Matthew 6:24–34

Context

This passage belongs to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7. Jesus went up on a mountain and taught his disciples, and the crowds also heard his teaching. Immediately before this passage, he teaches that treasure should be laid up in heaven rather than on earth (Matthew 6:19–23). Verse 24 concludes that teaching with the image of "two masters." The word rendered "mammon" is of Aramaic origin and personifies wealth as a master whom people serve. Verse 25 begins with "Therefore" and addresses how those who do not serve wealth as their master should regard the matter of food and clothing. Using the fowls of the air and the lilies of the field as examples, the passage speaks of God's care, sets out the proper priority in verse 33, and closes in verse 34 with "Take therefore no thought for the morrow." Similar material appears in Luke 12 and in Luke 16:13.

Interpretation

• A reading focused on priorities: Sermons and commentaries across many denominations locate the center of this passage in verse 33. They read it not as a command to ignore the necessities of life but as a teaching not to place those necessities ahead of the kingdom of God.
• A reading focused on trust in providence: This reading emphasizes "your heavenly Father knoweth" (v. 32). It regards the passage as a representative text for belief in God's providence, his care for his creatures.
• The meaning of "righteousness": Interpreters differ on "his righteousness" in verse 33. Some, following the line of thought in Matthew 5:20, understand it as the righteous life God requires; others take it more broadly as the righteousness God bestows.

Questions of Application

• A promise of material blessing? Preaching associated with prosperity theology sometimes emphasizes "all these things shall be added unto you" as a promise of material prosperity. Critics point out that "all these things" refers to the basic needs of food, drink, and clothing, and that the theme of the passage is in fact a warning against serving wealth.
• Does it devalue work? The common understanding is that the image of birds that "sow not, neither do they reap" is not a call to stop working. Passages that commend diligent labor, such as 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12, are cited in support.
• Translation and manuscripts: In verse 27, the phrase rendered "add one cubit unto his stature" can also be understood as referring to one's span of life. For this reason, some translations, including the New Korean Standard Version, render it with an expression referring to lifespan. In verse 33, some manuscripts read "the kingdom of God."

In the Korean Church

Verse 33 is often adopted as a motto verse by churches and individual believers. A praise song whose lyrics are drawn from this verse, "Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness" (Meonjeo geu narawa uireul guhara), is widely sung. The term "mammon" from verse 24 frequently appears in writings and sermons that criticize materialism in the church.

Related Passages

• Luke 12:22–31
• Luke 16:13
• Philippians 4:6
• 1 Peter 5:7
• 1 Timothy 6:6–10