O'Donoghue MTh_Thesis-FinalCopy.pdf - South African Theological ...

There are parallel “ideas” in “Jewish wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible,Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, and Dead Sea Scrolls (Sihombing 2006:155).”Thus Talbert (2006:121-122), following a similar thought, asks the question as tohow Jesus’ audience would have understood this. He answers this by makingreference to 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, and Peah which talks of generosity to others as a wayof laying up treasures for oneself in heaven.France (1985:138) argues that when the language of Matthew 6:19-34 is comparedto Matthew 19:21 it seems that the way to lay up treasures in heaven would be byshowing generosity to others. Matthew 19:21 is that passage where Jesus says to aman, ‘…if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, andyou will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.’France (1985:138) believes that the potential for laying up treasure in Heaven iswider than in just being generous to others, but is available to the disciple who isobedient to God, “in all areas of life,” the implication being that the disciple puts Godfirst in all matters. However verse 24 will make it clear that in this context wealth is infocus in as much as Jesus is more concerned about the disciple’s loyalty over andabove their wealth.In reflecting on 6:19-20, one could conclude that Jesus speaking in absolutes andusing antitheses is commanding the disciples to choose obedience to God over theaccumulation of material wealth. Jesus, as mentioned, provided reasons for theprohibition and command, i.e. the contrasting nature and disposition of earthly andHeavenly treasure. The prohibition and command of verses 19 and 20 is thenfollowed by a reason in verse 21 (Talbert 2006:121). This is the verse where Jesusdeclares that where the disciple’s treasure is there their heart will be also.In the same way that the physical heart takes it’s place as the “most important” organin the human body, so kardia came to refer figuratively to a person’s “…entire mentaland moral activity, both the rational and emotional elements (Unger & White1985:297).” By making reference to proverbs 4:23, Ridderbos (1987:137) argues thatthe heart is “…the seat of man’s thoughts and desires.”43