[Greek] θησαυρίζω (thēsaurizō), [Latin] thesaurizare, [Latin] thesaurus, [Latin] recondere, [Latin] repositus, [French] cacher: to store up, to lay up, to keep in store, to gather up, to reserve; Mt.6:19-20, Lk.12:21, Rom.2:5, 1Cor.16:2, 2Cor.12:14, Jas.5:3, 2Pet.3:7
Accumulating spiritual treasures
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to store, to treasure up, to lay up, to hoard, and to preserve.
Xenophon’s Cyropaedia 8.2.24: “He had observed that most people lay up for themselves what will serve to supply the wants of people.”
Herodotus’ 2.121: “The memorial of his name left by him was the western court of the temple of Hephaestus.”
Plato’s Phaedrus 276d: “The gardens of letters will treasure up reminders when he comes to forgetfulness of old age.”
Isocrates’ Antidosis 15.229: “Whom have these traducers ever seen reserving and treasuring up their depravities for use instead of divulging from the first evil instincts present in their nature?”
Old Testament: This term means to lay up treasures in a righteous store in heaven by good works.
Tob.4:7: “Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from the poor, so that God’s face will not be turned away from you.”
Tob.4:8: “Give in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, do not be afraid to give alms even of that little.”
Tob.4:9: “You will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity.”
New Testament: This term means to store up, to set aside (save), and to reserve.
Scripture:
Mt.6:19: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. (Earthly and material possessions will not last last. Jesus also reminds us to not be caught in the snare of love of money and material things [even which we highly value].)
Mt.6:20: But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroy, nor thieves break in and steal. (Spiritual and heavenly treasures last much longer. Such treasures include good works, providing alms, sharing your time, expertise, and resources, following God, serving others, and blessings.)
Mt.6:21: For where your treasure is, there will be your heart.” (Your treasure will ultimately be defined by your values and priorities. If you put your treasure in God’ s hands, your heart will be with Him. If you put your treasures on earth [and earthly things], your heart will be set upon the world. Your soul may be in danger of being lost, though you should gain the whole world.)
Lk.12:21: “Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself is not rich in what matters to God.” (Heavenly treasures are by far more valuable in God’s ‘eyes’.)
Rom.2:5: “By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God.” (Jews enjoy no more moral supremacy over Gentiles. Gentiles stand on equal footing with the Jews. Each one us will be judged accordingly.)
2Pet.3:7: “The present heavens and earth have been reserved by the same word for fire, kept for the day of judgment and of destruction of the godless.” (Just as God destroyed the earth by water in the flood, so He will destroy it along with the false teachers on judgment day.)
Etymology: The Latin verb recondere means to put away, to hide, to put away, to hide, and to build again. A thesaurus is a treasury, collection and store house (of words). The related Latin verb abscondere means to hid, to conceal, and to put out of sight.
Conclusion:
Thesaurus, repository, cache, condo, condominium, abscond
The Old Testament culture develops the notion of laying up of a heavenly treasure by good acts (acts of love). Even Tobit shows the need to accumulate heavenly treasures (using one’s treasures to help others.)
Spiritual treasures ultimately come from the heart.
However, I don’t think many people are aware that one can store up wrath from God (by one’s actions).
–Useless Word Alert—
Recondite: hard to understand, hidden, little known
Update: Potentially destructive and devastating natural disasters can provide opportunities for many to donate blood, products and services to victims.
In light of the wildfires in California, we all must acknowledge people losing their homes and even loved ones. Although, these possessions were important and valuable to many people, they still are just material possessions.
Each one of us will be ultimately judged by what we have held in our hearts: sin, anger, regrets, and missed opportunities.
The Modernists (Synodalists) will also be judged by their efforts to remake Jesus’ Church into a synodal Church made in the image of man and his lived experiences. These Modernists have essentially diminished and undermined Tradition. These Modernists have also marginalized many faithful Traditional Catholics (laity and clergy) Ex. Bishop Strickland.
As a result, these Modernists’ ‘hard-heartedness’ have undermined the teachings of Jesus’ Church. They will also be held accountable for ignoring, diminishing, and normalizing sin. They will held accountable for allowing worldliness, secularism, relativism, Modernism, heresy, sin, and evil into the Church.
It is also important to acknowledge the good works that many wealthy people have done in setting up foundations to serve various humanitarian causes. These people are using their resources to achieve lasting and helpful results.
Giving of one’s time in ministry (serving others) can be a spiritual treasure.
Simple acts of generosity can become a spiritual treasure: mentoring a younger person, taking care (visiting) the elderly, walking an elderly person across the street, donating old clothes (and other items) to charity.
The wealthy (movie stars, professional athletes, politicians, etc.) can potentially help the poor (unfortunate) with their resources through charities and foundations, and out-reach programs.
In this culture of death, one must be very careful in not storing up sinful activity (just because you have the ‘right’ to do it). You also will be judged for this on the day of judgment.
Offering this advice is a lay up (relatively easy task). But actually doing this is actually the hard work. ☺☺☺
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