RSV ~ Matthew 6 Notes

Mt 6:1-18 | ISB Notes

Jesus reaffirms three traditional works of mercy honored by Jews (cf. Tob 12:8-10): almsgiving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15), and fasting (6:16-18) (cCC 1434, 1969).

piety: Literally “righteousness”, as in 3:15; 5:6, 20; 6:33.

See word study: Righteousness at Mt 3. Jesus does not challenge these practices in themselves; he warns against performing them for public esteem (CCC 1430).

Mt 6:2 | ISB Notes

give alms: Charitable gifts given to the poor (Sir 17:22; Lk 3:11; CCC 2447).

hypocrites: Refers to “actors” or “stage players”. Jesus may have certain scribes and Pharisees in mind (cf. 23:5, 27-28) who perform outward devotions to be seen and praised by men. The exercise of one’s faith can be public, so long as it flows from proper intentions (5:16).

Mt 6:6 | ISB Notes

in secret: Private prayer stands in contrast to the false piety of hypocrites. It was Jesus’ own custom to withdraw from the public and pray alone to the Father (14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 9:18). Private prayer is a complement to communal prayer, not a rejection of it (cf. 18:20; Acts 1:12-14; CCC 2602, 2655).

Mt 6:7 | ISB Notes

empty phrases … many words: Jesus briefly considers the false religiosity of Gentiles. Pagans would recite long litanies of divine names to gain the attention of gods. This was meant to ensure that the deity was addressed properly. Jesus considers the practice empty—i.e., devoid of faith and of love for the deity. Note that his warning is not aimed at repetitious or lengthy prayer in itself. With a pure heart, such prayer can be fruitful and intimate. Jesus himself prayed to the Father in Gethsemane three times “saying the same words” (26:44) and “all night” (Lk 6:12) before choosing the apostles (CCC 2668).

Mt 6:9-13 | ISB Notes

The Our Father is a model of prayer. Given by God’s Son, it is part of the family inheritance of God’s children. It has seven petitions and can be divided into two parts: the first section (6:9-10) glorifies God, while the second half (6:11-13) petitions God about human needs (CCC 2765, 2781).

Mt 6:9 | ISB Notes

Our: The first person plural (our, us, we) is prominent in the Our Father. It is thus a prayer for the Church (CCC 2768).

Father: Jesus may have taught this prayer in Aramaic, a language related to ancient Hebrew and in common usage among first-century Jews. In this case, Jesus would have addressed the Father as “Abba”, an affectionate title preserved elsewhere in the NT (Mk 14:36; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). While Jesus alone is the Father’s Son by nature, we too become his children by the grace of divine adoption (Rom 8:14-16; Gal 4:4-7). As God’s children in Christ (Jn 1:12), Christians now regard God as their Father in a more profound way than OT Israel had (Deut 32:6): they participate in God’s divine life (2 Pet 1:4; 1 Jn 3:1; CCC 2766, 2780).

Hallowed be your name: A petition that all would recognize God’s name as holy (Ps 111:9; Lk 1:49). To call upon God’s name is an ancient form of worship (Gen 4:26; Ps 116:17; Joel 2:32), and the Law warns against taking his name “in vain” (Ex 20:7) (CCC 2807).

Mt 6:11 | ISB Notes

our daily bread: The Greek epiousios(translated daily) is used only here and in Lk 11:3 in the NT. It probably means “for tomorrow” or “for the future”.

The petition thus concerns food for the body and soul: (1) The necessities of life that fathers give their children is a form of daily bread. This may recall the manna that God provided each day for the Israelites in the wilderness (Ex 16:13-17). (2) Several Church Fathers interpret daily bread as a reference to the Holy Eucharist—a form of supernatural sustenance (Acts 2:46). The two connotations are connected, since Jesus advocates dependence on the Father for daily living (6:25-34) and later associates the manna with the Eucharist (Jn 6:30-40; CCC 2837).

Mt 6:13 | ISB Notes

evil: Also translated “the Evil One”, as in 13:19 (cf. Jn 17:15; 2 Thess 3:3). As such, it designates Satan, fallen angel and adversary of God.

The petition is projected into the future: Christians pray for God’s deliverance in the final days, when the devil and evil will be destroyed (Rev 20:10).

Mt 6:17 | ISB Notes

anoint your head: Fasting was often a public practice accompanied by wearing sackcloth and putting ashes on one’s head (Esther 4:3; Dan 9:3). While it was intended to express inner repentance, hypocrites utilized it to appear devout. Washing and anointing outwardly symbolize happiness and disguise one’s inner commitment to God (Ruth 3:3; Ps 23:5; Is 61:3; CCC 1438).

Mt 6:22 | ISB Notes

The eye is the lamp: An ancient metaphor (Tob 10:5; Prov 15:30; Sir 23:19). Jesus uses it to advocate generosity. Those with evil or unsound eyes are stingy with their belongings (Deut 15:9; Sir 14:8-10; cf. Mt 20:15); they are full of darkness (6:23). Those with sound eyes share their goods with the needy (4:7); they are filled with light.

Mt 6:24 | ISB Notes

mammon: An Aramaic word meaning “wealth” or “property”. Jesus warns that earthly possessions can threaten an undivided love for God. The NT elsewhere exposes the dangers surrounding money and the accumulation of temporal goods (13:22; Lk 12:13-21; 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5; CCC 2113).

Mt 6:28-30 | ISB Notes

Jesus teaches with the logic of Jewish rabbis: the lesser fact of God’s care for lilies (6:28) implies God’s greater concern for men (6:30; CCC 2830).

• Anagogically: God supplies our physical needs to signify his greater concern for our spiritual needs. As his care for the lilies and the grass is outmatched by his provision of clothing for us, so the garments we receive prefigure God’s desire to clothe us with glory and immortality in heaven (cf. 1 Cor 15:51-55; Rev 19:7-8).

Mt 6:33 | ISB Notes

seek first his kingdom: Christians must prioritize the pursuit of holiness in their lives. This is not an excuse for laziness in practical matters (2 Thess 3:6-13) but a call to trust in the Father’s care (Phil 4:6; CCC 2608).