01.12. The Sermon on the Mount (20)

The Sermon on the Mount (20)

Alms

(Matthew 6:1-4) Practical Righteousness In Matthew 6:1-18 the Lord Jesus refers back to the practical right­eousness already mentioned in chapter Matthew 5:20. There we read: "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." The Pharisees and Scribes are often depicted in the New Testament as men whose religious activities were for a pretence only (Mark 12:40), and carried out before men. They loved and sought the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 5:44; John 12:43). In Matthew 23:1-39 the Lord Jesus calls them hypocrites several times. Hypocrisy is the endeavour to appear better than one (really) is. Hypocrisy was the great sin of the Phari­sees. This is why the Lord Jesus speaks of the leaven of the Phari­sees as of something totally evil (Luke 12:1). Their righteousness was only an outward one and had no value before God.

Three Examples The Lord Jesus refers to the righteousness which is more excellent than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, in three examples at the beginning of Matthew 6:1-34. This is true practical righteousness: alms, prayer and fasting. As every detail in Scripture is inspired of the Holy Spirit it is not without meaning that these three paragraphs show a similar structure:

1. In every example the Lord Jesus first of all mentions what His disciples ought not to do. In this way He warns them against the detestable doings of the hypocrites who only looked for the glory of men.

2. The same judgment follows in every case: "Verily I say unto you, They have their reward."

3. Then the Lord Jesus gives His positive instruction which starts with direct speech and the words, "But Thou" (see J.N.D. Trans., Matthew 6:3, Matthew 6:6, Matthew 6:177).

4. Finally, each of the three examples ends with the same encouraging words: "And thy Father, which seeth in secret, Himself shall reward thee." The similar structure of these teachings of our Lord gives them a special character and particular importance.

Matthew 6:1 is as it were the general heading: "Take heed not to do your righteousness before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens" (see footnote in J.N.D. Trans.). The Lord Jesus calls on His disciples to consider their motives. If they do their righteous deeds before men to be seen of them they are only seeking human recognition. This would be their "reward." Furthermore, the Lord affirms that those who seek the praise of men receive no reward of the Father which is in heaven. On the other hand, those who look for His reward (see Hebrews 11:26) do not seek human recognition. This is not contradicted by the earlier words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 5:16 : "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." There He was speaking to His disciples who ought to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. If their good works were seen, God would be glorified by them, and not men. In our paragraph in Matthew 6:1-34 the result is just the reverse.

We sometimes find it difficult to judge whether we really do a thing for the Lord’s sake or as seeking the praise of men, because our motives are often mixed. It is true that we would like to do something for the Lord but we like men to see us doing it! The world has a saying: "Do good and do speak of it!" As our verse shows, such an attitude does not become a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus. We therefore need to examine and judge ourselves continuously.

Alms: Mercy towards the needy The Lord Jesus now explains the warning of verse 1 by three exam­ples. The first of these speaks of giving alms. "Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." The word "alms" is derived from the biblical-Greek word elee­mosyne, which in turn comes from the word for "mercy." It is used in the New Testament only in the sense of a good deed or deed of mercy. In Scripture it never has the lesser meaning of a small gift to a beggar as it has in today’s language. On the contrary, not only are Dorcas’ alms-deeds mentioned with her good works (Acts 9:36), but it is also said that the many alms which the Roman centurion, Cornelius, gave to the poor of the Jews, came up for a memorial before God (Acts 10:2; Acts 10:4).

Help in material need was a much greater necessity in former times when there were no social benefits, no unemployment bene­fits, no pensions, etc. But how much need is there still today, if we only open our eyes and hearts to it! How much good can be done even today, if only we are prepared to put our hands in our pock­ets! (see Galatians 2:10; Ephesians 4:28; James 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17). The Lord Jesus however does not say, "Ye shall do good to the poor," but: "when thou doest alms..." He does not give a commandment. As He mentions alms first of all He wants to tell us that He cares for the needy. Therefore we too ought to have open hearts for them.

God Looks at the Heart

If we do good deeds we ought to do them as He desires, without even mentioning them. Those who sound a trumpet before them (Matthew 6:2) to have glory of men the Lord Jesus calls hypocrites. This is a severe word which shows how detestable such insincerity is. But one might say, "If someone does good to others the results will remain, even if everybody sees it!" This nobody can deny, but it is not in question here at all. The Lord Jesus speaks of men who pretend to do something for God, but in reality look for recognition and glory from men (as their reward) for their alms. So the Lord Jesus says if they are admired for it by men they do have their reward. They shall not receive any reward from God. God does not primarily honour the results-even if they are most blessed-but the motives of our actions. He desires so much our love for Him (and for our needy fellow-men) to be the motive for our deeds. In sharp contrast to this hypocritical attitude stands the attitude to which the Lord Jesus encourages every single disciple (Matthew 6:3-4): "But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly." Everyone is called to see how and where he may help. As we said earlier, the Lord does not command the giving of alms. But if we do give alms, it is to be done in secret and without being noticed. For this the Lord Jesus uses an expression which seems to say something humanly impossible: "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." If my left hand is not to know what my right hand does how much less ought my brethren and fellow-men to know it! But there is someone who knows my secret doings and the atti­tude of my heart. "Thy Father, which seeth in secret, Himself shall reward thee (KJV: openly)." As in Matthew 5:16 and Matthew 5:45 the Lord Jesus places His disciples in their new relationship to God as their Father. Though they could not yet understand the full depth of its significance, He told them that Jehovah of the Old Testament had now become their loving, good, but also just Father, who takes notice of every deed and thought of His sons with fatherly interest. He will also reward every one in a day to come.