Exegesis of Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Exegesis of Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 presents Jesus' teaching on the proper motivation and manner for performing righteous deeds, specifically almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. The passage begins by warning against practicing righteousness "before men, to be seen by them" (Matthew 6:1). Jesus instructs his followers to perform these acts in secret, so that they may be seen by God, who will reward them [1].
The literary context of this passage is Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where he teaches about the kingdom of heaven and the characteristics of its citizens. The surrounding verses (Matthew 5:1-48, 7:1-29) emphasize the importance of genuine faith and the distinction between outward appearances and inner reality.
In Matthew 6:2-4, Jesus teaches that almsgiving should be done discreetly, without announcing it publicly. The phrase "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth" (Matthew 6:3) is a metaphorical expression emphasizing the need for secrecy. According to Calvin, this secrecy is essential to avoid seeking human praise rather than divine approval [3].
The passage also addresses prayer (Matthew 6:5-6), warning against praying in public to be seen by others. Jesus instructs his followers to pray in private, "in thy closet" (Matthew 6:6), where they can be alone with God. This emphasis on private prayer is echoed in patristic thought, with Augustine highlighting the importance of praying with sincerity and humility [2].
Fasting is the third righteous deed addressed in the passage (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus criticizes those who disfigure their faces while fasting, seeking to be seen by others as pious. Instead, he instructs his followers to appear normal while fasting, so that only God may see their actions.
The historical setting of this passage is Jesus' ministry in Galilee, where he is teaching his disciples about the kingdom of God. The cultural context is Jewish, with almsgiving, prayer, and fasting being recognized as important religious practices.
The key terms in this passage include "righteousness" (Matthew 6:1), "hypocrites" (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16), and "reward" (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). The original language of these terms is significant, as "hypocrites" (ὑποκριτής) refers to actors or pretenders, highlighting the danger of pretending to be righteous for human approval.
The range of interpretations for this passage includes various understandings of the relationship between outward actions and inner motivations. Reformed tradition, represented by Calvin and Hodge, emphasizes the importance of genuine faith and the need to avoid seeking human praise [3, 4]. Patristic thought, as seen in Augustine's writings, also highlights the significance of sincerity and humility in religious practices [2].
This passage has functioned in Christian tradition as a guide for understanding the nature of true piety and the importance of avoiding hypocrisy. It has been used in various liturgical and devotional contexts to encourage believers to cultivate a genuine faith that is not focused on external appearances.
The emphasis on secrecy in Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 serves as a reminder that true righteousness is not about external recognition, but about a genuine relationship with God. As Calvin notes, the reward for such righteousness is not human praise, but divine approval [3].
Sources
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:1: 6:1 This verse introduces the theme of 6:2-18, that righteousness should not be done for public recognition but as a service to God. • Good deeds are acts that conform to God’s pattern for proper behavior: e.g., gift giving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15), and fasting (6:16-18). Jesus urges secrecy to counteract the human propensity to seek praise for oneself rather than for God (cp. 5:16).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. VI.--OF THE HARMONY CHARACTERIZING THE ACCOUNTS WHICH THESE EVANGELISTS GIVE OF WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE LORD WAS LED AWAY TO THE HOUSE OF THE HIGH PRIEST, AS ALSO OF THE OCCURRENCES WHICH TOOK PL (part 2): have heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. And therefore (as Mark also observes in the same passage) their witness did not agree together."(14) Then Matthew gives us the following relation: "And the high priest arose and said unto Him, Answerest ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:2 1:26 1:27 1:31 2:7 2:7 2:17 2:18 2:23 2:23 3:7 3:9 3:12 3:15 3:15 3:15 3:22 4:4 4:7 4:10 4:13 6:3 6:5 6:6 6:18 7:21 8:21 9:6 12:12 12:17 14:18 14:18 15:1 15:1 15:5 15:17 16:9 17:7 17:7 17:10 17:10 17:13 17:15 17:27 18:2 18:23 20:3 20:7 21:1 21:12 21:24 22:1 22:8 22:16-18 23:4 23:19 24:7 24:10 26:27 27:28 27:38-39 28:12 28:20 29 30:2 31:19 31:20 31:40-41 32 32:10 32:13 32:29-30 33 34 36:22 37:18 37:28 37:33 38:18 42 43 43:14 45:5 47:9 47:9 47:29-30 48:14 48:16 49:5-6 49:18 Exodus 2:12 3:2 3”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 144: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 1:26-27 1:27 2:7 2:7 3:1 3:6 3:15 3:15 3:19 3:22 3:22 6:3 6:5 6:5-6 8:21 8:21 10:15-18 15:18 17:13 21:27 37:35 46:15 46:18 46:22 46:25 Exodus 4:16 7:1 10:17 30:12-16 30:15 31:3-4 32:30 32:32 34:6-7 34:7 Leviticus 4:2 4:3 4:20 4:26 5:1 5:6-7 5:16 5:16 5:17 7:1 7:18 16:6 17:10 17:11 17:16 19:8 20:17 22:9 Numbers 6:11 9:1-23 9:13 10:1-36 11:17 14:33 14:34 16:22 18:22 18:32 19:1-22 21:1-36 24:1-25 24:17 27:18 35:31 Deuteronomy 1:39 8:18 10:16 18:18-19 30:6 30:6 Joshua 24:25 Judges 3:10 16:31 1 Samue”