6:1 not to practice your righteousness before people This warning points back to 5:20. The examples that follow are noted abuses of the scribes (teachers of the law) and Pharisees (compare ch. 23). Jesus wants His disciples to be sincere before their heavenly Father, not ostentatious before people.

reward Refers to future blessing, not an immediate payoff.

your Father who is in heaven See 5:16 and note.

6:2 received their reward This phrase also occurs in v. 5 and 16. The hypocrites, having been rewarded with praise from other people, will receive no blessing from God.

6:3 not let your left hand know A symbolic saying that captures the extreme measures that should be taken to avoid public acclaim for generosity.

6:4 will reward you This phrase also occurs in vv. 6, 18.

6:5 whenever you pray Prayer, like charitable giving, should be done in secret. This does not prohibit public prayer (as in corporate prayer); rather, it prohibits praying for the purpose of public recognition.

6:7 like the pagans The focus changes here from hypocrites to Gentiles (ethnikoi).

their many words In Graeco-Roman religions, repetition was used to pester the gods so they would grant someone’s request.

6:9 pray in this way After describing how not to pray, Jesus gives a positive example.

6:10 your will be done Jesus prays similar words as He faces arrest and crucifixion (compare Matt 26:39, 42).

6:11 Give us today our daily bread The people of rural Galilee were poor and oppressed, and resources such as food were scarce. This prayer reflects the real needs of people living in difficult times.

6:12 our debts The language used here for debt can reflect an Aramaic idiom referring to sin (compare note on Luke 11:4).

6:13 into temptation This refers to hardship in a general sense.

the evil one The Greek term used here may indicate a specific entity (such as the devil; compare Eph 6:16) or evil in its many forms.

6:14 your heavenly Father will also forgive you Forgiveness results in forgiveness. Since God has forgiven members of His kingdom, they must forgive others.

6:16 do not be sullen like the hypocrites Fasting involves abstaining from food for the purpose of religious reflection and devotion. In order to be noticed by others, hypocrites who were fasting would display a disheveled appearance.

6:17 put olive oil on your head Refers to basic hygiene practices of the time. In contrast to a disheveled disposition, Jesus instructs His disciples to maintain their personal appearance so that no one but the Father will know of their fasting.

6:19 treasures on earth Detachment from worldly goods is a prominent theme in Matthew’s Gospel (e.g., 19:16–30).

6:21 there your heart will be Jews of the time typically perceived the heart as the seat of intelligence and will. Jesus’ teaching reflects this view: People’s choices and actions are shaped by the things they cherish most.

6:22 full of light In this section, light and darkness are used as metaphors for a person’s spiritual condition.

6:24 serve God and money The problem that Jesus identifies is not money itself, but the divided loyalties that result from the pursuit of money (compare 1 Tim 6:10). Being a disciple of Jesus requires complete devotion to God (compare Matt 8:18–22; 19:16–26).

6:26 Are you not worth more than they are If God provides for birds, He will surely take care of His people.

6:27 add one hour to his life span This phrase could be understood as adding a cubit (about 18 inches) to one’s height or a short length of time to one’s life. Given the context, it is likely Jesus was referring to life span.

6:29 not even Solomon in all his glory See 1 Kgs 10. Solomon’s royal robes were no match for the extravagant beauty with which God has clothed the lily.

6:30 into the oven Grass and weeds were used as fuel for fires.

you of little faith Jesus uses this phrase when the disciples doubt God’s ability to take care of them (Matt 8:26; 14:31; 16:8).

Faith

6:32 knows that you need all these things Jesus presents two further reasons to avoid worrying about food and clothing: Such concerns are the prerogative of the Gentiles (see v. 7), and God in His omniscience already knows the needs of His people. Members of the kingdom should not be concerned with these things since their heavenly Father is already aware of them.

The Omniscient Know-It-All Devotional

6:33 seek first his kingdom and righteousness When people make God’s kingdom their primary object of desire, they find the ability to trust Him to meet their needs.

6:34 tomorrow will be anxious for itself Jesus is not telling people to postpone their worrying for a day; He is instructing them to stop worrying altogether and to rely on God’s gracious provision (compare Phil 4:6).

Each day has enough trouble of its own There is no sense in adding additional worry. Trusting in the Father’s provision serves as an antidote to anxiety.