The Strand Study Bible

MATTHEW 6:1

MATTHEW 6:22

1497

done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, 10 as we forgive our debtors. 13 11 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 12 EVIL : For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 13 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But 14 if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. The proper motive when fasting 16 Moreover when ye 15 fast, be not, 16 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 fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 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. The proper way to handle money 19 17 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 18 But lay up for yourselves 19 treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The 20 light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be 21 single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

1. Note - Our “motive” ( Take

Matthew 6 The proper motive when giving

heed ) for why we do what we do means everything to God ( I Sam 15:1-15 , Mt 20:1,11 , I Cor 3:13b , II Cor 5:14 , Jude 1:21 and Rev 2:4 ). 2. or, “religious act” 3. or, “righteous acts toward the poor” 4. Lk 14:12-14 5. II Ki 4:33 6. I Ki 18:26-39 7. Lk 11:2-4 8. or, “God the Father” - Rev 4:11 & 5:13 & Lev 22:32 & I Chro 29:11-13 9. or, “Millenial Kingdom” - Rev 11:15 & 12:10 10. Mt 18:21-35 11. Mt 26:41 12. or, “Evil One” - Jn 17:15 & I Jn 5:18 13. Mk 11:25 & Eph 4:32 & Colo 3:13 14. Note - THE ADAGE IS TRUE: Those who cannot forgive better hope they never sin 15. Isa 58:3-7 16. Lk 18:12 17. Prov 23:4-5 18. Note - THE ADAGE IS TRUE: What you spent, you had; what you give, you still have 19. Mt 19:21 & Lk 12:33 & 18:22 & I Tim 6:19 20. or, “spiritual insight” 21. or, “clear; without covetousness; a fixed purpose, spiritually speaking”

1 1 Take heed that ye do not your 2 alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Thereforewhen thou doest thine 3 alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, 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 4 shall reward thee openly. The proper motive when praying 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, 5 enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in se- cret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, 6 as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 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 7 pray ye: Our FATHER which art in heaven, Hal- lowed be 8 THY name. 10 9 THY KINGDOM come. Thy will be

6:9 While it is true that Jesus taught his disciples to address God in prayer as “ Our FATHER ” (Lk 11:2), He did not use that phrase to include Himself. Jesus spoke of God as “my Father” and “your Father,” but never as “our Father . ” The relationship in which man stands to God is to be greatly distinguished from that in which Jesus stands to God ( Jn 20:17 b , I Cor 15:28 and Rev 3:12 b ). 6:20 Ann Landers was “right on the money” when she said: Do your givin’ while you’re livin’, then you’ll be knowin’ where it’s goin’. 1 NOTE – If someone told you that your home was going to burn down in less than an hour, what would you remove? The question answers itself. You would only remove what’s truly valuable. Both Jesus and Peter reminded us that this earth of ours (this present home of ours) isn’t going to last “as is” (Mt 24:35 and II Pet 3:10). Meaning: It’s not the investment you want to be investing in. This is why Jesus’ admonishes us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven instead of treasures here on earth. 6:22 According to Jesus, our “yes” are the windows through which spiritual insight (light - Prov 20:27) enters our bodies. If our eye is single (clear; without covetousness; fixed upon spiritual purposes), then our whole being will reflect that insight. The same is true if our eye is evil (covetous and deceptive). In essence, what you take into your mind by way of your eyes will affect your whole being, either for good and for God or for bad and for the Evil One. No wonder James warned us not to be double minded (Jms 1:8), but to stay fixed beneath the influence of the Word of God (Jms 1:19-25). Singleness of purpose (focusing upon the eternal perspective - II Cor 4:18 ) will preserve us from the snare of having a double treasure, and therefore a divided heart. 1 The “Quotations About Voluntarism and Giving.” charityvillage. 14 Jan 2008 .