Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18, 19-21 continues with the prophetic theme of the Old Testament Lesson and urges the obvious sincerity expressed by the psalm for this day. discusses righteousness before God. A polemic against the Pharisees is behind this text.[1]
One might think of this text as the Magna Charta of true piety. All human groups have ways of giving honor to their members. Such honor gives members something worthy to imitate. Since human beings learn by imitating, this process has a positive dimension to it. It encourages the adoption of beliefs and practices valued by the community. However, this process can become negative when members imitate the practice out of a desire to gain honor from the community. Jesus exposes hypocrites for their self-centered piety. He calls for a higher righteousness than that exhibited by the finest religious people in Galilee. As Matthew puts the theme, Jesus urges his listeners to beware of engaging in religious practices in the presence of others (verse 1). Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. When people do good works with the purpose that others see them, they are going down the wrong path. Jesus expresses concern for that which threatens the person who seeks the will of God. Traditional Jewish practices are to be evidence of rightness with God. The three instructions contain vivid warnings about how not to practice piety, followed by a radical commandment of how one should do it. They warn especially against conspicuous behavior. Some parallels exist in ancient literature.[2] One striking example is Cicero, who expresses the concern that people value too much what other people consider honorable. People must avoid assuming the rightness of what the multitude think. He urges a lofty elevation of soul that does not depend on the people and does not aim at applause. It derives its satisfaction from itself. Everything becomes more commendable, the less we court people and the fewer eyes there are to see it. His point is that regardless of the public nature of a virtuous act is not as important as our consciousness of it. An analogy would be the matter of “conspicuous consumption,” the idea being that if no one sees me using my wealth, then I do not benefit from the increased status that my wealth should bring me. In the setting Jesus addressed, increased social status came through displays of religious practice. His concern is that one practice them for the right reason, and thus, do them privately. The only status that matters is that which God recognizes. Refraining from showing piety is a witness to the pious world, allowing for one’s life to reflect what has happened in private. The temptation, especially in a secular world, is to publicize piety rather than let the piety one has speak for itself.[3] One engages in traditional religious practices to glorify God and point others toward glorifying God. Jesus also raises the matter of reward. In doing so, he is consistent with the Judaism of his day, where the driving force behind human action was hope for reward from God. However, the context suggests that they are to forget what they have done, thereby detaching themselves from striving for a reward. His concern is with the reality of the divine recompense.[4] Reward is what one experiences within and provide the conditions for happiness and joy. The focus is intention and motivation. Thus, religious acts done for the purpose of receiving a reward will find disappointment while such acts performed with love receives its reward. Motivation and intention are important in finding a flourishing human life.
Thus, Jesus addressed the religious practice of almsgiving (verses 2-4 unique to Matthew). Whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet (that is, conspicuous charity that gives religious and moral status to the benefactor) before you. The reason is that you would be acting like the hypocrites (actors, false devotees of an artificial, showy piety, one who pretends to be someone else, for which see Pharisees in 15:7, 22;18, and 23:13-15) do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that others may praise them. Jesus focuses on the motive not the value of the deed. Truly, I tell you, (the sole ground of his authority for the demand of God expressed through him[5]) they have received their reward. 3 Rather, Jesus offered that radical command thatwhen you give alms, in a paradoxical saying, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. While technically impossible, charity is to be so inconspicuous that one barely notices it in oneself. The point is 4 that you may do your alms in secret, hidden from humanity by dwelling in heaven, which sees such hidden things. Therefore, your Father who sees in secret will reward you. The point is not to engage in conspicuous charity that gives you religious and moral status. To do so is to become an actor in religious life, a false and artificial devotee. Jesus directs attention to the motive. Jesus offers the paradoxical saying that one should not let the left hand know what the right is doing. The paradox invites us to consider that the act of almsgiving or charity needs to become so inconspicuous that one barely notices it oneself. Later in Matthew 25:31-46, the righteous sheep who come before the Son of Man are not cognizant of their righteousness. If one engages in such acts secretly, hidden from human recognition, the Father will see and give the only reward that matters. We find our greatest joy in doing a secret good (Emerson).
In verses 5-8 (unique to Matthew) is a saying on prayer as a regular religious practice that one could put on display for others on the street or in the synagogue during the regular or daily prayer. Such a public action has received the reward it seeks, approval from others. Prayer can become a means for pious self-presentation. However, Jesus urges his followers to prayer by shutting the door to their rooms. Jesus offered the criticism that 5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that others may see them. The focus here is the regular or daily pattern of prayer. Truly, I tell you, (the sole ground of his authority for the demand of God expressed through him[6]) they have received their reward. 6 Rather, offering the radical command of Jesus, whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door. Jesus will make a point of going to solitary places to pray (Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:23, Luke 5:16). Jesus offered the criticism that 5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that others may see them. The focus here is the regular or daily pattern of prayer. Truly, I tell you, (the sole ground of his authority for the demand of God expressed through him[7]) they have received their reward. 6 Rather, offering the radical command of Jesus, whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door. Jesus urges us to consider right motivation in prayer. Prayer needs to have an orientation toward God alone. Prayer should never have another purpose than to speak with God. One does not address prayer to anyone else but God.[8]The only reward in praying one needs is what one receives from the Father.
In verses 16-18 (unique to Matthew) Jesus offers advice concerning how his followers engage in public fasting, the third application of the statement in verse 1. Jesus offered a criticism of the religious practice of his time, saying that 16 “Whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, (the sole ground of his authority for the demand of God expressed through him[9]) they have received their reward. The Jewish community usually reserved the fast for extreme situations. Individual fasting is an expression of mourning and repentance, an act of humility that intensifies the experience of prayer. It could give one the reputation of being a saint. Jesus offered a criticism of the religious practice of his time, saying that 16 “Whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, (the sole ground of his authority for the demand of God expressed through him[10]) they have received their reward. Mark 2:19 points toward a rejection of fasting, but the practice of fasting in the early church suggests a different course. For Jesus, his disciples are to act in ways that others will not notice they are fasting. The orientation of the fasting person is toward God alone. The only reward that matters is what the Father gives. The connection of this passage in the history of the church with Ash Wednesday is one of the great ironies of the church year. The ash Christians carry with them into the world would seem to be against what Jesus says here, but it is also a way to be a light to the world.
In Matthew 6:19-21 (Luke 12:34) is a saying on possessions. The saying does not have an eschatological nuance. It reflects the distinctive piety of the community Jesus is forming.[11] They have the character of general folk sayings. Such sayings may reflect common wisdom of first century Judaism, connecting Jesus to his Jewish context. 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, emphasizing the transitory nature of earthly possessions,[12] and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The text presents a radical view of material possessions. Jesus is offering the advice regarding possessions to adopt the perspective of eternity. As participants in the rule of God that the ministry of Jesus is bringing, they do not need to worry about food, clothing, or shelter. Earthly wealth is transient, perishable, and at risk, while the wealth we store in heaven has an enduring quality. That which we treasure reveals orientation of our hearts. Our relationship with our possessions is an important one. Acquiring them, holding them, and sharing them, is a complex matter. Precisely because of that, we need the wisdom of Jesus to help us chart the course through this complexity.
This is consistent with many Jewish sayings. If they have many possessions, they are to make their gifts in proportion, while if one has few possessions, they are to give according to the little they have, so they will be laying up a good treasurer for themselves (Tobit 4:8-9). They are to lose gold and silver for their brothers and sisters so that they may receive a treasure on the day of judgment (II Enoch 50:5, text A). They are to lose their silver for the sake of a friend, not letting it rust under a stone and be lost and lay up treasure that will profit them more than gold and store up almsgiving the treasure and rescue them from affliction (Ecclesiasticus 29:10-13). Other references in Jewish writings refer to the treasury as good works that are stored there. They have a treasury of works laid up with the Most High (IV Ezra 7:77). The righteous have many works laid up for them and they shall receive their reward in consequence of their deeds (IV Ezra 8:33). The righteous justly have good hope for the end because they possess a story of good works which is preserved in treasuries (II Baruch 14:12). The days are coming when the treasuries in which are brought the righteousness of all those who have proven themselves to be righteous (II Baruch 24:1). The rabbi has laid up treasures for above (T. Pea. 4:18).
Matthew would be close to the Jewish understanding of the good works of the believer laid up in heaven, but with a difference. For Matthew, the whole Sermon on the Mount is an exposition on the theme of righteousness that involves relationships with other people in 5:21-48 and relationship to God in 6:1-18. The person who follows through on the righteousness laid out here is laying up treasure up in heaven, rather than earth. This is the person who has given complete loyalty to God.
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[2] One might refer to m. Seqal. 5:6, Epictetus, Diss. 4. 8. 17 also but I could not find them! Cicero (106-43 BC), Tusculan Disputations, 2.26 XXVI.
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