Jesus and Money
Jesus’ words about “treasure in heaven” are so familiar that they often pass by without much thought. We assume we know what they mean because we assume we know what heaven is. But Jesus’ original audience did not hear these words through modern ideas about the afterlife. They heard them through a Jewish understanding of heaven as God’s realm, treasure as trust, and generosity as an act of allegiance. Recovering that world changes how we hear this teaching.
Jesus says in Matthew:
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”(Matthew 6:20)
This is one of those passages that is so familiar it can lull us into thinking we understand it. Asking good questions of familiar texts keeps our minds awake and helps us avoid reading modern assumptions back into Jesus’ words.
To hear this teaching the way Jesus’ original audience would have heard it, we need to ask a few basic questions:
What was “heaven” to first-century Jews?
What did they understand by “treasure”?
How could someone actually store up treasure in heaven?
What Was Heaven to First-Century Jews?
For first-century Jews, the concept of heaven would have been familiar, layered, and very different from many modern Christian assumptions. They would not have heard Jesus talking about “going to heaven when you die” in the way that phrase is often used today.
Below is how Matthew’s audience would have understood heaven.
Heaven Was the Realm of God
First-century Jews did not think of heaven primarily as the place people go when they die. Heaven was where God reigns.
Isaiah records God saying:
“Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.”(Isaiah 66:1)
Solomon prays:
“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you.”(1 Kings 8:27)
And in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches:
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”(Matthew 6:10)
This line only makes sense if heaven is understood as the active realm of God’s will and authority, not merely a future afterlife location.
Heaven Was a Reverent Way of Saying “God”
Matthew often uses the word heaven as a reverent way of referring to God. Because his Gospel was written primarily to a Jewish audience, and because Jews avoided casual use of God’s name, Matthew frequently speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.”
Mark, writing to a largely Roman audience, uses different language:
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”(Matthew 3:2)
“The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”(Mark 1:15)
They are describing the same reality. The difference is not theological, but cultural and reverential.
Heaven and Earth Were Distinct Yet Meant to Be United
First-century Jews believed heaven was where God dwelt and earth was where humans dwelt—but they were not meant to remain permanently separate. The temple in Jerusalem was understood as the place where heaven and earth intersected.
They were expecting God’s kingdom to come, uniting heaven and earth once again.
This is why Jesus can say:
“The kingdom of heaven has come near.”(Matthew 4:17)
Heaven is not something you go to later; it is something arriving.
Heaven Was Not the Final Hope—Resurrection Was
First-century Jews did not all believe exactly the same things about life after death, but there was a shared framework:
At death, the dead went to Sheol (or Hades)
Most believed God would one day raise the dead
God would judge the world and renew creation
Heaven was understood as God’s realm—not humanity’s final destination. The ultimate hope was resurrection and restoration, not escape from the world.
What Were “Treasures” to First-Century Jews?
The Greek word translated treasure is thēsauros. If that looks familiar, it’s because it is the root of the English word thesaurus.
The basic meaning is:
A place where goods and precious things are collected and stored.
Treasure certainly included money, but it was broader than that. It referred to all the goods, resources, and possessions people relied on for security and status.
How Could You Store Up Treasures in Heaven?
For Jesus’ Jewish listeners, storing up treasure in heaven did not mean sending wealth ahead so it would be waiting for them in the afterlife. Heaven was not a future address—it was God’s domain.
To store treasure in heaven meant entrusting it to God.
This fits naturally with a biblical understanding of stewardship. Everything ultimately belongs to God; humans are managers, not owners.
First-century Jews also believed strongly that God remembers human actions. Acts of generosity—especially toward the poor—were understood as being credited by God Himself.
Giving to the poor was a primary way treasure was stored in heaven, because the poor could not repay you—but God could.
Scripture That Shaped This Belief
The Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly connect generosity toward the poor with God’s blessing and remembrance:
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.”(Proverbs 19:17)
“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”(Proverbs 22:9)
“Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him.”(Psalm 41:1)
For Jesus’ audience, these ideas were already familiar. Jesus is not inventing a new concept—He is calling people to live it.
Jesus emphasizes this in the Gospel of Luke.
"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." (Luke 12:33)
Bringing It All Together
When Jesus tells His listeners to store up treasures in heaven, He is not encouraging them to disengage from the world. He is calling them to place their trust, security, and resources under God’s care—especially through generosity toward those who cannot repay them.
In Jesus’ world, generosity toward the poor was not charity. It was a declaration of trust.
What we entrust to God is never lost.
