Mat 6 | TNotes | STEP | 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 ).

6:1 ^a This verse introduces the theme of 6:2-18 ^b, 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 ^c), prayer (6:5-15 ^d), and fasting (6:16-18 ^e). Jesus urges secrecy to counteract the human propensity to seek praise for oneself rather than for God (cp. 5:16 ^f).
6:2 ^g the hypocrites: See study note on 23:13.

• The blowing of trumpets accompanied major rituals, including public fasts.
6:4 ^h your Father ... will reward you: Both now and at the final judgment at the end of history (25:31-46 ⁱ).
6:5 ^j When you pray: Jews prayed regularly at 9 am and 3 pm (see Acts 3:1 ^k) and had frequent times of public prayer. Hypocrites deliberately sought to be in public places at such times, to be seen by all.
6:6 ^l go away by yourself: Jesus is not prohibiting corporate prayer (see 18:19-20 ^m; Luke 11:2-4 ⁿ) but is instructing his followers to avoid using prayer as a means of drawing attention to themselves.
Summary for Matt 6:7-8: 6:7-8 ^o God cannot be coaxed by endless repetition. The Lord’s Prayer (6:9-13 ^p) is a model of simplicity in contrast with pagan wordiness.
Summary for Matt 6:9-13: 6:9-13 ^q The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 ^r Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8 ^s), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity.

• Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34 ^t).

• may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24 ^u; Jer 34:15-16 ^v; Ezek 39:7 ^w; Amos 2:7 ^x).
6:10 ^y In praying for God’s Kingdom to come soon, Jesus’ disciples pray for his justice, righteousness, peace, and mercy to be established.

• Outside God’s will, no person will be permitted into God’s presence (7:21 ^z; 12:50 ^aa; 21:28-32 ^ab).

• on earth, as it is in heaven: This probably refers to all of the first three petitions, not just the third.
6:11 ^ac Give us today the food we need: The disciple, after confidently asking God to provide for daily needs, can go about Kingdom ministry relieved of care (6:25-34 ^ad).
6:12 ^ae as we have forgiven (see also 6:14-15 ^af; 18:21-35 ^ag): Forgiving others is a reflection of a repentant, regenerate heart, which makes our own forgiveness possible. Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness will forgive. Jesus implies that those who are unwilling to forgive have not perceived God’s mercy, and perhaps have never truly repented.
6:13 ^ah And don’t let us yield to temptation: Just as Jesus was tested (4:1-11 ^ai), temptation will test the disciple’s character. Jesus urges prayer for God’s enabling to stand the test (see 26:41 ^aj; Ps 141:4 ^ak).

• from the evil one: Or from evil. The alternate reading refers to sin in general; the NLT reading refers to Satan, the tempter (see Jas 1:13 ^al).

• The doxology appended to some manuscripts was added later (probably based on 1 Chr 29:11-13 ^am) to tailor the prayer to the liturgy.
6:16 ^an Prayer and fasting are frequently connected (Lev 23:27-32 ^ao; Neh 9:1-2 ^ap; Zech 7:3-5 ^aq; 8:19 ^ar; Luke 18:12 ^as). The practice had been abused before Jesus’ time (Isa 58:3-12 ^at).
6:20 ^au treasures in heaven: This was a common image for Jews of Jesus’ day; doing God’s commands became virtually equivalent to accumulating treasures with God. The context (6:19 ^av; Luke 12:33 ^aw) suggests that Jesus primarily had acts of charity in mind.
6:22 ^ax Your eye is like a lamp: It gives light to the body and so enlightens the entire person.

• Healthy means morally healthy, with simple, wholehearted devotion to God (6:24 ^ay). Here it connotes generosity.
6:24 ^az The term for money (traditionally mammon) is an Aramaic term for profits or material possessions. Since God tolerates no rivals, Jesus repeatedly warns of the danger of accumulating riches (13:22 ^ba; 19:16-30 ^bb; 26:14-16 ^bc; 27:3-10 ^bd; 28:11-15 ^be), which can be an idol (see Eph 5:5 ^bf; Col 3:5 ^bg). We must trust God to meet our needs (Matt 4:3-4 ^bh; 6:8 ^bi, 11 ^bj, 25-34 ^bk; 7:7-11 ^bl; 10:9-14 ^bm; 14:15-21 ^bn; 15:32-38 ^bo), and the community of disciples is to be mutually supportive (6:2-4 ^bp; 10:40-42 ^bq; 19:21 ^br; 23:23-24 ^bs; 25:31-46 ^bt; 26:6-13 ^bu; 27:57-61 ^bv).
Summary for Matt 6:25-34: 6:25-34 ^bw Jesus taught an anxiety-free existence of simple trust in God for provisions. Jesus’ disciples had abandoned all (4:18-22 ^bx; 9:9 ^by; 10:5-14 ^bz); Jesus gave them comforting reassurance that God would provide for their needs.
6:26 ^ca Jesus’ logic progresses from lesser to greater: If the Father tends to birds (the lesser), and the disciple is far more valuable to him (the greater), then he will certainly tend to the disciples’ needs (see also 10:29-31 ^cb).
6:30 ^cc Little faith results from the failure to understand one’s value to God and the extent of God’s providential protection.
6:32 ^cd unbelievers (literally Gentiles): Those who fail to know God and follow his will (see also 20:19 ^ce).

• your heavenly Father already knows: Prayer does not inform God about needs; it expresses trust in his provision.
6:33 ^cf Here Jesus gives the positive alternative to worrying. Single-minded commitment to God and seeking his reign through Christ (see 6:19-24 ^cg) must be the primary concern of Jesus’ disciples.