1 “Take heed that you do not do your
charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward
from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do
not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in
the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they
have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
The Lord Jesus now addresses our doing charitable deeds and key in this
is not the deed (i.e. how sacrificial it is), but the motivation behind the
deed (consider 1 Cor. 13:3). Therefore Jesus warns us not to do our charitable
deeds before men to be seen by them, for that is what people do all time, do their
charitable deeds to be seen by others so as to receive accolades and praises
from them. Therefore the Lord Jesus warns us not to do that, because God the
Father will not reward such “good deeds”, if it is only being done to impress
men and not bless others through Him.
Vs. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
The sounding of a trumpet before one as they do their charitable deeds may seem a bit of an exaggeration, but in reality by saying as much Jesus dramatically portrays the kind of hypocritical and self-glorying giving that seeks to bring praise and glory to oneself, all which God does not reward. And so we are not to follow what the hypocrites do, because that will only assure that one receives the reward of the hypocrites; and that is the empty accolades of men that only last for a moment. Therefore in pursuing such things for themselves nothing more will be given them by the Father.
Vs. 3-4 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And so in contrast to do that the Lord Jesus says when we do our charitable deeds we are not to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing, the idea being we are not to try to draw attention to ourselves while doing our charitable deeds. Therefore when we do our charitable deeds in secret (not hypocritically and on public display for all to observe us doing so) we by doing them in secret are only doing them before God, for His approval, and thus it will God Himself who will reward us openly.
Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”
Vs. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
The sounding of a trumpet before one as they do their charitable deeds may seem a bit of an exaggeration, but in reality by saying as much Jesus dramatically portrays the kind of hypocritical and self-glorying giving that seeks to bring praise and glory to oneself, all which God does not reward. And so we are not to follow what the hypocrites do, because that will only assure that one receives the reward of the hypocrites; and that is the empty accolades of men that only last for a moment. Therefore in pursuing such things for themselves nothing more will be given them by the Father.
Vs. 3-4 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
And so in contrast to do that the Lord Jesus says when we do our charitable deeds we are not to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing, the idea being we are not to try to draw attention to ourselves while doing our charitable deeds. Therefore when we do our charitable deeds in secret (not hypocritically and on public display for all to observe us doing so) we by doing them in secret are only doing them before God, for His approval, and thus it will God Himself who will reward us openly.
Scripture Quotation
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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