Matthew 6 - 10

Where Is Your Treasure?

Note: I noticed that the spreadsheet had 7 - 10 instead of 6 -10. The mistake has been corrected.

The Lord Jesus continues, in chapters 6 and 7, the sermon He began in chapter 5. This sermon is to the Jews who follow the Law and continues to address how His ministry is a fulfillment and amplification of the Law.

Verse 6:1 sets the tone for this part of the sermon, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly." This is a radical departure from the self-righteous Pharisees - showing off how holy they were, demonstrating their strict adherence to the Law.  The same thing is repeated in 6:16 "...don't make it obvious when you fast."  This new commandment (really a new attitude towards the extant commandments) places the glory back on God and takes it from the self-righteous hypocritical spiritual leaders of that day.  The parallels with modern celebrity and Hollywood cannot be overlooked, as evidenced by their recent self-promoting activities in Haiti and, earlier, in New Orleans. Perhaps there is a sincere desire to help, but this desire is equally matched or surpassed by the glory and notice they wickedly desire.

The Lord continues to teach and begins to make clear that man has a choice: serve evil or serve God.  Verse 6:21 states, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." and 24, "No one can serve two masters." So in this initial teaching, Jesus begins to distance Himself from the rigorous attention to details of the Law and establishes that one's attitude towards God is extremely important.  In verse 33 He states, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." He did not state to obey every law to the letter, rather they were to seek Him.

In chapter 7, verse 1, Jesus continues attacking the self-righteous spirit prevalent in the worship of that day by saying, "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged." This is not a call to compromise or ignore sin, but a call to mercy.  It asks the believer to realize that all people are sinners and to be concerned with your own faults instead of everyone else's. So provocative and fresh was Jesus' preaching that in 7:28 at the end of His sermon the Bible states that the people "were amazed at his teaching."

Jesus demonstrates His great healing power in chapter 8.  I think it is remarkable in verse 4 that Jesus follows His own teaching telling the leper, "Don't tell anyone about this [the healing]." And in comparison to the people's amazement at His teaching, Jesus is amazed at the faith of the centurion. (8:10).  Jesus even heals Peter's mother-in-law, which means that Peter was married (not sure what Catholics do with this).

Chapter 10 contains the second of five discourses by Jesus in Matthew.  While His first sermon was to the Jewish people, His second sermon is to His disciples. They are sent specifically to the Jews, in fact He forbids them to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans (10:5).  The commission He gives them is essentially to do the same things He has been doing: announce the Kingdom of Heaven, heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons.  Unlike the televangelists of today, Jesus told His disciples to NOT accept money (10:9).  He puts their ministry on an equal plane with His stating in 10:40, "Anyone who receives you receives me..."

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.