_Take heed that ye do not your alms_, &c. As some copies and very ancient versions read δικαιοσυνην, _righteousness_, instead of ελεημοσυνην, _alms-deeds_, and several of the fathers quote the passage so, “I choose, with Beza,” says Dr. Doddridge, “to follow that reading; because it prevents the app... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore_, &c. The caution is so important, that our Lord illustrates it in various particulars. _When thou doest thine alms_ Exercisest thy charity by performing works of mercy; _do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do_ From this it would appear that, in our Lord's time, persons... [ Continue Reading ]
_When thou prayest_ Which, if thou art my disciple indeed, thou wilt often do: _thou shalt not be as the hypocrites_ Praying out of vain ostentation. _For they love to pray standing in the synagogues_ In the sight of numbers of people. Of _the synagogues_ see note on Matthew 4:23. _And in the corner... [ Continue Reading ]
_When ye pray, use not vain repetitions_ A multiplicity of words without meaning, or uttered without seriousness, reverence for God, sincerity, or faith. The original word, βαττολογησητε, is derived from βαττος, a _stutterer_, or _foolish talker_, and λογος, _speech._ The former word was the name of... [ Continue Reading ]
_After this manner pray ye_ He who best knew what we ought to pray for, and how we ought to pray; what matter of desire, what manner of address would most please himself, would best become us, has here dictated to us a most perfect and universal form of prayer, comprehending all our real wants, expr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy kingdom come_ This cannot with propriety be understood of that general kingdom, by which God ruleth over all the world, that being always come, and not capable of any amplification. But the kingdom of God under the Messiah, to be set up, enlarged, and perfected by the preaching of the gospel, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Give us this day our daily bread_ As the original word, επιουσιον, here rendered _daily_, is not found anywhere else; neither in the LXX. nor in any Greek author, nor in any other part of the New Testament, save in the parallel passage in Luke, commentators differ in their interpretation of it. Tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_And forgive us our debts_, &c. The suffering of punishment for transgressing God's laws is a debt which sinners owe to the divine justice; and “when we ask God, in prayer, to _forgive our debts_, we beg that he would be mercifully pleased to remit the punishment of our sins, particularly the pains... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lead us not into temptation_ Or, _into trial_, as the word πειρασμος, here used, signifies: see note on Matthew 4:1: that is, into such trial or temptation, as will be too hard for our weakness to endure. _But deliver us from evil_ Απο του πονερου, _from the evil one_, viz., the devil; enabling... [ Continue Reading ]
_If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you_ We are not to infer from this, that the forgiving of injuries alone will entitle us to pardon. Surely not. Repentance toward God, and fruits worthy of repentance, as also faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, working by love,... [ Continue Reading ]
_When ye fast_ Our Lord does not enjoin either fasting, alms-deeds, or prayer, all these being duties which were before fully established in the Church of God. _Be not as the hypocrites_, &c. Do not follow the example of the hypocrites, who, in order to show that they fast, assume a _sad countenance... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth_ Our Lord here makes a transition from religious to common actions, and warns us of another snare, the love of money and earthly things, as inconsistent with purity of intention as the love of praise: _where moth and rust doth corrupt,_ &c. Where all t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The light_ Or _lamp_ rather, as ο λυχνος should be translated, _of the body, is the eye_ That is, it is by the eye that a person has light to direct him in his bodily motions, and in the use of his bodily members. _If therefore thine eye be single_ Απλους, _simple_, not mixed with noxious humours,... [ Continue Reading ]
_No man can serve two masters_ Whose interests and commands are directly contrary to each other; _for either he will hate the one and love the other_ And therefore, while he employs himself in the service of the one, will, of course, neglect the interest of the other: _or else he will hold to the on... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore I say, Take no thought_, &c. Our Lord here proceeds to caution his disciples against worldly _cares_, these being as inconsistent with the true service of God as worldly _desires._ But the expression used by our translators, _Take no thought_, is too strong, and not warranted by the origi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And why take ye thought_ Why are you anxious about _raiment? Consider the lilies of the field_ Observe not only the _animal_, but, what is yet much lower, the _vegetable_ part of the creation, and mark how the flowers of the meadows grow; _they toil not_ To prepare the materials of their covering;... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore take no thought_ Be no more distracted and torn in pieces, as it were, with anxious and unbelieving thoughts, _Saying, What shall we eat_, &c. How shall we be provided for during the remainder of our lives? _For after all these things do the Gentiles seek_ Who are strangers to the promise... [ Continue Reading ]
_But_ You my disciples have more important business to employ your minds about, and have higher hopes to encourage you. Therefore _seek ye first_ That is, in the _first_ place, and with the greatest earnestness and concern, as being the principal things, _the kingdom of God_ As described Romans 14:1... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take therefore no thought for the morrow_ That is, for futurity, according to the Hebrew idiom, as the word is used, Genesis 30:33. Since the extent and efficacy of the divine providence is so great, and since you are the objects of its peculiar care, you need not vex yourselves about futurity. _Fo... [ Continue Reading ]