Matthew 6
DODDMatthew 6:1-18
Our Lord having thus vindicated the Mosaic law, proceeds, in his divine discourse on the mount, to caution his disciples against vain glory in almsdeeds, prayer, and fasting. Mat. VI. 1—18.
STAT. XL. MAT. VI. 1. OUR Lord proceeding in his discourse to caution them against vain glory, said unto them, Take heed, in general, that you practise not your righteousness, or perform not any MAT. VI. 1. TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, to
a Practise not your righteousness.] As some copies, and very ancient versions read δικαιωτικῶ, righteousness, instead of δικαιωτικῶ, almsdeeds, and several of the fathers quote it so, I chuse, with Beza, to follow that reading; because it prevents the appearance of a tautology in the following words, and makes this verse a general and very proper introduction to the remaining part of the section, in which the caution is branched out into the particular heads of alms, prayer, and fasting. (See Dr. Mill, in loc.) Nevertheless I by no means insist on the change: but if it be admitted, I cannot acquiesce in the criticism of a learned friend, who would explain righteousness as here signifying charity, or liberality; because, though I am
t cautions his disciples against vain gory.
religious action, in an ostentatious manner be- s ore men, making it your chief end to be viewed and admired by them: or otherwise, if this caution be neglected, you will have no reward rom your heavenly Father, who knows all the secret principles of your heart, and indispensably requires the greatest uprightness and sincerity there.
The caution is so important that I shall illus- s trate it in various particulars. When therefore, for instance, thou performest [thine] almsdeeds, do not, as it were, sound a trumpet before thee, and make proclamation to all around to induce them to take notice of it; as it is customary for the hypocrites to do in the public assemblies, b and in the streets, that, acting their part as on an open theatre, c they may be applauded of men who are the spectators of their liberality: verily I say unto you, That in this empty sound of human praise, they have their poor reward, d and must expect no acceptance and recompense from God. But when thou art doing [thine] alms, use the utmost privacy; and, if it be possible, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing, e when it is stretched out to these charitable purposes; and far from publishing it with vain affectation, conceal it, as far as
well aware it has that signification sometimes (I think not so often as some have supposed,) yet admitting it here would destroy that beautiful variety between this and the following verse, which I have endeavoured to illustrate in the paraphrase, and which makes it so proper an introduction to this part of our Lord’s sermon.
b In the public assemblies.] It is certain that the word συναγωνη may be taken in this extent; and though it is most probable it may even here refer to religious assemblies, yet we may recollect on this occasion that it is a known custom in the eastern nations to distribute alms when they are going to enter on public counsels. The phrase of sounding a trumpet before them seems only a figurative expression to represent their doing it in a noisy ostentatious way; as it is certain that to do a thing with the sound of a trumpet is sometimes used proverbially to express a public ostentation. See Elsner, in loc.
c Acting their part as on an open theatre.] Erasmus and Beza very justly observe that διαβυται in the verse before is a
theatrical word; and υποχηται is well known to signify players disguised (as the Grecian actors used to be) in masks; not to say that the sounding a trumpet may allude to the music of the stage. I have endeavoured to express this in the phrases here used in the paraphrase.
d They have their reward.] Sir Norton Knatelbull earnestly contends that απι- χωσι την μενβον αυτων ought to be: rendered they fall short of their reward: but the word απιχω is plainly used in the sense in which our translators take it, Luke vi. 24; Philip. iv. 18; and Philem. ver. 15: and it is with peculiar propriety that human applause is here called their reward, as being that which they chuse and seek. See Beza’s elegant note on the words.
e Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand is doing.] It is said that the poor’s chest stood on the right hand as they entered the synagogues, to which some suppose the words to allude. It is plainly a proverbial expression of strict care to conce an action.
E
He directs t em to e secret in prayer.
may be, from thy nearest friends: That thine alms may be performed in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret, and knows every circumstance of your most retired actions, will himself be ready to honour and reward thee another day, and that openly before the assembled world.
And, again, when thou prayest (as, if thou art my disciple indeed, thou often wilt,) thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, who discover on all occasions the vanity of their hearts; for even when performing their particular, and those that ought to be their secret, devotions, they love to pray standing in the public assemblies in sight of numbers of people, and fixing them exactly to one constant hour, contrive to be catched, as it were, just at that sacred time;† not only in the common places of resort, but in the corners of the streets, where several ways meet; that they may thus be sure of being viewed by a great number of beholders: but howsoever, upon this account, they may indeed be admired of men, as persons of singular piety, yet verily I say unto you, That in this admiration of those that observe them they have all their reward. But thou, O my disciple, whoever thou art, when thou prayest, and dost not intend it as a social exercise of devotion, withdraw from the sight and intercourse of men, and enter into thy closet, or any other retired apartment;‡ and having shut thy door, to prevent interruption, and exclude spectators, pray with a holy freedom of soul to thy Father who is with thee in secret; and thy Father, who always sees in secret as distinctly as in the most open scene of action, will regard these addresses with peculiar
† Contrive to be caught at that sacred time.] Thus the late pious and eloquent Mr. Grove explains and finely illustrates this text in his Discourse on Secret Prayer, p. 3, 4. It is plain this custom still prevails among the Mahometans; as Pfeiffer has observed, Theolog. Mohammed. Oper. p. 848, 974; and Bohovius in his Turkish Liturgy, § 1. See a remarkable illustration of it in Mr. Addison’s Freeholder, No. 59.
‡ Enter into thy closet, or any other retired apartment.] Ἰαμῶν signified closet,
chamber, wardrobe, warehouse, or any other separate place; and Mr. Blair piously conjectures that Christ might use a word of such latitude that none might omit secret prayer for want of so convenient an apartment as they could wish to retire into. It will, I hope, be observed that many remarks of this kind proceed on a supposition that the Spirit of God directed the apostles in their writings to chuse such Greek words as most exactly corresponded to those in the Jewish language which Christ used.
cautions them against vain repetitions.
pleasure, as the emotions of a pious and sincere heart; and will another day reward thee openly for these duties which were so entirely referred to the views of honouring and pleasing him.
But when you pray, do not use a vain multiplicity of words, as it is usual for the heathens to do in the invocation of their deities; for they foolishly think they shall be heard in their addresses to them for their speaking much. Be not ye therefore in this respect like them, since you are so much better instructed in the Divine nature than they, and cannot but know that your prayers are intended to affect your own hearts that they may be fit to receive blessings, and not to inform or work upon the heart of God: for your heavenly Father is ready to bestow his blessings on you, and always knows what you really want, even before you ask him; which therefore should teach you to avoid whatever may look like prescribing to him, by too minute and repeated a detail of particulars.
Thus therefore pray ye, or to this effect at least, and in this plain, concise, and humble manner, if not in these very words: “Our Father, who art seated on a throne of glory in the highest heaven; while we bow before thine awful presence with the humblest reverence, we would nevertheless approach thee with a filial confidence, as our bountiful and compassionate Parent; uniting our supplications to thee with hearts full of brotherly love, and asking for each other the blessings we seek for ourselves. We would so remember our relation to thee as to be above all things concerned for thy glory; and therefore make it our first petition, May thy illustrious name be sanctified! May the whole race of mankind, yea, the whole world of intelligent creatures, pay that dutiful veneration to thy Divine Majesty which thy matchless perfections so
b Do not use a vain multiplicity of words, με βατζολογησον. Beza has well explained the etymology of the word; and Dr. Hammond shews how applicable it was to the devotion of the Gentiles. (Compare 1 Kings xviii. 26; and Acts xix. 34.) It is plain that the Jews were running into the same fault, if we may judge by their oldest Liturgies. (See Le Clerc, in loc. and Selden,
de Syned. lib. i. cap. xii. p. 467, & seq.) And Dr. Wotton has illustrated the text so well, if it be considered as referring to them, that one could wish he had produce some better authorities than he has done for reading ντοκεβίαι rather than θυικει. See Wot. Misc. Vol. I. p. 186-188. That dutiful veneration to thy Divine Majesty.] The name of God seems a
The prayer Christ taught his disciples.
justly require! And for this purpose, may that thy kingdom, which thou art now introducing among men, more perfectly come, may it be established with greater efficacy, be more clearly discovered, and more resolutely pursued! May thy will, always wise and always gracious, be done, as in heaven, so likewise upon earth; and may we mortals be taught to regard it with a resignation, acquiescence, and obedience, resembling that of the heavenly spirits! And as for ourselves, O Lord, we would not seek the great things of life, we would not be anxious about its distant futurities, but humbly entreat thou wouldest open that bountiful hand on which we continually depend, and wouldest give us this day our daily bread, providing a competent supply for our present necessities, and teaching us to refer the rest to thy continual paternal care! And though we have in many respects been disobedient and ungrateful children, yet we beseech thee, O most compassionate Father, to forgive us our offences, whereby we stand chargeable, as it were, in thy book, with debts which we can never clear: yet do thou freely forgive them all, as we also desire to forgive our debtors, even all that have in any respect offended and injured us: yea, such pardon may we receive from thee, our God, as we are
phrase nearly answering to that of majesty when applied to an earthly sovereign; as Mr. Blair has justly observed, Serm. Vol. IV. p. 42.
k More perfectly come.] It is reasonable to believe this petition had a sense peculiar to the period in which it was prescribed, and that we under this perfect revelation of the gospel cannot properly use it precisely with the same meaning: but so extensive a phrase may justly admit of other senses, at least by accommodation, as the Assembly’s Catechism, with great propriety, illustrates it; and I believe there are few who decline the use of this prayer on this account, who do not often use scripture phrases with a much greater latitude.
l Resignation, acquiescence, and obedience.] I have here joined their several expressions because I am not able cer-
tainly to determine which was most directly intended. There is a great deal of beauty and spirit in the interpretation which Mr. Addison gives of this petition: Spectat. Vol. III. No. 207.
m Our daily bread; τον αἴγον τιμωρ τον τιμωρ. I can see no reason for changing our received translation; and cannot but acquiesce in Mr. Mede’s remark that τιμωρ signifies, what is sufficient for our present support and subsistence, as τιμωρ signifies abundant: so that this petition is nearly parallel to that of Agur, Prov. xxx 8. (See Mede’s Works, p. 125.) This is a most excellent lesson to teach us, on the one hand, moderation in our desires, and, on the other, an humble dependence on Divine Providence for the most necessary supplies, be our possessions or our abilities ever so great.
he prayer Christ taught his disciples.
illing to impart to them! And do not bring us into circumstances of pressing temptation, lest our virtue should be vanquished, and our souls endangered by them; but if we must be thus tried, do thou graciously rescue us from the power of the evil one, that he may not triumph in our sin and ruin! These things we know that thou canst do for thy children, and we are humbly bold to hope thou wilt do them for us: for thine is the kingdom of universal nature, and the fulness of almighty power, and the glory of infinite perfection; and to thee be the praise of all ascribed for ever. Amen. So may it be! We most sincerely and earnestly desire that thou mayest be glorified, and our petitions heard and accepted.”
Let this be the model of your prayers, for these are the most important blessings you can ask. And let me particularly charge you to remember the view and connection in which I have taught you to ask the pardon of your sins: for if you forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, supposing that forgiveness to proceed from a truly religious principle: But if you do not forgive men their offences, but continue to cherish resentment, and to seek revenge, neither will that God whom you call your heavenly Father, own
n Such pardon—as we are willing to impart to them.] It is hardly possible to imagine a more effectual expedient to promote the forgiveness of injuries than this, of making it a part of our daily prayer to ask such pardon from God as we impart to our offending brother. For in this circumstance every malicious purpose against him would turn this petition into an imprecation, by which we should, as it were, bind down the wrath and vengeance of God upon ourselves.
o Rescue us from the evil one.] Pueras quæ æto tu ævnegæ may literally be rendered thus. For this signification of o ævnegæ, see note h, p. 201.
p For thine is the kingdom, &c.] Though I am sensible there is some reason to doubt of the genuineness of this doxology, notwithstanding all that Mr. Jones (in his History of the Canon, Vol. I. p. 141, 142) has urged in its defence. (See Dr. Mill, in loc. and Mr. Hallet, in his Notes on Scripture, Vol. I. p. 133, &c.) Yet it is
certainly very ancient; and, as Bishop Hopkins, Mr. Blair, and other excellent writers, have well observed, so admirably suits and enforces every preceding petition, that I could not persuade myself to omit it. And I hope the learned reader will excuse me, if, in matters of moment, I sometimes seem over cautious of omitting some passages which are indeed wanting in many ancient manuscripts, and omitted by some celebrated commentators, ancient as well as modern. I apprehend I shall have done my part, in thus hinting at the doubt which learned men have entertained concerning them, where I conceive the reasons for such doubt to be considerable. For the word amen, as it signifies truth, see note g on John i. 51, p. 134. When added to the conclusion of our prayers it is intended to express the sincerity and earnestness with which we desire the blessing we ask, with some cheerfulness of hope, as to the success of our petitions.
Of the right management of religious fasting.
you for his genuine offspring, and forgive you your offences; but by using the petition I have now been prescribing, you will in effect bind down a curse upon yourselves.
I would also apply the general advice I before gave to fasting as well as to prayer; and would again exhort you, That when you keep a private fast (as I conclude my disciples will often do,) you be not like the hypocrites, going about with a dejected melancholy face, and putting on a dismal air; for upon these occasions they emaciate, contract, and deform their countenances,⁹ that by their sad and mournful looks they may appear to men to fast, and may be esteemed as persons of unusual mortification and holiness: verily I say unto you, That in this notice that is taken of them by their fellow creatures they have all their reward, and have not any to expect from God. But thou, O my disciple, when thou keepest such a fast, and comest from thy devout retirement, dress thyself just as thou dost at other times; anoint thy head with oil, and wash thy face,⁷ instead of fouling it with ashes; That thou mayest not appear to men as one that fasteth, but only to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret, and observes what passes in retirement, as the surest test of men’s true characters, will not fail to reward thee openly for thy genuine and unaffected devotion.
IMPROVEMENT.
LET us learn from these repeated admonition Redeemer what is the only acceptable principle of
⁹ Emaciate, contract, and deform their countenances.] I know not any word in our language which exactly answers to ἀφανιζόμεναι in this connection. It is rendered corrupt in ver. 20 (compare Acts xiii. 41; Heb. viii. 13; and James iv. 14,) and properly signifies to change, spoil, and consume; and is with peculiar elegance applicable to such an alteration of the natural countenance as proceeded from their emaciating themselves, and contracting their faces into a dismal form. The learned author of Fortuita Sacra, p. 13-22, has
rendered it unnecessary for me to add anything more on this or the following verse.
⁷ Anoint thy head with oil, and wash thy face.] This was usual among the Jews not only at feasts, but at other times; compare Ruth iii. 3; 2 Sam. xiv. 2; and Judith xvi. 8. On the other hand dust and ashes were often used in times of deep mourning or public fasting, which must sadly deform the countenance; see 2 Sam. xiii. 19; Esth. iv. 1, 3; Isa. lxi. 3; Dan. ix. 3; and Jonah iii. 6.
Reflections on the practice of religious duties.
action ; namely, a desire to approve ourselves to God in it : and let us particularly bring it into the instances in which it is here recommended.
Our Lord takes it for granted that his disciples would be both charitable and devout. Let us cultivate both these branches of the Christian temper and avoid ostentation in both ; as remembering the day approaches when every one of us must be made manifest in his true character before the tribunal of Christ. And, oh, what discoveries will then be opened upon the world ! How many specious masks will be plucked off, that the hypocrite’s character may appear in its native deformity ! And, on the other hand, how many secret acts of piety and benevolence, which have been industriously concealed from human observation, will then shine forth in all their glory, celebrated and rewarded by God himself, who sees in secret, and whose eye penetrates all the recesses of our houses and our hearts !
There may our praise and our portion be ! In the mean time let us with humble pleasure obey the call of our Divine Master, and be often addressing our heavenly Father in such language as he hath taught us ; entering for secret exercise of devotion into our closet, and shutting our door, excluding (as far as possible) every thought which would interrupt us in these sacred and happy moments. From thence let our prayers daily come before the throne like incense, and the lifting up of our hands be as the morning and the evening sacrifice. (Psal. cxli. 2.)
Christ himself has condescended to teach us to pray. Attentive to his precepts, animated by his example, and emboldened by his intercession, let us learn and practise the lesson. Shed abroad on our hearts, O Lord, thy Spirit of adoption, which may teach us to cry, Abba, Father ! to draw nigh to thee with filial reverence and confidence, and with fraternal charity for each other, even for the whole family, to whom thou graciously ownest the relation ! Inspire us with that zeal for thy glory which may render the honour of thy name, the prosperity of thy kingdom, and the accomplishment of thy will, far dearer to us than any interest of our own ! On thee may we maintain a cheerful dependence for our daily bread, and having food and raiment, be therewith content ! (1 Tim. vi. 8,) most solicitously seeking the pardon of our past sins, and the influences of thy grace to preserve us from future temptations, or to secure us in them ! And may our sense of that need in which we stand of forgiveness from thee, dispose us cordially to forgive each other, especially as thou hast wisely and graciously made this the necessary means of receiving our own pardon ! Our corrupted hearts are too little disposed for these sentiments ; but may God’s almighty power produce and cherish them in us ! and while the comfort is ours may all the glory be his, through Jesus Christ our Lord ! Amen.
9-13
Christ exhorts to lay up treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:19
Our Lord cautions his disciples against the lot world, and urges a variety of lively and convi to dissuade them from anxiety about the morrow to the end.
MAT. VI. 19.
I WOULD also take this opportunity of cautioning you, my hearers, against that covetous temper which the Pharisees are so ready to indulge (compare Luke xvi. 14; and Mat. xxiii. 14), and therefore add, Do not make it your great care to lay up for yourselves treasures here on earth, where so many accidents may deprive you of them; where the moth, for instance, may spoil your finest garments, and a devouring canker may consume your corn, or may corrupt the very metals you have hoarded; and where thieves may dig through the strongest walls that you have raised about them, and may steal them away. But build your happiness on a nobler and more certain foundation, and store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where none of these accidents can happen; where neither moth nor canker can consume them, and where thieves cannot break in, nor steal them away; but the arms of Everlasting Power and Love shall secure you from every calamity and invasion.
The influence which this advice will have on your whole conduct should engage you to attend more diligently to it; for where that which you account your chief treasure is, there will your heart also be, and thither will the tendency and series of your actions be referred.
a Canker may consume your corn, or corrupt the very metals you have hoarded.] The word ἕρωσις is by some translated mut or weavel, and is supposed to signify my little insect that gets into corn and eats it. Mr. Blair seems to understand it so, and thinks our Lord here refers to clothes, rain, and gold, as the chief treasures respectively obnoxious to moth, smut, and
thieves; which may seem the more probable, as a different word ιος, is used for rust, Jam. v. 3. But as ῥεμαις properly signifies any thing that eats into another substance, I rather chose to render it canker, which has much the same ambiguity; and to paraphrase it in a manner including both the senses.
here is no serving God and mammon.
See therefore that you form a right judgment on so important an article, and do not overvalue the world and its enjoyments. For as the eye is the lamp of the whole body; and therefore, on the one hand, if thine eye be clear,ᵇ and free from any vitiating humour, thy whole body will be full of light; But, on the other hand, if thine eye be distempered, thy whole body will be full of darkness: so it is with respect to the practical judgment you form as to the worth of earthly and heavenly enjoyments. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! and if the maxims you lay down to yourselves are wrong, how very erroneous must your conduct be!
And do not impose upon yourselves so far as to imagine that your hearts can be equally divided between heaven and earth: for as no man can serve two masters whose interests and commands are directly contrary to each other; but will quickly appear either comparatively to hate the one, and love the other; or, by degrees, at least, will grow weary of so disagreeable a situation, so as to adhere entirely to the one, and quite neglect and abandon the other: so you will find you cannot at the same time serve God and mammon,ᶜ that unworthy idol to which so many are devoting their hearts and their pursuits.
And I would charge you therefore to take heed that your affections be not engaged in a service so inconsistent with religion and true happiness; and in particular, I say unto you,ᵈ
ᵇ If thine eye be clear, &c.] Some commentators have explained this as if our Lord intended here to urge the practice of liberality, as what would have a great influence on the whole of a man’s character and conduct; and suppose it illustrated by all those passages where an evil eye signifies a grudging temper, and a good eye a bountiful disposition (compare Deut. xv. 9; Prov. xxiii. 6; xxviii. 22; and xxii. 9. Hebr.) and also by those texts in which simplicity is put for liberality, (Rom. xii. 8; and 2 Cor. viii. 2; ix. 11—13. Gr.) See Hammond, Whitby, L’Enfant, and Beausole, in loc. But the sense given above appears most natural as well as most extensive.—I have rendered a true clear, rather than single, as less ambigu-
ous and with more evident propriety applied to the eye: it is opposed to an eye overgrown with a film, which would obstruct the sight.
ᶜ God and mammon.] Mammon is a Syriac word for riches, which our Lord beautifully represents as a person whom the folly of men had deified. It is well known the Greeks had a fictitious god of wealth; but I cannot find that he was ever directly worshipped in Syria under the name of mammon.
ᵈ Therefore I say unto you, &c.] A late writer, who takes upon him, by the strength of his own reason, to reject at pleasure what the apostles believed and taught, strangely complains of a want of connection between this and the preceding
Anxious care is unreasonable and useless
Be not distressed with anxious cares about your subsistence in life, what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, when your present stock of provisions is gone; nor with respect to your body, what you shall put on when the garments you have are worn out. Is not life a better and more valuable gift than food, and the body than raiment? And if it be, why should you not trust that almighty and gracious Being who formed your bodies and inspired them with life, to maintain the work of his own hands?
You may surely do it when you reflect on his care of the inferior creatures. Look on the birds of the air, for instance, that are now flying around you: for though they are gay and cheerful to a proverb, yet do they neither sow nor reap: nor do they, like some other animals, gather a stock of food into hoards, to lay up for winter; and yet the rich providence of your heavenly Father plentifully feedeth them; and are not you, his children, much more valuable in his sight than they? as well as much better furnished with means of providing for yourselves? Why then should you at any time suspect his care? And after all, this immoderate carefulness is useless, as well as unnecessary;
rse. But can there be any better reason assigned against immoderate anxiety than this, that such a subjection to mammon as his expresses is utterly inconsistent with the love and service of God?
Be not anxious about your subsistence in life.] It is certain that the word μεριμναι generally signifies an excessive anxiety (see Luke x. 41; xii. 11; xxi. 34; and Phil. iv. 6; and indeed almost every other place where it is used;) which is agreeable to the derivation of it. There is no need therefore to say (as archbishop Tillotson, Vol. II. p. 255, and Dr. Clarke, in his Ser-
ons, Vol. III. p. 116, & seq. do) that our Lord only addresses this to his apostles, who were to cast themselves on an extraordinary Providence, without being any wise concerned themselves for their support. Mr. Blair has well proved the contrary at large in his excellent Appendix to his fourth Sermon, Vol. I. p. 55, & seq. and it is easy to observe that the arguments our Lord urges contain nothing peculiar to their case, but are built on considerations applicable to all Christians; compare Phil.
iv. 6; and 1 Pet. v. 7; as also Luke xxii. 35, 36; and Acts xx. 34; from whence it appears that the apostles themselves were not entirely to neglect a prudent care for their own subsistence in dependence on miraculous provisions.
The birds of the air now flying around you.] It is not so proper to render oriluns fowls, as that word generally signifies the larger kind of birds, and especially those under the care of men.—For mentioning the birds, as then in their sight, see the latter part of note on Mat. v. 14. p. 212.
Are you not much more valuable than they, as well as much better furnished with means of providing for yourselves?] Οὐκ ὑμῖς μᾶλλον διὰφις αὐτοῦ, may be rendered, Have not you greatly the advantage of them? which may refer to men’s being capable of sowing, reaping, and gathering into barns, which the birds are not: and though I rather prefer the former sense, I thought it not improper to hint at the other; as I have done in many other places where such ambiguities have occurred.
ecoming the character of the children o God.
for which of you can, by [all his] anxiety, add to his age or vigourʰ so much as one cubit, or even the smallest measure or moment beyond what God shall appoint? Nay, it is much more probable you should rather impair than strengthen your constitution by indulging such a temper, which sometimes brings on grey hairs and death before their time.
And as for raiment why are ye anxious [about that?] Observe not only the animal, but what is yet much lower, the vegetable part of the creation; and particularly, consider there the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not to prepare the materials of their covering, nor do they spin or weave them into garments: Yet I say unto you, That even the magnificent Solomon, in all his royal glory, when sitting on his throne of ivory and gold (1 Kings x. 18,) was not arrayed in garments of so pure a white,ⁱ and of such curious workmanship, as one of these lilies presents to your view. And if God so clothe the grass of the field, and shelters and adorns the flowerᵏ that grows wild amongst it, which is [flourishing] today and perhaps tomorrow is thrown into the furnace or the still,ˡ [will he] not much more [clothe] you, his servants, and
ʰ Can add to his age.] It is well known that this is frequently the signification of the word ἀνεία; there being many places where it is evident that it is used for age (as John ix. 21, 23; and Heb. xi. 11,) and certainly it makes the best sense here; for it is seldom found that persons are solicitous about growing a cubit taller. I confess a cubit of age is not a common phrase among us, though an inch of time be sometimes used; and in this view, had I rendered cubit by moment, as a learned friend who remarked on this passage advised, it would have been very justifiable.
ⁱ Was not arrayed in garments of so pure a white.] As the eastern princes were often clothed in white robes, and they were generally counted a magnificent apparel (compare Esth. viii. 15; and Dan. vii. 9,) I think it more natural to explain the words thus (as Calmet does in his Dissert. Vol. II. p. 230,) than to suppose with Ray (on the Creation, p. 107) that ἀνεία signified tulips of various colours, or a purple kind of dily. Some have indeed quoted Cant. v. 13, in support of the last late creation; but
that text may refer to the fragrancy of those flowers, rather than their hue.
ᵏ Shelters and adorns the flower.] The word ἀμφιετονία, which we render clothe, properly expresses the putting on a complete dress that surrounds the body on all sides; and is used with peculiar beaut for that elegant yet strong external membrane, which (like the skin in the human body) at once adorns the tender structure of the vegetable, and likewise guards it from the injuries of the weather. Every microscope in which a flower is viewed affords a lively comment on this text.
ˡ Is thrown into the furnace or the still.] I apprehend that this may be as properly the signification of the word ἀνεία as oven, and that the sense will thus appear to be more easy; for it can hardly be supposed that grass or flowers should be thrown into the oven, the day after they are cut down; unless it was the custom to heat their ovens with new hay, which seems not very natural. Elsner indeed renders ἐνεία stubble; but that seems not to suit the context.
We should seek first the kingdom of God.
his children, O ye of little faith? that you should be so diffident as to distrust his care, or in the least to doubt it!
Be not ye therefore any more distracted and torn in pieces (as it were) with anxious and unbelieving thoughts, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink? How is it we shall be provided for, or what shall we wear, in the remainder of our lives? (For it is really beneath your character as my disciples, thus to distress yourselves on this account: the heathen, who are strangers to the promises of God’s covenant, and to the hopes of his glory, do indeed seek after all these things; and it is no wonder that their minds are taken up with them: but you have greater business to employ you, and higher hopes to animate and encourage you;) for you may be assured that as your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things while you dwell in the body, he will not fail to provide them for you.
*But I exhort you that you turn your cares into a nobler channel, and seek, in the first place, and with the greatest earnestness and concern, the kingdom of God and his righteousness,*ᵐ labouring to secure an interest in the promises of the gospel yourselves, and to promote its reception among others, that by submitting to the righteousness of God you may be thus accepted as righteous before him: in that you will be sure of success; and as for all these little things of which I have now been speaking, they shall be added to you over and above,ⁿ and, as it were, thrown in amidst a crowd of far more valuable blessings. And therefore, while you faithfully attend to this, be not anxious even
ᵐ The kingdom of God, and his righteousness.] By righteousness Dr. Sykes here understands the Messiah; the righteous Branch who was to rule in righteousness, and in whose days the righteous were to flourish, (see Dr. Sykes on Christianity, p. 35, 36:) But it seems more natural to interpret it of that way of becoming righteous which the gospel proposes, and which St. Paul, by a phrase exactly equivalent to this, calls the righteousness of God. Compare Rom. x. 3; and Phil. iii. 9.
ⁿ Added over and above.] This seems to be the exact import of the word ἀρχιεπισκοπία than which expression nothing could have been more proper; for these temporal blessings are by no means essential to the stipulations of the covenant of grace but are entirely to be referred to the Divine good pleasure to add or with hold as God shall see fit. Compare 1 Kings iii. 11—13.
Reflections on the prohibiton of anxiety.
morrow; for the for the morrow, and much less for future years: sect. morrow shall take for indeed the morrow shall provide for itself; xli. thought for the that Providence which hath taken care of you things of itself: suf- formerly shall send in new supplies, and sug- Mat. ficient unto the day v1.34 is the evil thereof. gest new expedients, as new necessities and difficulties require them: and, in the mean time, you need not anticipate future trials; for without such an addition, sufficient for the present day [is] the evil of it, and it is well if you have wisdom and grace proportionable even to that.
IMPROVEMENT.
How kind are these precepts of our blessed Redeemer! the verse substance of which is indeed but this, Do thyself no harm. Let 34 us not be so ungrateful to him, and so injurious to ourselves, as to harass and oppress our minds with that burden of anxiety 31, 32 which he has so graciously taken off. Every verse and clause we have been reading speaks at once to the understanding and the heart. We will not therefore indulge these unnecessary, these useless, these mischievous cares; we will not borrow the anxieties and distresses of the morrow to aggravate those of the present day: but rather will we cheerfully repose ourselves on 34 that heavenly Father who knows that we need these things, and has given us life, which is more than meat; and the body, which is more than raiment; and thus instructed in the philosophy of 25 our heavenly Master will learn a lesson of faith and cheerfulness 26, 28 from every bird of the air, and every flower of the field.
Let the Gentiles that know not God perplex their minds with unworthy suspicions, or bow them down to the ignoble servitude of mammon, that base rival of our living Jehovah: but we, 24 far from desiring to share our hearts and our services between two such contrary masters, will cheerfully devote them to him whose right to them is so infinitely beyond all room for any contest. Let us take heed and beware of covetousness, and make it our business not to hoard up earthly and corruptible treasures, 19, 20 but first seek the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: so shall other things be added for present subsistence; and so shall we 33 lay up in store an incorruptible treasure in heaven, in which we shall be rich and happy when the riches of this world are consumed with their owners, and the whole fashion of it is passed away.
While these divine maxims are spreading their light about us, 22, 23 let our eye be clear to behold them, and our heart open to receive them; and let us cautiously guard against those deceitful principles of action which would give a wrong bias to all our pursuits, and turn the light which is in us into a fatal and incurable darkness.
hrist cautions them against rash judgment.