7 takeaways from this study

1. Store up eternal treasures: Focus on building up spiritual wealth—qualities like righteousness, mercy, and generosity—rather than material possessions that fade away.

2. Practice private faith: True character is revealed by what you do when no one is watching. Private acts of faith and kindness matter more than public displays.

3. Take regular spiritual inventory: Just as a business checks its stock, regularly assess your spiritual life to ensure you’re growing in the things that truly matter.

4. Cultivate a generous “good eye”: Approach life with an open hand and a generous heart, seeing opportunities to bless others rather than hoarding for yourself.

5. Use discernment: Be wise in choosing what to value and pursue, distinguishing between what is truly important and what is fleeting or trivial.

6. Let go of recognition: Don’t seek applause or approval from others for your good deeds; instead, seek to please God, who sees what is done in secret.

7. Invest in relationships and character: The most lasting investments are in your relationship with God and others, and in developing a character that reflects faith, hope, and love.

Let’s go on a journey through Scripture that’s deeply personal and profoundly relevant for all of us who seek to follow Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah. This study is about “storehouses”—not just the physical kind, but the spiritual ones that shape our lives, our character, and our legacy.

Let’s begin with a question: What are you storing up in your heart? Here’s what Yeshua teaches:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21, NASB)

The Greek word for “treasure” here is θησαυρός thēsauros, which means “storehouse” or “treasury.” It’s the root of our English word “thesaurus”—a storehouse of words. But Yeshua isn’t talking about vocabulary; He’s talking about the values, memories, and priorities we collect in the storehouse of our hearts.

In the Tanakh, the Hebrew word אוֹצָר (otsar) also means “storehouse” or “treasury.” Proverbs 21:20 says:

“There is precious treasure (otsar) and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallows it up.” (Proverbs 21:20)

What fills our spiritual storehouse? Is it wisdom, kindness, and faithfulness—or is it cluttered with things that fade away?

Yeshua’s teaching echoes a long-standing Jewish tradition of self-examination. We see this as a call to regularly take spiritual inventory, much like a business owner checks their stock. Are we full of what matters, or are we running on empty?

Yeshua continues in Matthew 6:22-23:

“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.” (Matthew 6:22-23)

Here, “clear” is from the Greek ἁπλοῦς (haplous, meaning “single” or “generous”), and “bad” is πονηρός (ponēros, meaning “evil” or “stingy”). In Hebrew, we talk about עַיִן טוֹבָה (ayin tovah, “good eye”) and עַיִן רָעָה (ayin ra’ah, “bad eye”). An ayin tovah is a generous, open-hearted outlook; an ayin ra’ah is stingy and begrudging.

Proverbs 22:9 says:

“He who has a generous eye (ayin tovah) will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)

This is not just about money. It’s about our attitude—do we see opportunities to bless, or do we hoard what we have out of fear?

Yeshua’s words about treasure and the eye are really about discernment—choosing what to value and what to let go. The Hebrew word for discernment is בִּינָה (binah), and it’s a quality praised throughout the Scriptures.

Paul writes in Colossians 2:2-3:

“…that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Messiah Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures (thēsauroi) of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3)

Messiah Yeshua is the ultimate storehouse of wisdom and knowledge. As His followers, we’re called to seek out what is truly valuable—eternal truths, not passing fads.

One of the most challenging teachings in Matthew 6 is about the difference between private faith and public religiosity. Yeshua warns:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

He goes on to say that when we give, pray, or fast, we should do so in secret—not for applause, but for God’s approval (Matthew 6:2-6, 16-18).

This resonates deeply with Jewish tradition. The Talmud teaches that the highest form of charity is giving anonymously, so that neither the giver nor the receiver knows the other’s identity (Bava Batra 10b). It’s about sincerity—doing the right thing because it’s right, not because it’s seen.

In both Jewish and Messianic circles, we talk about חֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ (cheshbon hanefesh), an “accounting of the soul.” This is a regular practice of self-examination, especially during the High Holy Days, but really, it’s for every day.

Yeshua’s teaching in Matthew 6 is a call to take inventory: What’s in your storehouse? Are you storing up forgiveness, compassion, and faith—or resentment, pride, and fear?

Paul echoes this in 2Corinthians 13:5:

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (2Corinthians 13:5)

It’s easy to fill our lives with things that don’t last—possessions, achievements, even religious activities that are more about show than substance. Yeshua reminds us that moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19). Even the grandest cathedrals and the most impressive resumes will one day crumble.

Isaiah 64:11 laments:

“Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised You, has been burned by fire; and all our precious things have become a ruin.” (Isaiah 64:11)

What endures is not the building, but the faith, hope, and love we store up in our hearts.

Yeshua’s teaching is not just about what to avoid, but what to pursue. He calls us to invest in relationships—with God and with others—and to develop a character that reflects His own.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:22-24:

“…that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

This is the heart of Messianic living: being transformed from the inside out, so that our actions flow from a renewed heart.

Yeshua repeatedly emphasizes the value of what is done in secret. Whether it’s giving, praying, or fasting, the Father who sees in secret will reward us (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18).

This is a radical call in a world obsessed with recognition. In Jewish tradition, the concept of tzniut (צניעות, “modesty” or “humility”) extends beyond dress to our actions and intentions. The most beautiful acts are often the ones no one sees.

Throughout Scripture, generosity is a hallmark of the righteous. In Deuteronomy 15:7-11, we’re commanded to open our hand to the poor and needy. The Hebrew phrase is פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת־יָדְךָ (patoach tiftach et-yadcha, “you shall surely open your hand”).

Yeshua’s teaching about the “good eye” is a call to this kind of open-handedness. It’s not just about money, but about time, attention, and hospitality. Avraham (Abraham) is praised for his hospitality—his open hand to strangers (Genesis 18:1-8).

Yeshua tells the parable of the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45-46). When the merchant finds it, he sells everything to buy the field where it’s hidden. This is a picture of discernment—recognizing what is truly valuable and being willing to let go of lesser things to obtain it.

In the story of Joseph and his brothers, Joseph gives a special portion to Benjamin (Genesis 43:34). In the Psalms, we read:

“The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.” (Psalm 119:57)

Our greatest treasure is not what we possess, but who possesses us. The Lord Himself is our portion, our inheritance, our storehouse.

Yeshua concludes this section with a call to trust:

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34)

The Hebrew word for trust is בִּטָּחוֹן (bitachon). Trusting God means letting go of anxiety about what we will eat, drink, or wear. If He cares for the birds and the lilies, how much more will He care for us?

So, how do we put this into practice? Here are a few steps I’ve found helpful:

As Messianic Jews and Gentiles, we are called to live in the tension of tradition and renewal, law and grace, public witness and private devotion. Yeshua’s words in Matthew 6 challenge us to build a storehouse that endures—not with things that fade, but with treasures that last.

Let’s be people of discernment, generosity, and integrity. Let’s take regular spiritual inventory, seeking to align our hearts with the heart of our Messiah. And let’s remember that our greatest treasure is not what we have, but who we are becoming in Him.

May the Lord fill your storehouse with wisdom, love, and every good thing. Shalom!