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Hi Anon,

I’m a big fan of “letting scripture interpret scripture.”

So first I look at what Jesus said just before He addressed treasures on earth and treasures in heaven:

In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus talks about the way Christians should give, pray and fast. He says that those who do these things “to be seen by others” have “received their reward in full.” But those who do these things “in secret” will have a fatherly “reward” from God.

Then I look at what Jesus said just after He addressed treasures on earth and heaven:

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says “You cannot serve both God and money.” And in verses 25-34, He talks about how Christians shouldn’t worry about the material things money can buy - like food and clothing.

Lastly, I look at other parts of the Bible that say similar things:

In Luke 12:34, Jesus uses the same words: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Like in Matthew, this Luke passage is accompanied by words warning us not to worry about material things. But this time Jesus also says, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”

After looking at the preceding context, the following context and any similar scriptures, I think we can draw a conclusion:

• Treasures on earth include self-serving things like pride, money and material possessions.
• Treasures in heaven include relational things like serving others, belonging to God and growing closer to God.

If that seems a little disappointing, keep in mind that we aren’t given a lot of detail about the treasures in heaven. They are in heaven after all. But Jesus is pretty clear that they’re worth the wait - and they make treasures on earth look ridiculous.

I hope that helped. You ask a great question.

Peace, love and Jesus,
-James