Matthew6

Jesus instructs his followers on righteous living, emphasizing that acts of piety such as giving alms, praying, and fasting should be done in secret, not for human display, to receive reward from God. He provides the Lord's Prayer as a model for sincere communion and warns against accumulating earthly treasures. The chapter concludes with an exhortation to trust God for daily needs, rather than worrying, by seeking His kingdom first.

Warnings Against Hypocrisy

1
“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. ​
2
Therefore when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a shofar before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from men. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. ​
3
But when you do merciful deeds, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand does,
4
so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. ​

Righteousness in Prayer

5
“When you pray, you 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 by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
6
But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. ​
7
In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. ​
8
Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

The Model Prayer (The Lord's Prayer)

9
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. ​
10
Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
11
Give us today our daily bread. ​
12
Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. ​
13
Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. ’ ​
14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ​
15
But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Righteousness in Fasting

16
“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. ​
17
But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face;
18
so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Treasures in Heaven

19
“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; ​
20
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; ​
21
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. ​
23
But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon. ​

Trusting God and Avoiding Anxiety

25
Therefore I tell you, don’t be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ​
26
See the birds of the sky, that they don’t sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you of much more value than they? ​
27
“Which of you, by being anxious, can add one moment to his lifespan?
28
Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
29
yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these.
30
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you of little faith? ​
31
“Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
32
For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33
But seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. ​
34
Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.

Study Notes for Matthew 6

Verse 1

This verse introduces the overarching theme of the chapter: righteous deeds (alms, prayer, fasting) must be motivated by devotion to God, not by the desire for human approval. Seeking human praise is its own, immediate reward, precluding God's eternal reward.

Verse 2

Hypocrites (Gk. *hypokrites*) literally means 'stage actors.' Jesus uses this term for those whose religious performance is external and insincere. Sounding a trumpet is likely a metaphorical reference to drawing public attention to one's charity.

Verse 4

God, who sees the innermost intentions and actions done in secret, will openly reward the genuine devotion of His followers. This contrasts with the temporary, superficial reward of human praise.

Verse 6

The 'closet' or inner room emphasizes the importance of privacy and sincerity in communion with God. Jesus teaches that true intimacy requires moving beyond public performance.

Verse 7

Vain repetitions (Gk. *battalogeō*) refers to meaningless babbling or reliance on the quantity of words, a practice associated with pagan attempts to manipulate or coerce their deities. True prayer is based on relationship, not repetition.

Verse 9

Jesus presents this as the *manner* of prayer, providing a pattern that prioritizes God's glory and kingdom before petitioning for personal needs.

Verse 11

Daily bread (Gk. *epiousios*) is a unique word often interpreted as 'necessary for existence' or 'for the coming day.' It emphasizes dependence on God for immediate, ongoing provision.

Verse 12

Debts is synonymous with sins or trespasses, reflecting the Jewish prayer tradition. The structure links our spiritual need for forgiveness directly to our willingness to extend forgiveness to others.

Verse 13

The concluding doxology ('For thine is the kingdom...') is absent from the oldest manuscripts but reflects early liturgical usage, likely adopted from common Jewish benedictions.

Verse 14

Jesus emphasizes the conditional nature of forgiveness, immediately expanding upon verse 12. A refusal to forgive others indicates a heart that has not truly grasped the depth of God's grace.

Verse 16

Fasting was a traditional spiritual discipline, often done publicly. Jesus condemns the practice of exaggerating signs of distress (disfiguring the face) to broadcast one’s piety.

Verse 19

Jesus transitions from external practices to internal priorities. Material possessions are inherently insecure, symbolized by moth (destroying clothing) and rust (destroying metals).

Verse 20

Treasures in heaven refer to eternal rewards and spiritual investments made through righteous living and generosity, which are permanent and untouchable by earthly decay or theft.

Verse 22

The eye is used metaphorically as the lamp or window of the body, representing one’s inner disposition or focus. A 'single' (Gk. *haplous*) eye is healthy, clear, and undivided in its devotion.

Verse 24

Mammon is an Aramaic term personifying wealth or material possessions. Jesus asserts that wealth, if pursued as a primary goal, inevitably becomes a rival master to God, demanding total allegiance.

Verse 25

The KJV phrase 'take no thought' is better translated as 'do not be anxious' or 'do not worry.' Jesus is addressing destructive, consuming anxiety about basic physical needs, not responsible planning.

Verse 26

Jesus uses creation (the birds) as evidence of God's meticulous, active providence. If God sustains creatures of lesser value, He will certainly provide for His human children.

Verse 30

O ye of little faith (Gk. *oligopistos*) is a characteristic term used by Matthew to gently rebuke the disciples when they express doubt regarding God's power or provision.

Verse 33

This verse provides the central command and solution to anxiety: prioritize seeking God's active reign (*kingdom*) and living according to His moral standard (*righteousness*). When priorities are right, material needs will be supplied.

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