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William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 6:24

There are two great questions about possessions, and on the answer to these questions everything depends. (i) How did a man gain his possessions? Did he gain them in a way that he would be glad that Jesus Christ should see, or did he gain them in a way that he would wish to hide from Jesus Christ? A man may gain his possessions at the expense of honesty and honour. George Macdonald tells of a village shop-keeper who grew very rich. Whenever he was measuring cloth, he measured it with his... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 6:25-34

6:25-34 I tell you, therefore, do not worry about your life, about what you are to eat, or what you are to drink; and do not worry about your body, about what you are to wear. Is not your life more than food, and your body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, and see that they do not sow, or reap, or gather things into store-houses, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not better than they? Who of you can add one span to his life by worrying about it? And why do you... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 6:25-34

In these ten verses Jesus sets out seven different arguments and defences against worry. (i) He begins by pointing out ( Matthew 6:25 ) that God gave us life, and, if he gave us life, surely we can trust him for the lesser things. If God gave us life, surely we can trust him to give us food to sustain that life. If God gave us bodies, surely we can trust him for raiment to clothe these bodies. If anyone gives us a gift which is beyond price, surely we can be certain that such a giver will... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 6:25-34

Let us now see if we can gather up Jesus' arguments against worry. (i) Worry is needless, useless and even actively injurious. Worry cannot affect the past, for the past is past. Omar Khayyam was grimly right: "The moving finger writes, and, having writ, Moves on; nor all thy piety nor wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a line, Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it." The past is past. It is not that a man can or ought to dissociate himself from his past; but he ought... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:16

Moreover when ye fast ,.... This is to be understood, not so much of their public stated fasts, and which were by divine appointment, as of their private fasts; which, with the Jews, were very frequent and numerous, and particularly every Monday and Thursday; see Luke 18:12 in which they affected great severity, and is here condemned by Christ: be not as the hypocrites , the Scribes and Pharisees, of a sad countenance ; who put on very mournful airs, and dismal looks; made wry... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:17

But thou, when thou fastest ,.... Christ allows of fasting, but what is of a quite different kind from that of the Jews; which lay not in an outward abstinence from food, and other conveniences of life, and refreshments of nature; but in an abstinence from sin, in acknowledgment and confession of it; and in the exercise of faith and hope in God, as a God pardoning iniquity, transgression and sin; wherefore cheerfulness, and a free use of the creatures, without an abuse of them, best became... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:18

That thou appear not unto men to fast ,.... Which is just the reverse of the hypocrites, the Scribes and Pharisees; and quite contrary to the customs of the Jews, who when they fasted, particularly on their noted fasts F12 Misn. Taanith, c. 2. sect. 1. , "brought out the ark into the street of the city, and put burnt ashes upon it, and upon the head of the prince, and upon the head of the president of the sanhedrim, and every man upon his own head.' All which was done, to be seen... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:19

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth ,.... Meaning either treasures that are of an earthly nature and kind, the more valuable and excellent things of the earth, worldly wealth and riches; or the things and places, in which these are laid up, as bags, chests, or coffers, barns and other treasuries, private or public. Christ here dissuades from covetousness, and worldly mindedness; an anxious care and concern, to hoard up plenty of worldly things for themselves, for time to come,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:20

But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven ,.... That is, either be concerned for, and seek after heavenly treasure, the riches of glory, the joys and glories of another world, which infinitely excel everything that is valuable on earth; and which can never be corrupted, or taken away: or rather, lay up your earthly treasures in heaven; that is, put them into the hands of God in heaven; and this is done, by liberally communicating to the poor; by which means men "provide themselves bags... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This seems to be a proverbial expression, and contains in it another reason, dissuading from worldly mindedness; because of the danger the heart is in of being ensnared and ruined thereby: and the sense of it is, if your treasure is on earth, and lies in earthly things, your hearts will be set upon them, and be in them, in your bags, your coffers and storehouses; and so your souls will be in danger of being lost; which loss will be... read more

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