Matthew 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—18. On alms-deeds, prayer, and fasting.—Our Lord here directs the attention of his disciples more immediately to their religious duties, in which he particularly recommends secrecy and simplicity. Comparing the first verses with ch. v. 16, which requires us to “Let our light shine before men,” &c. some have conceived an inconsistency; which, however, the late excellent Fuller removes in a few words: “It is right to do that which men may, and must see; but not for the sake of being seen by them. The difference lies in the motive.” “Our divine Master (says a learned writer) had such an abhorrence of hypocrisy, that he not only commanded his followers not to be hypocrites, but also not to be like them;”

and that especially in the publicity and parade of their devotions. is enjoined, to avoid the semblance of vanity and ostentation: but there are occasions in which it may be necessary to give alms in public, to excite others; and as to social and public prayer, it is no less a duty than private devotion. Those who never give alms or pray but in public, may assure themselves, that neither their prayers nor alms will be accepted. Private prayer, particularly, is the life of personal devotion. Next to privacy, our Lord urges simplicity, not using vain repetitions like the heathen. Of their practice we have some examples in the worshippers of Baal and of Diana. ((1 Kings 18:26). (Acts 19:34).) To avoid the evils of repetition, and at the same time to guard them against the omission of petitions necessary and proper, our Lord gives them a prayer which might serve them both as a model and form of their de- In this prayer we are taught to address the Almighty as our Father; and it is true that he is, in one respect, the Father of all his creatures; but we are sinners, and can therefore approach him only through a Mediator.

‘It is only through Him (says Dr. Booker) that we can presume to address God as our Father; because we can only be heirs of God by being joint heirs with Christ.” The first petition regards the divine glory, which certainly ought to be a primary object with us, and will be when we recollect how intimately the divine glory is connected with our salvation, in which “mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Intimately connected with God’s glory is the advancement of his kingdom, which may be understood to comprehend, 1. The progress of his gospel in the world: the gospel of the kingdom first announced by John, and afterwards proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles.

2. “The kingdom of God within us,” which is “righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17). And, 3. The completion of both in “glory everlasting.” Dr. Booker observes, “There is so close a connexion between such temporal and eternal blessings, that they cannot well be separated. There is, indeed, a continuity which death cannot break….. Faith and holiness, the love of God, and of our fellow-creatures—the exercises of divine worship, adoration, and praise, are the great constituents of real happiness in this ma[n] he and, in a more sublime and exalted manner, from these principles and from these exercises, we are taught to believe ‘the heirs of salvation’ will derive a chief portion of their felicity in the world to come.”

In these first three petitions, the employments and enjoyments of the present and the future life are intimately connected; but in the three following, they are confined to the present state. In the world to come, we shall want neither daily bread, nor forgiveness of sin, nor deliverance from temptation. Our wants will be all supplied, our sins all forgiven, and prayer exchanged for everlasting praise. While, however, we con- Ver. 16. Disfigure their faces—Or disguise them; the Rabbins have a saying, “Whoever makes his face black on account of the law in this world, God will make his brightness to shine in the world to come.” Ver. 17. Anoint thy head, &c.—This was omitted on occasion of their fasting, to make them appear the more wretched.

Ver. 18. In secret.—See ver. 6. Ver. 19. Rust.— Hammond, “Smut;” Doddridge, “Canker;” it is a very general term, and from the same root as the term used in ver. 16 in relation to no case are we encouraged to implore pardon, but when we are prepared to grant the same to others: ‘Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” The last petition seems also to require some explanation; “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Does not St. James (ch. i. 13.) forbid us to ascribe to God any of our temptations? He does; yet there is a sense in which he may lead us into such trials, and that for wise and holy ends. Abraham was led into temptation when God required him to offer up his son.

Job was led into temptation, when God permitted Satan to try him with losses and disease. And Jesus himself was “led into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil.” In all these cases, the Providence of God permitted the evil, and the Spirit of God supported the sufferers under it. But as these were extraordinary cases, and we are of ourselves unable to sustain the trial, we are taught to pray, that God will be pleased to preserve us from such temptations, or in any wise from falling under them. So, feeling the weakness of our constitutions, we may pray to be preserved from a sickly climate, or, that we may be kept from the dangers of it. But we must again return to the preceding clause, relative to our forgiving others, and we may judge of the importance which our Lord attaches to this precept, from his again and again adverting to it, and from the strong terms in which he expresses himself.

A worthy clergyman, whose Lectures we have repeatedly quoted on this chapter, has placed this precept in a striking point of view. Referring to the clause, “If ye forgive not,…. neither will your heavenly Father forgive you,” Dr. Booker adds, “Not that the forgiveness of injuries will entitle us to the pardon of God: but, ‘our pardoning others is one of those qualifications which are indispensably requisite to fit us for the gracious gift of eternal life. This alone will not save us, nor will any thing else without it: no, not even the blood of Christ: for he will not apply that blood to the rancorous soul which refuses to forgive a fellow sinner.” Ver. 19-34, Against covetousness, duplicity, and over anxiety for temporal things.—The first exhortation is, not

to lay up treasures upon earth, where they are equally liable to be corrupted, or to be stolen. Disputes have occurred among men of property where they could obtain the best interest for their money, and the best security. Some have preferred trade; but, alas! what trade has not failed? Or, they have trusted it in public banks; but these also have deceived them. Some have placed it in funded, and some in landed property; but “the Earth itself shall be burnt up, And all that it contains.” Where then shall we trust our souls, and the momentous concerns of an eternity? It is to a “faithful Creator” only, that we should surrender our souls, and it is in heaven only that our deposits can be out of the range of accidents and of dangers.

How happy is it for us to be able to say, especially when it is also further ial Ee disfiguring the face by dirt, or smut. Moth corrupts garments; rust, metals; smut, corn; and dirt will disfigure any thing. Ver. 22. The light.—Gr. “Lamp;” so Doddridge and Campbell.—Single.— Doddridge, “Clear;” Campbell, “Sound.” It properly means “simple,” unincumbered by film. Ver. 23. Evil.—Doddridge and Campbell, “Distempered;” filmy, or other Ver. 24. Mammon.—“A Syriac word for riches.” He is here personified persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him! } j There is another circumstance which makes the deposit of our treasures to be of vast importance: “Where your treasure is (says our Lord) there will your hearts be also.”

When our hearts have devoted to the enjoyment of worldly pleasure, the accumulation of wealth, or the acquisition of applause, where then can our treasure be? Not in heaven, assuredly, if our Lord’s words may be depended on. The next topic of this discourse is no less interesting by name, ly, to guard us against duplicity and hypocrisy: “The light (or lamp) of the body is the eyes; if that “be single,” (or clear,) then is ‘the whole body full of light.” “The eye is the intention, (says Gregory the Great,) and the body is the action; if the intention be pure, the action will be uniform and regular.” If the eye of the mind “be singly fixed on God and heaven (says Wesley) the whole soul will be filled with holiness and happiness.” If the eye be evil—not simple, but aim[ing] to serve both God and Mammon, then will the mind be as surely involved in darkness, as the body would be, by losing the organs of sight. What is here said of serving God and Mammon or the world, may remind us of the idolatrous Israelites in the time of Ahab, who, though they never openly renounced the worship of Jehovah, worshipped Baal also. But the prophet Elijah severely reproved this vacillating conduct, and urged them to decision, “If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” So may we say, “halt not between two opinions; if Mammon (or the world) be God, the source of true and lasting happiness, let us fall down before him; but if not—and who is there that dare maintain the affirmative?

then why devote the whole of our affections and our toils to a Baal that cannot hear us, and who in our extremity cannot help us? (Compare Expos. of Kings xviii, ver. 21, &c.) We are now led to a more pleasing contemplation, and to a duty no less necessary. Behold our Saviour seated on a hill, whose shadow protects both himself and audience from the burning heat. It was his plan to deduce the most important moral and spiritual instruction from natural objects in his view. At this time, therefore, he probably had in view, cornfields interspersed with lilies, and was surrounded with flitting, and perhaps chirping, birds. This, indeed, may be conjectural; but the instruction derived from these objects is certain and important.

Instruction has a double hold upon the mind, when it enters at once both by the eye and the ear. Jesus had before been pressing on his disciples the great im- sought the prosperity, and practised the righteousness of his kingdom, he would at no means suffer them to perish for lack of necessary supplies. When, however, we read, “Take no thought for the morrow,” we ought to understand that the original term here used does not exclude a prudent forecast; but only that anxious heart-dividing care, which would divert us from the service of God, and make us slaves to the world and sin. Our Lord reasons upon this subject, first, on the ground that all the care in the world is insufficient without the divine providence, either to increase our growth, or lengthen out our life; and secondly, because such anxiety is unnecessary; for he who feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies, will much more provide for the necessities of those who, with the use of lawful means, confide in his power and goodness.

“Will he not care for you, ye faithless, say? Is he unwise? or are ye less than they?”—Thompson. The eastern lily is thought to have been a Persian flower, and is of two sorts; the white lily (which has sometimes streaks of purple) and the red, or scarlet lily, called by us, the crown imperial. Josephus tells us, Solomon’s usual corn was white, yet his royal robes were probably purple, or scarlet; in either case, nothing of human manufacture can equal in beauty and splendour these works of the Almighty: yet these fairest of flowers wither and die, and when dead, the stalks are often thrown, with herbs and grass, decayed and dried, to heat their ovens. Such is the end of all human glory! The conclusion of this chapter is peculiarly interesting.

It urges to a most important duty, to which is attached a most encouraging promise. We are to seek the kingdom of God, which includes all the blessings of the Gospel dispensation; and his righteousness may include, both what he requires and what he provides. The righteousness which he requires is holiness, which we are to hunger and thirst after; (ch. v. 6) that which he provides, is the righteousness which is by faith, even the righteousness of Christ. ((Romans 3:25, 21, 22), &c.) This is to be sought first, in respect of time, and in preference to all other objects; and to those who thus seek the righteousness of God, all other things—that is, ‘all things pertaining to life and godliness,” shall be added.

((2 Peter 1:3).)

Notes on the verses

Chap. VI. Ver. 1. Do not your alms.—Some ancient copies, versions, and Christian Fathers, read, “Practice not your righteousness,” which Doddridge and Campbell explain as including the three following duties; alms, prayer, and fasting. Mrs. Judson, giving some account, in a letter, of the first Burman convert, says, “A few days ago I was reading with him Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. He was deeply impressed, and unusually solemn.— ‘These words,’ said he, ‘take hold on my very heart; they make me tremble. Here God commands us to do every thing that is good in secret, not to be seen of men. How unlike our religion is this! When Burmans make offerings at the pagodas, they make a great noise with drums and musical instruments, that others may see how good they are.

But this religion makes the mind fear God: it makes it of its own accord fear sin.’” Ver. 2. They have their reward—That is, what they seek after, the applause of men. Ver. 5. Standing.—It should appear by this expression, that many of the real, but the Pharisees stood, as an expression of their zeal.—In synagogues.—Though this term is undoubtedly used for any public assembly, as it is rendered, (James 2:2). yet we think with Doddridge, that it here most probably refers to their places of worship. Ver. 6. Which is in secret—That is, invisible to mortal eye. See (Psalms 18:11); your Father—i.e. like as lxxxi. 7.—Shall reward thee openly.—See (Matthew 25:34), &c. Ver. 7. Vain repetitions.—The Greek word here used, Battalogie, alludes to a babbler of the name of Battus, who, according to Suidas, made long hymns, consisting of many lines, full of tautologies.

Ver. 9. After this manner.—Doddridge and Campbell, “Thus,” which includes the ideas both of a pattern and a form: compare (Luke 11:1), &c. Ver. 11. Our daily bread.—Doddridge, (from Mede,) “Bread sufficient for our present support.” Ver. 12. Forgive us, &c.—The condition on which we here ask forgiveness, is, “as we forgive those who wrong us; consequently, if we do not heartily forgive, every time we offer up this prayer, we really pray God not to forgive us, but to destroy us for ever. (Mark 11:25-26). Ver. 13. From evil.—Hammond and Doddridge, “From the evil one;” but Campbell prefers our translation, and lays it down as a maxim, that when a word is in all respects equally susceptible of two interpretations, one of which, as a genus, comprehends the other, always to prefer the most extensive, which here is evil,