1Christ continuing his sermon giveth directions about charitable giving, 5prayer, 14forgiving our brethren, 16fasting, 19laying up treasure in heaven, 22keeping a single eye: 24and exhorteth not to be anxious about worldly things, but principally to seek God's kingdom and righteousness.
1TAKE heed that ye do not your 1alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
1 The Greek word eleèmosunè, from which is derived alms, signifies in general a work of mercy, and in special liberality to the poor, because that must proceed from compassion, 1 Cor. 13:3. Some Greek copies have righteousness.
2Therefore whena thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the 2hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, 3They have their reward.
a Rom. 12:8.
2 Or, dissemblers; which word signifies the actors in a stage play, who show themselves for other persons than they are indeed.
3 The honor, which they seek of men, is their reward.
3But when thou doest alms, 4let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That is, do it in the most secret manner, without seeking glory thereby.
4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee 5openly.b
5 Namely, oftentimes here, but especially hereafter in the last judgment, see Mat. 25:34.
b Luke 14:14.
5¶And when thou 6prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the 7synagogues and in the corners of the streets, 8that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 Namely, in particular. For, public prayers in the assemblies also are acceptable to God and have special promises, Mat. 18:19.
7 Namely, besides the time of public prayers.
8 Or, to make a show before men.
6But thou, when thou prayest, enterc into thy 9closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
c 2 Kings 4:33; Acts 10:4
9 The Greek word signifies a place or chamber where one puts away or locks up anything.
7But when ye pray, used not 10vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
d 1 Kings 18:28; Isa. 1:15.
10 Gr. battologia, that is, when a number of words or expressions are often repeated without being needed or in earnest.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
911After this manner therefore pray ye: Oure Father which art 12in heaven, 13Hallowed be thy name.
11 That is, order all your prayers according to this form. Not that we are bound only or always to these words. For, in necessities that may fall out, it is also lawful to enlarge further some petitions, and also to express them in other words. See John 17 and Acts 4:24.
e Luke 11:2.
12 That is, in the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12:2, where He most of all manifest His majesty and glory, Psalm 103:19.
13 That is, magnified by us in words and deeds.
1014Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is 15in heaven.
14 Namely, both of grace in this world and of glory in heaven.
15 Namely, by the holy angels, Psalm 103:20, 21, and of the blessed and perfect souls, Heb. 12:23.
11Give us this day our 16daily 17bread.
16 That is, sufficient and necessary for the preservation of our life, for this day; or, our appointed portion, Prov. 30:8.
17 That is, all necessities for the body, Gen. 3:19.
12And forgive us our 18debts, as we forgive our debtors.
18 That is, sins, Luke 11:4, which makes us debtors to the punishment. See Mat. 18:24.
13And 19lead us not into 20temptation, but deliver us from evil:f For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. 21Amen.
19 Or, bring us not, that is, give us not over.
20 Namely, to bring us to sin or to evil of Satan, of the world and of our own flesh, see James 1:13, 14.
f Mat. 13:19.
21 It is an Hebrew word and is as much as to say: Let it be, or So be it. Or, it is surely so. See Deut. 27:15; Neh. 8:7.
14Forg if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
g Mark 11:25; Col. 3:13.
15Buth if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your 22trespasses.
h Mat. 18:35; James 2:13.
22 Gr. side-slips, whereby are understood all manner of sins.
16¶Moreoveri when ye 23fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they 24disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
i Isa. 58:3; Mat. 9:14; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33.
23 Namely, in particular; for, in public necessities or fasts, it is not unlawful to show a sad countenance, if it be done without hypocrisy.
24 Gr. obscure or mar.
17But thou, when thou fastest, 25anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
25Christ speaks here according to the custom of the Jews, who, in times of rejoicing, anointed and washed themselves, Psalm 23:5; Amos 6:6; Luke 7:46.
18That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
19 ¶ 26Lay notj up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and 27rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
26 Namely, principally, or so as to make your work of it, without proper exercises of the heavenly treasure. See 1 Tim. 6:8.
j Prov. 23:4; Heb. 13:5; James 5:1.
27 Gr. eating, or eating in.
20But layk up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
k Luke 12:33; 1 Tim. 6:19.
21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
2228The light of the body is thel eye: if therefore thine eye be single,m thy whole body shall be full of light.
28 That is, as the body by the eye, so all that a man does or leaves undone, is guided and ordered by the understanding.
l Luke 11:34.
m healthy
23But if thine eye be 29evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
29 That is, blinded or corrupted.
24¶Non man can serve 30two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will 31hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and 32mammon.o
n Luke 16:13.
30 Namely, which are contrary to one another.
31 Or, keep himself to the one.
32 This is a Syrian word, and signifies riches, gain or treasurers, which men oftentimes honor and serve as a god.
o riches, money personified
25Thereforep I say unto you, 33Take no thoughtq for your 34life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
p Psalm 37:5; 55:22; Luke 12:22; Philip. 4:6; 1 Tim. 6:8; 1 Peter 5:7.
33 Namely, with an anxious and immoderate care, springing from want of faith, and hindering the care of our salvation. Other, we ought also to take care for these things, 1 Tim. 5:8.
q anxiety*
34 Gr. soul, whereby is meant life. See Job 2:6; Mat. 2:20.
26Beholdr the fowls 35of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. 36Are ye not much better than they?
r Job 38:41; Psalm 147:9.
35 Gr. of the heaven, that is, of the air, see Psalm 8:8.
36 Gr. do not ye differ very much from them?
27Which of you by taking thought can add 37one cubit unto his stature?
37 That is, the length of the arm, from the elbow to the end of the middle finger. Or, a foot and a half.
28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in 38all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
38 Read thereof in 1 Kings 4.
30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and 39to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
39 That is, which, shortly after being withered, is almost good for nothing else but to heat with it the ovens.
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32(For after all these things do the Gentiles 40seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
40 Namely, with anxiety and trouble, as if their happiness consisted therein.
33Buts seek ye first the kingdom of God, and 41his righteousness; and all these things shall be 42added unto you.
s 1 Kings 3:13; Psalm 37:25; 55:22.
41 Namely, of God, as this appears from the Greek text; that is, which is acceptable to God, will stand before Him, and is revealed to us in the Gospel.
42 Gr. laid unto, or, superadded, namely, as an over-measure, or somewhat given over and above. See Psalm 127:2.
34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is 43the evil thereof.
43 That is, the vexation, care and trouble, which happens every day.