Matthew 6

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:1-18

Sermon on the mount: 4. Ostentatious religion. After indicating the righteousness which admits to the kingdom of heaven, our Lord proceeds to warn against a flaw that vitiates the goodness of many religious people, and to illustrate it in connection with three chief characteristics of the religious life of those days—alms-giving, prayer, and fasting. I. ALMSGIVING has been recognized as one of the first duties by most religions. Under the Jewish Law the poor were well provided for. It... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2

Therefore . A deduction from the general principle laid down in Matthew 6:1 . When thou doest alms ( ποιῇς ἐλεημοσύνην ) . The exact phrase comes here and Matthew 6:3 only. In Luke 11:41 and Luke 12:33 ( δότε ) alms are con-sidereal rather as a gift; in Acts 9:36 ; Acts 10:2 ; Acts 24:17 ( ἐλεημοσύνας ), rather as to their separate occasions and materials; here quite generally but rather as an action, a work. Do not sound a trumpet ( μησῃς ). Probably a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2

Character shown in religious duties. There is no certain evidence of such a custom as our Lord here refers to. Rich men sometimes had a certain day on which they distributed their alms. Then they may have sent round with a trumpet to call the poor people together. "In some cities Saturday is beggars' day, and every merchant, shopkeeper, and housewife lays by a store of coppers and remnants of food." Probably our Lord only used a figure, such as we employ when we speak of the "flourish of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2-4

Almsgiving. Matthew only. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:3

But when thou ; " thou " emphatic. Let not thy left hand know , etc. So little effect should thy kind action have upon thy memory. There should be no self-consciousness in it. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:4

And thy Father which seeth in secret (comp. Matthew 6:6 , note). Himself . Revised 'Version omits, with the manuscripts. Shall reward thee ; Revised Version, shall recompense thee ( ἀποδώσει σοι ). Shall give to thee in full measure corresponding to the contents of that which is really due (cf. Isaiah 65:6 , Isaiah 65:7 , LXX .). When this" recompense" shall be given is not stated. If, as is probable, our Lord is thinking of the" reward" of Matthew 6:1 and Matthew 5:12 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:4

The Father's open rewards. "Shall reward thee openly." This turn of the sentence somewhat surprises us. It is not precisely what we expected. Making so much of giving in secret, and the Father seeing in secret, we expect to read, "shall reward thee in secret ways." Probably the "open reward" is promised because the man who makes a show of religion does so in order to get open and public fame. (It should, however, be duly noticed that the best manuscripts and most modern editors omit the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be , etc.; Revised Version, plural. Matthew 6:5 is addressed to the disciples generally, Matthew 6:6 to them individually. (For the future, cf. Matthew 5:48 , note.) As the hypocrites are ( Matthew 6:2 , note). The 'Didache,' § 8., following this passage, says, "Neither pray ye as the hypocrites," referring, like our Lord, to practices affected chiefly by the Pharisees. For they love ( ὅτι φιλοῦσι ). Not to be translated "they are wont."... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5

Hypocrite prayers. Properly, the hypocrite is simply the "actor;" but the word has come to mean "one who acts a part with a view to deceive others, and get undeserved praise for himself." Standing at prayer was usual. Praying in the synagogues was usual. Praying in the streets, if you happen to be in the streets when the prayer-call sounds, is quite usual in the Mohammedan East of to-day. Our Lord does not reprove these things. Our Lord referred to a bad custom of his day. Men went into the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5-8

Matthew only. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:2-4

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:5-8

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