23. Further Teachings (continued)
22“The eye is the lamp of the body; if therefore, your eye is generous, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eye is selfish, the whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is turned to darkness, how great is that darkness! 24No man can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and mammon.c 25Do not be anxious about your lives; what you shall eat or what you shall drink; nor about your body, what you shall put on. 33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,d and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Therefore, do not be anxious about the morrow. Sufficient for the day is the trouble thereof.”(Mt. 6:22–25, 33–34)
c “You cannot serve God and mammon.”—You cannot at the same time follow in God's way and wholeheartedly serve mammon. Mammon is the Semitic word for “money” or “riches.”
d “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,”—What was Jesus' prime directive to his disciples? Here is revealed the first priority of the true follower of Jesus—the kingdom of God. Jesus centered his entire teaching mission on this one concept, the kingdom of God, which he also referred to as the kingdom of heaven.
This kingdom that Jesus taught is the will of his heavenly Father dominant and transcendent in the heart of the believer. Jesus' two favorite prayers, “your will be done” (Ch. 28, Mt. 6:10; Ch. 146, Mt. 26:42) and “not my will, but yours, be done” (Ch. 146, Lk. 22:42), are our sure guide in the way of the kingdom, and are appropriate in all life situations.
Having gained entrance into the kingdom as a child and by faith, we must progress in righteousness, grow more and more like God; therefore are we directed to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. (See also Ch. 22, fn. i, and Ch. 24, fn. a.)
Mt. 6:22 body; if therefore your (KJV) / body, so if your (RSV) • is generous, your (Mof.) / is sound, your (RSV)
Mt. 6:23 is selfish, the (Mof.) / is not sound, the (RSV) • is turned to darkness, / is darkness, (RSV) • is that darkness! (KJV) / is the darkness! (RSV)
Mt. 6:24 No man can (KJV) / No one can (RSV)
Mt. 6:25 Do / Therefore I tell you, do (RSV)
Mt. 6:33 first the kingdom of God and (KJV) / first his kingdom and (RSV) • be added unto you. (KJV) / be yours as well. (RSV)
Mt. 6:34 about the morrow. (KJV) / about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. (RSV) (140:6/1577–8)
