The Gospel According to Matthew
Copyright© 2006, Darroll Evans

 

Chapter 6

 

Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

 

“Take heed” (Gr. prosechete-prosecete), or keep this in mind, don’t give just to be seen!  If being seen is your goal, being seen is all you get.

 

Matthew 6:2-4
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly
.

 

Don’t make a show of giving!  Giving must be with joy from the heart, not due to obligation, with a public relations mind-set.

 

Some businessmen wait until the end of the year, then figure how much more they need to give to maximize their tax deductions.  While their giving may seem generous, it is based in greed.


Give from a pure heart.

 

This has nothing to do with tithing.

 

The tithe was food given once a year at the temple in Jerusalem to the Levites.

 

There is no mention in the Bible of a tithe being given weekly or monthly to, or at, a Church!

 

Some today try to mix offerings and alms with tithes.  They are different things altogether!

 

“Freewill” is an Old Testament concept used only in reference to offerings, not tithes.

 

Tithing is part of the law of Moses.

 

From Romans to Revelation, tithes are mentioned only in Hebrews, chapter 7!

Matthew 6:5-13
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, 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.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

This section ends with what we call the “Lord’s prayer.”  It is actually the model prayer.

 

Don’t pray with hypocrisy. This does not rule out public or corporate prayer.  But, it sets standards.

 

Christians do not pray as others do. Christian prayer is a personal conversation with our Father.

 

Verse 6 is not an admonition to avoid public prayer.  Is it a request to make our prayer private.  Each of us has a “closet” or private area.  You may know it as your heart.  We can pray in public while in our secret area.

 

“Vain repetitions” (Gr. battologeeseete- battologhshte) are empty words, words without any spiritual meaning, spoken without conviction.  God is not impressed with our linguistic abilities.

 

Please notice that verse 7 does not say that we cannot use repetition!  It does rule out “vain” repetition!  But, what is that?

 

Vain repetition is saying something with your mouth without any input from your heart!

 

If a prayer is repeated with heart-felt love, it is never vain! 

 

“Thee” and “thou” have no spiritual value unless that is the way you normally speak.  Long prayers or speeches with our heads bowed and hands folded do not impress God.  He is not impressed with your physical position.  He is impressed with your heartfelt conviction.

 

Do you know that there is no biblical admonition to bow our heads and fold our hands while praying.  There is admonition to look up and raise our hands in praise.

 

God knows what you want and what you need.  The wants and needs may differ.  He was aware of you needs prior to your request, and indeed, before the foundation of the world.  We pray to strengthen and maintain relationship, and not to tell God something he does not already know.

 

Verse nine is the beginning of the model prayer: Books have been written explaining this prayer. So we will just skim the surface.

 

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 

He is our Father.  Our Father is always pure and holy and His name represents His purity and holiness.

 

By the way, His name is not God!

 

The gospel according to Matthew as written about the age of the law (OT), but it was written during the Church Age.  This opening phrase is not Old Testament in its phrasing.

 

Synagogue prayers were and are still offered to “Adonai.”  The Tetragram, God’s holy name, is always spoken in Synagogue as “Adonai.”

 

The model prayer is a departure from Jewish tradition and the establishment of a new form of prayer.

 

All of our prayers to Him should begin with “Our Father,” or “Dear Father.

 

It is anti-biblical and un-Christian to pray to Mary.


Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

Far too many pray this as a vain repetition, or words that are just moving the air.  When you pray “thy Kingdom come---Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” do you pray with expectancy?

 

Give us this day our daily bread.”

 

If your daily bread consists of just physical food, you are missing the point. Christ Jesus and the continued revelation of Him should be our daily bread.

 

Do you want success or excess?

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

 

Do you forgive?  If not, how can you follow a forgiving Christ?

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

 

Does this mean that God can lead us into temptation?  Do I need to remind you that He is God?

 

Temptation (Gr. peirasmon-peirasmon) is a trial, proving, or temptation.  To some, a test comes in the form of temptation.

 

Whatever you, as a Christian, are going through---it is what you are going through.  All testing is limited in duration and severity. 

 

All personal tests are great at the time of the testing.  Thank God for the Light at the end of the tunnel, even if it seems dim.

 

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

We should thank God for what He has given, or do you just ask for stuff? 

 

This prayer is based on several statements of fact.

 

He is our Father.  He is in heaven.  He is pure and holy and His name is pure and holy.

His kingdom shall not only come, but in many respects it is already here.  His will is being done on earth and in heaven.

He does give us this day our daily bread.

He does forgive our debts—even if we are slow to forgive.

He keeps us in times of temptation.  His testing is for our strengthening.

 

He does deliver us from evil and the evil one.

 

His Kingdom is the only eternal Kingdom.

 

His power is the only eternal power.

 

His glory is forever and beyond. Amen!

 

Learn to pray this prayer.  Do not just recite it!

 

Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

Here, we must look at two words.  These two words are consistent in both verses.

 

Forgive (Gr. afeete-afhte) carries with it the meaning of to overlook or set aside.  It does not speak of forgiveness as when God forgives our sins.

 

Trespasses (Gr. paratoomata-paraptwmata) speaks of unintentional errors or faults.

 

These two verses tell us not to be hyper-critical.  If the Lord of Glory had not pointed that out, common sense would have.  Being overly critical is a hindrance to those who are overly critical.

 

We are called upon to live in a state of forgiveness.  Relax, rest in Him and forgive!

 

Matthew 6:16-18
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That 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.

 

Again, if we do things just to be seen---being seen becomes our reward.  But if we do to please our Father, great is our reward.

 

If we do things just to be rewarded openly, don’t complain about the timetable of the coming of that reward.

 

Matthew 6:19-22
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

 

If your goal is to have a healthy bank account or as much property as may be able to get, it will not bring you closer to God.  But if your goal is to serve God, having a healthy bank account and much property may or may not be a means of serving Him. God is not against wealth, but “things” do not affect our salvation.

 

If the things you deem necessary are in Christ, you are in Christ!

 

Verse 22 tells us to focus on Christ and be filled with Light!

 

Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

Matthew 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

 

If we focus on darkness our vision is limited. 

 

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

 

We cannot be loyal to God and to this age.  The two will not mix.  Every man is a servant to something or someone. 

 

We cannot serve God and worldly wealth.  The world measures success by quantity.  God measures success by quality.

 

Matthew 6:25-32
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, 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?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore 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 seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 

Think back to the days of Amelda Marcos, the wife of the late Philippine dictator.  She bought shoes.

 

She bought all the shoes any person could want, and more then any person could need.  They brought her little, if any comfort.

 

Stuff will not comfort us when physical death comes calling. That is why Christ told us not to worry about those things.

 

All the worry in the world will not add to your height.  Nor will it add one moment of joy to your life

 

Happiness is a mere emotion.  Joy in Christ is a state of being.

 

In verse 27, Christ Jesus addresses free will.

 

Many Christians demand their free will, but Christ shows how ridiculous the concept of free will really is!

 

Matthew 6:27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

 

In case you do not know the answer, it is “None!”

 

Use if human will is extremely limited and cannot bring about salvation!

 

Free will, when applied to the spiritual is a bogus concept!

In verse 32, Jesus said, “Gentiles seek all these things.”  One of the things no-believers do is to work for things with no thought of giving God the glory for “their” success.

 

Jesus also said, “Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.”  He was referring to food, clothing, and shelter.

 

Matthew 6:33-34
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

Christ added, “First, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.  Then, all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

Many Christians think that Jesus was a carpenter.  That is logical! 

 

However, there is no verse in the entire Bible that says explicitly that Jesus picked up a hammer or did one day of physical labor.  And yet, Jesus ate, had clothes, and a personal home in Capernaum.


He told us to take therefore no thought for the morrow, don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow has its own problems.

 

Chapter 7
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