The Apostle John does not use the Greek word for "treasure" in any of his words, Epistle of John, three Letters of John, Revelation.

Does he use any meaning associated with "treasure" but said using other words?

Details are left as a future topic.

Paul says that we cannot carry any (physical) thing out. What about non-physical things such as information?
Have you ever seen a hearse (on the way to a graveyard) pulling a U-Haul (with possessions, etc.)?

At birth, in addition to genetics (i.e., DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)), we appear to have what is called a "blank slate" or a "tabula rasa", usually attributed to John Locke (1532-1704).

• The Latin word "tabula" ≈ "tablet".
• The Latin word "rasa" ≈ "scraped".

Well known professor of psychology at Harvard Steven Pinker wrote the book "Blank Slate" (2002, revised 2003) in which he investigates the claims of the "blank slate" or "tabula rasa". He has written many other books having to do with language and linguistics as it relates to the human brain and behavior, etc.

We do, however, inherit traits from our parents in terms of genetics and DNA. And we appear to have a built-in mechanism to learn grammar and language by example.

More: Jeremiah 13: Nature and nurture and leopard spots

More: A tongue in cheek model for Pentecost

When traveling abroad, if you cannot carry cash with you, can you convert it into the currency of the place you are going and wire it ahead so it is there when you get there?

Are you planning any future trips? Are you going to reside in a "mansion"? How about an "inn"? How about a "place to remain"?

More: Luke 2:7 no room at the inn

More: Matthew 5: 17 Leave the light on but do not use the law as a residence inn

More: Meno Paradox: Seeking to learn what you do not know

Is the word "treasure", as used by Jesus in the GNT (Greek New Testament) to be taken to mean something physical, something mental, both, or something else?

For each of the following uses of "treasure" in the GNT as spoken by Jesus (in Matthew), decide which categories fit and which might best fit.

The Wessex gospel assumes that a physical entity "gold hoard" is the "treasure". Do you know any "hoarders"?
The English word "horde" comes from the French, which comes from the German "Horde" ≈ "horde" which comes from the Russian "орда" (or-da) ≈ "horde" which appears to have come from the Asian steppes.
Heaven and earth will pass away, and be replaced with a new heaven and a new earth. Information transcends the physical limits of reality of space and time (and mass, etc.) as we know it.

Does taking "treasure" as a mental and not a physical concept change the possible meaning of the following verse?

• Literal meaning: physical
• Figurative meaning: abstract or mental

Discussion question: What is the difference between the physical body and the spiritual soul?

The Greek for "perfect" is that of being "complete", as in the "perfect tense", but not necessarily without error. The ancient Greek word "τέλος" ≈ "end, purpose, complete" and is the source of the English word "teleology" as the "logic" or "reasoning" about the "end times".

Aristotle uses the word in the sense of "having a purpose" in his "four causes". Aristotle gave this word a special meaning in Greek philosophy as part of his four causes. The last of the four causes is that of a purpose or end towards which the cause progresses as a goal.

Does it change the meaning to use this idea as follows? Paraphrase: To have purpose, go and sell all that you have ....

More: Philippians 2:5-8 form of God and Aristotelian causes

Details are left as a future topic.

It would appear that the "sell that thou hast" is referring to physical treasure here on earth.

How valuable are physical treasures here on earth?
Do such treasures have a limited shelf life? That is, use before such and such a date.

Discuss:

• Can one "tithe" if one gives everything to the poor?
• How might the church address this issue (to their advantage)?

In economics, a sunk cost is a cost that has already been made and, for future decisions, does not cost anything (and cannot be recovered unless it can be sold). This is a difficult concept for some to grasp since most people associate costs with actual payouts and not a cost that is only in the mind, having been paid before.
In a practical sense, "time" is a sunk cost that, once used, cannot be recovered. Sometimes, a cost can be pre-paid and is thus a sunk cost, but may save an actual payment at a later time.

Such "treasure" has already been paid (and cannot be recovered).

More: Accounting: pre-pay an expense with blood money

For the conspiracy theorist, we have the following in Greek.

• The ancient Greek word "θησαυρός" ≈ "treasure".
• The ancient Greek word "σαῦρος" ≈ "lizard" and is the source of the English word "dinosaur" and is used symbolically to represent Satan as a "serpent". The source of the word "saurus" is that of "twisting".

The last six letters in the Greek word for "treasure" are the word for "lizard". There is no apparent etymological connection. Both words appears to be pre-Greek.

Snakes are often associated with the guarding of treasure.

• "μη" ≈ "not" and "θησαυρός" ≈ "treasure".
• "μῦθος" ≈ "story, myth" and "σαῦρος" ≈ "lizard".

More: Mythical stories about history

The word "treasurize" is self-referential.

Paraphrase: Do not treasurize your treasures on the earth ... Instead, treasurize your treasures in heaven. The words earth and heaven may themselves be codewords.

Here are some ideas of reflexive (self-reference) that may fit in some sense.

• Do not live your life on the earth ... Instead, live your life in heaven.
• Do not encode/decode your encodings/decodings on earth ... Instead, encode/decode your encodings/decodings in heaven.

Language can be and is inherently reflexive and self-referential. A language is an arbitrary but agreed-on code for communication of meanings using words, grammars, etc.

More: Parables and secret codes used and explained by Jesus

There are some intriguing aspects of the translation of this verse. Most worldly "treasure" is gold, silver, etc. The result might be different for certain types of clothing - but would those be a "treasure"

• Gold, etc., is not effected by one "moth" (singular)
• Gold, etc., does not "rust".
• Gold, etc., does not "corrupt" from, say, "rust" or a "moth" (singular).

Thieves, however, will "dig in" and "steal", if that is required to get the treasure. Thieves do, however, need to know that such a treasure exists and where it is located.

More: Caged birds: Hezekiah shows treasure to Babylon

Matthew 6:19
Strong	Used	Unique	Word	Part of speech
G3361	1029	1021	μη	participle negative
G2343	8	2	θησαυριζετε	verb present active imperative 2nd person plural
G5210	1802	595	υμιν	personal pronoun 2nd person dative plural
G2344	17	3	θησαυρους	noun accusative plural masculine
G1909	890	664	επι	preposition
G3588	19706	1291	της	article genitive singular feminine
G1093	251	133	γης	noun genitive singular feminine
G3699	80	80	οπου	adverb
G4597	3	3	σης	noun nominative singular masculine
G2532	8954	8954	και	conjunction
G1035	11	4	βρωσις	noun nominative singular feminine
G853	5	2	αφανιζει	verb present active indicative 3rd person singular
G2532	8954	8954	και	conjunction
G3699	80	80	οπου	adverb
G2812	16	4	κλεπται	noun nominative plural masculine
G1358	4	2	διορυσσουσιν	verb present active indicative 3rd person plural
G2532	8954	8954	και	conjunction
G2813	13	2	κλεπτουσιν	verb present active indicative 3rd person plural

The word "moth" is singular, not plural.

The ancient Greek word "σῆς" ≈ "moth" and "σης" ≈ "thy" as in the following verse.


Could it be a "moth" coming or a "moth-ball" coming?

The ancient Greek word "βρῶσις" ≈ "eating, food" (in contrast to "drinking") but in the GNT this word is assumed to be eating away at materials that causes "corrosion".

The ancient Greek word "αφανιζω" ≈ "conceal, disappear". A context is needed to support the thing concealed being destroyed.


James use the word for "conceal" without the negation as "φαινόμενον" ≈ "appear" which is the source of the English word "phenomena".

This canal is sometimes called the "Canal of the Pharaohs" or the "Ancient Suez Canal" which was to connect to the Nile and not the Mediterranean.

In Greek, the earlier "tt" sound became an "ss" sound. Try saying "tt" and see how easy it is to go to "zz" and then "ss".

• "θάλαττα" ≈ "sea" and "διορύττω" ≈ "dig a canal/tunnel".
• "θάλασσα" ≈ "sea" and "διορύσσω" ≈ "dig a canal/tunnel".

The ancient Greek word "διορύσσω" ≈ "dig a canal/tunnel".

In context, the "dig a canal" could mean "break out" of prison or "break into" a house, "undermine" a foundation, "ruin" a wall, etc.

A "break into" a house, say to get "treasure", is a one way "break through" in and a one way transport out.

In "digging a canal", one intends to transport things both ways. This may be important in the meaning of the verse.

That "digging through" does not happen in heaven as in the wedding feast, fence around the sheep, etc.

The ancient Greek word "κλέπητς" ≈ "thief, deceitful person" who uses trickery and deception and stealth to steal. The root is "κλέπτω" ≈ "steal". These words are the source of the English word "kleptomania".

This is in contrast to "ληστής" ≈ "robber, bandit" who uses force to steal or plunder.

Discuss: What are the similarities and differences between the following:

• a deceptive thief digging a channel or tunnel into treasure
• the woman in kingdom parable four who (deceptively) mixes in false doctrine with true doctrine
• the seed of the mustard plant which grows to be the biggest of herbs (or diggers) such that deceptive birds come and make a home in the branches.

The ancient Greek word "κλέπητς" ≈ "thief, deceitful person" who uses trickery and deception and stealth to steal. The root is "κλέπτω" ≈ "steal". These words are the source of the English word "kleptomania".

This is in contrast to "ληστής" ≈ "robber, bandit" who uses force to steal or plunder.

What might be the meaning of "heart"? The following have the same or similar meaning.

☐ righteousness
☐ opinion
☐ glory

Is it of God or of man?

Paraphrase: For where your life is, there will your righteousness/opinion/glory be also.

• On earth that life is that of man's righteousness/opinion/glory.
• On heaven that life is that of God's righteousness/opinion/glory.