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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 6:1 - 6:4
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_6:1-4
1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Mat_6:1
NASB, NRSV "Beware of practicing"
NKJV "take heed that you do not do"
TEV "Be careful not to perform"
NJB "Be careful not to parade"
"Beware" is a present active imperative. This is literally "think constantly." God looks at the heart (motive) before the hand (action)!
▣ "your righteousness" This passage deals with three aspects of first century Jewish religious practices which were thought to make one right with YHWH: (1) almsgiving (Mat_6:2-4); (2) prayer (Mat_6:5-15); and (3) fasting (Mat_6:16-18). Beware of religious exhibitionism (cf. Mat_5:20). Many things can be good or evil depending on our attitude, motive, and purpose!
"Righteousness" stood for almsgiving in Jesus' day. Almsgiving was a weekly Jewish system of free will offerings to help the poor and needy.
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▣ "before men" There are some things that believers should do "before men."
1. let your light shine, Mat_5:16
2. confess Christ, Mat_10:32
▣ "to be noticed by them" The English term " theatrical" is derived from this Greek word (theamai), which meant "to behold attentively." The term "hypocrites" in Mat_6:2 also has a theatrical etymology. The Pharisees were play-acting religion (cf. Mat_5:20).
▣ "reward" This term is found in Mat_6:1-2; Mat_6:5; Mat_6:16 and means "to receive a full payment" (cf. Php_4:18). The Bible teaches rewards, but on the basis of believers'attitude, not their actions alone (i.e., Mat_7:21-23). A similar phrase in Mat_6:2 was an idiom for "a signed and received receipt." See Special Topic at Mat_5:12.
Mat_6:2 "give to the poor" Almsgiving was a means of helping the poor on a weekly basis. The rabbis even thought of it as having saving qualities (cf. Tob_12:8-9; Sir_3:30; Sir_29:11-12).
▣ "do not sound a trumpet before you" This has often been interpreted as alluding to the thirteen metal, trumpet-shaped receptacles in the Temple where money was placed (cf. Luk_21:2). Each container had a different designated purpose. However, no clear historical evidence has been found in Jewish literature for these receptacles. Therefore, it is probably a figure of speech of someone calling attention to their religious acts.
▣ "hypocrites" See Special Topic following.
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NASB "that they may be honored by men"
NKJV "that they may have glory from men"
NRSV "so that they may be praised by others"
TEV "so that people will praise them"
NJB "to win human admiration"
God looks at the heart (cf. 1Sa_16:7; Pro_21:2; Luk_16:15; Joh_12:43; Act_1:24; Act_15:8; Rom_8:27; Rev_2:23).
NASB "Truly I say to you,"
NKJV "Assuredly, I say to you"
NRSV "Truly, I tell you"
TEV "remember this"
JB"I tell you solemnly"
NJB "In truth I tell you"
Literally "amen, amen" (cf. Mat_6:2; Mat_6:5; Mat_6:16), this was used exclusively by Jesus to introduce significant statements. The OT root of " amen" is faithfulness, loyalty, or dependability. This had the connotation of, " I am making a faithful statement, listen clearly." See Special Topic at Mat_5:18.
▣ "they have their reward in full" This word " reward" found in the Egyptian papyri (see James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 413) denoted a wage or earnings. This word occurs in Mat_5:12; Mat_5:46; Mat_6:1-2; Mat_6:5; Mat_6:16.
Mat_6:3 This was an idiom for secrecy. It was not meant to be taken literally. It was a reaction to and guard against religious exhibitionism.
Mat_6:4 "your Father who sees what is done in secret" The significance of private personal faith is found in the believer's personal trust in God. Believers show their personal relationship to God in unobserved activity more than any other way (cf. Mat_6:6; Mat_6:18). Attitude, not secrecy, is the key (cf. Mat_5:16). Often monetary stewardship can be a great witness, e.g., J. C. Penney and R. G. Letourneau.
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▣ "will reward you" The Greek term "openly" is found in the NKJV in Mat_6:4; Mat_6:6; Mat_6:18. The early Greek uncial manuscripts K, L, & W, and the Greek text used by Chrysostom add "openly" here and in Mat_6:6; Mat_6:18. This word does not occur in the major ancient Greek manuscripts à , B, D, Z; nor the Greek texts used by Origen, Cyprian, Jerome, or Augustine. The UBS4 gives the shorter text a "B" rating (almost certain).