Highly valued objects or accumulated riches. Treasure has at best only short-term benefit but can bring spiritual dangers. Spiritual treasure is of eternal value and comes from knowing and serving God.
The limitations of accumulated treasure
It is easily lost
Isaiah 64:11 See also 2 Kings 24:13; Jeremiah 15:13, Jeremiah 17:3, Jeremiah 20:5; Lamentations 1:10–11; Hosea 13:15; Obadiah 1:6; Matthew 6:19; James 5:2–3; Revelation 18:14
Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, has been burned with fire, and all that was dear to us lies in ruins.
It is no security against God's displeasure
Proverbs 11:4 See also Job 20:20; Jeremiah 51:13; Ezekiel 7:19; Hosea 9:6; Zephaniah 1:18; Luke 12:16–21
Riches are worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness brings deliverance from death.
It does not satisfy
Ecclesiastes 5:10 See also Psalm 39:6; Haggai 1:6
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
The spiritual dangers of accumulated treasure
It can lead to pride
1 Timothy 6:17 See also Deuteronomy 8:13–14; Ezekiel 7:20, Ezekiel 28:4–5; Daniel 4:30
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.
It can lead a person away from God
Revelation 3:17 See also Job 31:24–25, Job 31:28; Proverbs 11:28
You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
It can lead to greed
Luke 12:15 See also 1 Timothy 6:9–10
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Acquiring it can lead to dishonesty
Joshua 7:21; Psalm 62:10; Proverbs 21:6
It can lead to idolatry
Exodus 32:2–4; Isaiah 2:7–8; Ezekiel 7:20, Ezekiel 16:17
Spiritual treasure
Treasure consists in knowing God and his wisdom
Colossians 2:2–3 See also Job 28:12–19; Proverbs 2:4, Proverbs 3:13–15, Proverbs 8:10–11, Proverbs 24:3–4; Isaiah 33:6
that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
God's word is supreme treasure
Job 23:12; Psalm 19:9–10, Psalm 119:72, Psalm 119:127
The kingdom of God is supreme treasure
Matthew 13:44 See also Matthew 13:45–46, Matthew 13:52
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Spiritual treasure is more important than material possessions
Hebrews 11:26 See also Job 22:23–25; Matthew 13:44–46
He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.
It is of eternal value
Luke 12:33 See also Matthew 6:20; 1 Peter 1:4
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
It is gained through generosity and wisdom
Matthew 19:21 parallels Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22 See also Proverbs 8:21, Proverbs 15:6; 1 Timothy 6:18–19
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
Treasure reveals true commitment
Matthew 6:21 parallel Luke 12:34 See also Matthew 6:24 parallel Luke 16:13
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Believers willingly give God their treasures
Matthew 2:11 See also Exodus 35:22; Joshua 6:24; 1 Chronicles 29:3–5
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
God's people are his treasured possession
Deuteronomy 7:6 See also Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 14:2, Deuteronomy 26:18; Psalm 135:4; Malachi 3:17
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of the earth.
The gospel as treasure in clay jars
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.