45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do cherish ill-will towards you, as is explained in the following clauses. In the precept requiring us to love our enemies, we are not required, when seeing the manifestation of ill-will and unholy character, to be conscious of a delight in the character of such persons; but to cherish that sort of love, which is the opposite of ill-will, of bitter feeling, and of desire to take vengeance; that love which would make us regard them with compassion, with desire for their true welfare, with readiness to do them a favor; and which would make us glad at their prosperity and real happiness. 45. Children of your Father; like your Father in heaven, as to your affections and conduct towards others. As children bear a resemblance to their parents, and imbibe their sentiments, so that often it may be known who are the parents of certain children, so the disciples of Jesus, by manifesting the tempers of mind here enjoined, show a resemblance to God, and prove themselves to be his children. On the evil and on the good, on the just and on the unjust; on the evil as well as on the good; on the righteous and on the unrighteous too. He blesses enemies as well as friends. He confines not his benevolence within narrow limits. 46. Love them which love you; that is, love them only, as is explained in the next verse. Publicans; persons who collected the revenue and the taxes imposed by the Roman government. See INTRODUCTORY ExPLANATIONS, III.5. The existence of such officers constantly reminded the Jews of the unpleasant fact that they were in subjection to a foreign power. These collectors were also frequently not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. notorious for their extortion. As a class of men, they were therefore unpopular, and the very name of publican was odious. But even the publicans, so generally disesteemed, could love those who loved them. What ground of reward, then, could there be in any person's cherishing so narrow an affection? 47. Salute. Salutation, as performed among the Jews, was a marked expression of one's good wishes and affection for another. The expres sions employed amounted to an interceding for blessings to rest upon the person. Among other forms of salutation, we find these - Be thou blessed of Jehovah; may Jehovah be with thee; peace, that is, all prosperity, be thine. The gestures and inflections of the body on such occasions were also expressions of marked respect. 48. Perfect; complete, free from defect, as to the extent of your benevolent regards. || Even as your Father. Let your heavenly Father be your model, who is kind to the evil as well as to the good. Since he is thus perfect, complete in benevolent feelings and conduct, so be ye; and let not your benevolence be so imperfect, so incomplete, as to embrace only a select few. Luke expresses the same thought in 6: 36, by saying. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. The force of the expression in Luke is found in the word as. Let your mercy, or kind regards, be like your heavenly Father's; make him your pattern. Lovely spirit of Christianity! May it dwell in our hearts, embracing strangers as well as friends, poor and rich, bond and free; and fitting us for CHAPTER VI. TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly. 2 Therefore, when thou doest 5 And when thou prayest, thine alms, do not sound a thou shalt not be as the hypotrumpet before thee, as the crites are: for they love to hypocrites do in the synagogues pray standing in the synaand in the streets, that they gogues and in the corners of may have glory of men. Verily the streets, that they may be I say unto you, They have their of men. Verily I say reward. unto you, They have their reward. 3. But when thou doest alms, the world of purity and love! Read Luke 10: 25-37. Thus, in these several instances, Jesus showed that he came to fulfil, to fill up, to complete, and to enforce the law. And as a lawgiver for the conscience, he laid down the great principles of moral and religious conduct. CHAPTER VI. 1. Jesus proceeded to expose the erroneous opinions and practices which prevailed in his time respecting religious duties. Alms; acts of charity. In the place of the word here rendered alms, some Greek manuscripts and editions of the Greek Testament have a word which signifies rightcousness, and which in this place may mean religious duties. In accordance with this suggestion, this verse may be regarded as a general precept, cautioning against a wrong motive in our religious duties; and the subsequent verses, as far as to the 19th, contain special applications of this caution. To be seen of them; so as to be applauded by them. These words contain the force of the caution. We are not forbidden to perform a duty in public, before men; but we are forbidden to do it in an ostentatious manner, with a desire to attract attention, and to receive their praise. Compare Matt. 5: 16. || Otherwise; seen that is, if, in disregard of my caution, your motive be to attract the notice and applause of men, you cannot justly expect the favor of God. 2. Sound a trumpet before thee; endeavor to make thy act of kindness publicly known. || Hypocrites; persons ambitious principally for the reputation of goodness, such as the Pharisees in general, and their adherents. Synagogues. The word here used, in the original, commonly means Jewish places of worship; in this verse it appears to mean collections of people. || Glory; applause, honor. Their reward. They obtain what they seek - the applause of men. And that is the whole of their reward. 3. Left hand right hand. Make not the slightest effort to let thy deeds of charity be known abroad. 4. Reward thee openly. Luke 14: 14. 1 Tim. 5: 25. Such is the divine arrangement of things, that a good man is generally known to be such, without any effort to make himself known; so that, both in this world and in the next, God rewards the righteous. The inward consciousness of integrity is itself a reward; and the esteem of worthy men, spontaneously bestowed, is a reward. But most of all will the righteous be rewarded, when that takes place which is spoken of in Matt. 25: 34, &c. 5. Synagogues. See v. 2. The 6 But thou, when thou pray. est, enter into thy closet, and, when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: 10 Thy kingdom come: thy will be done, in earth as it is in 7 But when ye pray, use not public places of worship, as well as 6. Closet; retired room. In the Jewish houses, there was usually an upper room devoted to retirement. Here prayer could be performed with the utmost secrecy. 7. Vain repetitions. Intensity of feeling sometimes leads to repetition, as in Matt. 26: 44. 2 Cor. 12: 8. But the Saviour cautioned against a vain array of words, a verbose manner of addressing God, as if the efficacy of prayer depended upon the number and order of the words. The heathen; people not Jews, and not instructed respecting God. See 1 Kings 18: 26. Much regard was paid, among some of the heathen, to having a certain number of prayers, and having the words properly arranged, lest, through some failure as to the quantity of prayers, or as to the arrangement of expressions, their deities should refuse to listen. The Jews, too, needed cautions on this point. It was a current maxim with them, that a person "who multiplies prayer [that is, makes many prayers] is heard." Many of their prayers, also, consisted of different words importing the same thing; thus, while they did not always repeat the same words, they repeated the same ideas in varied phrases. Doubtless many among them, as well as among the heathen, had no better view of God than to suppose, that if one form of speech would not please him, another might. 8. Your Father knoweth. Prayer is not designed to communicate information to God, nor to weary him into compliance. 9. After this manner. The Saviour gave a specimen of prayer, showing the spirit which should pervade our prayers. This specimen is remarkably brief, but very comprehensive, showing that "much speaking' " is not necessary for acceptance. It breathes the spirit of love, and reverence, and confidence towards God; of desire for universal obedience, throughout the world, to the will of God; of great moderation in respect to earthly good; of desire for pardon; and of forgiveness towards our fellowmen. | Hallowed; revered, regarded as sacred. Thy name; that is, thou. Mayst thou be revered. 10. Thy kingdom; the reign of God on earth; that is, the new dispensation by the Messiah. See on 3: 2. A most fitting petition at that time, and never inappropriate, till every heart 11 Give us this day our daily bread: 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from shall be thoroughly pervaded by the principles of the Messiah's religion. Thy will be done; universal submission and obedience be paid to thy will. 11. This day; or, as Luke expresses it (11: 3), day by day. | Daily bread. The word bread is equivalent to the word food. The word here rendered daily is also equivalent to the words necessary for our subsistence. A superfluity of worldly good, and treasures laid up for many years, are not represented in the Bible as desirable. Luke 12: 13-21. Matt. 6:19. 12. Debts; faults, sins. In the Chaldee language, which had influence in forming the diction of the New Testament, the word debt is used to signify delinquency, fault. So here, as appears from the 14th verse, and from Luke 11: 4. || As we forgive our debtors; in like manner as we forgive those who have committed faults against us-a suggestion worthy of very distinct notice: according to our spirit of forgiveness to others, may we receive forgiveness from thee. How can a person of an unrelenting, unforgiving temper, adopt this petition? And, if he should, what is he thus imprecating upon himself! 13. Temptation; trials which may induce a person to commit sin. Lead us not. This language, compared with scriptural modes of speaking, and with passages relating to men's sins, does not imply that God does in any instance induce men to sin. Compare James 1: 13. In the very simple modes of expression which prevailed among the ancient Hebrews, whatever things occurred in the providence of God, were ascribed directly to him, without overlooking, at the same time, the guilt, or the virtue, which might pertain to men in respect to those very things which are ascribed to God. See Is. 45: 6, 7. Amos evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 3: 6. As they thus ascribed to the God of providence things that took place, without intending to overlook the evil or the good pertaining to the instrument, they also at one time ascribed to God what at another time they ascribed to man, or to Satan. Compare 2 Sam. 24: 1, with 1 Chron. 21: Î. A connecting together of these two views may be seen in Is. 10: 5-7. Now, if, in view of these considerations, we carefully examine such a passage as Ps. 141: 4, we shall be at no loss in understanding this petition in our Lord's prayer to mean, Suffer us not to fall into temptation. Compare also Matt. 26: 41. 1 Cor. 10: 13. || From evil; from wickedness, or, from the evil one. The kingdom, to thee belongs kingly authority; thou art a sovereign king. Ps. 145: 11-13. Dan. 4:34. || The power; to thee belongs power. The glory; to thee belongs consummate dignity. || Amen. This word, at the end of a prayer, or following any very weighty sentiment, is an expression of hearty assent; as much as to say, May it be so. It is derived from a Hebrew word which signifies faithfulness, firmness. This concluding expression of our Lord's prayer may be regarded as an ascription of all dignity and excellence to God; and as thus presenting in one breath the reasons for cherishing that reverence, and esteem, and confidence towards God, which the prayer so eminently displays. This doxology is not added to the prayer as recorded by Luke, 11: 2-4. 14, 15. We are all sinners against God, needing, and professing to desire, forgiveness from him, and dependent on his mercy for forgiveness. How unsuitable, then, that our fellow-men, who may have done us wrong, and who may be in our power, should find in us an unforgiving spirit! If they 15 But if ye forgive not men | est, anoint thy head, and wash their trespasses, neither will thy face; your Father forgive your trespasses. 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. 16 Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fast-through and steal: implore mercy in vain from us, how can we expect to receive mercy from God? especially as the offences of any man against us, when compared with our sins against God, are but as a mite to a mountain. God will conduct towards us according to the spirit which we habitually cherish. Ps. 18: 25, 26. 1 John 4: 20. Matt. 18: 21 -35. See also Luke 17: 3, 4. 19 Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break 16. Jesus proceeded to correct the erroneous views and practices which prevailed in relation to fasting. Fasting, for professedly religious purposes, was frequent, especially among the Pharisees. See Luke 18: 12. Jesus, in this passage, neither enjoined the practice, nor disapproved of it. It seems to have been taken for granted, that his disciples would observe seasons of fasting and special devotion. He here only reproved the spirit which the Pharisees manifested; and showed in what spirit fasting should be performed. Of a sad countenance. There was much external show of sorrow in the fasting of the Pharisees. On such occasions; their whole person exhibited a sad and squalid appearance. Ashes were put upon their heads and faces, and they were forbidden to wash any part of their bodies. || Disfigure their faces; by neglecting the ordinary washing and anointing, the dressing of the hair and the beard, and by putting ashes upon their faces. For such methods of indicating sorrow, see 2 Sam. 1: 2. Ezek. 27:30. also Jonah 3: 6. al appearance be as it is on other days; let there be nothing external to attract notice. Anointing the head was common among the Jews; and declining to anoint the head was an indication of being in sorrowful circumstances. 2 Sam. 12: 20. Eccl. 9: 8. Neglecting to wash the face and to anoint the head, therefore, was adapted to draw the attention of others; and if this neglect arose from respect to the fast-day, not from domestic or personal affliction, it would be regarded as indicative of piety. See 19. Jesus next introduced another subject, respecting which he gave cautions that are always necessary; namely, attachment to earthly riches, and anxiety respecting earthly good. Moth. Clothes were possessed in large quantities by wealthy men of the East, as the fashions of garments were not changeable. Hence their treasures were in danger from moths. James 5: 2. Changes of raiment are spoken of in the Bible in a manner which shows that they were regarded as a very considerable part of a person's wealth. See Gen. 45: 22. 2 Kings 5: 5,22,23. || Rust. Compare James 5: 3. Allusion is probably made here to the rust which gathers upon metals, and which seems to be eating them. The word in the original contains the idea of eating, or corroding. Break through. This form of expression in regard to thieves, was drawn from the circumstance that the walls of houses in Palestine were frequently built of 17. Anoint-wash. Let the person- clay, or unburnt tiles. The word, See |