Matthew 6:1-4
On boasting1 Avoid giving charitable gifts in public so that people can see you; otherwise, you have no reward from your heavenly Father.
2 So when you are donating, do not announce it with a trumpet blast, like the role players do in the synagogues and on the streets in order to gain the praises of men. Seriously, I am telling you, [DLL.X1] they have their reward.
3 But when you are donating to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your gifts are made in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
5 And when you pray, don't be like the role players who love to pray standing in the synagogues and on street corners to put on a show for people. Very seriously I tell you, [DLL.X1] they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your private room, and once you have shut your door, privately pray to your Father, and your Father who sees in private will reward you publicly.
7 But when you pray, don't babble on, as the pagans do; for they think that all that noise will assure that they are heard.
8 So don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask.
Show-offs don't impress God at all. Ha ha! We puny runts think we're big deals? Next to God? Silly, isn't it?
Role-playing to win applause of the people around you is a well-known flaw to which many of us are subject. We suffer from insecure egos, and receive childish pleasure from garnering plaudits for our wonderful religious attitude. But, says Jesus, this "holier than thou" stuff has got to go. When you commune with God in secret, you obviously aren't trying to be a "people pleaser." God likes that, because you are being REAL with him and not just being another phony. The silly phonies wanted to be rewarded with admiration of people. Well, that's it. They have already received their reward. But you who quietly desire to be in God's presence are guaranteed that he will openly bless you when the time comes.
Boasting and seeking attention for your good deeds may win you applause, but that is all it will win you. As in other teachings, we see that motive is the underlying issue. If you are seeking praise or flattery, your purpose is to stroke your ego. If you think about it, it's a rather infantile thing to do. Toddlers are always demanding attention from older people in order to affirm their newly forming egos. But even toddlers can overdo that bit and at times need to be ignored (which does not mean neglected).
Obviously, this teaching is all about attitude. If someone happens to observe you while you pray in private, that is not at issue. Nor does it mean we may not pray publicly in church or temple. Clearly it is customary for us to pray both individually and collectively in sight of others at church. But, hopefully, we are not trying to show off and we may still pray in secret at home, or wherever. And, if you wonder about praying publicly, then don't volunteer for it! If you happen to be chosen, you have not sought to have your ego flattered.
Matthew 11:29
Seeking praise is no way to die to self. Yet, as we die to self, Jesus
and the Father draw nearer. And, some time, who knows when, God will
remember our anonymous love gifts, even if we don't, and reward us.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
In most cases the glory-hunting people described by Jesus were affluent. They could afford to play the philanthropist and had time to show off their religiousness. Even so, he was saying, don't behave that way. But again, it's all about attitude. A poor person is quite capable of childishly bragging and showing off.
Consider the modern system of philanthropy (= love of humanity) [DLL.1*], specifically those foundations set up by the rich, which are often designed as a means of avoiding inheritance taxes. These foundations do what its backers assume to be good works: ameliorating social evils and promoting betterment of society. [DLL.1a*]
Maybe so. But why should we accept that the rich know how to make people's lives better? If their inner lamps are dark, isn't there a considerable risk that they are leading people wrong, helping Satan send people toward hell? What good is it to obtain betterment in this life with no clue as to what to do about the world to come? The best-laid plans often lead ... nowhere good.
Because their inner lamps are very often dark, such "noble helpers" are all too often simply projecting their egoistical needs onto the world. If they are serving God, why do they issue press releases that trumpet their generosity? If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:14).
Jesus wants his followers to put others first, to sit at the foot of the table rather than at the head. Perhaps at some point they, after making themselves low, will be invited to the place of honor. Note that Jesus promises that the Father will reward the secret gift-giver openly. The quiet Christian is to be honored in front of the heavenly host that watches everything humans do in this earthly battle zone between good and evil.
Earnestness in prayer
Verse 7 is rendered by the King James version as "use not vain repetitions" for "don't babble on." Either way, we should avoid the simple error of equating earnestness for more physical effort. For that is only the flesh attempting to get its way, and having no idea of what it is doing, to boot. Your Father wants you to commune with him, like your children commune with you. You want your kids to ask for things even though you already know what they really need. How much more true is that for those of us who have become children of God via Jesus Christ.
Though Jesus doesn't speak of fasting here, the practice is a time-honored way for the Christian, as well as the Jew, of proving one's earnestness and of drawing closer to God. We can't really give anything to God, but by denying our normal desire we make ourselves more receptive to his presence and leading.
Also, when Jesus says to keep your prayers simple, that doesn't mean that all that is necessary is one prayer on a particular request. Rather, even though God knows our needs before we ask, we are to nevertheless pray. Jesus knows that sincere prayer to God helps us to hear him. It is good for us to commune with him.
Luke 18:1-8
Luke has this saying in the context of persecution, yet surely it makes sense in other situations. Over the centuries, numerous Christians have discovered the value of earnest, effectual prayer. Earnestness can imply fasting, and it can also imply a number of prayer sessions.1 He told them a parable that makes the point that people should always pray, and not give up:
2 In a certain city, there was a judge who had no fear of God, nor did he respect people.6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge says..."
3 In that city was a widow who came to him, pleading, Correct the wrong done by my antagonist.
4 But the judge ignored her for a while -- though eventually he said to himself, I don't care about God nor what people think,
5 but this widow is always pestering me, and so I will settle her case lest she wear me out.
What Jesus was speaking against was "prayer wheel" type of prayer, in which prayers are offered somewhat mechanically, either through mindless babbling or the spinning of wheels. The less meaning a prayer carries in the mind of the one offering it, the less earnest it is and hence the less effective.
In addition, we might observe that babbling can also imply here incantation and repetition, on which pagan gods allegedly thrived. So Jesus implicitly is warning his disciples to beware the pagan tendency to employ magic. In other words, an undertone of this admonition is that we are to steer clear of shamanism and sorcery (something that his fellow Jews regarded as abhorrent).
Related to this caution is the thought that we should beware striving with the carnal (lower) mind to try to influence God.
The Apostle James wrote,
James 5:16
James, of course, was writing after the Resurrection. But modern Christians need to interpret Jesus' words in light of the Resurrection. Illuminated by the Spirit, James was able to discern what was important. A "righteous man" is a person who has been made right with God by metaphorically wearing – as a free gift – the robe of righteousness granted by Jesus. God hears the prayer of friends of Jesus, and action will be forthcoming – though on God's timetable.Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Of course, James advises Christians to tell each other their faults, their shortcomings, their character defects, as well as any offensive behavior toward members of their group. This helps bring a good spirit within the group and looses any blocks on God's forgiveness caused by a failure to settle things with others.
So what I am driving at is: meaningless ritualistic prayers are worth much less than simple, but earnest prayers. For example, repeating the Hail Mary numerous times is exactly the sort of prayer Jesus was saying not to do. God heard you the first time! If you want to be earnest, try accompanying your prayer with fasting or some other form of self-denial.
In fact, nowhere in the New Testament are we ever urged to pray to Mary or any saint (= born-again person). No doubt God is the God of the living, and not of the dead. Mary and the other born-again believers are living out their lives – eternally. But Jesus is the Savior, not Mary. You are urged to petition the Father, under the name of Jesus, or Jesus directly. You may even ask the Holy Spirit – in consonance with the Son – to aid you, as he is equal with the other persons of the godhead.
It is rather peculiar that both the Western and Eastern churches adopted the notion of prayer to Mary in the face of no such Scripture or early tradition. The idea arose from the theological point that, if Jesus is the Son of God, that makes Mary the mother of God. So then, wouldn't that make her sort of a quasi-god? Well, let's remember that Jesus in John 10:34 quotes Psalm 82:6: "I have said, you are gods." And we know from both Paul's letters and from the Book of John that the born-again believers – in aggregate, the church – are one with God. They are God, though individually they maintain their seats at the foot of the table. Likewise for Mary. When one prays to her, one is specifically disobeying Christ's teaching that we are to look to him and the Father for all our needs.
Some years back, as a born-again Christian who attended a good Bible-studying church, I somehow fell into the error of saying the Hail Mary, often repeatedly. This occurred, I think, because of a misunderstanding of God's leading coupled with my good feeling for people of Roman Catholic tradition. Eventually God specifically told me about my mistake (and one or two others, as well). He did not hold it against me. Had I stayed firmly grounded in Scripture, however, I would not have made that error. Everything should be tested against Scripture.
I also heard that the Roman Catholic Church was "the wrong church," which should not be taken to mean that the Lord cannot reach people there. What he meant, I believe, is that the real church is not that particular organization but is rather the brotherhood and sisterhood of born-again believers, and that those churches that preach the doctrine that I have been conveying are the prime places for seeking the Lord.
But, I add a caution: I am quite sure that God led me to enroll my boys in a neighborhood Roman Catholic school when they were very young – a decision I have never regretted. As things worked out, they were unable to continue their education there, an outcome that saddened me.
Another blind alley concerned the Shroud of Turin. Had I kept focused on Scripture, it is unlikely I could have accepted that hoax for so long. [DLL.2*]
Luke 5:30-35
It could be argued that the disciples indeed practiced fasting after the crucifixion and the appearance of the risen Jesus until the Feast of Pentecost, but that once the Holy Spirit came to the church at that feast, the Bridegroom was no longer absent.30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
My response is that such an argument has some merit, but should not be used to cast aside the spiritually healthful practice of fasting. We are to eat up the bread of life, which is Jesus and what he and his Father tell us to do. That is, we should eat to live – in Christ – and not live to eat.
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Mt. 6:9-15. The Lord's prayer
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