For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
where.
Isaiah 33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
there.
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
there your heart will be also.
The "heart" in biblical terms often represents the center of one's being, including emotions, desires, and will. This phrase suggests that one's affections and priorities are inevitably tied to what they value most. In Hebrew culture, the heart was seen as the seat of thought and moral decision-making, not just emotions. This connection between treasure and heart implies that what one treasures will ultimately shape their character and actions. Proverbs 4:23 advises, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it," highlighting the importance of aligning one's heart with godly values. The heart's alignment with treasure is a recurring theme in scripture, underscoring the call to prioritize spiritual over material wealth.
- “For” ties verse 21 to Jesus’ command in Matthew 6:19–20: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth … But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” The word signals that what follows is the reason behind that command.
- By beginning with “for,” Jesus makes the teaching intensely practical—He is about to reveal the heart-level consequence of wherever we place our wealth, time, and energy.
- Cross references reinforce this cause-and-effect flow: Luke 12:33-34 links selling possessions with hearts fixed on heaven; 1 John 2:15-17 warns that loving the world displaces love for the Father.
- In plain terms, Jesus is saying, “Let Me tell you why I just told you to invest in heaven: your heart will go wherever you put your treasure.”
- “Treasure” includes anything we prize:
• Money and possessions (Proverbs 23:4-5; James 5:1-3)
• Time, talents, and opportunities (Ephesians 5:15-16)
• Ambitions and achievements (Philippians 3:8)
• Relationships and affections (Matthew 10:37-39)
- Earthly treasure feels secure but is temporary; heavenly treasure is eternal. First Timothy 6:17-19 urges the rich to be “rich in good deeds” so they may “lay hold of that which is truly life.”
- Jesus’ parables back this up: the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46) show that once someone sees the surpassing value of the kingdom, he gladly re-allocates all earthly assets.
- Our bank statements, calendars, and thought patterns function like spiritual X-rays, revealing the location of our treasure.
- The “heart” is the control center of desires, thoughts, and choices (Proverbs 4:23). It does not lead treasure; it follows it.
- Practical outworking:
• Invest in earthly status—your emotions rise and fall with reputation (Galatians 1:10).
• Invest in volatile markets—peace vanishes when stocks plunge (Psalm 62:10).
• Invest in kingdom causes—affections gravitate toward Christ and eternity (Colossians 3:1-2).
- This is both a diagnostic and a directive: check where your heart currently is, then redirect treasure to reorient affections. Second Corinthians 4:18 frames it succinctly: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.”
- Jesus is promising more than information; He is offering transformation. Move your treasure toward heaven and your heart will catch up.
Jesus grounds His call to store up heavenly treasure in a simple spiritual law: treasure leads, heart follows. Whatever we consistently value—money, time, ambitions—will magnetically draw our inner life. By investing in what endures, we safeguard our affections, align them with God’s kingdom, and experience the freedom and focus that come from having our hearts anchored in heaven rather than earth.
(21) Where your treasure is.--The words imply the truth, afterwards more definitely asserted, that it is impossible to "serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). Men may try to persuade themselves that they will have a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven also, but in the long-run, one or the other will assert its claim to be the treasure, and will claim the no longer divided allegiance of the heart.Verse 21. - For where. A further reason for laying up treasures in heaven: wherever they are they have a positive effect on the soul. Your treasure; thy (Revised Version). The singular was altered by the copyists so as to correspond with the plural found in the earlier part of the utterance and in the undisputed text of Luke. But our Lord loves to speak to each soul individually. Your heart (Matthew 5:8, note).