Matthew 6:32

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

(For {G1063} after {G1934} all {G3956} these things {G5023} do the Gentiles {G1484} seek {G1934}:) for {G1063} your {G5216} heavenly {G3770} Father {G3962} knoweth {G1492} that {G3754} ye have need {G5535} of all {G537} these things {G5130}.

For it is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.

For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Commentary

Context of Matthew 6:32

Matthew 6:32 is a pivotal verse within Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, specifically nestled within His teachings on anxiety and material possessions (Matthew 6:25-34). Preceding this verse, Jesus encourages His disciples not to worry about food, drink, or clothing, using illustrations from nature like the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. This verse serves as a foundational reason for that lack of worry, contrasting the worldview of the disciples with that of the "Gentiles."

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Providence and Care: The verse powerfully asserts God's active involvement in the lives of His children. He is not a distant deity but a "heavenly Father" who intimately knows our needs. This knowledge is not merely intellectual awareness but a deep, caring understanding that precedes our requests.
  • Contrast with the Worldly Mindset: The phrase "after all these things do the Gentiles seek" highlights a fundamental difference between those who follow God and those who do not. The Gentiles (ethne in Greek, referring to the nations or non-Jewish peoples) often lived without the covenant promises of God's provision, leading them to be consumed by the anxious pursuit of basic necessities. Believers, however, are called to a higher standard of trust, understanding that their Father already knows and cares.
  • Freedom from Anxiety: This verse provides a powerful antidote to worry and anxiety about material needs. If the Father knows our needs, there is no need for frantic striving or consuming worry. This frees believers to focus on spiritual priorities.

Linguistic Insights

The term "Gentiles" (Greek: ethne) in this context refers to the non-Jewish nations, often those who did not acknowledge the God of Israel. Their "seeking" (Greek: epizētousin, an intensified form of "to seek") implies a diligent, often anxious, pursuit of material things, stemming from a lack of faith in a divine provider. In contrast, Jesus reminds His followers that their "heavenly Father" (Greek: ho patēr hymōn ho ouranios) possesses perfect knowledge (Greek: oiden) of their needs, implying a loving and proactive care.

Practical Application

For believers today, Matthew 6:32 serves as a profound reminder to re-evaluate our priorities and trust in God's unfailing provision.

  1. Cultivate Trust: Instead of succumbing to the world's anxious pursuit of wealth, status, or even basic necessities, we are called to rest in the knowledge that our Father already knows what we need. This trust is foundational to a peaceful life.
  2. Prioritize God's Kingdom: This verse sets the stage for the powerful command in the very next verse, Matthew 6:33, to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." When we trust God for our material needs, we are freed to pursue spiritual objectives and His will for our lives.
  3. Live Distinctly: Our approach to material possessions and life's challenges should distinguish us from those who do not know God. Our peace and confidence, even in uncertain times, should testify to the reality of our heavenly Father's care, just as Philippians 4:19 affirms God's faithful supply of all needs.
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Cross-References

  • Matthew 6:8 (18 votes)

    Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

  • Luke 12:30 (13 votes)

    For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

  • Ephesians 4:17 (9 votes)

    ¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

  • Luke 11:11 (8 votes)

    If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if [he ask] a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

  • Luke 11:13 (8 votes)

    If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

  • Psalms 17:14 (6 votes)

    From men [which are] thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, [which have] their portion in [this] life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid [treasure]: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their [substance] to their babes.

  • Matthew 20:25 (5 votes)

    But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.