Father Franz Xaivier Polzl' Commentary on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

 

The Right Intention in the Practice of Good Works (Mt 6:1–18)

Connection and continuation of the discourse.
After the Lord has set forth the fulfillment of the Law, in which the inner disposition required for participation in the Kingdom of the Messiah is described, He now speaks about the right intention in the practice of virtue. In doing so, He proceeds in such a way that He first comes to speak of the righteousness of the Pharisees, which is calculated only for what is outward, and in contrast to this He sets forth the true nature of Christian virtue.

Mt 6:1

“Take heed (however), that you do not practice your righteousness before men, in order to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

This verse contains a general warning, which is explained in what follows by concrete examples, namely:

1. with regard to almsgiving (Mt 6:2–4),

2. with regard to prayer (Mt 6:5–15),

3. with regard to fasting (Mt 6:16–18).

The Lord introduces His warning emphatically, in order that the hearers may be on their guard and be very watchful. The word here, together with the phrase “before men” and finally the specification of the general expression in the following verses, sufficiently shows that what is meant is the practice of virtue, or more generally the exercise of good works insofar as through them the inner righteousness of the human person is manifested outwardly.

Christians must not do these things with the purpose and intention (that is, with σκοπός, skopos, “aim”) of being seen by men, that is, in order to gain esteem before men and to be praised by them (cf. Gal. 1:10). This statement therefore does not stand in contradiction to Matthew 5:16 (cf. also 1 Cor. 10:33). If “otherwise” (alioquin) is supplied from what precedes, the sense is: otherwise, that is, if in the practice of your righteousness you aim at being seen and making an impression, you have no reward. Concerning the reward laid up in heaven, compare Matthew 5:12.

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a) Almsgiving (Mt 6:2–4)

Mt 6:2

“Therefore, when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

This follows from verse 1. The Greek ἐλεημοσύνη (eleēmosynē, almsgiving) and the Latin term formed from it belong to biblical usage. It first means mercy, and then more specifically the work of mercy performed out of compassion, in order to relieve the bodily need of one’s neighbor — the corporal work of mercy, namely alms.

“To sound a trumpet” is a figurative expression meaning: to avoid all loud display and public ostentation. The literal interpretation is not admissible. In the synagogues and in the streets the Pharisees most liked to give alms, because both places offered the most suitable opportunity to attract attention.

“They have received their reward.” The expression is chosen with reference to the reward laid up in heaven for alms given in the right manner. But since it is hypocrisy when a person gives the appearance of wishing to fulfill the divine will by giving alms, while in truth he is seeking only human praise, the Lord here quite appropriately speaks of hypocrisy.

Mt 6:3–4

“But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.”

“But you” (σύ δέ, sy de) is placed at the beginning for emphasis, in order to set the opposite conduct of Christians in strong contrast. The proverbial expression about the left and right hand is a vivid way of describing complete freedom from all striving to attract attention. The thought is: give alms as secretly as possible and free from every desire for honor and recognition.

“He who sees in secret” is a designation of divine omniscience. Since God, as the all-knowing one, also sees where no human eye can penetrate, He will repay you for the alms given in secret.

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b) On Prayer (Mt 6:5–15)

Mt 6:5

Warning against ostentation in prayer, that is, in divine worship:

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, who love to pray standing in the synagogues and at the corners of the streets, in order that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

The fault lies not in praying in synagogues or at street corners as such, but in the desire, precisely in these frequented places, to pray in order to attract attention. The Lord condemns this intention.

Mt 6:6

Exhortation and instruction: pray in your inner chamber with the door closed.

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

The inner room (ταμεῖον, tameion, cubiculum) is any inner chamber of the house, in contrast to synagogues and streets. The meaning of this command can only be correctly grasped from the contrast with verse 5. Just as there it is not public prayer as such that is condemned, but the intention to seek attention, so here prayer is not restricted to the closed chamber nor is public prayer forbidden. Rather, in a concrete example, the disposition is characterized in which prayer is to be practiced. Since prayer is intercourse with God, the intention should be as little directed toward men as if one were praying alone in a closed chamber. Such an intention is possible everywhere, even in public places (cf. 1 Tim. 2:8).

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c) On Fasting (Mt 6:16–18)

Mt 6:16

“And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with gloomy looks; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”

Here fasting refers primarily to the regular private fasts of the Pharisees, which they kept twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. The Mosaic Law prescribed only one general fast, namely on the tenth day of the seventh month, the great Day of Atonement. After the Exile, additional general fast days were added, and fasting was also practiced on extraordinary public occasions.

The Pharisees also associated other signs of mourning with fasting: neglect of washing and anointing, sprinkling the head with ashes, and so forth. By this they made their appearance gloomy. The term σκυθρωποί (skythrōpoi, “gloomy, sullen-faced”) is explained by what follows. ἀφανίζουσιν (aphanizousin) here means not simply “to make invisible,” but metaphorically “to disfigure, to deform.” By dirt on the face and hair and by affected sadness, they disfigured their appearance. On these signs of mourning the Pharisees laid such great weight in order to make their fasting known to men.

Mt 6:17–18

“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who is in secret will repay you.”

This command of the Lord connects with Jewish custom, according to which people washed and anointed themselves especially on feast days and days of joy. The meaning of the command is this: in fasting, not only is all ostentation to be avoided, but it should be practiced as a virtue as much as possible hidden from men.

The importance of this instruction also follows from the purpose of fasting. We fast in order to make satisfaction for sins, to detach ourselves as much as possible from the world and turn to God, and to strengthen ourselves for the practice of virtue.

CONTINUE