Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part III

When it comes to this kingdom, let us look at what Daniel of the Old Testament saw: “During the time of the kings of the fourth kingdom, the God of heaven will set up another kingdom that will continue forever. It will never be destroyed. And it will be the kind of kingdom that cannot be passed on to another group of people. This kingdom will crush all the other kingdoms. It will bring them to an end, but that kingdom itself will continue forever.”¹ His vision concluded with this statement, “Then God’s holy people will rule over the kingdom and all the people from all the kingdoms of earth. This kingdom will last forever, and people from all the other kingdoms will respect and serve them.”² It is for this kingdom to take shape and begin to influence the world that Jesus encouraged His followers to pray. We know it could not be initiated until Jesus died and rose from the dead and ascended back to the father. So He wanted His followers to pray that nothing would prevent that from happening. And this would be facilitated if they continued to abide by His teachings and do His will. As Jesus’ royal ancestor, king David, said, “My God, I am happy to do whatever you want. I never stop thinking about your teachings.”³

Just as Jesus came to do the will of His Father in heaven, and to declare the message His heavenly Father gave Him, so Jesus wanted His followers to do on earth what was conceived in heaven. David recognized this in his song, “The Lord set his throne up in heaven, and He rules over everything. Angels, praise the Lord! You angels are the powerful soldiers who obey His commands. You listen to Him and obey His commands. Praise the Lord, all His armies. You are His servants, and you do what He wants. Everything the Lord has made should praise Him throughout the world that He rules! My soul, praise the Lord!”⁴ This is what Daniel saw in his vision of the kingdom to come, “God rules forever! His kingdom continues for all generations. People on earth cannot compete with Him. God does what He wants with the powers of heaven and the people on earth. No one can stop His powerful hand or question what He does.”⁵

This then was not a new concept to the Jews, nor should it have been to the disciples. Even their Rabbis prayed: “Do Your will in heaven above, and grant relief to them that fear You below and do that which is good in Your eyes.”⁶ Once the acknowledgment of God’s kingdom in heaven, and the desire that as He rules there He should rule here on earth, then the petition for daily needs is addressed. And of course the reason for God’s rule on earth is that His will for mankind can function and bring honor and glory to His name. The Jews recognized that God was in control from heaven. For instance, we read where the people were told what one Rabbi did to show respect to his master, and then said: “May it be the will of God that you become leader of the whole city.”⁷

Verse: 11 Then Jesus goes on to say: “Give us the food we need for today.” It should be noted that the prayer points to the immediate need for today. In one Jewish prayer book we find this prayer: “O God, give for me my nourishment and daily bread – my Messiah will come to His City – O reveal soon your redemption to your people – bring the Savior to Zion, let the Branch shoot up, Elijah the prophet and Messiah the king.”⁸ So we can see that Jesus may have been repeating what was already part of a Jewish prayer before a meal.

When God sent manna from heaven to the Israelites in the wilderness, He ordered: “Each of you should gather what you need”.⁹ One Jewish commentator noted that: “As the entire phenomenon was of supernatural character, a gift directly from God, it was logical that it should be distributed evenly among all the people”.¹⁰ This same Jewish Rabbi goes on to say that in the gathering of the manna, another miracle took place: “Both the ones who thought that they had collected more than the amount instructed and the ones who did not think they had collected that amount found that they had each collected the same amount”.¹¹ And we know what happened to those who tried to horde, “They saved their food for the next day. But worms got into the food and it began to stink”.¹² So in a way, our Lord was teaching that we should ask only for what is needed today because tomorrow may never come.

One Psalmist had a unique way of putting it: “God, I ask you to help me with two things for the rest of my life. Don’t let me tell lies. And don’t make me too rich or too poor—give me only enough food for each day. If I have too much, I might deny that I need You, Lord. But if I am too poor, I might steal and bring shame to the name of my God.”¹³ Later on in verse 34 of this chapter, Jesus emphasizes this same point. But our Lord knows that none of us are perfect, we often come up short in meeting God’s standards. This concept of praying for one’s daily needs was not foreign to the Jewish people. One Rabbi taught: “May it be Your will, O Lord our God, to give to each one the sustenance they need, and make up for what they lack.”¹⁴ So Jesus tied God’s provisions for daily needs to His will as did the Jews in their prayer. John Gill tells us that Rabbi Jose in the Zohar says that all the children of faith seek “every day to ask their food” of the Lord, and to pray a prayer for it.¹⁵

We must also examine the linguistics of this verse as it relates to the use of the word “bread.” One Jewish commentary defines the words “my food” as literally “my bread.”¹⁶ He goes on to say: “All food is called “bread”, as when Belshatzar the king gave a great “banquet” (breads),¹⁷ and adds: “Let’s destroy the tree with its ‘fruit’, it literally says ‘bread’.”¹⁸ In the Jewish Prayer Book, the Morning Blessings prayer goes like this: “Blessed are You, God our Lord, King of the universe, Who has provided me with my every need.”¹⁹ So Jesus is not advising that we only ask only for bread, but all of our daily needs for nutrition.

One of the earliest church scholars, Cyprian (AD 200-258), bishop of Carthage, had this to say about our Lord’s inclusion of bread in this prayer: “As the prayer goes forward, we ask and say, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ And this may be understood both spiritually and literally, because either way of understanding it is rich in divine usefulness to our salvation. For Christ is the bread of life; and this bread does not belong to all men, but it is ours. And according as we say, ‘Our Father,’ because He is the Father of those who understand and believe; so also we call it ‘our bread,’ because Christ is the bread of those who are in union with His body. And we ask that this bread should be given to us daily, that we who are in Christ, and daily receive the Eucharist for the food of salvation, may not, by the interposition of some heinous sin, by being prevented, as withheld and not communicating, from partaking of the heavenly bread, be separated from Christ’s body, as He Himself predicts, and warns, ‘I am the bread of life which came down from heaven. If any man eat of my bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.’ When, therefore, He says, that whoever shall eat of His bread shall live for ever; as it is manifest that those who partake of His body and receive the Eucharist by the right of communion are living, so, on the other hand, we must fear and pray lest any one who, being withheld from communion, is separate from Christ’s body should remain at a distance from salvation; as He Himself threatens, and says, ‘Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye shall have no life in you.’ And therefore we ask that our bread—that is, Christ—may be given to us daily, that we who abide and live in Christ may not depart from His sanctification and body.”²⁰

Here we can see where within just two hundred years after our Lord spoke these words, the church had already began to find some spiritual way of interpreting what Jesus said, especially about bread, which Cyprian tied to the Eucharist from this prayer. Most Protestant scholars do not see this connection, in that it would require having communion everyday. However, eventually the Roman Catholic church did institute this practice in the seventh century, especially in the monasteries and rural parishes in France, and we can see where the roots for this practice may have begun. This is only one example of how the words of Christ were detached from their intended meaning so that men could have more control over how His teachings were instituted in the church. We see this in the writing of Origen on this Lord’s Prayer where he speaks of “supersubstantial”²¹ bread, as well as Jerome in his commentary on Matthew.

However, Chrysostom seems to strike a different note when he says: “What is daily bread? That for one day. And because He said, Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven, but was speaking to men clothed with flesh, and subject to the necessities of nature, and incapable of the same impassibility²² with the angels: – while He enjoins the commands to be practiced by us also, even as they perform them; He lowers expectations in what follows, due to the infirmity of human nature. Therefore, He says that He requires the holiest conduct, but not that which is free from emotions, because the laws of nature do not permit it: for it requires necessary food. But mark, I pray you, how even in things that are bodily, that which is spiritual abounds. For it is neither for riches, nor for exquisite living, nor for costly clothing, nor for any other such thing, but for bread only, that He has commanded us to make our prayer. And for daily bread, so as not to take thought for the morrow.²³ Because of this He added, daily bread, that is, bread for one day. And not even with this expression is He satisfied, but adds another saying afterwards, Give us this day; so that we may not, beyond this, wear ourselves out with the care of the following day. For that day, the interval before which you know not whether you will see, why should you submit to its cares? This, as He proceeded, He enjoined also more fully, saying, Take no thought for the morrow. He would have us be on every hand unburdened and winged for flight, yielding just so much to nature as the compulsion of necessity requires of us.”²⁴ So it appears that the great orator did not see this as anything more that asking God for bodily sustenance each day, whether it be provided as a result of our labors or by His generosity.

Verse 12: Then, as we are asking God to give to us for our physical needs, Jesus says we should ask Him for our spiritual needs. “Forgive us what we have done wrong, as we too have forgiven those who have wronged us.”

The Greek word used here, opheilēma, is translated into English as “trespasses” and “debts,” and is only used twice in the N.T. Once here and again in Romans 4:4. It can either be used literally to indicate “indebtedness,” or figuratively as a metaphor for an “offense against.” We find this concept addressed when the people of Israel were instructed: “Here is how every seventh year release is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community — he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because Adonai’s time of remission has been proclaimed.”²⁵ In other words, as you are forgiven your debt, you automatically forgive those who owe you a debt.

But there was more too it than a simple trade-off. One Rabbi makes this comparison: “If your neighbor entertains you first with soup and you subsequently entertains him with meat, you are still indebted to him; why? Because he showed you hospitality first”.²⁶ In this case, the debt is gratitude. Paul uses it this way: “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.”²⁷ We have a saying in English: when a person finishes their jail sentence and is released back into the public we often remark that they should be accepted because, “they’ve paid their debt to society.” Since this request for forgiveness stems from not giving back to God what we owe Him, especially since we just asked Him for our daily bread, then we must look into the idea of what we owe God in this sense: because He gave us life, do we not owe Him the pleasure of living it to His glory? Whatever talent and abilities, intellect and ingenuity He granted us, do we not owe using it for Him in doing His will? By the same token, if we want Him to forgive us when we fail to do what is expected of us, Jesus added that we should be just as willing to extend that same forgiveness to others for any similar trespass.

But since Matthew wrote this first in Hebrew, Jewish scholars examining this prayer have suggested that the word “debts” is better understood with the broader term “wrongs.” This was part of what the Rabbi’s taught. In one passage we read: “The collectors go their round continually every day and exact payment of men with their consent or without their consent, for they have that on which they can rely.”²⁸ Jewish commentators say that what these collectors are relying on is God’s record of the man’s debts.²⁹ And debts in this case are the repayment for sins committed, because God does not need man’s money. However, even though Luke was a Gentile and wrote his Gospel in Greek, he also understood this metaphor of “debt” being tied to God’s record of our wrong doings. So he chose the Greek word hamartia, which means: “to be mistaken, miss the mark.” That is perhaps why the King James translators rendered it “sins” in Luke.³⁰ It was not until the Book of Common Prayer was published in England in 1549, that they copied this prayer from the Tyndale Bible of 1526 which reads in old English: “And forgeve vs oure treaspasses eve as we forgeve oure trespacers” and wrote: “And forgeve us our trespaces, as wee forgeve them that trespasse agaynst us.”³¹

In the Jewish Prayer Book, in the Morning Prayers – Yehi Ratzon, we have this line: “Forgive us for all our sins, grant us atonement for all our iniquities, and forgive and pardon us for all our transgressions.”This is all well and good, but Jesus had said earlier that He wanted them to be better than those who used their prayers for their own good. Before they ask God for forgiveness, they should do the same to those who’ve wronged them. In other words, how can you ask God to forgive you when you have not forgiven others? It would be like going to the banquet table of a rich man, ready to fill your plate to the rim so you could gorge yourself, but forgetting that earlier in the day a beggar showed up at your door and asked for food but you refused to give them one morsel. Such an attitude could be dangerous in other areas of life as well.

In his Opus Imperfectum, otherwise known as the Incomplete Work on Matthew from the early 7^th century, an anonymous author has this to say: “With what assurance does that person pray who harbors animosity toward someone who has offended him? Even as he lies when he prays and says, ‘I forgive’ and does not forgive, so too he seeks pardon from God, but he will not be pardoned. Therefore, if that person who has been offended prays to God without assurance unless he pardons the very person who offended him, how do you think that person prays who not only has been offended by another but himself offends and oppresses others through injustice? But may people who are unwilling to forgive those who sin against them avoid saying this prayer. They are ill-advised, first, because the one who does not pray as Christ taught is not Christ’s disciple; second, because the Father does not graciously hear a prayer that the Son has not recommended. For the Father knows the words and meaning of His Son, and He does not accept what the human mind has devised but what the wisdom of Christ has expressed. Therefore, you may indeed say a prayer, but you may not outsmart and deceive God. And you will not receive forgiveness unless you yourself have first forgiven.”³²

Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, taught early on that if anyone is unwilling to pardon their fellow believer, they thereby forfeit what the Lord has already pardoned them for.³³ Also, Chrysostom notes that such a prayer for forgiveness as this belongs to the believer only. Sinners cannot pray such a prayer because this is the plea of a child of God, not a child of the world.³⁴ And Augustine explains: “That may indeed be construed in this way, that when we say, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive, then only are we convicted of having acted contrary to this rule, if we do not forgive them who ask pardon, because we also wish to be forgiven by our most gracious Father when we ask His pardon. But, on the other hand, by that precept whereby we are enjoined to pray for our enemies, it is not for those who ask pardon that we are enjoined to pray. For those who are already in such a state of mind are no longer enemies. By no possibility, however, could one truthfully say that he prays for one whom he has not pardoned. And therefore we must confess that all sins which are committed against us are to be forgiven, if we wish those to be forgiven by our Father which we commit against Him. For the subject of revenge has been sufficiently discussed already, as I think.”³⁵

Even though our Lord makes this so clear, and even astute scholars of the past and present join in their interpretation of this part of the prayer, for many believers this has become one of the most difficult parts of the prayer to abide by. But one thing I see here that has not yet been mentioned, is this, there is no demand that the offended party seek out the offender and offer forgiveness before they ask for such. It applies only when the offended party is approached and forgiveness is requested that this part of the prayer becomes mandatory. In the same way, God may have the heart and intent to pardon us for not repaying Him in love and service for all the talents and abilities He has given us, it will not be done until we approach Him and ask His forgiveness.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part II (con’t)

Verse 7: And when you pray, don’t be like the people who don’t know God. They say the same thing over and over again. They think that if they say it enough times, their god will hear them.

Those in the crowd listening to Jesus no doubt understood who He was referring to. They had heard of Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and how they chanted again and again from morning till noon but received no answer from Baal.¹ So we see that the Jews did not promote needless repetition of prayers. As a matter of fact, one respected Rabbi said: “Be heedful in the reciting of the Shema² in the prayer; and when you pray don’t make it a mere recitation, but let it be gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy, and being repentant of any evil deeds and do not be egotistical.”³ In his commentary on this teaching, Rabbi Huna, in quoting Rabbi Meir, says: “A man’s words should always be few in addressing the Holy One, blessed be He, since it says, ‘Do not speak rashly with your mouth and do not be hasty in your heart to say things to God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth, therefore let your words be few⁴.”⁵ Apparently the people Jesus was referring to were ignoring such advice from the Written Word and their verbal tradition. Rabbis were passing on the advice of their ancestors who ruled: “One must include all eighteen benedictions in his prayers because it is necessary to include a benediction at the conclusion of Sabbath and festival days, to the One who blesses man with knowledge.”⁶

Chromatius, who we quoted earlier, tells us that in his mind nonbelievers think they can obtain more of what they require from the Lord by using many words, but that the Lord does not expect this from us. Says Chromatius: “He wants us to send up our prayers not with wordy speech but with faith that comes from the heart. By doing so we commend the merits of justice to Him. He surely knows better all the things of which we have need and before we speak is aware of everything that we are going to request.”⁷ Put that way, it would be reasonable to add that since God already knows what is in our hearts and minds, and He is fully aware of our motives and intentions, by going to Him in prayer we can prove our honesty by saying exactly what we are thinking and wishing, and confess to Him why we are doing so. People often do not receive an answer to their prayers because God hears what they say and knows what they are really thinking, and they do not match.

Verse 8: Jesus didn’t want that type of monotonous prayer life for His followers. So He tells them: Don’t be like those people. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

After reading verse 8, the anonymous writer of the incomplete work on Matthew, we referenced before, says: “God is to be conciliated, not taught; a long prayer is not needful for Him but a genuine spirit.”⁸ He makes this statement based on the fact that if God knows what we want ahead of time, then we do not pray to demand from God what we want but that it may please Him to bestow what we need. Therefore, your Father knows what is necessary for you before you ask Him. So after you have told Him what you need, don’t tell Him what you want, but let Him know you are ready for what He wants you to have.

Verse 9: So this is how you should pray. ‘Our Father in heaven, blessed be Your name.

Jesus points out here that when the Jews prayed, apparently they didn’t believe that God knew what they wanted until they asked. God made this very clear to the prophet Isaiah: “Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.”⁹ A great Jewish philosopher tell us that certainly God knows more than we do. He relates: “It happened one day that a man who had committed such an act of impiety was led away to prison; and Moses being at a loss as to what he should do to the man for committing a crime worthy of death, and did not know what was the most suitable way to inflict the proper punishment on him, went with his invisible soul to the invisible judgment seat, and asked the Judge who hears everything before He is even told, what sentence should be rendered.”¹⁰ In other words, people who address God improperly should be dealt with by God Himself.

As we have seen, many Jewish prayers begin with the phrase, “Blessed are You, Adonai our God, King of the Universe.” Since our English translation was taken from the Greek, which was a rendering by the gospel writers of Jesus’ native language, Aramaic, there is a good possibility that this is the way Jesus started His prayer for the disciples to follow. In speaking of prayer, one Rabbi says: “Let us lift up our hearts with our hands towards God in Heaven.”¹¹ He then goes on to comment that: “Even a divider made of iron cannot separate Israel and their Father in heaven.”¹² But we find an even clearer reference when speaking of thanksgiving offerings. A respected Rabbi says: “This teaches us that it is the same whether one gives much or little, as long as he directs his heart to his Father who is in Heaven!”¹³ So we see that Jesus was using a phrase His disciples were already familiar with.

Therefore, referring to God in heaven was not a new concept. Hence, “Our Father which art in heaven” corresponds with “Adonoy our God, King of the Universe,” and “Hallowed be Thy name” is similar to “Blessed are You.” This is also how David instructed those who were seeking Adonai with joyful hearts, that they should give “Glory to His holy name.”¹⁴ As such, this opening phase of the Lord’s Prayer includes a salutation. There is a cultural factor in this prayer that we find prevalent in the Middle East to this day, even among Muslims, where any mention of the name of a prophet or deity, is followed by an acknowledgment of the holiness and great reverence for that name. For instance, in Jewish writings we find the following prayer: “The Holy One, blessed be He, causes the winds to blow….”¹⁵ We also read about the time when Nimrod the wicked had cast Father Abraham into the fiery furnace, and Gabriel stood forth in the presence of the Holy One – blessed be He! – and said… “Then the Holy One – blessed be He! – said unto him…”¹⁶

Early Church father Tertullian made this observation: “It begins with a proof of (our belief in) God and a meritorious act of faith when we say, ‘Father, who art in heaven.’ For we adore God and prove our faith, of which this form of address is the result. It is written: ‘To them that believe in God He gave the power to be called the sons of God.’¹⁷ Our Lord very frequently spoke to us of God as a Father; in fact, He even taught us to call none on earth ‘father,’ but only the one we have in heaven. Therefore, when we pray like this we are observing this precept, too. Happy are they who know the Father! This is the reproach made against Israel, when the Spirit calls heaven and earth to witness saying: ‘I have begotten sons and they have not known me.’ Moreover, when we say ‘Father,’ we also add a title to God’s name. This form of address is one of filial love and at the same time one of power.”¹⁸

Also, the renown Catholic scholar Origen in his treatise has this the say: “According to the apostle ‘the heir, as long as he is a child, differs nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.’¹⁹ But the fullness of time is in the sojourn of our Lord Jesus Christ, when they who desire receive adoption as sons, as Paul teaches in the words, ‘For you did not receive a spirit of slavery unto fear, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, wherein we cry “Abba Father;”’²⁰ and as it is in the Gospel according to John, ‘To as many as received Him He gave authority to become children of God if believers on His name;’²¹ and it is by reason of this Spirit of adoption as sons, we learn in the Catholic Epistle of John regarding the begotten of God, that ‘Everyone that is begotten of God should not sin because His seed abides in him, and he must not sin because he is begotten of God.’²²”²³ No one believes that Origen is teaching perpetual purity here for those who become believers, because John himself says that if we do sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. However, this promise of God’s willingness to forgive, is based on the fact that we are His children.

When Jesus included the salutation “Blessed be Your name” in this prayer, He knew that many of those listening to Him were aware of the Jewish teaching called the Kaddish prayer which says: “Magnified and sanctified be His great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will, and may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime.” Not only does this Kaddish prayer revere God’s holy name, but also expresses a yearning for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. It is often called the “Mourners Prayer.” Jewish scholars explain: “As we can see, the ‘blessed be He’ is not a part of the prayer but a sign of reverence for the Holy One, just as hallowed be Thy name in the Lord’s Prayer is a sign of reverence to the Father in heaven. We find that Moses did not mention the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, until after he had spoken twenty-one words. From whom did he learn this? From the ministering angels, for the ministering angels mention the name of God only after the threefold Sanctification, as it is said, And one called unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.²⁴ Said Moses, ‘It is enough for me to be seven times as modest as the ministering angels. The matter lends itself to inference from the minor to the major: if Moses, the wisest of the wise, the greatest of the great, and the father of the prophets, mentioned God’s name only after twenty-one words, how much more must one be cautious not to mention God’s name in vain.”²⁵

Therefore, Jesus was following the custom of His day in the instructions He gave His disciples on prayer. Then our Lord’s recognition of God’s kingdom, was also very much in the mind of praying Jews. We read where Rabbi Johanan said: “Any benediction in which God’s Kingship is not mentioned is no benediction.”²⁶

Verse 10: So Jesus goes on: May Your kingdom will come—that Your will be done here on earth, the same as in heaven.

This becomes no small matter when we also consider His majesty and superiority. When King Jehoshaphat was facing his troubles, he prayed, “Lord God of our ancestors, You are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms in all the nations. You have power and strength. No one can stand against you. You are our God!”²⁷ Furthermore, the Psalmist acknowledged that when we pray, we do not pray for our answer, but His answer. “Lord, You should receive the honor, not us. The honor belongs to You because of Your faithful love and loyalty. Why should the nations wonder where our God is? Our God is in heaven, and He does whatever He wants.”²⁸ The prophet Isaiah adds another factor that should be acknowledged when we pray, and that is our respect for the One to whom we pray, “God is exalted on high. He lives forever. His name is holy. He says, ‘I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and sorry for their sins. I will give new life to those who are humble in spirit. I will give new life to those who are sorry for their sins.”²⁹ Then Isaiah adds this: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is where I rest my feet.”³⁰ So by directing the prayer to the Father in Heaven, Jesus was in harmony with how the Jews had been taught in times past. But He did so because many of the Pharisees and hypocrites were not thinking of the Father in heaven when they prayed, but those listening around them.

Origen in his treatise on prayer makes a point of explaining that when the disciples were to pray, “Thy kingdom come,” they were not to suppose a literal kingdom here on earth with a capital city such as Jerusalem, that would come much later. Rather, that the kingdom of God was to be within us. So says Origen: “The Kingdom of God does not come observably, nor should men say ‘Lo it is here’, or ‘Lo is it there’, but the Kingdom of God is within us; for the utterance is exceedingly near in our mouth and in our heart. It is therefore plain that he who prays for the coming of the kingdom of God prays with good reason for rising and fruit bearing and perfecting of God’s kingdom within him. For every believer is ruled over by God and obeys the Spiritual laws of God, and conducts himself like a well-ordered city; and the Father is present with him, and Christ rules together with the Father in the perfected Soul, according to the saying that I mentioned shortly before: We will go to Him and make abode with Him. By God’s kingdom I understand the blessed condition of the mind and the settled order of wise reflection; by Christ’s kingdom the issue of words of salvation to their hearers and the practice of acts of righteousness and the other excellencies; for the Son of God is Word and Righteousness.”³¹

King David had no doubts about God’s reputation. He always kept His promises and did not walk away without finishing what He started. That’s why David proclaimed, “Your name will be honored forever.”³² Solomon felt the same way, and wanted people far and wide to come and worship God in the Temple, “From Your home in heaven, please listen to their prayers. Please do everything the people from other places ask You. Then they will fear and respect You the same as Your people in Israel.”³³

I love that song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither that says, “There’s something about that name.” The Levites wrote a similar song, “People should praise Your glorious name. May your name be lifted above all blessing and praise. You are God. Lord, only you are God. You made the sky and the highest heavens and everything in them. You made the earth and everything on it. You made the seas and everything in them. You give life to everything. All the heavenly angels bow down and worship you.”³⁴ And David adds, “Praise the Lord God, the God of Israel! Only He can do such amazing things. Praise His glorious name forever! Let his glory fill the whole world. Amen and Amen!”³⁵

It is a shame that other names and not His name is being lifted up. It is necessary to direct our prayers to Him in order to access the blessings and joys that are His, and to open the door of our hearts and minds for His kingship to rule and reign in our lives. So many are waiting for His kingdom to come, when it is already available to those who recognize Him as king, and bow to Him in praise and worship, and honor Him by following His word and doing His will.

1 I Kings 18:26-29

2 “Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One”

3 Rabbi Simeon Jewish Mishnah, (Tractate Aboth, Chap. 2:13).

4 Ecclesiastes 5:1

5 Babylonian Talmud., op. cit., Seder Zera’im, Masekhet Berachoth, folio 61a.

6 Rabbi Hanina ben Gamaliel in the Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Tohoroth, Masekhet Nidah, folio 8b

7 Tractate on Matthew 27.2.1-2

8 Homily 13

9 Isaiah 65:24

10 Philo of Alexandria, Bk. II, Ch. XL. (217).

11 Moses Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, op. cit., Sefer Ahavah, Tractate Tefilah and Birkat Kohanim, Ch. 5, Halacha 4.

12 Ibid. Ch 15, Halacha 8 .

13 Rabbi Hisda in Babylonian Talmud, Seder Nezikin, Masekhet Shevu’oth, folio 15a

14 I Chronicles 16:10 – Complete Jewish Bible

15 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Nashim, Masekhet Kuddushin 32b

16 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Mo’ed, Masekhet Pesahim, folio 118a

17 John 1:12

18 Prayer by Tertullian, Ch. 2:1

19 Galatians 4:2

20 Romans 8:15

21 John 1:12

22 1 John 5:18

23 Origen: On Prayer, Ch. 12:3

24 Isaiah 6:3.

25 Sifre on Deuteronomy we read this commentary on Chapter 32:3 (A Tannaiitic Commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, Trans. By Reuven Hammer, Yale University Press, 1986, Piska 306, p. 322).

26 Babylonian Talmud., op. cit., Seder Zera’im, Masekhet Berachoth, folio 40b.

27 II Chronicles 20:6

28 Psalm 115:1-3

29 Isaiah 57:15

30 Ibid., 66:1

31 Origen: On Prayer, Ch. 15:1-2

32 II Samuel 7:26

33 I Kings 8:43

34 Nehemiah 9:5-6

35 Psalm 72:18-19

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part II

There’s an interesting story in Jewish literature from the school of Rabbi Jannai. It refers to one who gives alms to a poor person publicly. As Rabbi Jannai tells it: “He once saw a man give a silver coin to a poor person publicly. So Rabbi Jannai said to him: It would have been better had you not given anything to him, because now that you have done so publicly, you put him to shame.”¹ While this may seem admirable on the surface, it also provides a good alibi to those who pass up poor people begging on the streets. One venerable Rabbi comments on this by saying: “Great sages would give to a poor person either in person on in the charity box before every prayer service and then they would pray,² It is said that a well-known Rabbi would conduct himself in this manner, to comply with the Scripture that says: “But my prayer, in righteousness, is to see your face³.”⁴ So it appears that among some Jewish scholars, giving to the poor in public was more embarrassing to the receiver than providing accolades for the giver.

But the interesting part is how such giving qualified as righteousness for the giver? One reason for this interpretation is that the Hebrew word for righteousness “Tzedek” and charity “Tzedakah” share the same root word. So they were being righteous by giving. All of this should help give you a better idea of what Jesus was talking about concerning the right way and wrong way to give. Then He comments on the same go-for-show among the pious when they prayed. We also have Jewish teachings on giving to the poor where it says: “Greater is he who performs charity than he who offers all the sacrifices, for it is said, ‘To do charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice⁵.”⁶ So when all is said and done, true righteousness has little to do with how you treat yourself, but in how you treat others with love and mercy.

Verse 5: When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray loudly. They want people to see them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get.

This teaching was so important to the early church that they included it in their teaching manual: “But let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and Preparation Day (Friday). Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel, like this: ‘Our Father who art in heaven….’”⁷ It must be noted that seldom if ever were prayers by Pharisees said spontaneously. They were most often paraphrases from Scripture or prayers written by teachers and scholars over the centuries. The Rabbis taught Jewish men that there are three blessings to be said each day. They are: “’Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who did not make me a Gentile’; ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who did not make me a boor’; ‘Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who did not make me a woman.’”⁸ This can be found in the Jewish prayer book called siddur, which is thick with texts: blessings, thanksgivings, and petitions, instructions, theological traditions, and historical memories. Some traditional texts are particularly long. Others go on to thank God for opening one’s eyes, stepping on the ground, getting dressed, etc. They became so formal and rehearsed that the Jews were told when to pray, how long to pray, and what happens if they pray at the wrong time.⁹ On the other hand, the rabbis also taught: “If one prays a long prayer because that way he expects it to be fulfilled, he will only end up becoming very annoyed because the Scripture says: ‘Hope delayed makes the heart sick¹⁰.’”¹¹

Early church scholar Chrysostom, in one of his sermons on this topic, made this comment: “While they are pretending to pray to God, they are looking around for listeners; they are not wearing the cloak of a petitioner, but of ridiculous people. For he, who is to fill a petitioner’s office, letting go of all others, looks to Him alone, who has power to grant his request. But if you leave this One, and go about wandering and casting around your eyes everywhere, you will depart with empty hands. For this was your own will. Wherefore He said, such people will not receive a reward because they already have it: that is, they will indeed receive one, but from those of whom they themselves desire to have it. For this is not God’s will: He rather on His part was willing to bestow on men the recompense that comes from Himself; but they seeking that which is from men, can be no longer justly be entitled to receive from Him, for whom they have done nothing.”¹²

Perhaps you too, as I have, heard those in the congregation when called on to pray, pray more to those listening here on earth than the One listening in heaven. Most of it involves telling God what He already knows, but in the sense of letting those around them know that the one who is saying the prayer is also aware of they feel is needed. It is important that believers know the difference between praising God and praying to God. The word prayer carries with it the connotation of request. Even our own dictionary defines it as a solemn request for help. By telling God what we think or perceive to be our need, it helps us better understand the need ourselves. But just as important, never ask God for something you really don’t need or want. That does not make a fool out of God, but it makes a fool out of the petitioner.

What Jesus seems to be referring to are those prayers that contain all the good and righteous things that these Pharisees had done, so as to justify themselves before God to authenticate their rightful calling and dedication as Pharisees. I can only go by things as they were described in Jesus’ day, but having been at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem I can vouch for the fact that open prayers are still practiced daily in abundance. Rabbi Maimonides shares the Jewish approach to prayer: “A person who prays must be careful to tend to the following eight matters. However, if he is pressured, confronted by circumstances beyond his control, or transgresses and does not attend to one of them, they are not of absolute necessity. They are: 1) standing; 2) facing the Temple; 3) proper stance; 4) proper clothing; 5) proper place; 6) control of his voice; 7) bowing; and 8) prostration on the ground.”¹³ Maimonides then goes on to tell what each one of those implies.

Jesus pointed out that He was referring to those who stood on the street corners or in the open synagogues and prayed to be heard. To this, Maimonides states: “Control of one’s voice: What is implied? A person should not raise his voice during his Amidah, nor should he pray silently. Rather, he should pronounce the words with his lips, whispering in a tone that he can hear. He should not make his voice audible unless he is sick or cannot concentrate otherwise. In such a case, it is permitted except when in a congregation, lest the others be disturbed by his voice.”¹⁴ The term “Amidah” has a special meaning.¹⁵ While praying, concentrate on the meaning of the words, and remember that you stand before the divine presence. Before beginning the Amidah, take three steps backward, then three steps forward. Recite the Amidah quietly—but audibly to yourself—while standing with feet together.¹⁶

Perhaps you’ve seen pictures of Jewish rabbis praying, they rock back and forth, bowing and then straightening up until the prayer is finished. Here is that prayer with instructions: “My LORD, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare Your praise.¹⁷ Blessed (bend your knees) are You (bow forward), LORD our God (straighten up) God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob, the great, mighty and awesome God, exalted God, who bestows bountiful kindness, who creates all things, who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and who, in love, brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name.”¹⁸ In Jewish tradition we find a possible answer for much of the public prayer that Jesus was so against. It says: “The Ark is taken out to the square of town as a way of saying: We shamed our usually discreet Holy vessel, the ark, by sinning and prayed discretely within the synagogue, but we were not answered. Perhaps by shaming ourselves and praying in the public square, our prayers will be answered].”¹⁹ To put this in the words of the Rabbi Simeon: “As a slinger slings and directs his stones to a certain mark or object, so should we while praying, direct and address our prayers to the Divine in a manner of which You are the target.”²⁰ As we can see, such prayers became more about the one praying than it did about the One being prayed to. It is not difficult to hear such prayers even today in houses of Christian worship.

Verse 6: But when you pray, you should go into your room and close the door. Then pray to your Father. He is there in that private place. He can see what is done in private, and He will reward you.

Jesus refers here to Isaiah where the children of Israel were told what to do in order to guarantee their security, and do it in a way that would secure their guarantee: “Come, my people, enter your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves for a little while until the danger is past.”²¹ Jesus is not prohibiting prayer in public, because He applauded the sinner who prayed for forgiveness. But personal prayers in which thanks is given for those things that were accomplished with His help and guidance seem to be the object of His recommendation for privacy. Solomon has a bit of advice on prayer: “Be careful when you make promises to God. Be careful about what you say to Him. Don’t let your feelings cause you to speak too soon. God is in heaven, and you are on the earth. So you need to say only a few things to Him…If you make a promise to God, keep your promise. Don’t be slow to do what you promised. God is not happy with fools. Give God what you promised to give Him. It is better to promise nothing than to promise something and not be able to do it.”²² Of course, Jesus was not telling His disciples to hide when they prayed, nor was He suggesting that prayers said in private are better than those said in public. It’s the intent and purpose of the prayer that makes the difference.

Among the scholars of the early church there were varying opinions on what Jesus meant here about praying behind closed doors. Bishop Hilary of Poitiers notes that the prayers of martyrs have been poured out in the presence of wild animals loosed against them, in prisons where they were incarcerated, and in flames as they were being burned at the stake. Therefore, he suggests that we are not admonished to enter the recesses of our homes but the bedroom of our hearts.²³ For Augustine, outside the inner chamber of our consciousness are all the things that clamor to interrupt our prayers through bodily senses. That’s why we need to shut all of that out so we can concentrate on our prayers to the Father. He takes our Lord’s words as instruction on how to cleanse the heart. He says: “Nothing cleanses the heart but the undivided and single-minded striving after eternal life from the pure love of wisdom alone” in prayer.”²⁴ Then Chromatius, Bishop of Aquileia, offers Hannah and Jonah in the Old Testament, and Cornelius in the New Testament as examples of this type of solitary prayer.²⁵

But most scholars believe that the Master was using the illustration of shutting the door inside the house figuratively of being alone with God when we pray for those things we need in order to do for Him what we believe He is leading us to do so that He receives all the honor, praise and glory. It should also be remembered that He is offering this as a contrast to the hypocritical Pharisees who stood on street corners to pray and ask God for His blessings on all the good things they did for Him. As such, He is not forbidding our open prayers in worship, nor in groups, nor bowing our heads in prayer before eating in public. That’s why the content of the prayer will dictate the conditions in which the prayer is offered to God.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part I (con’t)

We find that in a school established by Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha it was taught: “Whoever dispenses part of his possessions and does so with kindness, is delivered from the punishment of the burning pit. Picture two sheep crossing a river, one shorn and the other not shorn; the shorn one gets across, the unshorn one does not.”¹ To put it another way, to more you share with others of what God has blessed you with, the less burden you will have to carry as you make your way toward eternal life. When applied to our aims and goals in life, it makes a lot of sense, but seems so hard to adopt as a way of sharing. One of the worst things any Christian can become known for is to be known as a hoarder and not a helper.

But here is the mindset that Jesus encountered, spoken by one Rabbi: “If a man says, I offer a few pennies for charity in order that my children may live and in order that though my giving I may merit the future world, may he still be considered as a righteous man? – There is no contradiction; this statement applies only to Israelites.”² Another Rabbi adds even more: “All the charity and kindness done by the heathen is counted to them as sin, because they only do it to magnify themselves.”³ This same Rabbi basis his assumption on the same concept as the previous one: “…in order that my son may live, or that I may merit the future world.” And anyone who does the same “is completely righteous.” ⁴ And in the footnotes it states that in respect to this person’s action, notwithstanding his selfish motives, he is completely righteous.⁵ No wonder Jesus was so upset at this display of self-righteousness by these givers at the expense of the receivers. He did not want His followers to practice such false humility. So He gives the following instructions:

Verse 2: “When you give to those who are poor, don’t announce that you are giving. Don’t be like the hypocrites.”

This idea of what we may call today a “Food Pantry” for the homeless or disadvantaged was established already in Moses’ day. God tells His people: “At the end of every three years, you must gather one-tenth of your harvest for that year. Store this food in your towns. Keep this food for the Levites, because they don’t have any land of their own. Also keep this food for the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your towns. This will provide enough for them to come and eat all they want. If you do this, the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.”⁶ Later, God gives His reasons for this, something that Jesus also quoted⁷: “There will always be poor people in the land. That is why I command you to be ready to help your brother or sister. Give to the poor in your land who need help.”⁸ And in a Jewish apocryphal work we read: “To all those who practice righteous giving, contribute from what you already own, and do not let your expression indicate that you are doing so begrudgingly. Do not turn your face away when you see anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you.”⁹ Further on we read: “Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is righteous giving.”¹⁰

So Jesus was not preaching some new liberation theology, but simply qualifying what they have already been taught, and telling His disciples not to make a big deal out of helping others like the hypocrites do. Even today in many church organizations, money raised for charity or world missions is done with grandeur and often giving out prizes and rewards to those who contribute. That may be fine for some, but according to the teaching of Jesus, don’t look for any reward from your heavenly Father for your giving because you’ve already received it from your fellow man.

Here is another teaching that was taught by Rabbis over the years: “If a man marks of a corner of his field and says: This much of the harvest is for a certain poor man that I know, he is thereby granting it to him. But other Sages say, he must not reserve it, but give it to the first poor man that comes along.”¹¹ When the Psalmist was talking about those who reverence and respect the Lord, he complimented them: “They freely give to the poor. Their goodness will continue forever. They will be highly esteemed.”¹² In other words, their kind deeds will bring them notice, they do not need to bring notice to their kind deeds. King Solomon agreed. He says that any honor due to an individual who acts kindly to those in need will come from the Lord.¹³ That is certainly far better than receiving the accolades of man. But Isaiah cautions those who are so willing to give to the poor and needy, that true charity begins at home.¹⁴ That way, whatever you do above and beyond what is needed at home will be to your special credit.¹⁵

In the early fifth century, a bishop in Northern Italy named Chromatius spoke out against believers who broadcast their good deeds in order to get attention. He said: “Jesus taught that the work of justice is to be done not for the sake of humans but for the sake of God. Now we are also instructed that we should not blow the trumpet when we perform acts of charity. That is, we should not broadcast what we do, because it is not the mark of a devout mind to do any of the works of God in order to anticipate the glory of human praise. Many people, you see, make a donation for the use of the poor in order to reap from the gesture the human praise and the renown of their contemporaries. The Lord shows that they have received the reward of their work in this world. For as long as they seek the glory of this world, they lose the reward of the heavenly promise.”¹⁶ This does not mean that a church or organization cannot let people know about such a ministry in order for them to participate if they so desire. But the accomplishments of such good work should not be trumpeted in order for those who are heading the operation to receive personal praise for the good work being done.

But our Lord had sharp words for the hypocrites who did such giving for all the wrong reasons, “When they are in the synagogues and on the streets, they blow trumpets before they give so that people will see them. They want everyone to praise them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get.

Solomon had a neat way of expressing this same thought. He says: “Many men are willing to brag about their own loving-kindness and good ways but what about when it comes to being faithful?”¹⁷ The problem with these hypocrites is that they were only moved to give and be benevolent when there was something in it for them that would bring them praise. They had no interest investing in something for which there was no guaranteed accolades. The prophet Isaiah contrasts this with how God is still willing to help even in the worst of circumstances and to the worst of kind.¹⁸ Jesus was not alone in his objection to giving with such fanfare. In the teachings of the Rabbis we read: “Collectors for the communal charity fund do not collect by publicly calling out for donations. Rather, without any pomp and circumstance they put what they collect in their pockets and then distribute it around town where it is needed most.”¹⁹ Often when such things were taught, it was because the opposite was happening. British scholar John Gill tells us that one Jewish scholar states: “A man who distributes to the poor must not do so in order to receive any praise from them for his help, nor to receive accolades from others for his charitable work.”²⁰

In the incomplete work on Matthew by an anonymous author during the early Church period that we referenced before, we find this commentary: “Every act or speech through which one boasts in good works is like a trumpet. Consider one who performs an act of kindness when he sees someone present but does not do so when no one is there. He is like a trumpet, because through this act his boasting is broadcast. Likewise, consider one who performs an act of kindness when someone asks him to do so but does not do it when no one asks. This bad habit is a trumpet. Again, consider one who gives something of value to an upper-class person, should he see one, a person who is able to reciprocate. But to the lowly and to the poor chained by sufferings, he gives nothing. This too is a trumpet, even if he acted in secret, as long as he did it to seem praiseworthy (first, because he did it; second, because he did it secretly). The very act of concealment trumpets his charity. Whatever this man did, thanks to which he stands out or desires to stand out … that is a trumpet. The very act of kindness, although it actually happened, trumpets itself. Therefore it is not so much the place or the act, but rather the intention, that is to be kept secret.”²¹

Verse 3: Jesus continues with His teaching: “So when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Your giving should be done in private. Your Father can see what is done in private, and He will reward you.”

When it comes to the left and right hands, early Church preacher Chrysostom does not think that Jesus is speaking here of a person’s literal hands. Rather, he believes that this is a spiritual metaphor meant to exaggerate the point He was trying to get across. Says Chrysostom: “Here again His enigmatical meaning is not of the hands, but He has expressed the thing hyperbolically. As thus: If it can be, says He, for yourself not to know it, let this be the object of your endeavor; that, if it were possible, it may be concealed from the very hands that minister. It is not, as some say, that we should hide it from wrong-headed men, for He has here commanded that it should be concealed from all.”²² Given the comprehension factor of today’s thinking, I would say that the left and and right hand are representative of intention and implementation. For instance, if you see a person on the street corner with a sign asking for food, you can point to a restaurant close-by or ask them to get in and take them to the nearest one to buy them a meal. While your intention is to find out why they are in such a pitiful situation, your implementation is to give them nourishment while you listen to their story. In such case, you may also consider yourself as the right hand while the person you are helping is the left hand.

The prophet Jeremiah had a similar word from the Lord in his day when he says: “But I am the Lord, and I can look into a person’s heart. I can test a person’s mind and decide what each one should have. I can give each person the right payment for what they do.”²³ So when we give we should do so with the idea in mind that God is watching us, and He will see to it that we are rewarded for the good things we do. But I like the way the Lord puts it to Jeremiah: “Sometimes a bird will hatch an egg that it did not lay. Those who cheat to get money are like that bird. But when their lives are half finished, they will lose the money. At the end of their lives, it will be clear that they were fools.”²⁴

When it comes to ministers who might be fooled into doing things just for the applause or pats on the back they might get, Samuel had a warning for them.²⁵ In the same context, among the Jews there was a difference between giving a gift out of love, and giving to charity. John Gill tells us that in one Jewish commentary they say: “He that gives a gift to his friend out of love, may make it known, but not if it was by way of donation.”²⁶ In our modern society we can put it this way: if you go to the store at Christmas time to buy a gift for someone, don’t let them know until you give it to them. And if you put money in the Salvation Army kettle or give it to a beggar at the intersection, then keep it to yourself, you don’t need to brag to everyone. Unfortunately, it appears that in Jesus day the Pharisees and others were making a big deal out of giving to the poor and underprivileged.

This concept of giving anonymously was clearly illustrated in the Temple. The Jews tell us: “There were two charity chambers in the Temple, one was referred to as the chamber of the discreet donors, and the other was referred to as the chamber of vessels. One was for money, and the other was for donated goods”²⁷ But both were made available for anonymous givers. One was used to help the poor and the other to help the Temple for upkeep. Giving anonymously was espoused by many high ranking Rabbis. For instance, one of them stated: “A man who gives charity in secret is greater than Moses our Teacher, for of Moses it is written, ‘For I was afraid because of the anger aid the wrath,’²⁸ and of one who gives charity secretly it is written, A gift in secret subdues anger²⁹.”³⁰ So we can see here that some givers gave with ulterior motives.

One of the early church bishops in northern Italy, Chromatius, who we referenced earlier, had this to say about keeping our good works in the proper focus: “If something is to be accomplished according to the teaching of the Lord, then the right hand of the just must not know what the left is doing. That is, in order to labor religiously and faithfully, we should not boast in the sight of sinners and unfaithful people.”³¹ In other words, it is alright for the world to see believers help feed the hungry, give a home to the orphaned or homeless, provide medical services to the underprivileged, etc., but there is no need to do it in such a manner as to gain attention or get applause. Nor should we broadcast that the real intent is to share the gospel of Christ in order to heal their spiritual wounds, being merciful, kind and generous will communicate the gospel message our Lord intended.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER SIX

Part I

NOTE: Some have called this “The Anti-hypocrite chapter of the Bible.” Christ, who was so pure and spotless, despised more than anything else a two-faced, deceiver. First He talks about their deceit with others; then their attempted deception with God; and then their self-deceit; and finally their attempt to deceive all three. This chapter might also properly be referred to as: “The Spiritual Investments and Profits Guide for all Believers.” The right investments will bring eternal dividends, not only at maturity, but also along the way. But I’m afraid that many believers are more interested and acquainted with short-term stocks and bonds than they are with heavenly shares. But as the scripture warns, “Put your treasure where it cannot be eroded or stolen.” So put it in a heavenly trust fund where God keeps His eye on it and the interest rate is unmatched by worldly fame or finances. This is a very clear and precise exposition of rewards. Those things that are earthly and temporal – and therefore so easily lost or devalued, cannot be compared to those rewards which are heavenly and eternal – and therefore permanent and everlasting. Christ here exhorts us to choose the latter, but in so doing He knowingly cuts cross the grain of human egotism and desire. The earthly, temporal rewards are much easier to acquire, take less time and investment, and appeals more to the carnal nature. They are often bestowed with promises and assurances that cannot be guaranteed, and on many occasions disappoints the one who has been striving to obtain them for many years. But Christ clearly states, these are low rated rewards. They pass quickly from memory and there is the possibility they may be destroyed on purpose or lost through decay. This may sound very academic, but it’s based on facts. That’s the whole crux of the Christian life; accepting the facts – Biblical facts.

Verse 1: “Be careful! When you do something good, don’t do it to show off in front of others so that they will applaud you. If you do that, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

So profound and impacting is this truth that I feel it should be the eleventh commandment. Of all the Christian vices, this is the most prevalent. God help our Pharisaical attitudes. However, it must be understood in context and content. Jesus had just finished talking about people finding the will, purpose and destiny for their lives and working on them toward completion. Among the many things that believers are encouraged to do are acts of kindness, courage, patience, assistance, plus their actions and attitudes, and how they must work together harmoniously for the glory of God. But what Jesus has in mind here are acts specifically designed so a person can draw attention themselves so that they, not God, get the honor and praise. These are negative ambitions. But there is a counterpoint to this on the positive side. This involves the unseen acts of kindness, courage, patience, assistance, actions and attitudes that are only noticed by the individuals involved. For instance, say you are the only one in the aisle at the grocery store when you see a lady in a motorized cart unable to reach an item on the upper shelf or in the freezer section. With nobody looking, you quickly offer your assistance. But let me share another that has both possibilities. You are on a bus or subway and an elder man or woman or pregnant lady comes on board and there are no seats available. You can either stand up to give them your seat in a fashion that guarantees everyone will see you and may even give you a nod of approval or a smile of admiration; or you can simply arrange for them to take your seat because it is ingrained in you as something any normal person would do.

We see that this principle was taught back in Moses’ day.¹ This was called “righteousness.”² One Jewish scholar goes so far as to say that if you loaned something to a person in need, and they gave you collateral to guarantee the repayment, should you find out that they are in need of the collateral they gave, give it back so it can be used and then returned. For instance, if a farmer gave a plow in order to get enough money to buy seed, but before he can earn enough money to pay back the loan he must plow the field in order to plant the seed. Says the Rabbi, let him use the plow until he gets the field ready for planting and then have him return it while you wait for the loan can be repaid. In other words, even though you are owed, never take advantage of someone’s distress. Says the Rabbi, “It would be cruel in the extreme to take advantage of the helplessness of the type of person described here in the law of Moses.”³

But the word righteousness should not be understood, as most make take it, as doing something pious or extremely religious. Rather, it is righteous because it’s the “right thing to do.” Yet there is another component. Jesus emphasizes that while doing good is highly commendable, it is not to be done for bragging rights. Sounds simple, right? However, in one Jewish writing we read where Rabbis are having a discussion on practicing righteousness, but couldn’t agree if it should be done openly or in private.⁴ Jesus doesn’t disagree with them on principle, but makes it known that when it is done in the open it should not be a performance where applause is expected.

We also find that in one Rabbinical School it was taught: “Concerning matters which are normally performed publicly the Torah prescribed that it be done in humility. So how much more should matters that are normally done privately be done in humility”⁵ This certainly gives what Jesus said even more of an impact on how things should be accomplished. For instance, prayer in private should be no less earnest, sincere, fervent and meaningful than when it is done in public. And in Jewish literature, especially the teaching on prayer, is said whether one prays along the road, in the streets, or in the Temple courts, the emphasis is on sincerity and purpose more than performance. For instance, if as a believer we should follow this same ethic when we find ourselves in a restaurant where there are people all around talking with waiters and waitresses going back and forth, even though it may seem a little awkward, we should bow our head to say grace. I personally do not find it difficult to take my wife’s hand and ask God’s blessing while thanking Him for His provisions. But I don’t insist on saying it so loud that people on the other side of the restaurant can hear me just to show that I’m religious and proud of it.

In the prophets we hear the Lord’s disgust with those who only listen, agree, but then do not apply what they’ve heard, “They sit in front of you as if they were my people. They hear your words, but they will not do the things you say. They only want to do what feels good”⁶ What Jesus is touching on here was an already established custom among the Jews. As one venerable Rabbi explained: “We are obligated to be careful with regard to the law of charity to a greater extent than all other positive commandments, because charity is an identifying mark for a righteous person, a descendant of Abraham, our patriarch as the Scripture states: ‘I have acknowledged him because he commands his children… to perform charity.’”⁷ Also, “the throne of Israel will not be established, nor will the true faith remain standing except through charity, as the prophet tells us: ‘You will be established through righteousness.’⁸ And Israel will be redeemed solely through charity, as the prophet again states: ‘Zion will be redeemed through judgment and those who return to her through charity.’⁹‘”¹⁰ This Rabbi then goes on to discuss the various levels at which such charity can be expressed.¹¹ We find that he was commenting on what was taught as verbal tradition. In a written copy, one Rabbi declares: “Charity is equivalent to all the other religious precepts combined.”¹² And in another place we read where it was said: “This nation is distinguished by three characteristics: They are merciful, bashful and benevolent…Only he who cultivates these three characteristics is fit to join this nation.”¹³

So Jesus is not in disagreement with what was done, but how it was done. There were many among the Pharisees and Jewish leaders who prided themselves in acts of charity. They used it as a way of garnering respect and admiration. After all, they were only copying Abraham.¹⁴ And did not Solomon say: “It is better to be a humble person living among the poor than to share the wealth among the proud.”¹⁵ That’s why our Lord tells them that in order to please God with their charitable acts, do them anonymously or out of the spotlight. The Master basically says that His followers have a choice when giving and helping others. Either do it to get the accolades of man, or do it to get a reward from God the Father. Why was Jesus so adamant on this point. We need look no further than the comments on this subject by the Jewish teachers. One Rabbi expounded: “The practice of kindness is greater than charity, for it is said, Sow to yourselves according to your charity, but reap according to your loving-kindness¹⁶.”¹⁷ In other words, it’s not the amount of effort you put into a good deed, but the amount love you put in that will determine any kind of reward. Also in the earliest Jewish writings we see the same thought repeated as mentioned before: “Charitable and righteous deeds outweigh all other commandments in the Torah.”¹⁸

So impressed were the early church scholars in what Jesus said here that they saw its application to the everyday life of the believer. For instance, Origen of Alexandria (AD 184-253) said: “Just as water always conflicts with fire and fire with water and such things can never dwell together simultaneously, so likewise egotism and virtue are opposed to each other and can never easily coexist in one and the same soul. Therefore egotism is to be expelled from our souls, and we must abide in Christ’s commandments.”¹⁹ And later, Hilary of Poitiers (AD 310-367) noted that Jesus “removes all concern for things of the present and bids those thunderstruck by the hope of the future to pursue neither the favor of others by parading their virtue nor religious boasting through an outpouring of public prayer. Rather, the fruit of good works is to be contained within the knowledge of faith, because the pursuit of human praise will receive only that reward which it looks for from people, while to yearn for God’s approval is to pursue a reward longed for patiently.”²⁰

But another anonymous writer from the early church period had this to say: “You who have offered nothing to God, what do you expect to receive from God? Everything done on account of God is given to God and received by God. But what is done to be seen by others is poured into the wind…. What is human praise but the sound of the whistling winds?… Those who act on account of others, to be praised by them, have wasted their energy. What sort of wisdom is it to put on a show and to prepare empty speeches? Those who do so scorn the treasure of God waiting in eternity in heaven, preferring fleeting human words. It is better to do nothing than to act to be seen. For those who do nothing, even if they do not enter heaven, at least squander nothing on earth. But those who act to be seen by others not only fail to enter heaven but also earn pitiably little on earth.”²¹

These may sound like strange words from the past for us today, but it will give all of us an idea of how the Word of God was applied to believers in the early centuries of the Church, so that we can either see how far we have come in our understanding of what Jesus was trying to teach His disciples, or how far we have regressed in our comprehension of the truth our Lord came to deliver to us from His Father in heaven. In either case, we should let our spirit agree with the Holy Spirit in how we should respond in our own lives, but remember not to hold others responsible for the same decision in their lives. For in the end we are only accountable for one person’s commitment and conduct, and that is ourselves.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

Past President, Asian Seminary of Christian Ministries

ALERT!  To all my faithful students and fellow scholars.  Tomorrow we begin our journey through Matthew, Chapter six.  I have decided to begin using an enhanced version of my commentary, in which we look at what some of the earliest scholars and teachers of the early church had to say about Jesus was teaching.

I pray that God will richly bless you for taking the time to read and study His Word.  I’ve been studying it now for 55 years and it is still turning out to be a gold mine of undiscovered nuggets of wisdom.

See you tomorrow!

Sometimes we become so comfortable with things in life that we do not notice mistakes until they are pointed out to us. For instance, what word in the English language is always spelled incorrectly? Even when people check the dictionary, they still spell it incorrectly! That should set your brain to spinning. But believe it or not, there is one.

When things like this are revealed, most people respond by saying, “I didn’t realize that!” or “Why didn’t I see that before.” And sometimes you’ll hear them say: “How could I be so dumb not to see that?” It might all lead back to a factor of looking but not seeing. How many people have been ticketed because they misread the No Parking sign? Or what about buying an item online for only $19.99 without realizing that it says in small print, “Per month for 18 months.” Or using the wrong ingredient because we misread the recipe since the one used is spelled similar to the one we should have used, or not realizing that the person we look at in the mirror every morning is exactly what people often call us when they get upset or angry for some of the foolish thing we did or said.

The phrase, “Know yourself” is an ancient Greek saying that calls attention to the fact that sometimes others know us better than we know ourselves. That’s why when they point things out to us, we should not be so quick to turn them away and discard what they say. I read this once, and it has a lot to say about how we approach information that seems foreign to us: “To know yourself, look at your fears. Fear in itself is not important, but fear stands there and points you in the direction of things that are important. Don’t be afraid of your fears, they’re not there to scare you; they’re there to let you know that something is worth it.” by C. JoyBell C.

So, do you know what word in English is always spelled incorrectly? Go ahead, give it a try! Don’t be afraid of being wrong, it may be the only way of finding out.

One of the first stories most children learn from the Bible is about Noah and the ark. So if you ask any fellow believer, how many of each animal species that God told Noah to go and collect did he bring onto the ark, the answer will most likely be, two. This is what they learned when their mother or Sunday school teacher told them the story.

But that is not correct! And that is why some skeptics have questioned the truth about Noah’s ark due to the logistics involved. Not only do they wonder if the ark which he built by God’s direction be able to house two of every animal species involved, but when they learn the facts of how many there were, it makes it even more improbable.

The reason, this is the scripture that causes them to think this way: “Take with you seven pairs of every kind of animal fit for consumption, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of animal not fit for consumption, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.”

This is a case of “selective memory” on the part of many Christians. Not only does it effect the story of Noah, but other stories as well. For instance, the Bible does not say Eve gave Adam an apple, nor does it say that Paul the apostle fell from a horse when he was confronted by Jesus and the light from heaven outside Damascus. Yet we hear this over and over again in lessons and sermons Sunday after Sunday.

Once the people of the world find this out, no wonder they start to question whether or not we as believers really know what we’re talking about. That’s why we should not only read the Scriptures, but we should study them so that we are not telling them what we think the Scriptures say, but what we know the Scriptures say.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER FIVE

To all my wonderful, precious and faithful readers.  May God richly bless you for your love of His Word, and reward you for taking the time to contemplate what He had to say through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

We just finished our study of Matthew, Chapter Five, where we learned how Jesus took teachings that His audience knew about because of the verbal traditions that were being taught to them by the Rabbis, but instead of following the legalistic interpretation under the Law, He emphasized the spiritual aspects of these teachings under Grace.  In other words, He told His listeners to do this things correctly, not because they had to out of obligation, in order to please others, but because they wanted to out of love, in order to please God.

He talked about taking responsibility as salt and light; about attitude, especially when calling someone a fool; about morality, in particular adultery and divorce; about integrity when making a promise and having understanding instead of wanting revenge; and finally what it means to love those who hate you for who you are and what you are.

Our next study will be Chapter Six, where Jesus continues to teach the spiritual aspects of helping those in need, about praying, fasting, laying up treasure in heaven, and why we shouldn’t worry so much about things we don’t have, and be thankful for what we do have.

I look forward to walking with you down this unfamiliar road to gain a greater understanding  of what Jesus really said, instead of being satisfied by with what you’ve always thought He said.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER FIVE

Part X

When it comes to blessings being poured out on both the good and the bad, in Jewish writings we find this clearly expounded where one Rabbi says: “The day when rain falls is greater than [the day of] the Revival of the Dead, for the Revival of the Dead is for the righteous only whereas rain is both for the righteous and for the unrighteous.”¹ We find a similar thought in the earliest Talmud where it explains: “The dew does not fall on account of the merit of any living being. What is the basis in Scripture for this view? ‘Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers upon the grass, which tarry not for the sake of men or wait for the merit as sons of men.²”³ And in the same Jewish document we find this incident: “Rabbi Yosé bar Jacob went to visit Rabbi Yudan of Magdela who was ill. While he was there, rain came. He heard the sick man saying, ‘A thousand times a thousand are we liable to praise your name, O our king, for each and every drop that you bring down to us, for you do good to the unworthy.’ So Rabbi Yose bar Jacob asked Rabbi Yudan, “Where did you hear that blessing?” Rabbi Yudan said, “This is how Rabbi Simeon, my master, would say a blessing when rain came.”⁴ So in this case we can say that our Savior was quoting already existing verbal tradition more than introducing a new thought.

Jesus now expands this idea by saying: “If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that.”

Just as we often choose an extreme example of some contradiction to prove a point, Jesus points to some of the most hated Jews in any city or town, and they were those who collected the taxes for the Romans. This was truly a case of taxation without representation. These taxes were oppressive, and therefore the tax collectors were seen as joining the heartless Romans as oppressors. One venerable Rabbi says: “It is forbidden to benefit from the property of people whom we can assume to be robbers, when all of their property can be assumed to have come from robbery, for their profession is based on robbery – e.g., customs-collectors and highwaymen. We may not change money from their cash-box, for all their money can be assumed to have come from robbery.”⁵ They were considered so obnoxious, that Rabbis compared them to murderers who will kill if their demands are not met.⁶ And yet Jesus credits them with being friends to those who are friendly with them.

So Jesus continues: “And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends.”

Being kind and loving to those who are kind and loving to you is not an act of the will, it is a natural emotional response. As a matter of fact, Jesus said you are nothing special. You are only doing what is expected. Luke puts a different twist on this idea.⁷ There, Jesus says that if you only lend to others for the credit you will receive for being so good, don’t bother. Even sinners can do that. Rather, express your generosity even to your opponents without looking for anything in return, not even a thank you, because you will be coping Your Father in Heaven who is kind even to the unthankful and ungrateful. Loving the unloving, and caring for the uncaring is an act of the will. This is why God was able to love the world even before the world loved Him, and why Jesus was willing to die for us while we were yet sinners.

That’s why Jesus ended by explaining, “What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Here the word “perfect” can be easily taken as meaning errorless. But that’s not how the Greek word used here is defined. It means, “to complete, to leave nothing out, to reach the mark or goal.” In this case, the highest mark of virtue and integrity in understanding integrity and goodness. We should not skip over this verse too quickly, thinking that it requires too much and may put you in an untenable position. For instance, we find that in Jewish tradition, the Hebrew word “tamiym” (“complete, whole, entire, sound”);⁸ was used to describe Noah. One well respected Jewish scholar states that this attribute on Noah’s part: “refers to interpersonal relations with his peers. He was good to them, as opposed to his peers who tried to take advantage of each other.”⁹ Another Jewish theologian adds this: “He was guiltless and perfect in his righteousness in order to inform us that he was worthy to be saved from the flood without any punishment whatever since he was wholehearted in righteous. For a righteous person is one who is found guiltless in judgment as opposed to the wicked person.”¹⁰ In other words, Noah did not build the ark at God’s command just for himself and his family, but whosoever would come in response to the invitation to be saved from the coming flood. So it is that we should not construct our lives solely for our own comfort and enjoyment. God has a higher goal for His children.

According to other scholars, in older Jewish sayings Noah is called “a righteous and blameless man”,¹¹ which could indicate “perfection” (KJV) and “blameless” (NIV) with God, though not necessarily in a moral sense¹².¹³ One Jewish commentator draws a distinction between Noah and Abraham by saying “Noah endeavored to do what God expected of him. He acted righteously while Abraham ten generations later did so without having to be told to by God”.¹⁴ We also find this in the teaching of the Essenes who strived for perfection by committing themselves to perfect obedience to the Law and the sect’s teachings.¹⁵ But they also exhorted men to “choose whatever is pleasing to God and to reject whatever he hates, ‘that you may walk perfectly in all His ways and not follow after thoughts of the guilty inclination and after eyes of lust.’”¹⁶

But we know from history that they failed, as all others have done. So to put it more simply, being perfect as it was understood in the Jewish mind at the time of Jesus, was to “finish the task given you.” And in so doing, make friends, not enemies. Consider how Jesus handled this on His way to the cross. Just as we cannot require people to earn our love, we should also refrain from making them earn our forgiveness. To do so is only making them pay a fine or penalty. To receive God’s forgiveness we need only sincerely confess with a contrite heart. Should it require anymore from us? So this is what Jesus was teaching. He was telling His disciples to ascribe to all the virtues and ethics that He has just presented as being attributes of God. In so doing, they would be fulfilling their calling, and becoming more and more like the One who called them.

Therefore, when choosing the model for our lives, select the one that will please God more because it is designed to give rather than to receive. For instance, some of the most cordial and ennobling doctors I’ve ever met were those who went into the profession because it gave them an opportunity to help others, not to make money. Likewise, the most inspiring men and woman of God that I have met along my journey are those who accepted their calling and performed the mission given them by the Holy Spirit in reaching God’s expectations for their ministry, not their own expectations of promotion and recognition.