Matthew 6

 

 1 Take heed that ye give not your (1) alms before men to be seen of them, or else ye shall have no (a) reward of your Father which is in heaven.

 

(1) Ambition maketh alms vain.
(a) This word, Reward, is always taken in the Scriptures for a free recompense, and therefore the schoolmen do fondly set it to be answerable to a deserving, which they call merit.

 

 2  (*) Therefore when thou givest thine alms, thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blown before thee, as the (b) (♣) hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in the streets, to be praised of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their (♠) reward.

 

(*) Romans 2:8 .

(b) Counterfeits, for Hypocrites were players that played a part in a play.

(♣) Whose works proceed not of a right faith, but are done for vain glory.

(♠) In that they are praised and commended of men.

 

 3 But when thou doest thine alms, let not thy (*) left hand know what thy right hand doeth,

 

(*) It is sufficient that God approve our works.

 

 4 That thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father that seeth in secret, he will reward thee (*) openly.

 

(*) In that day when all things shall be revealed.

 

 5  (2) And when thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, because they would be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

 

(2) He reprehendeth two foul faults in prayer, ambition, and vain babbling.

 

 6 But when thou prayest, (*) enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

 

(*) Withdraw thyself rather apart.

 

 7 Also when ye pray, (*) (♣) use no (c) vain repetitions as the Heathen, for they think to be heard for their much babbling.

 

(*) Or, babble not much.

(♣) He commandeth us to beware of much babbling and superfluous repeats.

(c) Long prayers are not condemned, but vain, needless, and superstitious.

 

 8 Be ye not like them therefore; for your (*) Father knoweth whereof ye have need, before ye ask of him.

 

(*) Who is not persuaded by eloquent speech, and long talk, as men are.

 

 9  (3) After this (♣) manner therefore pray ye, (*) Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy (♠) Name.

 

(3) A true sum and form of all Christian prayers.

(♣) Christ bindeth them not to the words, but to the sense and form of prayer.

(*) Luke 11:2 .

(♠) We must seek God’s glory first, and above all things.

 

 10 Thy (*) Kingdom come. Thy will be done even in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

(*) Reign thou over all, and let us render unto thee perfect obedience, as thine Angels do.

 

 11 Give us this day our (d) daily bread.

 

(d) That is meat for our nature for our daily food, or such, as may suffice our nature and complexion.

 

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

 

 13 And lead us not into (♣) temptation, but deliver us (*) from (e) evil. For (♠) thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

 

(♣) To be overcome thereby.

(*) Matthew 13:19 .

(e) From the Devil, or from all adversity.

(♠) This conclusion excludeth man’s merits, and teacheth us to ground our prayers only on God.

 

 14  (*) (4) For if ye do forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

 

(*) Mark 11:25 .

(4) They that forgive wrongs, to them sins are forgiven, but revenge is prepared for them that revenge.

 

 15 But if ye do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your trespasses.

 

 16  (5) Moreover, when ye fast, look not sour as the hypocrites, for they (f) (*) disfigure their faces, that they might seem unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, that they have their reward.

 

(5) Against such as hunt after a name of holiness, by fasting.
(f) They suffer not their first hue to be seen, that is to say, they mar the natural color of their faces, that they may seem lean and pale faced.

(*) Make their faces to seem of another sort than they were wont to do.

 

 17 But when thou fastest, (*) anoint thine head, and wash thy face,

 

(*) Whereby is commanded to avoid all vain ostentation.

 

 18 That thou seem not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. 

 

 19  ¶ (6) Lay not up treasures for yourselves upon the earth, where the moth and canker corrupt, and where thieves dig through and steal.

 

(6) Those men’s labors are shewed to be vain which pass not for the assured treasure of everlasting life, but spend their lives in scraping together frail and vain riches.

 

 20  (*) But lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither the moth nor canker corrupteth, and where thieves neither dig through nor steal.

 

(*) Luke 12:33; 1 Timothy 6:19 .

 

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 

 22  ¶ (*) (7) The light of the body is the eye; if then thine (g) eye be (♣) single, thy whole body shall be light. 

 

(*) Luke 11:34 .

(7) Men do maliciously and wickedly put out even the little light of nature that is in them.
(g) The judgment of the mind; that as the body is with the eyes, so our whole life may be ruled with right reason, that is to say, with the Spirit of God wherewith we are lightened.

(♣) If thine eye be disposed to liberality, Proverbs 21:9 .

 

 23 But if thine eye be (*) wicked, then all thy body shall be dark. Wherefore if the (♣) light that is in thee, be darkness, how great is that darkness?

 

(*) If thine affection be corrupt and given to covetousness, Deuteronomy 15:9 .

(♣) If the concupiscence, and wicked affections overcome reason, we must not marvel though men be blinded, and be like unto beasts.

 

 24  (*) (8) No man can serve (h) two masters; for either he shall hate the one, and love the other, or else he shall lean to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and (i) riches. 

 

(*) Luke 16:13 .

(8) God will be worshipped of the whole man.
(h) Which be at war together, for if two agree, they are as one.
(i) This word is a Syrian word, and signifieth all things that belong to money.

 

 25  (*) (9) Therefore I say unto you, be not (♣) careful 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 worth than meat? And the body than raiment?

 

(*) Luke 12:22; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 6:8; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalm 55:23 .

(9) The froward carking carefulness for things of this Life is corrected in the children of God by an earnest thinking upon the providence of God.

(♣) Man’s travel nothing availeth where God giveth not increase.

 

 26 Behold the fowls of the (k) heaven, for they sow not, neither reap, nor carry into the barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

 

(k) Of the air, or that live in the air; for in all tongues almost this word Heaven is taken for the air.

 

 27 Which of you by (l) taking care is able to add one cubit unto his stature?

 

(l) He speaketh of care which is joined with thought of mind, and hath for the most part distrust yoke with it.

 

 28 And why care ye for raiment? Learn how the Lilies of (*) the field do grow; they (m) (♣) are not wearied, neither spin;

 

(*) The goodness of God even towards the herbs of the field, far passeth all things that man can compass by his power and labor.

(m) By labor.

(♣) The word signifieth, they weary not themselves.

 

 29 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 is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not do much more unto you, O ye of little faith?

 

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or wherewith shall we be clothed? 

 

 32 (For after all these things (*) seek the Gentiles) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 

(*) With care and distrust.

 

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his (*) righteousness, and all these things shall be ministered unto you.

 

(*) That is, to be regenerated, and amend your lives.

 

 34 Care not then for the morrow, for the morrow shall care for (*) (♣) itself. The day hath enough with his own grief.

 

(*) Or, his own things.

(♣) God will provide for every day that which shall be necessary, though we do not increase the present grief by the carefulness how to live in time to come.

 

Steve

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