Money-Bags (Luke 12:33)

Jesus told His hearers, “Make money-bags for yourselves that won’t grow old, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:33-34).

The word rendered money-bags by the translators of the Holman Christian Standard Bible refers to a bag or a pouch for carrying money, a purse. It is used in the New Testament only by Luke. The inspired Gospel writer used it a total of four times—in the above passage and three additional times in two other situations.

The first situation was when Jesus commissioned seventy of His disciples to represent Him in their ministries. Jesus said in part, “Don’t carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don’t greet anyone along the road” (Luke 10:4).

The second one occurred later, when, on the night of His betrayal and arrest, Jesus warned His disciples to prepare for trouble. Here he used the term translated money-bags twice.

 He…said to them, “When I sent you out without money-bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?”

“Not a thing,” they said.

Then He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money-bag should take it, and also a traveling bag. And whoever doesn’t have a sword should sell his robe and buy one” For I tell you, what is written must be fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted among the outlaws.’ Yes, what is written about Me is coming to its fulfillment” (Luke 22:35-37; see also Isa. 53:12).

These instances highlighting the various ways Jesus used this term emphasize that Jesus was very practical in His teaching, and He often pointed to familiar objects and practices to help His hearers understand the spiritual points He was trying to make. Let us make sure we hear and heed Jesus’ admonitions in these verses, especially Luke 12:33-34. Do you have a purse in heaven? What items of eternal wealth does it contain?

 

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations in SundaySchoolZone.com materials are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®,  Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.