THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (CONTINUED) 1. God's approval, not man's, to be sought in all our actions. Jesus does not say that we are to do good expecting no reward of any kind, but that we are to look for our reward to God alone: see on Matthew 6:4. THAT YE DO NOT YOUR ALMS] RV 'your righteousness.' T... [ Continue Reading ]
A TRUMPET] There was a trumpet in every synagogue, which was sounded on various occasions (e.g. at the beginning of the sabbath and at excommunications), not, however, so far as we know, at the collection of alms. The expression is, therefore, probably a metaphor for 'ostentation.' HYPOCRITES] In cl... [ Continue Reading ]
OSTENTATION IN ALMSGIVING REPROVED.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET NOT THY LEFT HAND] A metaphor for secrecy. Yet alms need not on all occasions be secret (cp. Matthew 5:16, 'Let your light so shine before men,' etc.), provided that ostentation be avoided. The best Jewish thought strongly approved of alms done in secret. In the Temple was 'the treasury of the s... [ Continue Reading ]
REWARD THEE OPENLY] RV omits OPENLY. The reward will take place at the Day of Judgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed. Yet even in this life there is the reward of a good conscience, and of God's approval.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO PRAY STANDING] Standing was the usual Jewish attitude in prayer, as kneeling is with us. In prayer a Jew usually (1) stood, (2) turned towards Jerusalem, (3) covered his head, (4) fixed his eyes downwards. The ancient Church prayed standing on Sundays and festivals, but kneeling on fast-days, and... [ Continue Reading ]
MAXIMS FOR PRAYER, AND THE LORD'S PRAYER. Perhaps the most significant v. of this section is Matthew 6:8, 'Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.' Christians, therefore, are not to pray mainly with the object of bringing their needs before God who knows them already, but... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THY CLOSET] RV 'into thine inner chamber': cp. Isaiah 26:20; 2 Kings 4:33. There is no disparagement here of public worship, which our Lord elsewhere emphatically commends by precept and practice. But private prayer affords a test of sincerity which public worship does not. SHALL REWARD THEE OP... [ Continue Reading ]
USE NOT VAIN REPETITIONS] Our Lord reproves not repetitions, but _vain_ repetitions. In the agony in the garden He Himself prayed three times in the same words. Vain repetition reaches its culminating point in Thibet, where there are mechanical prayer-wheels worked by the wind to spread out written... [ Continue Reading ]
Prayer is not to inform God of our needs, as the heathen think, but that we may have conscious communion with Him as His children.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THIS MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE] Our Lord is not giving simply an illustration of the manner in which Christians ought to pray, but a set form of words to be learnt by heart and habitually used. This is clear from Luke 11:1, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.' Every Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTHLY TREASURE AND THE HEAVENLY TREASURE. When do we lay up 'treasure in heaven'? Whenever we give alms (Matthew 6:2), or pray (Matthew 6:5), or fast (Matthew 6:16), to please God rather than man. But these three examples are only introduced to prepare the way for the wider principle that in e... [ Continue Reading ]
THY KINGDOM COME] A glorious prayer of infinite scope, known also, yet not in its full sense, to the Jews, who held it for a maxim that 'That prayer, wherein is not mentioned the kingdom of God is no prayer at all.' 'Thy kingdom come' means, May justice triumph over injustice, truth over error, kind... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD] We are not taught to pray for bread for many days, but for one day, God thereby reminding us of our continual dependence upon Him. Nor are we taught to pray for luxuries, but for bread, i.e. for necessary food, shelter, clothing, and health. We pray also for bread f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS] RV 'as we also have forgiven our debtors.' No one who has not forgiven his enemies can pray the Lord's Prayer, which is another proof that it is meant for Christians alone. To forgive one's enemies is the act of a Christian, and the very opposite o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LEAD (RV 'bring') US NOT INTO TEMPTATION] God does not Himself tempt (James 1:13), but He allows us to be tempted, and what God permits is often spoken of in Scripture as His act. The temptations here spoken of are not only the direct assaults of the evil one, but the trials and sorrows of life... [ Continue Reading ]
DISFIGURE THEIR FACES] viz. with ashes, or perhaps, 'conceal their faces with a veil': see 2 Samuel 15:30; Esther 6:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
PRECEPTS FOR PRIVATE FASTS (not in St. Luke). Our Lord says nothing of public fasts, because when every one else is fasting there is little temptation to vainglory. In our Lord's time there were not more than five (or six) public fasts (see below), but the strict Jews, especially the Pharisees, were... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOINT] This may mean 'Anoint thy head as for a banquet,' but anointing was a common practice at all times.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY] RV 'shall recompense thee.' 19-34. These vv. are not very closely connected, but they form a kind of unity, and are printed as a single paragraph in RV. They deal with excessive care for earthly things: (_a_) wealth, Matthew 6:19; (_b_) food and raiment, Matthew 6:25. For... [ Continue Reading ]
MOTH AND RUST] Wealth in Eastern lands is largely stored and hoarded. Much of it consists of costly changes of raiment, which are liable to the attacks of moths. BREAKTHROUGH] lit. 'dig through,' viz. the wall of the house, which was often only built of clay.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, etc.] see Luke 12:34. The heavenly treasure is the approval of our heavenly Father, which is represented as wealth stored up in heaven, ready to be enjoyed hereafter. The earthly treasure is not only wealth (though that is its most striking exemplification), but everythin... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIGHT] RV 'the lamp.' THE BODY] In the parable the 'body' stands for the soul of man. THINE EYE] i.e. thy conscience. SINGLE] i.e. seeing things in their true light.... [ Continue Reading ]
SINGLEMINDEDNESS IN GOD'S SERVICE, AND HOW IT IS TO BE ATTAINED (Luke 11:34; Luke 16:13). The connexion of thought is—How can we be sure that we are laying up treasure in heaven, and acting simply and purely for the glory of God? Our Lord replies: By paying attention to our consciences, and keeping... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO MASTERS] It is a common idea that virtue shades off into vice by imperceptible gradations, and that the majority of men are neither bad nor good. Our Lord pronounces absolutely that in the last resort there are only two classes of men, those who are serving God, and those who are serving the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE NO THOUGHT] RV 'be not anxious': cp. 1 Peter 5:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHRISTIAN'S FREEDOM FROM CARE AND ANXIETY (Luke 12:22). The worldly man is oppressed with care. He is always in fear that his deep-laid plans for the future will miscarry, that some object that he loves will be torn from his grasp, that his wealth will vanish, or that his health will fail so tha... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SOW NOT] God provides for the birds without labour on their part, because labour is not natural to birds. But labour is natural to men, therefore God provides for men by blessing their labour. There is a close rabbinical parallel to this saying: 'Have you ever seen beast or fowl that had a work... [ Continue Reading ]
BY TAKING THOUGHT] RV 'by being anxious.' ONE CUBIT UNTO HIS STATURE] Since no one would literally desire to have a cubit (a foot and a half) added to his stature, and the word translated 'stature' generally means 'age' (see RM), it is better to translate, 'Which of you.. can add one span to his age... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE YE THOUGHT] RV 'are ye anxious.'... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE OVEN] Dried grass is used in the East for heating the baking ovens, which are holes in the ground rather more than 3 ft. deep and 2½ ft. wide, shaped like a jar. The walls are cemented to resist the action of fire. Grass is burnt in the ovens, until they are thoroughly hot. Then dough rolle... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE NO THOUGHT] RV 'Be not anxious.' Our Lord regarded cheerfulness and joy, and the absence of care and anxiety, as the mark of a true Christian who puts his trust in God. Similarly the rabbis said, 'There is enough of trouble in the very moment.'... [ Continue Reading ]