Righteousness

Matthew 6:1-18 English Standard Version

Matthew 6:1

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Verse 1 serves as an introduction to verses 2-18 as Matthew 5:20 served for Matthew 5:21-48.

1. Righteousness is a better rending than charitable deeds in verse 1 (as in the NKJV).

2. According to WH NU, the full rendering is: “don’t practice your righteousness before people.” The first variant was probably a harmonization to 6:2 or an early gloss on δικαιοσυνη (“righteousness”), since “righteousness” in Hebrew was often rendered as ελεημοσυνην (“alms”) in the Septuagint. [1]

Three Practices of Righteousness in Judaism

1. Almsgiving (Matthew 6:2-4)

2. Praying (Matthew 6:5-15)

3. Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)

Three Repeated Patters in each 3-4 verse section of Matthew 6:2-18:

1. What notto do.

2. What to do.

3. What Godwill do.

Almsgiving (Matthew 6:2-4)

1. What not to do:

a. Matthew 6:2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

2. What to do:

a. Matthew 6:3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

b. Matthew 6:4a so that your giving may be in secret.

3. What God will do:

a. Matthew 6:4b And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Prayer (Matthew 6:5-8)

1. What not to do:

a. Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

b. Matthew 6:7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

c. Matthew 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

2. What to do:

a. Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

3. What God will do:

a. Matthew 6:6 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

i. The Right Way to Pray (Matthew 6:9-15)

Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)

1. What not to do:

a. Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

2. What to do:

a. Matthew 6:17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

b. Matthew 6:18a that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.

3. What God will do:

a. Matthew 6:18b And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Three Practical Responses:

1. Action Anticipated

a. Righteousness does – when not if

i. Matthew 6:2 “Thus, when you give to the needy,

ii. Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray,

iii. Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast,

b. We do not do the right thing to be made right with God; we do the right thing because we are right with God.

2. Motives Matter

a. We can do the right thing the wrong way.

i. Matthew 6:2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.

ii. Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

iii. Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.

1. Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

3. Reward Revealed

a. Momentary Reward

i. Matthew 6:2 Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

ii. Matthew 6:5. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

iii. Matthew 6:16 Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

b. Eternal Reward

i. Matthew 6:4b And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

ii. Matthew 6:6 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

iii. Matthew 6:18 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

1. Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

WH the Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament edition NU the Nestle-Aland/United Bible Society Greek New Testament edition ( I have used my own English translation of the Greek because it is often necessary to be very literal and/or to add material for clarity ) I have used my own English translation of the Greek because it is often necessary to be very literal and/or to add material for clarity ( I have used my own English translation of the Greek because it is often necessary to be very literal and/or to add material for clarity ) I have used my own English translation of the Greek because it is often necessary to be very literal and/or to add material for clarity [1]Comfort, P. W. (2008). New Testament Text and Translation Commentary: Commentary on the Variant Readings of the Ancient New Testament Manuscripts and How They Relate to the Major English Translations(p. 14). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.