessions.

---

Summary

Proverbs 10:2 exposes the futility of unrighteous wealth; Matthew 6:19-21 invites believers to a better investment strategy—laying up imperishable treasure through righteous living, ensuring both deliverance from death and a heart anchored in heaven.