Treasures in Heaven

The Gospel of Matthew, including this passage, is traditionally attributed to Matthew (also known as Levi), one of Jesus' twelve apostles. While scholarly consensus often points to an anonymous author who drew upon early Christian traditions and sources like the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical 'Q' source, the text itself reflects a Jewish-Christian perspective. The primary audience for Matthew's Gospel was likely a community of Jewish Christians living in Antioch, Syria, or another significant urban center in the Roman province of Syria-Palaestina. These believers were grappling with their identity and relationship to mainstream Judaism after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, as well as their place within the broader Roman Empire. The Gospel aims to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, fulfilling Jewish law and prophecy, while also establishing the basis for a new, inclusive community of faith.The Gospel of Matthew is generally dated to the period between 80-90 CE. This post-70 CE dating is crucial for understanding the political and social climate. The Roman Empire had brutally suppressed the Jewish Revolt (66-73 CE), resulting in the devastation of Judea, the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple, and the loss of countless Jewish lives. This catastrophic event profoundly impacted Jewish identity and religious practice, leading to the rise of Rabbinic Judaism centered around synagogues and Torah study, rather than the Temple. For Jewish Christians, it meant navigating a complex landscape: alienation from traditional Judaism, suspicion from Roman authorities, and the challenge of defining their unique identity. The community faced internal debates about the adherence to Mosaic Law and external pressures from both Jewish synagogues and the pagan Roman world.Culturally and religiously, the setting was a melting pot. While the Jewish cultural-religious framework was paramount for Matthew's audience, they lived under Roman imperial rule, which brought Hellenistic influences and a diverse array of pagan cults and philosophies. Economically, the region was characterized by significant wealth disparities, with a small elite controlling vast resources, and the majority of the population living in poverty or subsistence. The teachings in Matthew 6:19-24 directly address this economic reality, challenging the values of accumulating earthly wealth in a society where such accumulation often involved exploitation and was precarious due to theft and natural decay. The geographical setting, while not explicitly mentioned in this passage, implicitly refers to the urban and rural landscapes of first-century Judea and Galilee, where such economic disparities and the practical concerns of wealth management (or lack thereof) were everyday realities. The admonition against serving 'God and money' (Mammon) speaks to a common tension in a society where material possessions were often seen as a measure of divine favor, but also presented a significant distraction from spiritual devotion.