Luke
12:22-34
The teachings of Messiah, 9:51-19:44
2. The kingdom and power, 11:1-12:34
vi] Goals in life - to have or to live. 12:13-34
b) Concern about earthly things
SynopsisSomeone in the crowed has asked Jesus to arbitrate over a family inheritance, 12:13. This prompts Jesus to warn the disciples of the danger of greed, and to point out that "life does not consist in the abundance of possessions", v15. In the first part of these discipleship instructions on possessions, v16-21, Jesus has made the point that authentic life consists of a great deal more than what we own. Now, reflecting on the issue of "greed", Jesus warns his disciples "not to be anxiously concerned about food and clothing .... since their supreme aim in life (is) the attainment of the kingdom of God", Marshall.
Teaching
The children of the kingdom should not, nor need not, be preoccupied with the things of this world.
Issues
i] Context: See 12:13-21.
ii] Structure: Anxiety about earthly things:
An anxious preoccupation with the stuff of life, v22-32:
Instruction / exhortation, v22:
"do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or ...."
Reason #1, v23:
"life is more than food and the body more than clothing."
Reason #2 - "consider the ravens", v24:
"you are of much more value that the birds."
Reason #3, v25-26:
"which of you by being anxious can add a single hour ......?"
A principle from nature, v27-28:
"how much more will he clothe you - you of little faith!"
Instruction / exhortation, v29:
"do not worry"
Reason, v30:
"your Father knows that you need them."
Instruction / exhortation, v31:
"do not set your heart .... but seek first his kingdom ....."
Assurance, v32:
"do not be afraid .... your Father is pleased to give ...."
A joyous preoccupation with heaven, v33-34:
Instruction / exhortation, v33:
"provide .... a treasure in heaven that will never fail ...."
Reason, v34:
"for where you treasure is, there your heart will be also."
iii] Interpretation:
Having established that real life consists of a great deal more than what we own, Luke now goes to the heart of the problem of "greed" by recording Jesus' teaching on "anxiety" - the human obsession to worry about self-preservation. A disciple need not, nor should not, worry about all the things necessary to preserve life; they are children of the Father, his own flock, and theirs is the kingdom.
Evans nicely summarises the ground upon which Jesus condemns a disciple's "anxious preoccupation with the means of existence":
•iLife is more than the means of life, v22-23;
•iIt is attempting the impossible, v25-26;
•iThe God who provides for birds and flowers will much more provide for disciples (humanity in general???), v24, 27-30;
•iSuch things will accrue anyway to those who seek the kingdom (eschatological provision), v31-32.
Luke begins with a set of sayings also found in Matthew 6:25-33. In these sayings, anxiety is examined in two particular areas, namely food and clothing, v22-28, and is then applied in v29-31. Luke then adds an independent saying stitched to v31 by the link word "kingdom", v32, and then follows up with sayings on true wealth, v33-34.
God's providential care: Evans offers a useful theological approach to this passage: "Do not be anxious about the means of existence; behind these is that about which to be anxious, viz. God and his kingdom; birds and flowers show by their lack of anxiety that God is completely reliable; so there is a sustaining and clothing by God which is certain, and which banishes anxiety; do not seek for things in themselves, but seek the kingdom which brings all else with it."
We are on safe ground if we follow Evans' theological approach to this passage, but we do need to recognise that many commentators have interpreted the passage in the terms of a promise from God to supply our daily needs; "strive for his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well", v31. As Bock puts it, "God promises to provide basic needs for his disciples." Matthew 6:32 is handled in a similar way by many commentators.
This is not the only passage that seems to promote this idea. In Luke 18:18-30 (Matt.19:16-29, Mk.10:17-30) Jesus reminds his disciples that what they have given up for the kingdom is replaced, and more (although with "persecutions"), "and in the age to come, eternal life." So, does the preacher have the right to tell the congregation that what they put in the plate will be multiplied in return? What of the promised reward for kingdom' sacrifice, a reward of a "hundred times as much" as sacrificed, cf., Matt.19:29?
The Lord's Prayer, "give us today our daily bread", is another possible support for the idea that God supplies his children with their daily needs. The Lord's Prayer is a list of prayer points which are according to the will of God. Therefore, when we ask for "bread" it will be supplied. Of course, the obvious question we must ask is, what is the "bread"?
So then, how do we handle the promise that "these things will be given to you as well, v31? The problem is that experience denies that God supports a form of divine rice-bowl Christianity. The evidence is that Christians suffer starvation and want along with their secular neighbours. Sound theology always aligns with experience, and so, a promise for daily provision is likely not intended. So, what is promised?
•iEschatological provision: The dawning of the new age of the kingdom, tasted now, realised then, fulfilling all our needs, replacing anxiety with joy.
•iGeneral providential care: The apex of God's creation is humanity. If God, in his creative wisdom, has provided for the birds, even more so will he provide for humanity (an idea not warmly received by the secular green movement!).
•iSpecial providential care: The prime directive of gospel communication, although opposed with vigour by the powers of darkness, progresses under the sovereign hand of God. As the children of Israel were supplied in their journey to the promised land, so disciples receive the resources ("daily bread") necessary to fulfil Christ's mission to the world. This doesn't mean we won't go hungry, just that the gospel will out.
Jesus' radical demands in v33-34: When it comes to discipleship, Jesus' ethical requirements are radical, utopian even, and this because the kingdom of God is a realised entity, it is now, and so the only "treasure" that makes sense is "treasure in heaven", ie., the gift of the kingdom, v22 / salvation.
Yet, the kingdom is also not-yet, leaving only one person who has lived the utopian life of a child of the kingdom. Jesus is the only perfect pauper, and he became a pauper for the sake of the poor, so providing "a treasure in heaven that will never fail." It is with this one perfect man that we other children of the kingdom identify and thus stand in his perfection. So, it is by identification with Christ, by grace through faith, that a disciple possesses heavenly treasure in all its perfection, but identification is not without imitation. By our imitation of Christ, the one who proclaims the ideals of the kingdom and does them, we begin to become the person we already are in Christ. Imitation amounts to aiming at Jesus' ideals which, for our sojourn on this earth, will always be beyond us.
In the end, v33a is at best an ideal for us to aim at. So, our "disencumberment and generous dispersal to the needy", Nolland, will always be limited, but we are to do what we can.
See Cross-bearing discipleship, 9:18-27. See also W. Pilgrim, Good News to the Poor: Wealth and Poverty in Luke-Acts.
iv] Synoptics:
See 3:1-20.. This saying material on the futility of anxiety / "worry", is found in much the same form in Matthew, but with the order inverted, Matt.6:25-34, 19-21. It is usually argued that Q is the source for both Matthew and Luke, with Luke's version more in line with Q. As we have already noted, Matthew is more inclined to arrange his material thematically. The saying in v32 is unique to Luke, as is 33a. The usual run of differences are evident, probably down to differences in the source tradition, but some of the differences are obviously Lukan redactions. What we may have here is a distinct discourse, with Jesus repeating material he often used, so Arndt. On the other hand, we may have a set of conjoined sayings, v22-24, 25-26, 27-28, 29-30, 31, 32 (unique to Luke), 33-34. If the material is a melding of a number of sayings with the link word "worry", it is likely that by the time Matthew and Luke get to see the tradition it is already a single unit of teachings.
v] Exposition: A simple exposition of this passage may be found in the linked pew-level Sermon Notes.
Text - 12:22
Jesus' teachings on a disciple's relationship with earthly things, v22-34: i] The danger of an anxious preoccupation with the stuff of life, v22-31. In a series of sayings, Jesus establishes the fact that "the security that many look for in possessions is to be found only in God", Bock. The goal of life is something more than just securing our earthly existence; such a preoccupation should not be the focus of our daily life.
Instruction / exhortation, v22: Jesus calls on his disciples to cast aside "anxiety" for the security and protection of life that is seemingly gained by the accumulation of possessions, so Johnson.
de "then" - but/and. Transitional, indicating a step in the narrative / discourse.
proV + acc. "to" - [he said] toward [the disciples]. Luke's use of this preposition for an indirect object instead of a dative. Luke now makes it clear that Jesus is addressing his disciples.
dia touto "therefore" - because of this, on this basis [i say to you]. This causal construction is usually inferential, as NIV. The question is, what basis? The following sayings are developing the punch-line of the parable, v21, although the fit is thematic rather than logical. Jesus' words certainly remind us that a person's security can never lie with their possessions, but rather, only with God.
merimnate (merimnaw) imp. "do not worry" - do not be anxious, worry, fret. Jeremias, Parables, argues that the sense is "to put forth effort" = "seek", so don't seek the things of the world but rather the kingdom of God, but the sense is more likely "unduly concerned" = "anxious". The word possibly means preoccupied about the affairs of life, rather than anxious about them, given that some concern for our material welfare is necessary for survival.
th/ yuch/ (h) dat. "about your life" - to the soul, inner life. Dative of reference; "with respect to": what not to worry about, namely, our being / person / existence ...
endushsqe (enduw) aor. subj. "[what] you will wear" - [what you may eat, nor for the body, what] you may put on. Deliberative subjunctive.
v23
Reason #1: Life is more than things, v23. Jesus states that life, "humanly meaningful and satisfying life", Nolland, is more than the stuff of our existence. This soul-life, yuch, is not sustained by possessions (this world's things, the worldly clutter of day-to-day existence), but by engagement with the divine.
gar "-" - for. Introducing a causal clause explaining the reason why we should not be preoccupied with our physical security, "because" there is more to life than the everyday stuff of living.
hJ ... yuch (h) "life" - the soul, personal life, inner life. The word can mean just "existence / physical life", extending to "spiritual life", "life in the kingdom of God", Evans. Nolland argues that here the word is "neither physical life nor spiritual life, but rather humanly meaningful and satisfying life."
pleion adj. comp. "more" - [is] more. Comparative predicate adjective. The neuter person is unexpected, possibly because the subject is abstract, but see Culy. Life is obviously more than nourishment, but like the Rich Fool it is possible to see life secured by material possessions.
thV trofhV (h) gen. "than food" - of food, forage, [and the body more of clothing]. The genitive is ablative, of comparison, as NIV.
v24
Reason #2. Because a person is more valuable to God than things, v24. Nature tends to provide for its own and since we are the apex of God's creation (it is designed for us), then it will tend to do better for us than for birds. Jesus' point is that nature generally works. He is not saying it will provide if we have faith rather than diligence. He is just saying that nature provides, it works, and often works irrespective of us. So why be preoccupied with what is ultimately ephemeral, when we possess what is eternal?
touV korakaV "the ravens" - [take note of] the crows. Accusative direct object of the verb "to consider." As unclean birds, the point is, God feeds even unclean ravens.
oJti "-" - that. Rather than epexegetic, it seems better to classify oJti here as introducing an object clause / dependent statement of perception expressing what should be considered.
oi|V dat. "-" - [they do not sow nor reap] to which [there is not a storeroom or a barn]. Dative of interest, advantage, "for them", or possession, as NIV. "They have no storehouse or barn", Barclay.
kai "yet" - and [god feeds them]. The conjunction here is concessive, "and yet", "although".
posw/ (oV h on) dat. pro. "how much [more]" - how much more [are you worth]. Here, a substantive use of an interrogative pronoun of quantity, dative of interest, advantage. The object uJmeiV, "you", is obviously the disciples, those who are more valuable, and as such, objects of divine care due to their relationship with the kingdom, or more likely, their humanity. The lesson is not that we take no precautions for our security, given that God will feed us with much more than he feeds the ravens. What we have here is a how much more lesson. Given that God cares even for the ravens, how much more profound are his benefits toward us, benefits which transcends mere food.
twn peteinwn (on) gen. "than birds" - of = than the birds. The genitive is ablative, of comparison; "than the birds."
v25
Reason 3: Worrying by itself is futile and ineffective; Can a person suspend the rules of nature by worry? v25-26.
de "-" - but/and. Transitional, indicating a step to the next point / saying.
ex (ek) + gen. "of [you]" - [who] from [you]. Here serving in the place of a partitive genitive.
merimnwn (merimnaw) pres. part. "by worrying" - worrying. The participle is adverbial, probably instrumental, expressing means, as NIV.
prosqeinai (prostiqhmi) aor. inf. "[can] add" - [is able] to add. Complementary infinitive, completing the sense of the verb "is able."
thcun "a single hour" - a cubit (= 46cm). Literally of adding length to the body, but often taken as adding a short span of time, an hour. Jesus often employs irony so, "add a single cubit to his stature", Cassirer.
epi + acc. "-" - upon. Spatial, "adding to" when of a measure, specifying an accusative of measure.
thn hJlikian "life" - the span of life, age / stature [of him]. The Biblical use of this word usually references stature, but again, age / life-span may be intended. A preoccupation with things like food and clothing can't add an hour to our life; "can worry make you live longer?" CEV. None-the-less, given the context and its focus on food, the point might be proverbial, namely that growth is dependent on nourishment rather than anxious thought; "who grows by worrying about his height?", Danker.
v26
oun "-" - therefore. Inferential; drawing a logical conclusion.
ei + ind. "since" - if, as is the case, [you are not able to do a little thing, then]. Introducing a first-class conditional clause where the proposed condition is assumed to be true. If we can't do the little, then we obviously can't do the much. If a preoccupation with little things doesn't get us anywhere, why be preoccupied with all the other stuff of existence, stuff that is beyond our control? "If you can't do a little thing like that, why worry about the rest of your life?" Barclay.
tiv pro. "why" - why. Interrogative pronoun.
peri + gen. "about [the rest]" - [do you worry] about [the rest]? Here adverbial, expressing reference / respect; "about, concerning."
v27
A principle from nature: If God has applied such meticulous consideration in the design of a flower, or grassy field, imagine how much more he has and will expend on the apex of his creation, v27-28. Jesus is possibly making a point about God's general providential care (see above), but it is more likely eschatological. If God creates the profound beauty of a flower which fades in a moment, "how much more" will he clothe his children in a beauty that is eternal!
katanohsate (katanoew) aor. imp. "Consider" - consider, understand [the lilies]. "Carefully fix your minds on", Hendriksen.
pwV "how" - how [it grows]. Here introducing an indirect question which serves as a dependent statement of perception expressing what should be considered. Note how, following accepted form, the plural neuter subject "lilies" takes the singular verb "to grow", so not "it grows", but "they grow."
ou kopia/ oude nhqei "they do not labour or spin" - it does not labor or spin. The phrase refers to human industry and helps make the point that we can be totally preoccupied with design and production and still not exceed the wonders of nature.
uJmin dat. pro. "[I tell] you" - [but/and i say] to you. Dative of indirect object.
en + dat. "in [all]" - [not even solomen] in [all the glory of him]. Local, expressing context or circumstance.
periebaleto (periballw) aor. mid. "was dressed" - clothed himself. Probably best translated as a past event. Even Solomon's beauty can't surpass the natural beauty of one flower.
wJV "like" - as, like. Comparative.
toutwn gen. pro. "of these" - [one] of these. The genitive is adjectival, partitive.
v28
ei "if" - [but/and] if. Introducing a first-class conditional clause where the condition is assumed to be true, "if, as is the case, .... then how much more will he clothe you of little faith." The verb "will he clothe" must be supplied for the apodosis. God clothes the fields with hay, insignificant as it is, so imagine "how much more" he will clothe his children (eschatological??).
ou{twV adv. "that is how" - [god] thus = in this way [clothes the grass]. Demonstrative adverb. "If God so attires the grass that is in the field", Berkeley.
en + dat. "of [the field]" - in [the field]. Local, expressing space / place.
o[nta (eimi) pres. part. "which is here [today]" - being [today]. The participle, as for ballomenon, "being thrown, is adjectival, attributive, limiting "the grass", as NIV.
ballomenon (ballw) pres. pas. part. "is thrown" - [and tomorrow] being thrown [into an oven]. The participle as for o[nta. Illustrating the insignificance of the grass which is gathered and bundled for kitchen fuel.
posw/ mallon "how much more" - how much more will he clothe. An interrogative substantive pronoun of quantity with the dative of interest, advantage, establishing a lesser to greater argument. The verb "will he clothe" is understood and so there are other possibilities, eg. "will he beautify", "will he care for." God will not just clothe his children as he clothes the fields, rather it is again a "how much more" picture. Jesus probably has in mind an eschatological clothing, which is why we shouldn't be preoccupied with what we actually wear now.
okigopistoi voc. adj. "little faith" - [you] of little faith. Vocative. Matthew uses this word a number of times, but Luke uses it only here. Many commentators suggest that this is a rebuke against those disciples who are anxious for their daily needs and who should know to trust God for them. The trouble is, as already noted, Jesus has not specifically promised to supply our daily needs, therefore, faith in God's daily provision is misplaced. Faith is a reliance on the revealed will of God. God has promised an eternal home of abounding glory which far exceeds the glory of nature. A reliance on this truth, the "how much more" God has planned for us, quickly dispels any preoccupation with the fading images of this shadow-land. Those of little faith are those who believe that life consists in the "abundance of possessions."
v29
Instruction / exhortation: "Stop putting so much emphasis on food and drink", Junkins, v29. Given that there is more to life than eating and drinking, it is foolish to make our daily provision the focus of our life. Only "the pagan world runs after such things." "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not to be so preoccupied with getting, .... People who don't know God, and the way he works, fuss over these things", Peterson.
kai "and" - and. Here with inferential force, drawing a conclusion from the illustrations in v27-28, and covering v29-31; "and so therefore." Matthew uses oun, "therefore"
uJmeiV "-" - you. Emphatic by use and position.
zhteite (zhtew) pres. imp. "do [not] set your heart on" - do [not] seek. Matthew uses the verb merimnaw, "to be anxious." The intended sense of Luke's record of the tradition is obviously similar: "do not be intent on / be preoccupied with." The present tense, being durative, probably gives the sense "do not keep striving for", NRSV. So, not "stop seeking", but "do not have as your constant consideration", Nolland, so Thompson.
tiv + subj. "what" - what [you may eat and] what [you may drink]. The interrogative pronoun with the deliberative subjunctive introduces a dependent statement of perception expressing what not to set the heart on.
mh metewrizesqe (metewrizomai) pres. imp. "do not worry about it" - [and] do not be preoccupied, anxious. The word is a hapax legomenon - once only use in the NT. It means to be "lifted up", "puffed up", so here the sense is "get worked up over", or, as previously noted, "be completely preoccupied with."
v30
Reason not to worry; The opening gar introduces a causal clause explaining why the disciples should not "worry", ie., be anxious for their daily provisions and security. They should not "worry" gar, "because", "by doing so you become like the gentiles who seek after material things; unlike them you have no need to worry, for your Father knows your needs", Marshall. As already noted, God's intimate knowledge of his children does not imply action toward provisions and security beyond his general and special providential care. The full realisation of the promised blessings of the covenant are eschatological - they are in "the age to come"
tou kosmou (oV) gen. "pagan [world]" - [for the nations] of the world. The genitive is adjectival, attributive, as NIV = "secular society."
epizhtousin (epizhtew) pres. "runs after" - continues to strive after. Plummer suggests the plural is used to express a distributive sense.
panta adj. "all" - all. The clause may read "for these things all the nations of the world strive after", if "all" is taken with "nations", but it seems more likely that the adjective modifies "these things", ie., "what you will eat and drink" = "all that maintains security."
tauta pro. "such things" - these things. Here serving as a substantive, accusative object of the verb "to run after", as NIV.
oiden (oida) perf. "[and your Father] knows" - [but the father of you] has known. The clause is similar to Matthew except that Luke drops "heavenly" and "all".
oJti "that" - that. Here introducing an object clause / dependent statement of perception, expressing what the Father knows.
crh/zete (crh/zw) pres. "you need" - you need. Taking the sense "to have a necessary need of."
toutwn gen. pro. "them" - these things. Serving as a substantive, genitive of direct object after the verb "to have a need of." The "them" presumably refers to the same "these things" at the beginning of the sentence, namely "what you will eat and drink."
v31
Instruction / exhortation: Everything belongs to the children of the kingdom, v31. In the terms of God's general providential care, it is possible to establish from the sayings so far that the created order generally functions for our good, as it does for the birds, and so what a disciple needs to do is focus on eternal verities, rather than the next meal. So, "It is far more important that you spend all your energy in search of the Kingdom of God, and let Him provide a way for you to acquire the few material things that you really need", Junkins. Arching over this is the eschatological realisation of the kingdom and the fulfilment of our deepest yearnings - "treasure in heaven" rather than earthly treasure, "these things" - possessions, provisions, security, ....
plhn "but" - only, nevertheless, instead. Matthew has "first". The conjunction serves here as a contrastive. Secular society chases after this world's things to maintain security, "but" believers should seek after the kingdom, for a disciple's security is ultimately found in eternal things.
zhteite (zhtew) pres. imp. "seek" - seek [the kingdom]. The present tense, being durative, may give the sense of an ongoing habit; "continue to pursue / seek". The meaning is vague: seek it out, seek to enter, seek to align with, seek to work for... By stitching the independent saying found in v32, Luke shapes the meaning in the terms of "seek the gift of the kingdom", "seek to possess", or even possibly, "seek to possess the blessings of the kingdom", so, "seek eternal life." Note, this verse, quoted by both Luke and Matthew, is the only reference in the synoptics to the kingdom being the object of a search. Note also it is "His kingdom", ie., "The Father's kingdom", although a variant "kingdom of God" exists.
autou gen. pro. "his" - of him. The genitive may be classified as adjectival, possessive, or verbal, subjective, but also possibly ablative, source/origin.
kai "and" - and. Here virtually introducing the apodosis of a conditional clause - if we seek the kingdom of God, then these things will be added to us.
tauta "these things" - these things. Nominative subject of the verb "to give, add, put." Again, obviously referring to the "what you will eat or drink", although v32 will counter an overly literal interpretation of what "things" God will actually give us "as well".
uJmin dat. pro. "to you as well" - [will be given, added, put to] to you. Dative of indirect object. "God cares for his people as a shepherd for the flock", Green, cf. Ezk.34.
v32
Assurance: God's kingdom, with all its blessings, is a gift that drives away fear, v32. Maintaining the theme of anxiety over the means of existence, Luke adds this saying of Jesus. In this saying, unique to Luke, we are reminded that the uncertainties of life can easily drive fear, so promoting a state of anxiety, but it must be remembered that God's gift of his kingdom transcends the struggle for survival. Given that v31 can be understood to promote rice-bowl-Christianity, it seems likely that Luke has added this saying to move tauta, "these things", into the spiritual / eschatological domain.
mh fobou (fobew) imp. "do not be afraid" - do not fear, worry. Fear brought on by the vulnerable nature of the "little flock." Evans thinks that this verb serves as the link word for this saying, but it could also be "kingdom".
to mikron poimnion "little flock" - little flock. A Semitic nominative used for a vocative. Imaging the remnant of Israel. As for the diminutive "little", it may, or may not carry force. Zerwick suggests it has lost its force.
oJti "for" - because. Introducing a causal clause explaining why there is no need to fear, "because" the Father has willed to shower us with the kingdom and its associated blessings.
uJmwn gen. pro. "your " - [the father] of you. The genitive is adjectival, relational.
eudokhsen (eudokew) aor. "has been pleased" - was well pleased. The tense seems to imply that the kingdom has already been given. It certainly has in Jesus and will be given in the day of glory, ie., the kingdom is a now/not yet reality. Yet, the sense here is probably "resolved", so "the Father has determined to give you the kingdom."
dounai (didwmi) aor. inf. "to give" - to give. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the verb "was well pleased with / approved of". The kingdom is given as a gift rather than worked for.
uJmin dat. pro. "you [the kingdom]" - [the kingdom] to you. Dative of indirect object.
v33
ii] Treasure in heaven, v33-34. This saying images the provision of a treasure-bag / treasure-box, a bag / box that represents its contents, a treasure which is not subject to deterioration and theft; a permanent treasure in heaven. The contents could be the accumulation of godly deeds of mercy (eg., generosity), although such an interpretation promotes the idea of reward. It is more likely that the treasure amounts to the gift of the kingdom, v22 / salvation.
Verse 33a, "Sell your possessions and give alms", is unique to Luke, although it reflects something of Matthew's opening negative statement of this saying, 6:19-21, "Stop accumulating treasures upon earth for yourselves", v19a. Luke's parallel statement is "Provide for yourselves moneybags which do not deteriorate with use." One can never be sure, but Luke's received tradition seems closer to the original, at this point, than Matthew's version. Note similar wording in Jesus' instruction to the rich ruler, 18:22.
pwlhsate (pwlew) imp. "sell" - sell. Dispose of property, or provide services in exchange for money or other valuable considerations*.
ta uJparconta (uJparcw) pres. part. "possessions" - the things being possessed [of you]. The participle serves as a substantive, accusative direct object of the verb "to sell," Literally "that which is at one's disposal."
dote (didwmi) imp. "give [to the poor]" - [and] give [alms (acts of mercy)]. The aorist tense expresses decisive action, while the wording of the sentence itself is, unlike Matthew, non-figurative. This exhortation to alms-giving exceeds the norm in that the giving is not just out of our abundance, but is the abundance / capital itself. See above for the idealistic nature of this saying.
eJautoiV dat. refl. pro. "for yourselves" - [make, do money-bags, treasure-boxes] to yourselves. Dative of interest, advantage, as NIV.
mh palaioumena (palaiow) pres. pas. part. "that will not wear out" - not becoming old, wearing out, decaying. The participle is adjectival, attributive, limiting "money-bags"; "money-bags which do not grow old."
qhsauron (oV) "a treasure" - an [inexhaustible] treasure-box [in the heavens]. Any secure receptacle, but obviously here a "treasure-box" is best. Here the treasure-box stands for the treasure inside. The contents of the treasure-box is open to some debate - see Jesus' radical demands above.
ouk eggizei (eggizw) pres. "[where] no [thief] comes near" - [where a thief] does not come near [and a moth destroys]. The thief can't get near to steal it. "Where no thief can reach nor moth do its work of destruction", Cassirer.
v34
gar "for" - because. Introducing a causal clause explaining why a disciple should practise "generous dispersal to the needy", because when we "follow the trail of the use of money ... it will lead you to the heart", Nolland.
o{pou adv. "where" - where [the treasure is there the heart of you and = also will be]. Locative adverb.
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