Matthew 6

Matthew 6:1

[a] Take heed] Προσέχειν, with an accusative case, is ἐπιμελῶς τηρεῖν, to watch, or observe carefully, saith Phavorinus; and may possibly here be so, there being no necessity that the construction should run thus, προσέχετε μὴ ποιεῖν, take heed that you do not, but as probably, προσέχετε τὴν ἐλημοσύνην, look to your alms, μὴ ποιεῖν, not to do it, or that thou do it not, &c. But yet because the phrases used in these books are not always to be judged by the use in other authors, and because St. Matthew useth προσέχετε in all other places, a little diversely from the rest of the writers of the New Testament, those generally joining unto it a dative case, but St. Matthew leaving it out, and understanding it, therefore it is possible it may be so here also; and so the reading will be neither προσέχετε ἐλημοσύνην, look to your alms, nor προσέχετε μὴ ποιεῖν, look that you do not, but understanding ἀντοῖς, look to yourselves, that you do not, &c. So when St. Matthew reads προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης, ch. xvi. 16, and xi. 12, take heed of the leaven, St. Luke reads προσέχετε ἀντοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης, take heed to yourselves of the leaven, &c. As for the word ἐλημοσύνη, from whence our English word alms is formed; that is, any act of pity or mercy, especially of liberality to them which want; for which some copies read δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, which, as it is all one with ἐλημοσύνη, and in the translation of the Old Testament used promiscuously for it, (according to the notion of the Hebrew צדקה forementioned, note [g] ch. i.) so doth it signify this charity to be an act of duty and righteousness required of all Jews and Christians, and not to be omitted (by them which are able) without sin.

[b] be seen] The word θεαθήναι imports such a beholding or looking on as is on a stage or theatre, for men that act parts, or strive for masteries, whose reward consists only in the θεαθήναι and δοξασθήναι, ver. 2, the applause and praises and approbation of the spectators, which appears to be the meaning of the word here, by the concurrence of all the circumstances; 1. by the μισθός, reward, twice used immediately, vv. 1. 3. By being thus looked on they have their reward, as in those spec-

P On Prov. xxii. 28. Q On Psalm xxxvi.

Matthew 6:5

[c] standing] The word ἱστῶτες may possibly refer to that particular posture of standing which was usual in prayer, as among the ancient Christians, so among the Jews before them; whence it is that עֲמִידָה, statio, is reckoned by them as one of the seven names of prayer. So Manahem speaks of Abraham’s standing, i. e. (saith he,) praying before the Lord; and thence is the proverbial speech of Rabbi Judah in Musarim, “Without עֲמִידָה, station, the world could not subsist.” And besides the posture of standing might be more convenient for their turn of being more and further seen by men. But the truth is, both the Greek ἱστῶτες and the Hebrew belong promiscuously (not to standing only, but) to every or any posture of the body. So Matt xvi. 20, some of those that stand, (i. e. that are,) here, as עָמַד signifies esse, “to be,” or adesse, “to be present;” and so John xii. 19, ὄχλος ὁ ἱστῶς, the people that stood, (i. e. were present,) (in like manner as καθίζειν, to sit, is used for any posture, or without relation to any, no more than simply to abide, as Luke xxiv. 49, καθίσαις ἐν τῇ πόλει, tarry in the city;) and so in this very matter, Mark xi. 25, ὅταν στήκετε προσευχόμενοι, when you stand praying, that is, when you pray. So in Hesychius, ἵστακε, or ἵστηκε, κείται ἱσταμίνοι, οὖσαι, to stand, that is, to be placed, situate, to be, yea, and ἵστατο, ἱκάθητο, he stood, that is, he sat, to take it quite off from the notation of standing. So saith St. Chrysostom of the sea, οὕτως ἀσφαλῶς ἵστηκεν, ὡσανεὶ δεδεμένη, Cat. in Job, “it stood as firmly as if it were bound,” which the learned translator renders rightly, firmiter et in tuto situm est, “it was placed firmly;” and so the Latin sto, as well as existo, is often used as a verb substantive only, to sustain a participle, without reference to any posture.

[d] synagogues] That the word συναγωγαί signifies not what we P. 544.

Matthew 6:7

[e] vain repetitions] The Greek βατολογία is literally, to do as Battus did, which, what it is, is described by Suidas in these words: Βατολογία ἡ πολυλογία, “Battology is multiplying of words,” (just agreeable to this verse which sets these words as synonymous,) ἀπὸ Βάττου τινος μακρούς καὶ πολυστίχους ὕμνους ποιήσαντος, ταυτολογίας ἔχοντας, “The word is taken from one Battus, who made long hymns, consisting of many lines, full of tautologies.” Whence Hesychius, βατολογία, (it should be βατολογία,) ἀργολογία, ἀκαιρολογία, empty, idle, unseasonable discourse. It is sure enough that Christ spake not Greek in this sermon, and so referred not to the name or style of Battus, but the evangelist, or his translator, thus rendered his Syriac expression by this proverbial Greek word. Munster’s Hebrew reads it לא תרבו את דברים “Do not multiply words,” viz. above that which is fit and seasonable. The peculiar notation of this phrase in this place will be best discerned by the practice of the heathens, which is here referred to, ὥσπερ οἱ ἰθνικοί, as the heathens do; and that practice is best represented in their tragedians, as in Æschylus, who hath near a hundred verses at a time made of nothing but tautologies, ἴω, ἴω, and φεῦ, φεῦ, and ἔ, ἔ, ἔ, ἔ, in their crying unto their gods. So 1 Kings xviii. 27, the idolatrous worshippers cried in the same words from morning till noon. O Baal, hear us. And Acts xix. 34, for two hours’ space, The great Diana of the Ephesians. Of this kind generally were their charms and incantations, and therefore Polybius calls the using of such repetitions, πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς μαγγανεύειν, “to set upon their gods to charm them.” This those heathens did to two ends: 1. to make their gods hear them, not knowing how far off they might be; which Elias refers to, 1 Kings xviii. 27, Cry aloud, for perhaps your god is asleep, &c.; and they look not on it as an irony, but follow his advice, ver. 28. 2dly, That they may understand and remember their petitions the better, both which Christ mentions here, vv. 7 and 8. So that the things here forbidden in prayer (and especially in private prayer, ἐν ταμείῳ and ἐν κρυπτῷ, in the closet and in secret, ver. 6.) are first, ἀργολογία, a cold unseasonable lengthening out of time with tautologies, when it is not any effect of zeal; 2dly, the care of verbal, not real eloquence in prayers, for that will come under πολυλογία, much speaking. But still not all repetition,

Matthew 6:11

[f] daily] The word ἐπιούσιος is capable of a double origination, either from the word ἐπιούσα, the day approaching, whether that be the now instant day, or else the morrow, that is, (in the scripture sense of the Hebrew, “מה”) the future, the remainder of our lives, how long, or how short soever. Thus in Phavorinus, ἐπιούσα is explained by ἐπερχομένη, approaching, or coming on, and ἐπιούσα τύχη notes the future events, as opposed to παρούσα, the present, in Niceph. Basilac. διήγ ιε. If the word be derived from hence, then the ἄρτος ἐπιούσιος will denote as much as shall be sufficient, or proportionable for the future, or the remainder of our lives, which we pray that we may receive this day, that is, as St. Luke interprets it, τὸ καθ’ ἡμέραν, day by day. Another way there is of deducing this word, from ἐπὶ τὴν οὐσίαν, that which is agreeable for my being, or subsistence, or condition in the world, ἐπιούσιος ἄρτος ὁ τῇ ἑκάστη οὐσίᾳ ἡμῶν ἀρμόζων, saith Phavorinus, that which Solomon calls food convenient for him; and so in either sense (but the first is more according to analogy of derivations) that which is sufficient and agreeable for the remainder of our lives, the daily sustenance and necessaries of our bodies, and especially of our souls.

Matthew 6:12

And punish not on us all the sins wherewith we have offended and provoked thee to punish us, as we do most freely forgive all the injuries which have by others been done to us. ’ permit us not to be brought into any temptation or snare, suffer us not to be entangled in any dangers or difficulties, which may not be easily supported by us.

Matthew 6:13

[g] into temptation] בָּא בְּמַכָּה, εἰσίρχεσθαι εἰς πειρασμὸν, to enter into temptation, signifies to be so involved in straits or difficulties as that one cannot extricate himself, ch. xxvi. 41; and proportionably here, εἰσφίρουν εἰς πειρασμὸν, is to bring men, or suffer them to be brought into such an estate; contrary to which is God’s promise, 1 Cor. x. 13, of ποιεῖν σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἕκβασιν, giving a way of escaping, or getting out, together with the temptation, and that is it which we here pray for, in assurance of God’s fidelity in performance.

Matthew 6:14

For it hath been well observed by the wise men among the Jews, that our pardoning of those who have injured us, is rewarded by God with hearing of our prayers for his forgiveness. See Ecclus. xxviii. 2—5. and Matt. v. 7. ’ they put on sad and mournful looks, appear in foul sordid garments, and unwashed faces, which makes them look lamentably, or perhaps they cover or veil their faces that they may discover or reveal their fasting.

’ bring. ’ the evil one, τοῦ κονηροῦ. ’ for ever and ever: see note on Luke i. [i].

’ horrid, ghastly. ’ cover their faces, or spoil their looks.

Matthew 6:16

[h] disfigure] What ἀφανίζεσθαι here signifies will be somewhat uncertain, because in this very chapter, ver. 19, it is used again in a sense which will hardly be accommodated to this place, howsoever we should render it. A probable way to hit upon the right in both places will be to consider the diversity of the matter, and accordingly to apply the word in the diverse significations of it. In that other place it is clear, that it must signify some kind of taking away, spoiling, or consuming, (for that is proper to the moth, and the βρῶσις, whatever that signifies;) and so Hesychius renders it προνομεύσαι, either as that is feeding upon, προνομία προβόσκησις, feeding, saith he, or as it is preying upon, snatching, carrying away, προνομεύει, ἁρπάζει, κατασύρει; and so ἀφανισμός is used for any kind of consuming, whether by death or otherwise, as γηράσκον ἐγγὺς ἀφανισμοῦ, that which is old is near dying, Heb. viii. 13; and in the psalm, Before I go hence and be no more seen, or be taken away; and so ἄδης, the state of the soul separate from the body, or the state of death, is expressed by ἀφανισμός, as a word of the same origination and notion with it, one being deduced from the privative particle, and ἴδω, video, to see, and the other from the same particle, and φαίνω, appareo, to appear, and so both signify death, the vanishing of the soul into soft air, as the atheist (which believed no future life)

Matthew 6:17

[i] anoint] The interdict of unction and lotion among the Jews belongs only to days of mourning and humiliation. Thus the Mischna Cod. Joma, c. 8. §, 1. On the day of expiation, that great day of humbling the soul, אסור באכילה ובשתיה ובחיצה ובכיבה, “they are interdicted meat and drink, and washing and anointing;” and so in like manner, בתשמיש המטה, “the companying of husband and wife;” to which agrees that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. vii. 5, that the husband and wife are not to deprive one another but for a season, upon consent, that they may σχολάζειν τῇ νηστείᾳ καὶ τῇ προσευχῇ, be at leisure for fasting and prayer; (and accordingly the Greek and Latin church have made canons to that purpose. See Balsamon ad can. 3, Dionys. Alex., and Gratian. Decret. par. 2. causa 33. quæst. 4.) by which it appears, that this anointing and washing are not festival rites, but usual at all times, save only of fasting. So Dan. x. 3, describing his fast, neither did I anoint myself at all, is joined to his—I eat no pleasant bread, neither came any flesh or wine into my mouth; and so of David, 2 Sam. xii. 20, when he made an end of mourning for the child, it is said, he arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and eat bread, to signify that the omission of those was a ceremony of his mourning and fasting; and so 2 Sam. xiv. 2, the widow of Tekoah, that is to feign herself a mourner, is bid to put on mourning apparel, and not anoint herself with oil. By this and many other testimonies appeareth the daily use of anointing and washing, and not that they were used only on festival days, though then they were used most liberally, (see note [c] ch. xxvi.) And consequently that which Christ here commands under the phrase anoint and wash, is no more than this, that in those private fasts of theirs they should appear in their ordinary guise, and not seem to men to fast, (not that they should appear to feast at that time.)

Matthew 6:19

It is a great vanity to hoard or treasure up any of the possessions of this world, for they are all, whether cloth, or fruit, or money, subject to those three casualties of moths, vermin, and thieves; every one the worse, some lost by keeping.

• Ecclus. xxix. 11.

[k] rust] The word βρῶσις is directly Greek; for the Hebrew חכיל, from חכל, consumpsit, comedit, to consume or eat, for which the Septuagint read, κατίδεται, Deut. xxviii. Hence is the noun used for the locusts, or whatsoever it is that strikes and devours the corn, Joel i. 4, 1 Kings viii. 27. Psalm lxxvii. 57, and is rendered βρῶχος, and ἀκρίς, and ἰρυσίβη, and in Latin, rubigo, “rust,” not that which iron is subject to, but that which spoils corn, and is called smut among us. And so this will be a proper sense for the word βρῶσις here, yet so that in a greater latitude it may belong to all other vermin which devour corn in the barn or garner, yea, and the caterpillars that eat up plants, and all other fruits also. And then all the three sorts of earthly riches, which human providence is wont to store up, are here noted: 1. garments; 2. corn and fruits of the earth; and 3. gold and silver and jewels; all subject to these three sorts of such great uncertainties, as make them unfit to be kept or treasured up, only fit for the present use of them-

Matthew 6:21

For as long as your treasures are those of this world, your hearts will be fastened upon this world; your only way of elevating your desires, and setting them on heaven, is to lay out that which God gives you on his service.

22, 23. As the eye is the candle of the body, lightens and directs it, so hath liberality of mind a most observable influence upon the whole Christian’s life and actions, serving them with light and directions toward the making them all very Christian. But where, instead thereof, covetousness is gotten in, there is commonly nothing but darkness, i. e. a life alien from Christ, from the temper which he requires. If then that most eminent leading virtue in Christianity, thy charity or liberality, be extinct, and turned into the contrary, that of covetousness, what a deep darkness shalt thou walk in, though the light of the gospel shine round about thee!

• he will perform faithful service to the one whom he loves, but for the other, whom he hates or undervalues, if he be engaged in his service, he will despise his commands, and not care to please him; even so the tending and observing of wealth, doing

• south, or vermin do consume. 10 candle, & λύχος. 11 good, liberal. 12 envious, covetous, injurious, malicious, scrupbs: see note [1].

Matthew 6:22

[l] single] Ἀπλότης, simplicity, in the New Testament, generally signifies liberality, Rom. xii. 8, 2 Cor. viii. 2, ch. ix. 11. and 13; as ἀφελότης also Acts ii. 46, (by the same analogy that τέλειος, perfect, Matt. v. 48, is all one with ἐλεήμων, Luke vi. 36, from the latitude of the Hebrew תם; for that ἀφελῆς and τέλειος are synonymous appears by Hesychius, who renders it καθαρὸς, ὁλόκληρος, pure and perfect;) so in Phavorinus, not only ἁπλοῦς, single, is rendered ἐλεύθερος, free or liberal, but ἐλευθερία, liberality, back again rendered χρημάτων ἁπλῆ δόσις, or ἀρετὴ τῆς ψυχῆς εὐδαπάνητος εἰς τὰ καλὰ, a liberal bestowing of money, or giving of wealth, or the virtue of the mind, consisting in a discreet laying out of what a man hath upon good and proper objects: clearing this matter, that ἁπλότης signifies liberality. Then for the applying this epithet to the eye here, it is, 1. that the similitude may go on in the ἀνταπόδοσις, or second part of it; 2. because the eye is that part of the body which hath most to do with wealth, as appears by Eccles. v. 11, What good is there to the owners of riches, save the beholding them with their eyes? and therefore covetousness is called the lust of the eye, 1 John ii. 16; 3. because the phrase is most agreeable to the dialect of scripture, Deut. v. 9, Prov. xxiii. 6, and xxviii. 22, Ecclus. xiv. 8—10, wherein ποιηρὸς ἀφθαλμὸς, the evil eye, signifies envy, as that is the contrary to all liberal disposition, in the sense wherein ἀφθονίστερος χερί, in Aristophanes, “he who hath little of envy in his hand,” and ἄφθονος, “he that hath no envy,” so frequent a title of God’s in Damascen, (the father of the Greek school,) signifies bounty and liberality. And accordingly in Theophylact on 2 Cor. viii. 2, Ἀπλότης ἄφθονος γνώμη καὶ εὐμετάδοτος, “it signifies a mind void of envy or parsimony, apt to communicate.” And in that sense, I suppose, ποιηρὸς is taken, ch. vii. 11, for niggardly, covetous, or illiberal, the contrary to ἁπλοῦς, liberal, here, in the notion wherein ישע, evil, is used in Hebrew, when it is set opposite to צדיק and חסור, the righteous and merciful, and is proverbially said to say, “That which is thine is mine, and that which is mine is mine own.” So on the contrary, טוב עין, the good eye, is by us rendered bountiful, and by the Greek ἐλεῶν τὸν πτωχὸν, pitying the poor, Prov. xxii. 9, and so ἀγαθὸς, good, Matt. xx. 15. If this sense be embraced, then these two verses will perfectly connect with antecedents and consequents all to the same matter of liberality, otherwise they will cause a direct chasm or hiatus in the context.

Matthew 6:24

[m] hold to] Ἀντίχομαι here used, is by Phavorinus rendered ἀντιλαμβάνομαι, to help, and so by Hesychius; and ἀνθέξεται, ἀντιλήψεται, who also adds φροντίζειν, to care for. The former of these notions may be accommodated to this place, of a servant toward a master, whose office is to assist his master in all his business; and accordingly it is applied to servants. 1 Tim. vi. 2, δουλευτίτωσαν ἀντιλαμβανόμενοι τῆς εὐεργεσίας, let them serve them, assisting them in well doing; but being set opposite to despising, perhaps that of caring for may be the fitter notion of it.

Matthew 6:27

[n] one cubit unto his stature] Ἡλικία signifies μέγεθος σώματος, and μέτρον, the quantity or stature of the body; and again, the habit of body; and consequent to that, the verdure of age and beauty; as when ἡλικίαν διαφθείρειν, in Heraclitus, περὶ ἀπίστ. α΄, signifies to destroy their

Matthew 6:28

[o] toif] The word (\kappa \alpha \pi \alpha \nu) doth properly belong to husbandry labour, ploughing, sowing, &c. So 2 Tim. ii. 6, (\kappa \alpha \pi \omega \nu \tau \alpha) yeoayov, the husbandman labouring; and John iv. 38, (\theta \varepsilon \rho \varepsilon \varepsilon \nu) oovx uueis keonaiakare, to reap what you have not laboured, that is, ploughed and sowed, &c.; and so here of flax, which is first sowed and plucked &c. before it comes to spinning.

Matthew 6:30

And if God have made so rich and glorious a provision of attire for those short-lived flowers, then certainly for us (that have such instances of his providence) to doubt of God’s power or will to provide us sufficient raiment, is a piece of weakness or want of faith which will not be excused in us, God having promised that he doth and will care for us, which promise cannot be doubted of without infidelity. e be not beforehand so troubled with apprehension of future wants of food and raiment.

[p] grass] Xóproes signifies any thing that grows in the field or garden; here the generical word is restrained by the context, and referring to the lilies of the field, ver. 28, doth signify a flower, (see note [e] ch. vii.) one day glorious and beautiful in the field, and the next day, or soon after, cut down, and used for the heating of ovens or furnaces.

h In ll. 2.

Matthew 6:47

[u] more] Τί περισσόν ποιεῖτε; The phrase may seem to have respect unto the P Hebrews’ language, who call חסר, mercifulness, מלכת הטובת, abundance of goodness, and יתרון הטובת in 4 Kimchi, excellence of (or exceeding) goodness, such as belongs to the special pious extraordinary Jews, (and Christians proportionably.) Thus in Pirche Avoth, c. 15, “He that saith, That which is mine is thine, and that which is thine is mine” (which is the loving of friends, doing courtesies to them that will pay them again) “is an idiot,” עם הארץ, populus terræ, an ordinary vulgar person, doth nothing περισσότε, extraordinarily.