Matthew 6:12

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 6:9-15

When Christ had condemned what was amiss, he directs to do better; for his are reproofs of instruction. Because we know not what to pray for as we ought, he here helps our infirmities, by putting words into our mouths; after this manner therefore pray ye, Matt. 6:9. So many were the corruptions that had crept into this duty of prayer among the Jews, that Christ saw it needful to give a new directory for prayer, to show his disciples what must ordinarily be the matter and method of their... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 6:1-18

When we study the opening verses of Matthew 6:1-34 , we are immediately confronted with one most important question-- What is the place of the reward motive in the Christian life? Three times in this section Jesus speaks of God rewarding those who have given to him the kind of service which he desires ( Matthew 6:4 ,; Matthew 6:18 ). This question is so important that we will do well to pause to examine it before we go on to study the chapter in detail. It is very often stated that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:12

And forgive us our debts ,.... Nothing is more frequent in the Jewish writings than to call sins חובי , "debts"; and the phrase, of forgiving, is used both of God and men. Thus the prayer of Solomon is paraphrased F25 Targum in 2 Chron. vi. 21. by the Targumist: "and hear thou the petition of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make before this place; and do thou receive it from the place of the house of thy Shekinah, from heaven; and do thou accept their prayer... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 6:12

And forgive us our debts - Sin is represented here under the notion of a debt, and as our sins are many, they are called here debts. God made man that he might live to his glory, and gave him a law to walk by; and if, when he does any thing that tends not to glorify God, he contracts a debt with Divine Justice, how much more is he debtor when he breaks the law by actual transgression! It has been justly observed, "All the attributes of God are reasons of obedience to man; those attributes... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 6:12

Verse 12 12.And forgive us our debts Here it may be proper that we should be reminded of what I said a little before, that Christ, in arranging the prayers of his people, did not consider which was first or second in order. It is written, that our prayers are as it were a wall which hinders our approach to God, (Isaiah 59:2,) or a cloud which prevents him from beholding us, (Isaiah 44:22,) and that “he hath covered himself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through,” (Lamentations... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:1-18

The relation of our Lord and his disciples to the religion of the day ( continued ); vide Matthew 5:17 , note. ( b ) Our Lord turns from cases which could be directly deduced from the Law to those which belonged only to recognized religious duty. Of these he instances three: alms ( Matthew 5:2-4 ), prayer ( Matthew 5:5-8 , Matthew 5:9-15 ), fasting ( Matthew 5:16-18 ). It is, indeed, true that the performance of these duties on special occasions was implied in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:1-18

The third part of the sermon: the danger of unreality. I. THE FIRST EXAMPLE : ALMSGIVING . 1. The spiritual estimate of actions. The Christian's righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. They did their righteousness, their good works, before men, to be seen of them. It must not be so with us. Indeed, we are bidden to let our light shine before men. A holy life hath a persuasive eloquence, more persuasive far than holy words; it must not be hidden; its... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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 6:5-15

Prayer. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 6:9-13

The pattern of prayer. Parallel passage: Luke 11:2-4 . For most suggestive remarks on the Lord's Prayer, both generally and in its greater difficulties of detail, compare by all means Chase, 'The Lord's Prayer in the Early Church:' (Cambridge Texts and Studies). Observe: (a) St. Matthew's words, "Forgive us our debts," represent an older, because parabolic, form of expression than the apparently interpretative "Forgive us our sins" in St. Luke. (b) St. Matthew's words, "as we... read more

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