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 admiration of those that observe them, is all the reward they ever shall have. But thou, when thou prayest And dost not intend to use a social, but a private means of grace, enter into thy closet Or any other retired apartment; and when thou hast shut thy door To prevent interruption, and to exclude spectators, pray to thy Father which is in secret Perform the duty without noise or show, by which it will appear that thou art influenced by a principle of true piety, by the fear or love of God, and a regard to his will and glory. It must be observed, that Christ does not here condemn all prayer made in places of public worship, seeing both he and his disciples often prayed with the Jews in the synagogues, Luke 4:16; nor any public devotions in the house of God; but, speaking only here of private prayer, he would have that performed agreeably to the nature of it, and so in secret; and condemns them only who affected to do that duty in public places, that others might take notice of them, and regard them as devout religious persons for so doing.