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Tuesday, 14 July 2020

Matthew 6:3-5 - Do not be like the hypocrites

6:3,4
We talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing in a disparaging way, ie someone or some organisation that is rather disorganised. That is not what Jesus is doing here. He is just using hyperbole to stress that as far as possible our giving should be done discreetly. Our Father sees all that we do, and He will reward us. God’s approval is worth far more than that of men.

6:5
Having dealt with giving, Jesus now moves on to prayer. Prayer is meant to be a communication between us and God, a communication between the Father and His children. But the Pharisees, or the hypocrites, had turned into an occasion to demonstrate their own supposed “holiness”. They prayed for show. And so they have received their reward in full. They wanted the praise of the people, and that is all they would get. Look at the poverty of this! Compare the praise of man with the opportunity to talk directly with God, the creator and sustainer of all things!


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