who said seek ye first the kingdom of god
Matthew 6:33 Jesus has just told his followers not to worry about material things such as food or clothing, as God will provide the needs of his followers. Earlier in the chapter Jesus presented a discussion on how one must not pursue wealth and material things before God. This verse ties the two notions together. If one places the pursuit of the Kingdom of God first, then material needs will follow without need for worry or anxiety. The present imperative verb seek makes clear that pursuing the eschatological kingdom is not a passive act, but one that must be pursued with rigour. Hill notes that the word God is left out of many of the better early manuscripts of the Gospel, and it thus might be a later addition. Kingdom of God is a somewhat unusual phrase, with the author of Matthew generally preferring Kingdom of Heaven. Even without the word it is quite clear that this is a reference to the Kingdom of God.[2] The parallel to this verse at Luke 12:31 does not mention righteousness, but as France notes the author of Matthew shows a special interest in righteousness throughout his gospel.[3]
Book of Deuteronomy Chapters 1–30 of the book consist of three sermons or speeches delivered to the Israelites by Moses on the plains of Moab, shortly before they enter the Promised Land. The first sermon recounts the forty years of wilderness wanderings which had led to that moment, and ends with an exhortation to observe the law (or teachings), later referred to as the Law of Moses; the second reminds the Israelites of the need to follow Yahweh and the laws (or teachings) he has given them, on which their possession of the land depends; and the third offers the comfort that even should Israel prove unfaithful and so lose the land, with repentance all can be restored.[1] The final four chapters (31–34) contain the Song of Moses, the Blessing of Moses, and narratives recounting the passing of the mantle of leadership from Moses to Joshua and, finally, the death of Moses on Mount Nebo.