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Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 6:5-6

Matthew 6:5-6. When thou prayest Which, if thou art my disciple indeed, thou wilt often do: thou shalt not be as the hypocrites Praying out of vain ostentation. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues In the sight of numbers of people. Of the synagogues see note on Matthew 4:23. And in the corners of the streets Where several ways meet, that they may be seen of men May be beheld by many, and admired as persons of singular piety. Verily, they have their reward This... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 6:7-8

Matthew 6:7-8. When ye pray, use not vain repetitions A multiplicity of words without meaning, or uttered without seriousness, reverence for God, sincerity, or faith. The original word, βαττολογησητε , is derived from βαττος , a stutterer, or foolish talker, and λογος , speech. The former word was the name of a certain prince of the Cyrenæans, who was a stammerer, and also of a babbling foolish poet, who frequently repeated the same things, and whose rhapsodies were full of... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:1-18

41. Giving, praying and fasting (Matthew 6:1-18; Luke 11:1-4)If the followers of Jesus give help to the needy with the aim of winning people’s praise, their giving is of no value in God’s sight. They will have their reward in the praise they seek, but will miss out on any reward from God. They should keep matters of giving secret from even their closest friends (Matthew 6:1-4).Prayer also is a private matter. Believers do not need to make a show of prayerful zeal, as if their heavenly Father... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 6:5

AS TO PRAYER. thou prayest, thou. All the critical Greek texts read "ye pray, ye". prayest . . . pray. Greek. proseuchomai. See App-134 . love = are fond of. Greek. phileo. App-135 . streets = open places. that = so that. be seen = appear. Greek. phaino . App-106 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 6:6

closet = store-chamber. Hence a secret chamber where treasures were stored. Occurs only here, Matthew 24:26 , and Luke 12:3 , Luke 12:24 . Compare Isaiah 26:20 . 2 Kings 4:33 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 6:7

use not vain repetitions = repeat not the same things over and over; explained in last clause. Greek. battologeo. Occurs only here. heathen = Gentiles. Greek. ethnikos. Occurs only here, and Matthew 18:17 . for = in. Greek. en . much speaking. Greek. polulogia. Occurs only here. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 6:8

knoweth. Greek. oida. Very significant in this connection. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 6:5

And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.As in the matter of alms-giving, it is not a case of "if" but "when." Prayer is a vital and constant condition of the truly spiritual life. In this passage with verses following, Christ exposes the entire area of hypocritical and ostentatious prayers. The proper exercise of the privilege of prayer is violated (1) by the choice of... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 6:6

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.(2) The best place for prayer is characterized by secrecy, privacy, and quietness. The secret place, the private room, the inner chamber, the shut door - these are the best situations in which acceptable prayer may be offered. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 6:7

And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.(3) The third area of abuse of the sacred privilege of prayer is in the matter of vain, empty repetitions. The customs of Gentiles in regard to this abuse were well known. Water wheels, wind chimes, endless chanting over and over of prescribed words are old and widely observed characteristics of pagan prayers; and these have continued down the centuries until these very... read more

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