CHAPTER VI. _Of alms-giving_, 1-5. _Of prayer_, 6-8. _The Lord's prayer, or model according to which Christians_ _should pray_, 9-13. _Of forgiveness_, 14, 15. _Of fasting_, 16, 17. _Of laying up treasures_, 18-21. _Of the single eye_, 22, 23. _The impossibility of serving two masters_, 24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:2. _THEREFORE WHEN THOU DOEST THINE ALMS_] In the first verse the exhortation is general: _Take_ YE _heed_. In this verse the address is pointed - and THOU - man - woman - who readest - hearest. _DO NOT SOUND A TRUMPET_] It is very likely that this was literally practised among the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:3. _LET NOT THY LEFT HAND KNOW_] In many cases, works of charity must be hidden from even our nearest relatives, who, if they knew, would hinder us from doing what God has given us power and inclination to perform. We must go even farther; and conceal them as far as is possible from... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:4. _WHICH SEETH IN SECRET_] We should ever remember that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and that he sees not only the _act_, but also every motive that led to it. _SHALL REWARD THEE OPENLY._] Will give thee the fullest proofs of his acceptance of thy work of faith, and labour of lo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:5. _AND WHEN THOU PRAYEST_] Οταν προσευχη. Προσευχη, _prayer_, is compounded of προς _with_, and ευχη a _vow_, because to pray right, a man _binds_ himself to God, as by a _vow_, to live to his glory, if he will grant him his grace, c. ευχομαι signifies _to pour out prayers_ or _vow... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:6. _BUT THOU, WHEN THOU PRAYEST_] This is a very impressive and emphatic address. But THOU! whosoever thou art, Jew, Pharisee, Christian-enter into thy closet. Prayer is the most secret intercourse of the soul with God, and as it were the conversation of one heart with another. The w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:7. _USE NOT VAIN REPETITIONS_] μη βαττολογησητε, Suidas explains this word well: "πολυλογια, _much speaking_, from one Battus, who made very prolix hymns, in which the same idea frequently recurred." "_A frequent repetition_ of _awful_ and _striking_ words may often be the result of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:8. _YOUR FATHER KNOWETH WHAT THINGS YE HAVE NEED OF_] Prayer is not designed to _inform_ God, but to give _man_ a sight of his misery; to humble his heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul from earth to heaven, and to put him in mind... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:9. _AFTER THIS MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE_] Forms of prayer were frequent among the Jews; and every public teacher gave one to his disciples. Some forms were drawn out to a considerable length, and from these _abridgments_ were made: to the latter sort the following prayer properly be... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:10. _THY KINGDOM COME._] The ancient Jews scrupled not to say: _He prays not at all, in whose prayers there is no mention of_ _the kingdom of God_. Hence, they were accustomed to say, "Let him cause his kingdom to reign, and his redemption to flourish: and let the Messiah speedily co... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:11. _GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD_] The word επιουσιαν has greatly perplexed critics and commentators. I find upwards of thirty different explanations of it. It is found in no Greek writer before the evangelists, and _Origen_ says expressly, _that it_ _was formed by them_, αλλ'... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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, h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:13. _AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION_] That is, _bring us_ _not in to sore trial_. πειρασμον, which may be here rendered _sore_ _trial_, comes from πειρω, _to pierce through_, as with a _spear_, or _spit_, used so by some of the best Greek writers. Several of the primitive fathers un... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:14. _IF YE FORGIVE MEN_] He who shows mercy to men receives mercy from God. For a king to forgive his subjects a hundred millions of treasons against his person and authority, on this one condition, that they wilt henceforth live peaceably with him and with each other, is what we sha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:15. _BUT IF YE FORGIVE NOT_] He who does not awake at the sound of so loud a voice, is not _asleep_ but _dead_. A _vindictive_ man excludes himself from all hope of eternal life, and himself seals his own damnation. _TRESPASSES_] παραπτωματα, from παρα and πιπτω, _to fall_ _off_. W... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:16. _WHEN YE FAST_] A fast is termed by the Greeks νηστις, from νη _not_, and εσθειν _to eat_; hence fast means, a _total_ _abstinence from food for a certain time_. Abstaining from _flesh_, and living on _fish, vegetables_, c., is no fast, or may be rather considered a burlesque on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:17. _ANOINT THINE HEAD AND WASH THY FACE_] These were forbidden in the Jewish canon on days of fasting and humiliation; and hypocrites availed themselves of this ordinance, that they might appear to fast. Our Lord, therefore, cautions us against this: as if he had said, _Affect_ noth... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:18. _THY FATHER WHICH SEETH IN SECRET_] Let us not be afraid that our hearts can be concealed from God; but let us fear lest he perceive them to be more desirous of the praise of men than they are of that glory which comes from Him. _OPENLY._] εν τω φανερω. These words are omitted b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:19. _LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON EARTH_] What blindness is it for a man to lay up that as a _treasure_ which must necessarily perish! A heart designed for God and eternity is terribly degraded by being fixed on those things which are subject to corruption. "But may we no... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:20. _LAY UP - TREASURES IN HEAVEN_] "The only way to render perishing goods _eternal_, to secure stately furniture from _moths_, and the richest metals from _canker_, and precious stones from _thieves_, is to transmit them to heaven by acts of charity. This is a kind of _bill of exch... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:21. _WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS_] If God be the treasure of our souls, our hearts, i.e. our affections and desires will be placed on things _above_. An earthly minded man proves that his treasure is _below_; a heavenly minded man shows that his treasure is _above_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:22. _THE LIGHT OF THE BODY IS THE EYE_] That is, the eye is to the body what the sun is to the universe in the day time, or a lamp or candle to a house at night. _IF-THINE EYE BE SINGLE_] απλους, _simple, uncompounded_; i.e. so perfect in its structure as to see objects _distinctly... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:24. _NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS_] The master of our heart may be fitly termed the _love_ that reigns in it. We serve that only which we love supremely. A man cannot be in perfect indifference betwixt two objects which are incompatible: he is inclined to despise and hate whatever he... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:25. _THEREFORE_] δια τουτο, _on this account_; viz., that ye may not serve _mammon_, but have unshaken confidence in God, _I say unto you_,- _TAKE NO THOUGHT_] Be not anxiously careful, μη μεριμνατε; this is the proper meaning of the word. μεριμνα _anxious solicitude_, from μεριζει... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:26. _BEHOLD THE FOWLS OF THE AIR_] The _second_ reason why we should not be anxiously concerned about the future, is the example of the smaller animals, which the providence of God feeds without their own labour; though he be not their father. We never knew an earthly father take car... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:27. _WHICH OF YOU BY TAKING THOUGHT CAN ADD ONE CUBIT UNTO_ _HIS STATURE?_] The _third_ reason against these carking cares is the unprofitableness of human solicitude, unless God vouchsafe to bless it. What can our _uneasiness_ do but render us still more unworthy of the Divine care?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:28. _AND WHY TAKE YE THOUGHT FOR RAIMENT?_] Or, _why are ye_ _anxiously careful about raiment_? The _fourth_ reason against such inquietudes is the example of inanimate creatures: The _herbs_ and _flowers_ of the field have their being, nourishment, exquisite flavours, and beautiful... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY_] Some suppose that as the _robes of state_ worn by the _eastern_ kings were usually _white_, as were those of the _nobles_ among the Jews, that therefore the _lily_ was chosen for the comparison.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _IF GOD SO CLOTHE THE GRASS OF THE FIELD_] Christ confounds both the luxury of the _rich_ in their superfluities, and the distrust of the _poor_ as to the necessaries of life. Let man, who is made for God and eternity, learn from a flower of the field how low the care of Providence stoops.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR, WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? C._] These three inquiries engross the whole attention of those who are living without God in the world. The belly and back of a worldling are his compound god and these he worships in the lust of the flesh, in the lust of the eye, and in the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _FOR AFTER ALL THESE THINGS DO THE GENTILES SEEK_] The _fifth_ reason against solicitude about the future is-that to concern ourselves about these wants with anxiety, as if there was no such thing as a providence in the world; with great affection towards earthly enjoyments, as if we expec... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:33. _BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD_] Matthew 3:7. _HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS_] That holiness of heart and purity of life which God requires of those who profess to be subjects of that spiritual kingdom mentioned above. Matthew 5:20. The _seventh_ reason against these worldly cares... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 6:34. _TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT_] That is, _Be not therefore_ _anxiously careful_. The _eighth_ and last reason, against this preposterous conduct, is - that _carking care_ is not only useless in itself, but renders us miserable beforehand. The future falls under the cognizance of G... [ Continue Reading ]