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Mat 6:1. Προσέχετε, take ye heed) The hortatory address,[241] ΠΡΟΣΈΧΕ ΣΕΑΥΤῼ, take heed to thyself was familiar to the early Christians; since the Hebrew השמר[242] (which occurs so frequently in Deuteronomy), was thus rendered by the LXX.-ΤῊΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΎΝΗΝ[243], ὑμῶν, your righteousness) This depends upon μὴ ποιεῖν, not to do.[244]-δικαιοσύνην, righteousness) The treatment of the subsequent divisions relating to almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, exhibits such an exact analogy that from a comparison of them it becomes evident, that the warning contained in this verse does not apply solely and exclusively to the first division, but has the force of a general proposition. The design of the whole discourse is to teach true righteousness; (see ch. Mat 5:6; Mat 5:10; Mat 5:20, and Mat 6:33); and this reading accords with that design. Others read ἐλεημοσύνην,[245] almsgiving.[246] Righteousness is the whole (cf. Gnomon on ch. Mat 5:6), three divisions of which follow immediately; viz., almsgiving, as being our especial duty towards our neighbour-prayer, as occupying the same position with regard to God-fasting, as holding the same place with reference to ourselves. These three relations, to God, to ourselves, and to our neighbour, are frequently enumerated in Holy Writ; see Rom 2:21 - Rom 7:12 - Rom 14:17; 1Co 6:11 to 1Co 13:5; 1Co 13:6; 1Co 13:13; Eph 5:9; 1Ti 1:13; Tit 1:8 to Tit 2:12; Heb 12:12-13.-θεαθῆναι, to be seen as a spectacle) Theatre and hypocrite[247] (spoken of in the next verse) are words of cognate meaning.
[241] Celeusma, from the Greek κέλευσμα-properly an exhortation to any work; especially of sailors: Either the cry of sailors for encouraging one another, or a beating of time to the rowers.-See RIDDLE.-(I. B.)
[242] E. V. Take heed, etc.-See Deu 12:13, etc.-(I. B.)
[243] E. M. τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην.-(I. B.)
[244] i.e. τὴν δικαιοσύνην is the accusative after μὴ ποιέιν-so that the passage must be rendered “Take heed that ye do not your righteousness,” etc.-(I. B.)
[245] See f. n. 7 to last page.-(I. B.)
[246] BDabc Vulg. Hilary read δικαιοσύνην. But Z supports ἐλεημοσύνην, the reading of the Rec. Text.-ED.
[247] The word originally signifies one who answers, thence, one who takes part in a dramatic dialogue, thence, one who assumes a feigned character.-(I. B.)