§ 6. The Sermon on the Mount (According to Matthew)

† 11. On Almsgiving

Matthew 6:1

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

Introduction

This passage continues to address our relationship to God and to others around us as the passage in 5:43–48 had. Here the focus is on whom we are trying to please—whether God, others, or ourselves.

If we do good to make others think more highly of us, we please ourselves. We ought rather to please God.

Just as verses 5:43–48 showed we love others without reference to how they first treat us, the current reading shows we seek to please God without regard to whether others see us doing so. The point is to serve God directly by serving others.

Ananias & Sapphira

The idea of doing good in order to be seen doing good brings to mind the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.

Acts 4:34–35, 5:1–5
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it would be distributed to each as any had need....
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God." When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Many foreign-born Jews who were in Jerusalem for Pentecost obeyed the gospel in Acts 2. Such Christians decided to move their permanent residence to Jerusalem so they could continue with the new and growing congregation of the Lord. This meant they could sell their foreign holdings and donate any profit to the Lord.

While they were not required to give 100% of the profit, Ananias and Sapphira gave the church the impression they had given 100%. They wanted the brethren to see them giving a large sum of money and think they were as charitable and selfless as the others in their situation who were doing so. This is why Peter's rebuke included, "You have not lied to men."

Their death was at God's hands, not Peter's, because the contribution in fact belongs to God, not men. This is just like Matthew 6:1–4 in that we must recognize the good we do is for God, not men.

Matthew 6:2

"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

sound no trumpet before you

In our nation, we practically never see someone invoking regal trumpets, "Hear ye! Hear ye!", to garner everyone's wrapt attention before performing an act of charity. But we do see businesses advertising their charitable works and causes, and sometimes people do boast of the charity they work with—or the size of their contribution check.

Jesus calls such persons "hypocrites" because such an act is not charitable but selfish—they are doing this charitable deed so that other people will consider them charitable, not because they care about the charitable cause, whatever it may be.

In Jesus's economy, these already have their reward. They paid for others' esteem, and they have it. But they have no credit with God. And it's what God thinks that matters!

2 Corinthians 10:17–18
"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

Matthew 6:3

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

when you give

Jesus assumes we all will give to the needy. It's not "if" but "when."

do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing

This figure of speech is conveying a simple thought: Do good quietly, not drawing attention to yourself. If it were possible to hide one of your own hands from the other, that would be the kind of quietness that get's God's attention, not man's.

Matthew 6:4

so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

your giving may be in secret

Secrets belong to God. We therefore know the good we do in secret (so as not to garner the praise of men) will still catch God's notice.

Many passages show that God will not overlook our good works for Him, but these examples seem most directly to the point:

Galatians 6:7–10
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Hebrews 6:9–10
Though we speak [of a land whose end is to be burned (verses 7–8)], yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.
your Father who sees in secret will reward you

The "secret" place takes many different forms. A thing may be secret in the sense that it is literally done where none can see. A thing may be secret when it is still a plan in the heart of the individual and hasn't come to completion yet. A reward might seem hidden by time when we must wait for it until after death.

Regardless, we know the Father sees all that happens here, whether good or evil, no matter how well hidden it may seem to be.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
1 Timothy 5:24–25
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Hebrews 4:12–13
The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

In the final analysis, God will bring it all into judgment, and the final outcome—His verdict—will be completely just.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.