Jesus was in love with secret praying

JESUS WAS IN LOVE WITH SECRET PRAYING
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 6:5-8 5"And when you pray, do not be like
the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by
others. Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your
room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is
unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not
keep on babblinglike pagans, for they think they will
be heard becauseof their many words. 8Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before
you ask him.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
As To The Duty Of Prayer
Matthew 6:5-8
P.C. Barker

As, in those duties of religion which take the shape of charitable action
towards man, the first law of all is that they be rendered with purity of motive
and with directness ofaim, free from self-consciousnessandfree from
consciousness, eithermorbid or calculatedupon, of the gaze of others, so
certainly in that duty (identical at the same time with highest privilege) which
marks the intelligent personalapproachof men to God, viz. their approach in
prayer, is it necessary -
I. THAT IT BE PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY OSTENTATIONOF
SANCTITYBEFORE MEN.
II. THAT IT BE ADDRESSED TO GOD WITH UNDIVIDED HOMAGE,
UNDISTRACTEDTHOUGHT.
III. THAT IT CONSIST OF PETITIONSOF KNOWN AND DISTINCT
MEANING, NOT VAGUE, NOT REPETITIOUS, NOT MULTIPLIED FOR
MUCH SPEAKING'S SAKE ONLY.
IV. THAT WE REMEMBER THAT IT IS NOT EITHER TO TELL GOD
WHAT HE DOES NOT ALREADY KNOW, OR TO DICTATE OR
SUGGEST TO HIM WHAT TO DO OR WHAT TO GIVE; BUT TO
CONFESSTO HIM THAT WE DO KNOW AND FEELOUR OWN NEEDS,
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE KNOW HE ONLY CAN SUPPLY THEM,
AND TO SUBMIT THE TIME AND THE CHOICE OF THE WAY TO DO
SO, TO HIM AND HIS ALL-SOVEREIGN WISDOM. - B.
Biblical Illustrator
And when thou prayest.

Matthew 6:5
Nine things pertain to the knowledge oftrue prayer
John Bradford.
I. To know WHAT PRAYER IS.
II. How MANY SORTS OF PRAYER THERE BE.
III. THE NECESSITYOF PRAYER. Four things provoke us to pray.
1. God's commandment.
2. Sin in us.
3. Our weak nature.
4. Subtilty of the enemy.
IV. TO WHOM WE OUGHT TO PAY.
V. BY WHOM WE SHOULD PRAY.
VI. WHERE TO PRAY.
VII. WHAT TO PRAY.

VIII. THE EXCELLENCYOF PRAYER.
IX. WHAT WE MUST DO THAT OUR PRAYERS MAY BE HEARD.
(John Bradford.)
Secretprayer
J. E. Good.
I. Let us notice THE IMPROPER,MANNER IN WHICH THE PHARISEES
PRESENTEDTHEIR SUPPLICATION TO Genesis
1. They were presentedin an improper place.
2. It was sinful in its object.
3. It was worthless as to its issue.
II. THE OPPOSITEMETHOD WE ARE COMMANDEDTO ADOPT.
1. The hallowed work in which we are to engage.
2. The place to which we are to retire.

(1)An exclusion of company;
(2)A withdrawment from secularaffairs.
3. The approbation which shall be given.
III. A FEW CONSIDERATIONS TO ENGAGE YOU TO THE DISCHARGE
OF THIS IMPORTANT DUTY.
1. The Divine command.
2. The example with which we are furnished in the sacredwritings.
3. The necessityof secretprayer.
4. The advantages of private devotion.
5. The vital connectionwith our public usefulness.
(J. E. Good.)
Private prayer
J. Vaughan, M. A.

1. It is a test of a man, what he is when alone with God.
2. Observe the personalwords, so endearing.
3. It implies that you go to the closetfor the purpose of prayer, you are to
separate yourselffrom all outer things.
4. Take with you Fatherly views of God.
5. A Fatherlikes to hear everything; He never refuses a secret.
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(5) Standing in the synagogues.—TheJewishcustom, more or less prevalent
throughout the East, and for a time retained at certainseasonsin the
Christian Church, was to pray standing, with outstretched, uplifted hands,
and there was nothing in the attitude as such that made it an act of
ostentatious devotion;nor would there have been any ostentationin thus
joining in the common prayer of the congregationassembledin the
synagogue. Whatour Lord’s words point to, was the custom of going into the
synagogue, as men go now into the churches of Latin Christendom, to offer
private devotion (as, e.g., in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican), and
of doing this so as to attract notice, the worshipper standing apart as if

absorbedin prayer, while secretlyglancing round to watchthe impression
which he might be making on others who were looking on.
In the corners of the streets.—Notthe same word as in Matthew 6:3, but the
broad, open places of the city. There, too, the Phariseesmight be seen, reciting
their appointed prayers—probably the well-knowneighteenacts of devotion
which were appointed for the use of devout Israelites—andwith the tallith or
veil of prayer over their head.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 6:5-6. When thou prayest — Which, if thou art my disciple indeed,
thou wilt often do: thou shalt not be as the hypocrites — Praying out of vain
ostentation. Forthey love to pray standing in the synagogues — In the sight of
numbers of people. Of the synagoguesseenote on Matthew 4:23. And in the
corners of the streets — Where severalways meet, that they may be seenof
men — May be beheld by many, and admired as persons of singular piety.
Verily, they have their reward —
This admiration of those that observe them, is all the reward they ever shall
have. But thou, when thou prayest — And dost not intend to use a social, but a
private means of grace, enterinto thy closet — Or any other retired
apartment; and when thou hast shut thy door — To prevent interruption, and
to exclude spectators, prayto thy Father which is in secret — Perform the
duty without noise or show, by which it will appearthat thou art influenced
by a principle of true piety, by the fear or love of God, and a regard to his will
and glory. It must be observed, that Christ does not here condemn all prayer
made in places of public worship, seeing both he and his disciples often prayed
with the Jews in the synagogues,Luke 4:16; nor any public devotions in the
house of God; but, speaking only here of private prayer, he would have that
performed agreeablyto the nature of it, and so in secret;and condemns them
only who affectedto do that duty in public places, that others might take
notice of them, and regard them as devout religious persons for so doing.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
6:5-8 It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may
as soonfind a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does
not pray. If prayerless, then graceless. The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty
of two greatfaults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. Verily they have
their reward; if in so greata matter as is betweenus and God, when we are at
prayer, we canlook to so poor a thing as the praise of men, it is just that it
should be all our reward. Yet there is not a secret, sudden breathing after
God, but he observes it. It is calleda reward, but it is of grace, notof debt;
what merit can there be in begging? If he does not give his people what they
ask, it is because he knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good.
So far is God from being wrought upon by the length or words of our prayers,
that the most powerful intercessionsare those which are made with groanings
that cannotbe uttered. Let us well study what is shown of the frame of mind
in which our prayers should be offered, and learn daily from Christ how to
pray.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And when thou prayest ... - Hypocrites manifested the same spirit about
prayer as almsgiving; it was done in public places. The word "synagogues,"
here, clearlymeans, not the place of worship of that name, but places where
many were accustomedto assemble - near the markets or courts, where they
could be seenof many. Our Lord evidently could not mean to condemn
prayers in the synagogues. Itmight be said that he condemned ostentatious
prayer there, while they neglectedsecretprayer; but this does not appear to
be his design. The Jews were much in the habit of praying in public places. At
certain times of the day they always offered their prayers. Wherever they
were, they suspendedtheir employment and paid their devotions. This is also
practicednow everywhere by Muslims, and in many places by Roman
Catholics. It seems, also, that they sought publicity, and regardedit as proof
of greatpiety.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary

5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt—or, preferably, "whenye pray ye
shall."
not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and in the corners of the streets—(Seeon[1227]Mt6:2).
that they may be seenof men. Verily I say unto you, They have, &c.—The
standing posture in prayer was the ancient practice, alike in the Jewishand in
the early Christian Church. But of course this conspicuous posture opened the
way for the ostentatious.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Our Saviour here cautions them againstthe same thing in prayer, as he had
done before in giving alms, viz. hypocrisy and ostentation, doing this duty
upon that design, merely to be taken notice of and applauded by men; it was
lawful to pray
standing in the synagogues, but not to do it merely to be takennotice of by
men for devout persons, nor yet to confine themselves to praying in the
synagogues. If they chose to pray standing, that they might be more
conspicuous, and in the synagogues,becausethose places were more holy, (as
they might dream), or, which seems rather to be here meant, because there
most people would see them, for which purpose only they chose corners of
streets, as was the old popish custom upon which accountthey set up crosses
at three way leets?, &c., these things were sinful: but to pray standing was
usual, Mark 11:25; and to pray in the synagoguesandin the temple standing
was usual, Luke 18:13. But those who do it merely for vain glory
have their reward, and must expect none from God.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites,.... As the Scribes
and Pharisees;whose posture in prayer, the places they chose to pray in, and
the view they had therein, are particularly taken notice of:
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues,and in the corners of the
streets, that they may be seenof men. It was their usual custom to pray
"standing";nay, it is establishedby their canons.
"There are eight things, (says Maimonides (u),) that a man that prays ought to
take heed to do; and the first he mentions is "standing";for, says he, no man
may pray , "but standing"; if he is sitting in a ship, or in a cart, if he can
stand, he must stand; if not, he may sit in his place and pray.''
Severalhints of this custom there are in the Misna (w).
"On their fast days they used to bring out the ark into the streets--, "and they
stoodin prayer", or praying; and causedan old man to go down before the
ark, who was used to recite prayers, and he said them.''
Again (x),
"whoever, "stoodpraying", and remembered that any uncleanness attended
him, he might not break off, but he might shorten.''
Yea, standing itself is interpreted of praying; for it is said (y),
"and Abraham rose up early in the morning to the place, where he stood, ,
"and there is no prayer but standing";''

though sometimes they prayed sitting, as David did, 2 Samuel 7:18 so it is said
of R. Jose, andR. Eleazar, that , "they sat and prayed", and afterwards rose
up and went on their way (z). So it was likewise customaryto go to the
synagogues, andthere pray; and indeed they were places built and appointed
for this purpose.
"Whereverthere were ten Israelites, a house ought to be provided, in which
they may go to prayer at every time of prayer; and this place is called a
synagogue (a).''
Hence some have thought, that not such places are here designed, but any
assembly, or concourse ofpeople gatheredtogetherupon any occasion;but
such an interpretation will find no place, when the following things are
observed.
"Forever let a man go, morning and evening, to the synagogue;for no prayer
is heard at any time, but in the synagogue;and everyone that hath a
synagogue in his city, and does not pray in it with the congregation, is called a
bad neighbour (b).''
Again (c),
continued...
Geneva Study Bible

{2} And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they
love to pray standing in the synagoguesand in the corners of the streets, that
they may be seenof men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(2) He rebukes two revolting faults in prayer, ambition, and vain babbling.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 6:5. Οὐκ ἔσεσθε] See the critical remarks. The future, as in Matthew
5:48.
ὅτι] as in Matthew 5:45.
φιλοῦσιν] they have pleasure in it, they love to do it,—a usage frequently met
with in classicalwriters (Ellendt, Lex. Soph. II. p. 910 f.), though in the New
Testamentoccurring only here and in Matthew 23:6 f.
ἑστῶτες] The Jew stood, while praying, with the face turned toward the
temple or the holy of holies, 1 Samuel1:26; 1 Kings 8:22; Mark 11:25; Luke
18:11;Lightfoot, p. 292 f.; at other times, however, also in a kneeling posture,
or prostrate on the ground. Therefore the notion of fixi, immobiles
(Maldonatus), is not implied in the simple ἑστῶτ., which, however, forms a
feature in the picture; they love to stand there and pray.
ἐν ταῖς γονίαις τ. πλ.] not merely when they happen to be surprised, or
intentionally allow themselves to be surprised (de Wette), by the hour for
prayer, but also at other times besides the regularhours of devotion, turning
the most sacredduty of man into an occasionforhypocritical ostentation.

Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 6:5-6. Prayer. ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί, as the actors. We shrink from the
harshness of the term “hypocrite”. Jesus is in the act of creating the new
meaning by the use of an old word in a new connection.—φιλοῦσι stands in
place of an adverb. They love to, are wont, do it with pleasure. This
constructionis common in classics, evenin reference to inanimate objects, but
here only and in Matthew 23:6-7 in N. T.—ἑστῶτες, ordinary attitude in
prayer. στῆναι and καθῆσθαι seemto be used sometimes without emphasis to
denote simply presence in a place (so Pricaeus).—συναγωγαῖς, γωνίαις τ.
πλατ.: usual places of prayer, especiallyfor the “actors,” where men do
congregate, in the synagogue forworship, at the corners of the broad streets
for talk of business;plenty of observers in both cases.Prayerhad been
reduced to system among the Jews. Methodising, with statedhours and forms,
beganafter Ezra, and grew in the Judaistic period; traces ofit evenin the
later books of O. T., e.g., Daniel6:10-11 (vide Schultz, Alt. Theol.). The hour
of prayer might overtake a man anywhere. The “actors” might, as De Wette
suggests, be glad to be overtaken, oreven arrange for it, in some well-
frequented place.—ὅπως φανῶσιντ. α. in order that they may appear to men,
and have it remarked: how devout!
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
(b) Prayer, Matthew 6:5-15.
5. pray standing] The posture of standing was as closelyassociatedwith
prayer as that of sitting was with teaching.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 6:5. Φιλοῦσιν, κ.τ.λ., they love, etc.) and, therefore, make a practice
of doing so.—ἐνταῖς γωνίαις, in the corners)sc. where the streets meet.—
ἑστῶτες, standing) in order that they may be the more conspicuous.
Pulpit Commentary

Verses 5-15. - Prayer. Verses 5-8. - Matthew only. Verse 5. - And when thou
prayest, thou shalt not be, etc.; RevisedVersion, plural. Ver. 5 is addressedto
the disciples generally, ver. 6 to them individually. (For the future, cf.
Matthew 5:48, note.) As the hypocrites are (ver. 2, note). The 'Didache,'§ 8,
following this passage, says, "Neitherpray ye as the hypocrites," referring,
like our Lord, to practices affectedchiefly by the Pharisees. Forthey love (ὅτι
φιλοῦσι). Not to be translated "they are wont." Our Lord points out the cause
of this their custom. It was not that the synagogue was more convenient (he is,
of course, thinking of their private prayers), or that they were accidentally
overtakenby the prayer-hour when in the street, but their innate love of
display made them choose these places "thatthey may be seenof men" (cf.
ver. 16, and contrastver. 2). To pray standing in the synagoguesandin the
corners of the streets;to stand and pray, etc. (Revised Version), giving,
however, slightly more emphasis on "stand" than its position warrants. The
emphasis is really on the place, not on the posture, which was only what was
usual among Jews (cf. Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13). There is no thought of
taking up their position, standing still (σταθέντες, Acts 5:20; cf. Luke 18:11,
40). (For the practice here condemned by our Lord, cf. Lightfoot, 'Hor.
Hebr.,' "R. Jochauausaid, I saw R. Jannai standing and praying in the streets
of Tsippor, and going four cubits, and then praying the Additionary Prayer.")
They have, etc. (ver. 2, note).
Matthew 6:6
(6) Enter into thy closet.—Literally, the store-closetof thy house. The
principle, as before, is embodied in a rule which startles, and which cannot be
binding literally. Not in synagogue orstreet, nor by the river-side (Acts
16:13); not under the fig-tree in the court-yard (John 1:50), nor on the
housetopwhere men were wont to pray (Acts 10:9)—these might, eachand

all, present the temptations of publicity—but in the steward’s closet, in the
place which seemedto men leastlikely, which they would count it irreverent
to connectwith the idea of prayer. The principle thus clothed in paradox is, of
course, that personalprayer should be strictly personal and private. Our
Lord’s mode of acting on the principle was, it will be remembered, to
withdraw from crowds and cities, and to pass the night in prayer on the lonely
slopes of the hills of Galilee (Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46; John 6:15).
Openly.—Probably, as before, in Matthew 6:4, an interpolation.
pray.
Enter into thy closet - Every Jewishhouse had a place for secretdevotion. The
roofs of their houses were flat places, welladapted for walking, conversation,
and meditation. See the notes at Matthew 9:2. ProfessorHackett
("Illustrations of Scripture," p. 82) says:"On the roof of the house in which I

lodged at Damascus were chambers and rooms along the side and at the
corners of the open space orterrace, which constitutes often a sort of upper
story. I observedthe same thing in connectionwith other houses." Overthe
porch, or entrance of the house, there was frequently a small room of the size
of the porch, raiseda story above the rest of the house, expresslyappropriated
for the place of retirement. Here, in secrecyandsolitude, the pious Jew might
offer his prayers, unseen by any but the Searcherof hearts. To this place, or
to some similar place, our Saviourdirected his disciples to repair when they
wished to hold communion with God. This is the place commonly mentioned
in the New Testamentas the "upper room," or the place for secret prayer.
The meaning of the Saviour is, that there should be some place where we may
be in secret - where we may be alone with God. There should be some "place"
to which we may resortwhere no ear will hear us but "His" ear, and no eye
can see us but His eye. Unless there is such a place, secretprayer will not be
long or strictly maintained. It is often said that we have no such place, and can
secure none. We are away from home; we are traveling; we are among
strangers;we are in stages andsteamboats, and how can we find such places
of retirement? I answer, the desire to pray, and the love of prayer, will create
such places in abundance. The Saviour had all the difficulties which we can
have, but yet he lived in the practice of secretprayer. To be alone, he rose up
"a great while before day," and went into a solitaryplace and prayed, Mark
1:35. With him a grove, a mountain, a garden, furnished such a place, and,
though a traveler, and among strangers, and without a house, he lived in the
habit of secretprayer. What excuse canthey have for not praying who have a
home, and who spend the precious hours of the morning in sleep, and who will
practice no self-denial that they may be alone with God? O Christian! thy
Saviour would have broken in upon these hours, and would have trod his
solitary way to the mountain or the grove that he might pray. He did do it. He
did it to pray for thee, too indolent and too unconcernedabout thy own
salvationand that of the world to practice the leastself-denialin order to
commune with God! How canreligion live thus? How can such a soul be
saved?

The Saviour does not specify the times when we should pray in secret. He does
not sayhow often it should be done. The reasons may have been:
(1) that he designedthat his religion should be "voluntary," and there is not a
better "test" of true piety than a disposition to engage oftenin secretprayer.
He intended to leave it to his people to show attachment to him by coming to
God often, and as often as they chose.
(2) an attempt to specify the times when this should be done would tend to
make religion formal and heartless. Mohammed undertook to regulate this,
and the consequence is a cold and formal prostration at the appointed hours
of prayer all over the land where his religionhas spread.
(3) the periods are so numerous, and the seasonsfor secretprayer vary so
much, that it would nor be easyto fix rules when this should be done.
Yet without giving rules, where the Saviour has given none, we may suggest
the following as times when secretprayer is proper:
1. In the morning. Nothing can be more appropriate when we have been
preservedthrough the night, and when we are about to enter upon the duties
and dangers of another day, than to render to our greatPreserverthanks, and
to commit ourselves to His fatherly care.
2. In the evening. When the day has closed, what would be more natural than
to offer thanksgiving for the mercies of the day, and to implore forgiveness for
what we have saidor done amiss? And when about to lie down againto sleep,
not knowing but it may be our last sleepand that we may awake in eternity,

what more proper than to commend ourselves to the care of Him "who never
slumbers nor sleeps?"
3. We should pray in times of embarrassmentand perplexity. Such times
occurin every man's life, and it is then a privilege and a duty to go to God and
seek his direction. In the most difficult and embarrassedtime of the American
Revolution, Washington was seento retire to a grove in the vicinity of the
camp at Valley Forge. Curiosityled a man to observe him, and the father of
his country was seenon his knees supplicating the God of hosts in prayer.
Who can tell how much the liberty of this nation is owing to the answerto the
secretprayer of Washington?
4. We should pray when we are besetwith strong temptations. So the Saviour
prayed in the gardenof Gethsemane (compare Hebrews 5:7-8), and so we
should pray when we are tempted.
5. We should pray when the Spirit prompts us to pray; when we feellust like
praying; when nothing can satisfythe soul but prayer. Such times occurin the
life of every Christian, (and they are "spring-times" of piety - favorable gales
to waft us on to heaven. Prayer to the Christian, at such times, is just as
congenialas conversationwith a friend when the bosom is filled with love; as
the societyoffather, mother, sister, child is, when the heart glows with
attachment; as the strains of sweetmusic are to the earbest attuned to the
love of harmony; as the most exquisite poetry is to the heart enamored with
the muses;and as the most delicious banquet is to the hungry.
Prayer, then, is the elementof being - the breath the vital air; and, then, the
Christian must and should pray. He is the most eminent Christian who is most
favored with such strong emotions urging him to prayer. The heart is then
full; the soul is tender; the sun of glory shines with unusual splendor; no cloud

intervenes; the Christian rises above the world, and pants for glory. then we
may go to be alone with God. We may enter the closet, and breathe forth our
warm desires into his ever-open ear, and He who sees in secretwill reward us
openly.
In secret- Who is unseen.
continued...
6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet—a place ofretirement.
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;and
thy Fatherwhich seethin secretshallreward thee openly—Of course, it is not
the simple publicity of prayer which is here condemned. It may be offeredin
any circumstances,howeveropen, if not prompted by the spirit of ostentation,
but dictated by the greatends of prayer itself. It is the retiring characterof
true prayer which is here taught.
Supplementary Directions and ModelPrayer (Mt 6:7-15).
By this public prayer is not condemned, but secretprayer is established, and
made every Christian’s duty; and Christians are warnednot to think that
their duty of prayer is dischargedby their going to places ofpublic worship,
and praying there: but that which our Saviour here cautions us againstis
ostentation, by which men may as much offend in their closets as elsewhere.
Wherever we pray, we must take heed that our ends be right, that the glory of
God be our principal end, and yielding obedience to his command; and there

is no better means in order to this than the right setting of God before our
eyes, as he that seethin secret, and knoweththe most secretdesigns, scopes,
and intentions of our hearts, and who, if we thus perform our duty, will
reward us of his free grace and mercy; not as persons who by our prayers
have merited any thing at his hand, (for what merit can there be in our
prayers?)but as having showedour obedience to his will, and in the fulfilling
of those many promises which he hath made to those that seek his face for the
hearing of their prayers.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,.... Or"chamber", a secret
place, fit for private retirement, meditation, and prayer.
And when thou hast shut thy door; see some suchlike phrases in Isaiah 26:20
where they are used to express security, here secrecy. Our Lord does not
mean to exclude and condemn public prayer, in joining with few, or more
persons, in such service;for he himself directs to it, and approves of it,
Matthew 18:19 but his view is to instruct persons that they should not only
pray in public, but in private also;and especiallythe latter, which is more
suitable and fitting for their particular cases,and less liable to pride,
hypocrisy, and vanity.
Pray to thy Father, which is in secret;who is invisible; not to be seenwith the
eyes of the body, but to be approachedwith a true heart, in faith and fear,
through his SonJesus Christ, the only mediator betweenGod and man; and
who is the image of the invisible God, and in whom he is pleasedto manifest
himself to his people, so as he does not unto the world:
and thy Father, which seethin secret, observes andtakes notice of the secret
breathings, pantings, desires, and requests of thy heart and lips,

shall reward thee openly, both here and hereafter;by pouring into thy bosom
all the goodthings thou hast been praying for, both for time and eternity. This
is agreeable to what the Jews sometimes say,
"that a man ought not to cause his voice to be heard in prayer; but should
pray "silently", with a voice that is not heard; and this is the prayer which is
daily accepted(g).''
(g) Zohar in Gen. fol. 114. 4.
Geneva Study Bible
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, andwhen thou hastshut
thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;and thy Father which seeth in
secretshallreward thee openly.
Matthew 6:6. Ταμεῖον]any room in the interior of the house, as opposedto the
synagoguesand the streets. We are therefore not to think exclusively of the
closetin the strict sense of the word, which was called ὑπερῷον; see note on
Acts 1:13. Forthe expression, comp. Isaiah 24:20;for ταμεῖον, conclave, see
Xen. Hell. v. 4. 5; Matthew 24:26; Sir 29:12;Tob 7:17.
ἀποδώσει σοι] for thy undemonstrative piety. It is not public prayer in itself
that Jesus condemns, but praying in an ostentatious manner; rather than this,
He would have us betake ourselves to a lonely room. Theophylact:ὁ τόπος οὐ
βλάπτει, ἀ̓λλʼ ὁ τρόπος καὶ ὁ σκόπος.

Matthew 6:6 : true prayer in contrastto the theatrical type.—σὺ δὲ, hou, my
disciple, in oppositionto the “actors”.—ὅταν, whenthe spirit moves, not when
the customaryhour comes, freedomfrom rule in prayer, as in fasting
(Matthew 9:14), is taken for granted.—τὸ ταμεῖον, late form for ταμιεῖον
(Lobeck, Phryn., 493), first a store-chamber, then any place of privacy, a
closet(Matthew 24:26). Note the σου after ταμ. and θύραν and πατρί, all
emphasising isolation, thy closet, thy door, thy Father.—κλείσας,carefully
shutting thy door, the door of thine own retreat, to exclude all but thy Father,
with as much secrecyas if you were about a guilty act. What delicacyof
feeling, as wellas sincerity, is implied in all this; greatly to be respected, often
sinned against.—τῷἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, He who is in the secretplace;perhaps with
allusion to God’s presence in the dark holy of holies (Achelis). He is there in
the place from which all fellow-menare excluded. Is socialprayer negatived
by this directory? No, but it is implied that socialprayer will be a reality only
in proportion as it proceeds from a gathering of men accustomed to private
prayer.
6. closet]A private oratory or place of prayer. These were usually in the
upper part of the house. The Greek word in the original is translated (1)
“SecretChambers,” ch. Matthew 24:26;(2) “Storehouse,”Luke 12:24.
pray to thy Fatherwhich is in secret]Christ was the first to enjoin clearly
secretand silent prayer. Certainly to pray aloud and in public appears to have
been the Jewishpractice;it is still the practice with the heathen and
Mahomedans. The Roman lookedwith suspicion on private prayer: “quod
scire hominem nolunt deo narrant” (Seneca). Cp. Hor. Ep. i. 16. 59–62,where
see Macleane’s note. Cp. also Soph. Electra, 638, where Clytemnestra
apologisesforoffering up a secretprayer.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 6:6. Ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, in secret)Godboth is, and sees,in secret.
Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - But thou (emphatic) when thou prayset, enter into thy closet, and
when thou hast shut thy door, pray, etc. An adaptation of Isaiah26:20 (cf. also
2 Kings 4:33). The prophet's language describing the actionbefitting a time of
terror is used by our Lord to express what ought to be the normal practice of
eachof his followers. Observe that the widow of one of the sons of the
prophets so actedwhen she was about to receive the miraculous supply of oil
(2 Kings 4:4, 5). Closet;RevisedVersion, inner chamber, more readily
suggesting the passagein Isaiah to the English reader. To thy Fatherwhich is
in secret. Not"which seethin secret," as in the next clause. The thought here
may be partly that to be unseen of men is a help to communion with him who
is also unseen by them, but especiallythat the manner of your actions ought to
resemble that of your Father's, who is himself unseenand works unseen. And
thy Fatherwhich seethin secret. You will be no loser, since his eyes pass by
nothing, howeverwellconcealedit be from the eyes of men. Shall reward thee
openly (ver. 4, notes).
Vincent's Word Studies
Closet(ταμιεῖον)
See on Luke 12:3.
MATT. 6:7
(7) Use not vain repetitions.—The Greek wordhas a force but feebly rendered
in the English. Formed from a word which reproduces the repeated attempts
of the stammerer to clothe his thoughts in words, it might be almost rendered,
“Do not stutter out your prayers, do not babble them over.” The words
describe only too faithfully the act of prayer when it becomes mechanical. The
devotion of the rosary, in which every bead is connectedwith a PaterNoster
or an Ave Maria, does but reproduce the eighteenprayers of the Rabbis,

which they held it to be an act of religion to repeat. On the other hand, it is
clearthat the law of Christ does not exclude the iteration of intense emotion.
That is not a “vain repetition;” and in the greatcrisis of His human life our
Lord Himself prayed thrice “using the same words” (Matthew 26:44). How
far our use of the Lord’s Prayer, or of the Kyrie Eleisonof our Litanies, is
open to the charge of “vain repetition” is another question. It is obvious that it
may easilybecome so to any mechanicalworshipper of the Pharisaic type; but
there is, on the other side, an ever-accumulating weight of evidence from
really devout souls, that they have found it helpful in sustaining the emotion
without which prayer is dead.
As the heathen do.—We know too little of the details of the ritual of classical
heathenism to be able to sayhow far the charge of vain repetition applied at
this time to them. The cries of the worshippers of Baal“from morning even
until noon” (1Kings 18:26), the shouts of those of Artemis at Ephesus “forthe
space oftwo hours” (Acts 19:34), may be taken as representative instances.
Their much speaking.—This thoughtwas the root-evil of the worship of the
heathen or the Pharisee. It gave to prayer a quantitative mechanicalforce,
increasedin proportion to the number of prayers offered. If fifty failed, a
hundred might succeed. But this assumedthat the object of prayer was to
change the will of God, or to inform Him of what He did not know before, and
our Lord teaches us—as,indeed, all masters of the higher life have taught—
that that assumption vitiates prayer at once.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 6:7-8. When ye pray, use not vain repetitions — A multiplicity of
words without meaning, or uttered without seriousness, reverencefor God,
sincerity, or faith. The original word, βαττολογησητε, is derived from βαττος,
a stutterer, or foolish talker, and λογος, speech. The former word was the
name of a certain prince of the Cyrenæans, who was a stammerer, and also of
a babbling foolish poet, who frequently repeatedthe same things, and whose

rhapsodies were full of tautologies.Our interpretation of the words, Use not
vain repetitions, Dr. Campbell thinks is too confined, and does not include all
that is meant to be signified by our Lord’s expression, which, he says,
comprehends “everything, in words, that may justly be calledvain, idle, or
foolish.” The word πολυλογια, much speaking, applied to the same fault in the
latter part of the verse, is a further elucidationof its meaning. As the heathen
do — When invoking their false gods: for they think they shall be heard — In
the prayers which they address to them; for their much speaking — Thus we
find the priests of Baalcrying from morning till noon, O Baal, hear us. Hence
it appears, partly at least, what the repetitions were which Christ forbade his
disciples to use in their prayers, namely, such as proceededfrom an opinion
that they should be heard for their much speaking, afterthe manner of the
heathen. This opinion, implying a denial of the power, or the knowledge,or
the goodnessofGod, is highly injurious to him; and therefore repetitions in
prayer, flowing from it, are highly culpable, as also is the repeating of any
words without meaning them, or the expressing in words any petitions or
thanksgivings which do not proceedfrom the heart. Therefore, we should be
extremely careful, in all our prayers, to mean what we say, and to desire what
we ask, from the very bottom of our hearts. The vain and heathenish
repetitions which we are here warned against, are very common, and a
principal cause why so many who profess religionare a disgrace to it. Indeed,
all the words in the world, howeverwell chosenand uttered in prayer, are not
equivalent to one holy desire;and the very best prayers are but vain
repetitions, if they are not the language of the heart. But let it be observed, on
the other hand, that repetitions proceeding from a deep sense ofour wants,
and a vehement desire of divine grace, and the spiritual blessings flowing
therefrom, or connectedtherewith, are by no means prohibited here by the
Lord Jesus, otherwise indeedhe would condemn his own practice, Matthew
26:39-44. Foryour Fatherknowethwhat things ye have need of before you
ask him — We do not pray to inform God of our wants. Omniscient as he is,
he cannot be informed of any thing which he knew not before: and he is
always willing to relieve them. The chief thing wanting is, a fit disposition on
our part to receive his grace and blessing. Consequently, one greatoffice of
prayer is to produce such a disposition in us; to exercise ourdependance on
God; to increase our desire of the things we ask for; to make us so sensible of

our wants, that we may never cease wrestling till we have prevailed for the
blessing.
pray.
Use not vain repetitions - The original word here is supposedto be derived
from the name of a Greek poet, who made long and wearyverses, declaring
by many forms and endless repetitions the same sentiment. Hence, it means to
repeata thing often; to say the same thing in different words, or to repeatthe
same words, as though God did not hear at first. An example of this we have
in 1 Kings 18:26;"They calledon Baalfrom morning until noon, saying, O
Baal, hear us!" It may serve to illustrate this passage, andto show how true is
the descriptionhere of prevailing modes of prayer, to refer to the forms and
modes of devotion still practicedin Palestine by the Muslims. Dr. Thomson
("The Land and the Book")gives the following description of what actually
occurs:"See those men on that elevatedterrace. One has spread his cloak,
other their Persianrugs toward the south. They are Muslims, preparing to say

prayers - rather perform them, in this most public place, and in the midst of
all this noise and confusion.
"Let us stop and watchthe ceremonyas it goes on. That man next us raises his
open hands until the thumbs touch the ears, exclaiming aloud, "Allah-hu-
akbar" - 'God is great.'After uttering mentally a few short petitions, the
hands are brought down and folded Togethernearthe girdle, while he recites
the first chapter of the Koran, and two or three other brief passagesfrom the
same book. And now he bends forward, rests his hands upon his knees, and
repeats three times a formula of praise to 'God most great.'Then, standing
erect, he cries "Allah-hu-akbar," as at the beginning. Then see him drop upon
his knees, andbend forward until his nose and foreheadtouch the ground
directly betweenhis expanded hands. This he repeats three times, muttering
all the while the same short formulas of prayer and praise. The next move will
bring him to his knees, and then, settling back upon his heels, he will mumble
over various small petitions, with sundry grunts and exclamations, according
to taste and habit. He has now gone through one regularRek'ah;and,
standing up as at the first, and on exactly the same spot, he will perform a
second, and even a third, if speciallydevout, with precisely the same
genuflections.
"They are obliged to repeat some expressions thirty times, others many
hundred times. Would that these remarks did not apply to nominal Christians
in this land as well as to Muslims!"
The heathen do - The original word is that which is commonly translated
"Gentile." The world was divided into two parts, the Jews and the Gentiles;
that is, in the original, the "nations," the nations destitute of the true religion.
Christ does not fix the length of our prayers. He says that we should not
repeatthe same thing, as though God did not hear; and it is not improbable
that he intended to condemn the practice of long prayers. His own
supplications were remarkably short.

7. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions—"Babble not" would be a better
rendering, both for the form of the word—which in both languages is
intended to imitate the sound—and for the sense, whichexpresses notso much
the repetition of the same words as a senselessmultiplication of them; as
appears from what follows.
as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking—This methodof heathen devotion is still observed by Hindu and
Mohammedan devotees. With the Jews, says Lightfoot, it was a maxim, that
"Every one who multiplies prayer is heard." In the Church of Rome, not only
is it carried to a shameless extent, but, as Tholuck justly observes, the very
prayer which our Lord gave as an antidote to vain repetitions is the most
abused to this superstitious end; the number of times it is repeatedcounting
for so much more merit. Is not this just that characteristic feature of heathen
devotion which our Lord here condemns? But praying much, and using at
times the same words, is not here condemned, and has the example of our
Lord Himself in its favor.
See Poole on"Matthew 6:8".
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions,.... Saying the same things over and
over again,
as the Heathens do, as the worshippers of Baal, from morning till noon, 1
Kings 18:26. This our Lord observes, to dissuade from such practices, because
the Gentiles, who were odious to the Jews, usedthem, and the Jews were
guilty of the same;had they not, there would not have been any need of such
advice:

for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking;as did the Jews,
who, under pretence of "long prayers", devoured widows'houses;and with
whom it is an axiom, that "everyone , that multiplies prayer is heard" (h); and
whoeverprolongs his prayer, his prayer does not return empty; and he that is
long in prayer, his days are prolonged(i): and, according to their canons,
every day a man ought to pray eighteen prayers. Moreover, their prayer
books abound in tautologies,and in expressing the same things in different
words, and by a multiplicity of them.
(h) T. Hieros. Taaniot, fol. 67. 3.((i) Zohar in Exod. fol. 104. 4.
Geneva Study Bible
But when ye pray, use not {c} vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they
think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
(c) Long prayers are not condemned, but vain, needless, andsuperstitious
ones.
Matthew 6:7. Δέ] indicating a transition to the considerationof another abuse
of prayer.
βαττολογεῖν](Simplic. ad Epict. p. 340)is not to be derived, with Suidas,
Eustathius, Erasmus, from some one of the name of Battus (passages in
Wetstein), who, according to Herod. v. 155, was in the habit of stammering,
but, as alreadyHesychius correctlyperceived (κατὰ μίμησιντῆς φωνῆς), is to
be regarded as a case ofonomatopoeia (comp. Βάτταλος as a nickname of

Demosthenes,βατταρίζω, βατταρισμός, βατταριστής), and means, properly
speaking, to stammer, then to prate, to babble, the same thing that is
subsequently called πολυλογία. B ‫א‬ have the form βατταλογ.;see Tisch. 8.
οἱ ἐθνικοί]Whose prayers, so wordy and full of repetitions (hence, fatigare
Deos), were wellknown. Terent. Heautont. v. i. 6 ff. In Rabbinical writers are
found recommendations sometimes of long, sometimes of short, prayers
(Wetstein). For an example of a BattologicalJewishprayer, see Schoettgen, p.
58 f., comp. Matthew 23:15;and for disapproval of long prayers, see
Ecclesiastes5:1, Sir 7:14.
ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν]in consequence oftheir much speaking;they imagine
that this is the cause of their being heard. As to the thing, considerthe words
of Augustine: “Absit ab oratione multa locutio, sednon desit multa precatio,
si fervens perseveretintentio;” the former, he adds, is “rem necessariam
superfluis agere verbis,” but the multum precari is: “ad eum, quem
precamur, diuturna et pia cordis excitatione pulsare” (Ep. 130. 20, ad
probam).
Matthew 6:7-15. Further instruction in prayer. Weiss (Mt.-Evan.)regards this
passageas an interpolation, having no proper place in an anti-Pharisaic
discourse. Boththe opinion and its ground are doubtful. As regards the latter,
it is true that it is Gentile practice in prayer that is formally criticised, but it
does not follow that the Pharisees were notopen to the same censure. They
might make long prayers, not in ignorance, but in ostentation(Lutteroth), as a
display of devotional talent or zeal. But apart from the question of reference
to the Pharisees,it is likely that prayer under various aspects formedone of
the subjects of instruction in the course of teaching on the hill whereofthese
chapters are a digest.

7. use not vain repetitions] It is not the length of time spent in prayer or the
fervent or reasonable repetitionof forms of prayer that is forbidden, but the
mechanicalrepetition of setwords, and the belief that the efficacyof prayer
consists in such repetition. The word itself lit. means to stammer, then to
“repeatuselessly.”
as the heathen] The Jews also hada saying, “Everyone that multiplies prayer
is heard.”
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 6:7. Μὴ βαττολογήσητε, use not vain repetitions) Gattakerhas
collectedfrom antiquity many persons calledBattus, celebratedfor their
stammering, and thence for their frequent repetition of the same word
(tautologia), and deriving their name from that circumstance. Hesychius[251]
renders βαττολογίαby ἀργολογία (idle talking), ἀκαιρολογία(unseasonable
talking): he says, βατταρίζεινappears to me to be derived from an imitation of
the voice,” etc., andhe explains βατταρισμὸι by φλυαρίαι.[252]It is clear,
therefore, that βαττολογεῖνmeans the same here which πολυλογία (much
speaking)does immediately afterwards, sc. whenthe same things are repeated
over and over again, as is the case withstammerers, who endeavour to correct
their first utterance by a second.—ὥσπεροἱ ἐθνικοὶ, as the heathen do) In all
things the practice of hypocrites is to be avoided, in prayer that also of the
heathen.—ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν, in their much speaking)i.e. whilst they say
many words. They think that many words are required to inform their deities
what they want of them, so that they may hear and grant their requests, if not
at the present, at some future time. Cf. on the other hand, “your Father
KNOWETH,” etc., Matthew 6:8. The same word, πολυλογία (much speaking)
occurs in the S. V. of Proverbs 10:19. Ammonius[253] says, μακρολόγος is one
who utters many words concerning few things, πολυλόγος, one who utters
many words concerning many things. Christ commands us to utter few words,
even when praying for many things; see Matthew 6:9-13.—εἰσακουσθήσονται,
shall be regarded. The Hebrew ‫,הנע‬ to answer, is rendered by the LXX.
ΕἸΣΑΚΟΎΕΙΝ. God answers substantially;[254]see ch. Matthew 7:7.

[251]Hesychius. There were severaldistinguished men of this name. The
individual here intended was a celebratedgrammarianand lexicographerof
Alexandria, who lived somewhere aboutthe fourth century.—(I. B.)
[252]βατταρισμὸς signifiedeither originally stuttering, or derivatively idle
prating: φλυαρία, silly talk, nonsense, foolery. It is used also in the plural. The
kindred adjective φλύαροι is rendered tattlers in 1 Timothy 5:13, and the
cognate participle φλυαρῶν, prating in 3 John 1:10 by the Eng. Ver.—(I. B.)
[253]Ammonius the grammarian must not be confounded with the author of
the Ammonian Sections. He was a native of Alexandria, and flourished in the
fourth century. The work here alluded to is his treatise De differentia
dictionum.—(I. B.)
[254]In the original “Deus respondit solide.”—(I. B.)
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 7. - But when ye pray (προσευχόμενοι δέ). The RevisedVersion, and in
praying, shows that our Lord is only continuing the subject, and not turning
to a new one, as in vers. 2, 5, 16. But while he has thus far thought of prayer as
an external act, he now speaks ofthe substance of the prayers offered, the δέ
indicating a transition to another aspectof the same subject. Use not vain
repetitions; "Babble not much" (Tyndale). The word used (μὴβατταλογήσητε)
is probably onomatopoeic ofstuttering. The Peshito employs here the same
root () as for μογιλάλος, Mark 7:32 (). But from the primary sense of
stuttering, βατταλογεῖν, naturally passedto that of babbling in senseless
repetitions. As the heathen do (οἱ ἐθνεικοί, Gentiles, RevisedVersion;
Matthew 5:47, note). Thinking that the virtue lies in the mere utterance of the
words. Even the Jews came perilously near this in their abundant use of
synonyms and synonymous expressions in their prayers (cf. Lightfoot, 'Hor.

Hebr.'). Perhaps it was this factthat assistedthe introduction of the reading
"hypocrites" in B and the Old Syriac. For they think that they shall be heard
for their much speaking. In the continuance (ἐν) of their external actionlies
their hope of being fully heard (εισακουσθήσονται).
Vincent's Word Studies
Use vain repetitions (βατταλογήσητε)
A word formed in imitation of the sound, battalogein:properly, to stammer;
then to babble or prate, to repeat the same formula many times, as the
worshippers of Baaland of Diana of Ephesus (1 Kings 18:26;Acts 19:34) and
the Romanists with their paternosters and aves.
Matthew 6:8
(8) Your Fatherknoweth.—This truth is rightly made the ground of prayer in
one of the noblest collects ofthe PrayerBook of the English Church—
“Almighty God, the Fountain of all wisdom, who knowestour necessities
before we ask, and our ignorance in asking.” Comp. St. Paul’s “We know not
what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). But why then, it may be
asked, pray at all? Why “make our requests known unto God” (Philippians
4:6)? Logically, it may be, the question never has been, and never can be,
answered. As in the parallel question of foreknowledge andfree will, we are
brought into a regionin which convictions that seem, eachof them, axiomatic,
appear to contradict eachother. All that canbe done is to suggestpartial
solutions of the problem. We bring our wants and desires to God (1) that we
may see them as He sees them, judge how far they are selfish or capricious,
how far they are in harmony with His will; (2) that we may, in the thought of
that Presenceand its infinite holiness, feelthat all other prayers—those which
are but the expressionof wishes for earthly good, or deliverance from earthly

evil—are of infinitely little moment as compared with deliverance from the
penalty and the power of the sin which we have made our own; (3) that,
conscious ofour weakness, we may gain strength for the work and the conflict
of life in communion with the Eternal, who is in very deed a “Powerthat
makes for righteousness.”Theseare, if we may so speak, the lines upon which
the Lord’s Prayer has been constructed, and all other prayers are excellentin
proportion as they approachthat pattern. Partialdeviations from it, as in
prayers for fine weather, for plenty, and for victory, are yet legitimate (though
they drift in a wrong direction), as the natural utterance of natural wants,
which, if repressed, would find expressionin superstition or despair. It is
better that even these petitions, though not the highest form of prayer, should
be purified by their associationwith the highest, than that they should remain
unuttered as passionate cravings or, it may be, murmuring regrets.
pray.

Use not vain repetitions - The original word here is supposedto be derived
from the name of a Greek poet, who made long and wearyverses, declaring
by many forms and endless repetitions the same sentiment. Hence, it means to
repeata thing often; to say the same thing in different words, or to repeatthe
same words, as though God did not hear at first. An example of this we have
in 1 Kings 18:26;"They calledon Baalfrom morning until noon, saying, O
Baal, hear us!" It may serve to illustrate this passage, andto show how true is
the descriptionhere of prevailing modes of prayer, to refer to the forms and
modes of devotion still practicedin Palestine by the Muslims. Dr. Thomson
("The Land and the Book")gives the following description of what actually
occurs:"See those men on that elevatedterrace. One has spread his cloak,
other their Persianrugs toward the south. They are Muslims, preparing to say
prayers - rather perform them, in this most public place, and in the midst of
all this noise and confusion.
"Let us stop and watchthe ceremonyas it goes on. That man next us raises his
open hands until the thumbs touch the ears, exclaiming aloud, "Allah-hu-
akbar" - 'God is great.'After uttering mentally a few short petitions, the
hands are brought down and folded Togethernearthe girdle, while he recites
the first chapter of the Koran, and two or three other brief passagesfrom the
same book. And now he bends forward, rests his hands upon his knees, and
repeats three times a formula of praise to 'God most great.'Then, standing
erect, he cries "Allah-hu-akbar," as at the beginning. Then see him drop upon
his knees, andbend forward until his nose and foreheadtouch the ground
directly betweenhis expanded hands. This he repeats three times, muttering
all the while the same short formulas of prayer and praise. The next move will
bring him to his knees, and then, settling back upon his heels, he will mumble
over various small petitions, with sundry grunts and exclamations, according
to taste and habit. He has now gone through one regularRek'ah;and,
standing up as at the first, and on exactly the same spot, he will perform a
second, and even a third, if speciallydevout, with precisely the same
genuflections.

"They are obliged to repeat some expressions thirty times, others many
hundred times. Would that these remarks did not apply to nominal Christians
in this land as well as to Muslims!"
The heathen do - The original word is that which is commonly translated
"Gentile." The world was divided into two parts, the Jews and the Gentiles;
that is, in the original, the "nations," the nations destitute of the true religion.
Christ does not fix the length of our prayers. He says that we should not
repeatthe same thing, as though God did not hear; and it is not improbable
that he intended to condemn the practice of long prayers. His own
supplications were remarkably short.
8. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Fatherknoweth what things ye
have need of before ye ask him—and so needs not to be informed of our
wants, any more than to be roused to attend to them by our incessant
speaking. Whata view of God is here given, in sharp contrastwith the gods of
the heathen! But let it be carefully noted that it is not as the generalFather of
mankind that our Lord says, "Your Father" knowethwhat ye need before ye
ask it; for it is not men, as such, that He is addressing in this discourse, but
His own disciples—the poorin spirit, the mourners, the meek, hungry and
thirsty souls, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers,who allow
themselves to have all manner of evil said againstthem for the Son of man's
sake—inshort, the new-born children of God, who, making their Father's
interests their own, are here assuredthat their Father, in return, makes their
interests His, and needs neither to be told nor to be reminded of their wants.
Yet He will have His children pray to Him, and links all His promised supplies
to their petitions for them; thus encouraging us to draw near and keepnear to
Him, to talk and walk with Him, to open our every case to Him, and assure
ourselves that thus asking we shall receive—thus seeking we shallfind—thus
knocking it shall be opened to us.

Ver. 7,8. It appeareth from hence, and from what followethalso, that the
praying here spokenof is vocalprayer; not the mere homage which the heart
payeth to God, by a recognitionof him as the fountain of all good, and our
secretdesires that God would supply our wants, but the expressionof those
desires by the words of our mouths, which is that duty which the Scripture
generallycalleth prayer, and is most certainly a duty incumbent on every
person. Nor are repetitions of the same requests in prayer, or much speaking,
( that is, praying to some length of time), here absolutely forbidden: our
Saviour before his passionprayed thrice for the same thing within a short
compass oftime, (though he did not use the same words), and, Luke 6:12, he
continued all night in prayer to God. But that which is here forbidden, is an
opinion of being heard for over long prayers, and using vain repetitions, as the
priests of Baalcontinued from morning to night crying, O Baal, hear us! O
Baal, hear us! as if their godhad been asleep, orgone a journey, as the
prophet mockeththem, 1 Kings 18:26,27. Repetitions are then vain, when they
are affected, and flow from some irreverent thoughts we have of God; not
when they are as it were forced from the heat and intention of our affections.
The like is to be said of much speaking in prayer. Long prayers are not to be
condemned, but the affectationof them is, and long prayers upon pretences
and designs are:but when the mind is attent, and the affections fervent, length
of prayer is no fault, especiallyupon solemnoccasions, whenwe come not to
ask a particular mercy at the hand of God, nor for a particular person or
family. But repetitions after the manner of heathens are condemned, as
proceeding from irreverent thoughts of God, as if he did not know what things
we have need of, or were, like a man, to be prevailed upon by a multitude of
words.
Be not ye therefore like unto them,..... Do not be imitators of them, and follow
their ways, who have only the dim light of nature to guide them; it would be
shameful in you to do as they do, when you have a divine revelationfor your
direction; and especially, because

your Father knowethwhat things ye have need of before ye ask him; and
therefore have no need to make use of many words, or much speaking, orlong
prayers. The omniscience of God is a considerable argument, and a great
encouragementto prayer; he knows our persons and our wants before hand;
and as he is able to help us, we have reasonto believe he will; especiallysince
he stands in the relation of a Fatherto us.
Geneva Study Bible
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knowethwhat things ye
have need of, before ye ask him.
Matthew 6:8. Οὖν] seeing that you are expected to shun heathen error.
οἶδε γὰρ, κ.τ.λ.]so that, this being the case, that βαττολογεῖνis superfluous.
Matthew 6:8, οὖν, infers that disciples must not imitate the practice described,
because it is Pagan, and because it is absurd. Repetitionis, moreover, wholly
uncalled for.—οἶδενγὰρ: the God whom Jesus proclaims—“yourFather”—
knows beforehand your needs. Why, then, pray at all? Becausewe cannot
receive unless we desire, and if we desire, we will pray; also because things
worth getting are worth asking. Only pray always as to a Being well informed
and willing, in few words and in faith. With such thoughts in mind, Jesus
proceeds to give a sample of suitable prayer.
8. for your Father knoweth… before ye ask him] Our Fatherknows our
wants, still we are bound to express them. Why? because this is a proof of our
faith and dependence upon God, which are the conditions of successin prayer.

Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 6:8. Πρὸ κ.τ.λ., before, etc.)We pray, therefore, not with the view of
instructing, but of adoring, the Father.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 8. - Be not ye therefore like. RevisedVersion omits "ye," as the
emphatic personalpronoun is not expressed. The connexion of thought is -
Seeing you are expectedto shun heathen error (Meyer), do not allow
yourselves to reproduce heathen practices. By observing these you would be
taking a definite way of becoming like (passive, or rather middle, ὁμοιωθῆτε)
those who ordinarily practise them. For; i.e. you stand on a different footing
altogetherfrom the heathen; you are intimately related to One above, who
knows your wants, even before you express them to him. Your Father;
RevisedVersion margin, "some ancient authorities read God your Father."
So ‫,א‬ B, sah. (ὁ Θεός is bracketedby Westcottand Hort). The insertion is at
first sight suspicious, but as there is no trace of such an addition in vers. 1, 4,
6, 14. 18 (in ver. 32 only ‫,)א‬ it is hard to see why it should have been
interpolated here. Its omission, on the other hand, is easilyaccountedfor by
its absence in those passages. The internal evidence, therefore, corroborates
the strong external evidence of ‫,א‬ B. Our Lord here said "God" to emphasize
the majestyand power of "your Father." Knoweth; i.e. intuitively (οϊδεν); el.
ver. 32.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD

Matthew 6:5 "When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they
love to stand and pray in the synagoguesand on the streetcorners so that they
may be seenby men. Truly I say to you, they have their rewardin full.
(NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Kai hotan proseuchesthe,(2PPMS)ouk esesthe (2PFMI)hos hoi
hupokritai; hoti philousin (3PPAI) en tais sunagogaiskaien tais goniais ton
plateion hestotes (RAPMPN)proseuchesthai, (PMN)hopos phanosin (3PAPS)
tois anthropois; amen lego (1SPAI) humin apechousin(3SPPAI) ton misthon
auton.
Amplified: Also when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they
love to pray standing in the synagoguesand on the corners of the streets, that
they may be seenby people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full
already (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they
love to pray standing in the synagoguesand in the corners of the streets, that
they may be seenof men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
NLT: And now about prayer. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites
who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogueswhere
everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get.
(NLT - Tyndale House)
Philips: And then, when you pray, don't be like the play-actors. They love to
stand and pray in the synagoguesand at street-corners so that people may see
them at it. Believe me, they have had all the rewardthey are going to get.
(New Testamentin Modern English)

Wuest: And wheneveryou are praying you shall not be as the actors on the
stage oflife, because theyare fond of praying in the synagoguesand while
standing at the corners of avenues in order that they may be seenby men.
Assuredly, I am saying to you, They have their reward and the receipt for the
same in full.
Young's Literal: 'And when thou mayest pray, thou shalt not be as the
hypocrites, because they love in the synagogues, andin the corners of the
broad places -- standing -- to pray, that they may be seenof men; verily I say
to you, that they have their reward.
WHEN YOU PRAY, YOU ARE NOT TO BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES;
FOR THEY LOVE TO STAND AND PRAY IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND
ON THE STREETCORNERSSO THAT THEY MAY BE SEEN BY MEN:
Kai hotan proseuchesthe, (2PPMS)ouk esesthe (2PFMI)hos hoi hupokritai;
hoti philousin (3PPAI) en tais sunagogaiskaien tais goniais ton plateion
hestotes (RAPMPN)proseuchesthai, (PMN)hopos phanosin (3PAPS)tois
anthropois
When you pray - Mt 7:7,8;9:38; 21:22; Psalms 5:2; 55:17; Proverbs 15:8;
Isaiah55:6,7; Jeremiah29:12;Daniel 6:10; 9:4-19; Luke 18:1; John 16:24;
Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2,3;1Th 5:17; James 5:15,16
You are not to be like - Mt 6:2; 23:14;Job 27:8-10;Isaiah1:15; Luke
18:10,11;20:47
Matthew 6 Resources- Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Relatedresource - The Kneeling Christian

Ironside calls on us to "Think of the privilege of sitting at the feet of the great
intercessorHimself and hearing Him tell us how to pray! It is indeed a
priceless opportunity not to be despised or passedon to disciples of some other
age.
When you pray - Not "if" you pray. Prayer is the believer's lifeline to God.
Spurgeonputs it this way…
Prayer pulls the rope below and the greatbell rings above in the cars of God.
Some scarcelystir the bell, for they pray so languidly; others give but an
occasionalpluck at the rope; but he who wins with heavenis the man who
grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might. (Feathers for
Arrows)
Stand - The posture is not the problem, for posture is irrelevant if the motive
of the heart is to please God. Many postures are associatedwith prayer:
prostrate (Num 16:22;Josh5:14; Dan 8:17; Matt 26:39; Rev 11:16), kneeling
(2 Chronicles 6:13; Dan 6:10; Luke 22:41, Acts 7:60; 9:40; 20:36; 21:5), sitting
(2Sam 7:18), and standing (1Sam 1:26; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:11, 13).
A hypocrite (hupokrites - see word study) prays on his knees on Sunday and
preys on his neighbors on Monday.
A T Robertsoncommenting on synagoguesandon streetcorners writes that…
These were the usual places of prayer (synagogues) and the streetcorners
where crowds stopped for business or talk. If the hour of prayer overtook a
Pharisee here, he would strike his attitude of prayer like a modern Moslem

that men might see that he was pious. (Robertson, A. Word Pictures in the
New Testament)
Ron Mattoonadds: The streetcorners were a normal place for prayer,
because devout Jews wouldstop whereverthey were at the appointed hour for
prayer, even if they were walking down the streetor visiting at the corner.
The appointed hours were at nine in the morning, noon, and three in the
afternoon, perfect times for people who wanted to be seenpraying because
these were busy times of the day. (Ron Mattoon - Treasures FromProverbs,
Volume One)
C H Spurgeon's comments…
Prayer also is takenfor granted. No man can be in the kingdom of heaven
who does not pray.
Those around our Lord knew what he meant when he alluded to the
hypocrites; for they had often Beenthe proud sectarystanding in public
places repeating his prayers, and very likely they had hitherto felt bound to
hold such in repute for superior sanctity. By our Lord’s words these
hypocrites are unmasked, and made to seemwhat they really are. Our King
was wonderfully plain-spoken, and calledboth things and persons by their
right names. These religionists were not seekersofGod, but seekersafter
popularity; men who twistedeven devotion into a means for self
aggrandizement. They chose places and times which would render their
saying of prayers conspicuous. The synagogues andthe corners of the streets
suited them admirably; for their aim was “that they may be seenof men. ”
They were seen. They had what they soughtfor. This was their reward, and
the whole of it.

Lord, let me never be so profane as to pray to thee with the intent of getting
praise for myself. (Commentary)
Pray (4336)(proseuchomaifrom prós = toward, facing, emphasizing direct
approachin seeking God's face + eúchomai= wish, pray, a technicalterm for
invoking a deity and so covers every aspect of such invocation: to request,
entreat, vow, consecrate etc)(Click for in depth study of the relatednoun
proseuche)means literally to prayer to or before. The prefix "pros" conveys
the sense ofbeing immediately before God and hence would also include the
ideas of adoration, devotion, and worship.
The basic idea of this verb is to bring something, and in prayer this pertains to
bringing prayer requests. In early Greek culture an offering was brought with
a prayer that it be accepted. Laterthe idea was changedslightly, so that the
thing brought to God was the prayer. In later Greek, prayers appealed to God
for His presence. This word for prayer encompassesallthe aspects ofprayer:
submission, confession, petition, intercession, praise, and thanksgiving.
Proseuchomai - 85xin 80v-
Matt 5:44; 6:5ff, 9; 14:23; 19:13;24:20;26:36, 39, 41f, 44;Mark 1:35; 6:46;
11:24f; 12:40;13:18; 14:32, 35, 38f;Luke 1:10; 3:21; 5:16; 6:12, 28; 9:18, 28f;
11:1f; 18:1, 10f; 20:47;22:40f, 44, 46; Acts 1:24; 6:6; 8:15; 9:11, 40; 10:9, 30;
11:5; 12:12; 13:3; 14:23;16:25; 20:36;21:5; 22:17; 28:8; Rom 8:26; 1 Cor
11:4f, 13;14:13ff; Eph 6:18; Phil 1:9; Col 1:3, 9; 4:3; 1 Thess 5:17, 25;2 Thess
1:11; 3:1; 1 Tim 2:8; Heb 13:18; Jas 5:13f, 17f; Jude 1:20
The root noun proseuche is the more generalword for prayer and is used only
of prayer to God. Lawrence Richards writes that proseuchomai…

"In classicalGreekwas the technical term for calling on a deity. The NT
transforms the classicalstiffness into the warmth of genuine conversation.
Such entreaty in the NT is addressedto God or Jesus and typically is both
personaland specific." (Richards, L: Expository Dictionary)
Wuest picks up on this meaning translating it
"by prayer whose essenceis that of worship and devotion".
In Jesus'day the pious Jews prayed publicly at set times, commonly, in the
morning, afternoon, and evening (Ps. 55:17;Dan. 6:10; Acts 3:1). The Jewish
historian Josephus points out that sacrifices, including prayers, were offered
“twice a day, in the early morning and at the ninth hour.” Jesus makes no
mention of appropriate times for His focus is that of an appropriate attitude
on any occasionon which one prays
Jesus is warning citizens of the Kingdom of heavenof the danger of emulating
the "righteousness"(according to man's standard of what is righteous, not
God's standard!) which they had seemin the lives and religious activities of
the scribes and Pharisees.
Hypocrite (Click for in depth discussion)is the man or woman who puts on a
mask and pretends to be what he or she is not in the innermost person.
Hypocrite describes the insincere personwho pretends to be pious or virtuous
when he or she really is not. The parallel thought is what others see what's on
the outside. We callthis reputation. God sees what's really present on the
inside. We callthis character. Godis interested in our character, notour
reputation.

THOUGHT - Who do we seek to please in our various religious activities? Are
we "playing the part" like an actor/actressorare we seeking to please only
our FatherWho art in heaven? Do we pray in order to cause others to think
highly of us? Do we pray to somehow impress even ourselves that we are
spiritual? Do we pray in order to gain merit with God?
Unger adds that…
the hypocrite is a double person, natural and artificial. The first he keeps to
himself, and the other he puts on, as he does his clothes, to make his
appearance before men. Hypocrites have been divided into four classes:(1)
The worldly hypocrite, who makes a professionof religion and pretends to be
religious, merely from worldly considerations (Matt. 23:5). (2) The legal
hypocrite, who relinquishes his vicious practices, in order thereby to merit
heaven, while at the same time having no real love for God(Ro 10:3). (3) The
evangelicalhypocrite, whose religionis nothing more than a bare conviction
of sin; who rejoices under the idea that Christ died for him, and yet has no
desire to live a holy life (Matt. 13:20). (4) The enthusiastic hypocrite, who has
an imaginary sight of his sins and of Christ and talks of remarkable impulses
and high feelings, etc., while living in the most scandalous practices (2Cor.
11:14). (Unger, M. F., Harrison, R. K., Vos, H. F., Barber, C. J., & Unger, M.
F. The New Unger's Bible dictionary. Chicago:Moody Press)
Vine writes that a hypocrite is
primarily one who answers;then, a stage–actor;it was a custom for Greek
and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanicaldevices for
augmenting the force of the voice;hence the word became used
metaphorically of a dissembler (one who hides by putting on a false pretense,

concealing the real facts, their true intentions and genuine feelings), a
hypocrite. It is found only in the Synoptists (Matthew - Luke), and always
used by the Lord, fifteen times in Matthew;elsewhere, Mark 7:6;Luke 6:42;
11:44 (in some mss.); Luke 12:56;13:15.
When (not if but when) you give, pray and fast, don't be an play actor hiding
behind your mask of religious activity trying to convince people you are
someone you devoted to God and pious, when you really are not. By way of
application it would be wise to apply this warning by our Lord to all our
"religious activities". Be honestand ask yourself "Why am I doing what I am
doing at church?"
Ron Mattoonadds an interesting note pointing out that…
Pompous hypocrites would gather at busy street corners at these times to be
seenpraying. It is interesting to note that the word used here for streetis not
the same as that in Mt 6:2, rhume, which refers to a narrow street. The Greek
word used here is plateia and refers to a wide, major street, and thus refers to
a major street cornerwhere a crowdwas most likely to be. The implied fault
here is that the hypocrites loved to pray where they would have the largest
audience. This is why they gatheredat the wide streets.
There was nothing wrong with praying at a major intersectionif that was
where you happened to be at the time for prayer, but something was very
wrong if you planned to be there at prayer time for the specific purpose of
praying where the most people could see you. The real evil of those
hypocritical worshipers, whether in the synagogues oron the streetcorners,
was the desire to display themselves in order to be seenof men. (Ron Mattoon
- Treasures FromProverbs, Volume One)

The Pharisees were like actors in a play, speaking from under a mask. Their
mask was that of self-righteousnesswhichmen would look at and be deceived
thinking that they were something they were not. They were not praying to
honor God but themselves!They sought the esteemof men not that of God.
Praying in an inner room as Jesus instructs below would have been the last
thing these pseudo-pious hypocrites would do. Who would heartheir lengthy
and embellished oratory?
Phil Newtonwrites…
You can picture the scene. The rabbi calls upon Brother So-and-so to pray in
the synagogue,and then he begins the most polished, flowery prayer that the
congregationhad ever heard. Once he satdown the members of the
congregationwere awedby his knowledge anduse of language and obvious
spirituality! He satwith a smug grin, knowing that he had impressed the
whole congregationby what he had said. Jesus declaredthat he got what he
wanted, the approval of men. But he did not receive what he prayed for in the
least.
Charles Spurgeonwas alarmed when he heard one of his students begin his
prayer, “O Thou that art encinctured with an auriferous zodiac!” The man
proved to be an imposter that finally became a playwright and actor,
abandoning his wife and the ministry. His desire for the attention of men
exposedthe sinful motives that dictated his prayer. (Read his full messageon
Matthew 6:1-18)
Our Daily Bread explains that…

A hypocrite is a pretender. He is a person who does not acthis realself but
disguises himself to be another. God hates hypocrisy but loves sinners. In all
the records of the Gospels, Jesusspoke to sinners with sympathy, kindness,
and forgiveness. Butto the hypocritical religious leaders, He used the
strongestpossible language ofcondemnation. He calledthem blind guides,
whitewashedtombs, and vipers (Matthew 23:24,27,33).
The biggesthypocrite of all, however, is the man or woman who refuses to
come to Christ because there are so many hypocrites in the church. Such a
person is being inconsistent. Business is full of hypocrites, but that does not
stop him from doing business. Societyis full of them, but he does not decide to
become a hermit. Hell is full of hypocrites, so if a persondoesn't like
hypocrites he had better make sure he's not going there.
If your excuse for not bowing before Christ and accepting Him as your Savior
and Lord is that you don't like hypocrites, will you let me show you the
biggesthypocrite of all? I say this in love, dear friend. Look in the mirror.
Stop pretending. If you can't think of a better excuse, you have no excuse! —
M R De Haan (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids,
MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
One day before God's judgment bar
All sham and pretense will take flight,
We'll all be known for who we are—
There'll be no hiding from His sight. —D. De Haan
There's no bigger hypocrite than the personwho pretends he doesn'tneed
Jesus.

R A. Torrey explains that…
We should never utter one syllable of prayer, either in public or in private,
until we are definitely conscious that we have come into the presence ofGod
and are actually praying to Him… I can remember when that thought
transformed my prayer life. I was brought up to pray. I was taught to pray so
early in life that I have not the slightestrecollectionofwho taught me to
pray… Nevertheless, prayer was largely a mere matter of form. There was
little real thought of God, and no realapproach to God. And even after I was
converted, yes, even after I had entered the ministry, prayer was largelya
matter of form. But the day came when I realized what real prayer meant,
realized that prayer was having an audience with God, actually coming into
the presence ofGod and asking and getting things from Him. And the
realization of that fact transformed my prayer life. Before that, prayer had
been a mere duty, and sometimes a very irksome duty, but from that time on
prayer has been not merely a duty but a privilege, one of the most highly
esteemedprivileges of life. Before that, the thought that I had was, "How
much time must I spend in prayer?" The thought that now possessesme is,
"How much time may I spend in prayer without neglecting the other
privileges and duties of life?" (Torrey, R A: The Powerof Prayer) (Bolding
added)
TRULY I SAY TO YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD IN FULL: amen
lego (1SPAI) humin apechousin(3SPPAI) ton misthon auton
Truly - Mt 6:2; 23:14;Job 27:8, 9, 10; Isaiah1:15; Luke 18:10,11;20:47
Matthew 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
As someone has well said this passageexplains how a hypocrite can be broke
(in the eternal sense)whenthey are paid in full (in this present life)!

Truly (Amen) - The following conclusionis trustworthy; valid and binding.
Only the Lord Jesus uses amenat beginning of a sentence (in this case the
beginning of the concluding clause)which guarantees the truth of what He is
saying and also affirms His authority
Ironside comments that Jesus first warns us
againstmere formality in prayer and pretended piety, rather than concernfor
the glory of God. He demands reality. There were those of the Pharisees who
lookedon prayer as having a certaindegree of merit in itself (even as
Mohammedans, Romanists, and others do now). Formalprayers were recited
in public places, and the longer the prayer the more intense was the
impression made on those who stoodby. They were inclined to judge a man's
piety by the length of his devotions. Jesus warnedHis disciples againstsuch an
abuse of prayer. He did not forbid their praying in public places. In 1
Timothy 2:8 ("I want men in every place to pray… ") this is definitely
implied. But He did inveigh againstpraying to be seenof men, or engaging in
any other religious exercise forostentation.
Dwight Pentecostapplies Jesus'warning to our modern church noting that…
While man’s faith in God will manifest itself in a man’s relationship to men, a
man’s faith in God is a matter betweenhimself and God alone. When one’s
religion is used to impress men, God disavows it as providing any basis for His
approval. Multitudes assemble themselves in churches, not out of a heart of
love and devotion to God, nor because they recognize a sense of obligationto
come togetherwith God’s people around His Word to fellowship with the
Father. They gather togetherto maintain an image, a reputation before men.
They go through empty forms of worship, devoid of any reality. They are

there to impress men, and the Lord said they will getwhat they want. They
will have their reward, but not from God. (
Pentecost, J. D. Designfor living: Lessons in Holiness from the Sermon on the
Mount. Kregel Publications
)
Reward(3408)(misthos [word study]) literally refers to pay which is due for
labor performed or dues paid for work.
Misthos is used in two generalsenses in the NT, either to refer to wages orto
reward, recognitionor recompense. In this latter figurative usage, misthos
refers to rewards which God bestows forthe moral quality of an action, such
rewards most often to be bestowedin eternity future.
Some uses as in this present passagein 2Peterrefer to "wages" obtained
through iniquity, similar to the "wages" paidto Judas for his betrayal of
Christ (see Acts 1:18).
Although Paul does not use misthos in the following passage, the principle of
spiritual reaping clearly is relatedto rewards both here and in the future…
For the one who sows to his ownflesh shall from the flesh reap corruption,
but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Gal
6:8)
Jesus associatesrewards with giving, fasting and praying teaching that are
dependent upon one's motive (Mt 6:2, 5, 16-see notes Matthew 6:1 6:2; 6:5;

6:16). Note especiallyfuture rewards for having suffered for the Name of
Christ in this life (Mt 5:12-note;Lk 6:23).
To both the Greek and Hebrew mind the idea of reward had to do with the
wholeness ofan action or statedanother way with the completionof a deed.
The reward was part of the actionor deed. Therefore, just as work completed
would result in the payment of wages,so it was assumedthat an action
naturally carried certain results, either reward or punishment. The conceptof
a reward also involved a return commensurate with the actionor deed
performed.
The conceptof rewards for goodbehavior and punishment for bad behavior is
common in the Old Testamentand in Jewishliterature. Deuteronomy 28 lists
a series ofrewards and punishments (blessing and cursing) that are
distributed according to Israel’s faithfulness to the covenant(cf Isa. 65:6, 7;
66:6).
PRAYING IN PUBLIC - When Jesus told people to pray in secret, He didn't
mean that praying in public is wrong. What He condemned are insincere
prayers made only to impress people. We may all sense that subtle temptation
at times.
A group of delegatesfrom a Christian conference stoppedata busy
restaurant for lunch and were seatedat severaldifferent tables around the
room. Just before eating, one member announced in a loud voice, "Let's
pray!" Chairs shifted and heads turned. Then followed a long-winded
"blessing" that did more to coolthe food than warm hearts. Finally, amid
snickers and grumbling, came the welcome "Amen."

Contrastthat story with another scene. A history teacherat a large state
university was having lunch with his family in the schoolcafeteria. As they
begantheir meal, their little 3-year- old cried out, "O Daddy, we forgot to
pray!" "Well, honey" said the man "would you pray for us?" "DearJesus,"
she began, "thank You for our goodfood and all these nice people. Amen."
From
nearby tables came "amens" from professorsand students alike who were
touched by that child's simple and sincere prayer.
May all our public praying be like that. - D J. De Haan (Our Daily Bread,
Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All
rights reserved)
Though lines to heaven should ever be
Attuned to praying ceaselessly,
Let's take that extra specialcare
To guard our words in public prayer.--HGB
If we pray to catchthe earof man,
we can't expectto reach the ear of God.
Matthew 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your
door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Fatherwho sees what
is done in secretwill reward you. (NASB: Lockman)

Greek:su de hotan proseuche, (2SPMS)eiselthe (2SAAM)eis to tameion sou
kai kleisas (AAPMSN)ten thuran sou proseuchai(2SAAM) to patri souto en
to krupto; kai o pater sou o blepon (PAPMSN)en to krupto apodosei(3SFAI)
soi.
Amplified: But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing
the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret;and your Father, Who sees in
secret, will rewardyou in the open. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
KJV: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;and thy Father which
seethin secretshall rewardthee openly.
NLT: But when you pray, go awayby yourself, shut the door behind you, and
pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets,will
reward you. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Philips: But when you pray, go into your own room, shut your door and pray
to your Father privately. Your Father who sees all private things will reward
you. (New Testamentin Modern English)
Wuest: But, as for you, whenever you are praying, enter into your secretand
well-guardedplace, and having closedyour door, pray to your Father in
secret. And your Father who sees in secretwill reward you.
Young's Literal: 'But thou, when thou mayestpray, go into thy chamber, and
having shut thy door, pray to thy Fatherwho is in secret, andthy Father who
is seeing in secret, shallreward thee manifestly.

BUT YOU, WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR INNER ROOM, CLOSE
YOUR DOOR AND PRAY TO YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN SECRET:su de
hotan proseuche, (2SPMS)eiselthe (2SAAM)eis to tameion soukai kleisas
(AAPMSN) ten thuran sou proseuchai(2SAAM) to patri sou to en to krupto
Enter - Mt 14:23;26:36, 37, 38, 39; Genesis 32:24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29;2 Ki 4:33;
Isaiah26:20; John 1:48; Acts 9:40; 10:9,30)
Pray - Ps 34:15; Isaiah65:24; John 20:17;Romans 8:5; Eph 3:14
Matthew 6 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
But (de) introduces the diametrically opposite approach we are to have to
prayer.
When - Not "if" you pray but "when"!Let us pray.
You is plural in Mt 6:5 and 6:7 but here it is singular emphasizing private,
personalone on one communion as betweena child who goes into his father's
study and has his ear. The basis of all prayer is that of the Fatherhoodof God
and our relationship to Him as His children. Don't forgetthis foundational
principle of prayer.
Inner room (5009)(tameion) describes any place of privacy. The idea is to go
into the inner room of a house, normally without any windows opening
outside, so that you have the most private locationpossible. This is a direct
contrastwith the hypocrites who sought out the most prominent public place
to pray. The focus is on the intimacy of communion with God in one’s heart,
which is at the center of all prayer, whether it happens to be given publicly or
privately. Secretprayer alone with God is one of the bestbarometers of one's

devotion to Christ because in the secretplace for this is no one (or only One!)
present to be impressed by your words.
Spurgeontold the following illustration regarding enclosing one's selfin the
inner room…
A little boy, who was accustomedto spend some time every day in prayer,
went up into a hayloft, and when he climbed into the hayloft, he always pulled
the ladder up after him. Someone askedhim why he did so. He answered, "As
there is no door, I pull up the ladder." Oh, that we could always in some way
cut the connectionbetweenour souland the intruding things which lurk
below! There is a story told of some person, I never knew who it was, who
desired to see me on a Saturday night, when I had shut myself up to make
ready for the Sabbath. He was very greatand important, and so the maid
came to say that someone desiredto see me. I bade her say that it was my rule
to see no one at that time. Then he was more important and impressive still,
and said, "TellMr. Spurgeonthat a servant of the Lord Jesus Christdesires
to see him immediately." The frightened servant brought the message;but the
sender gainedlittle by it, for my answerwas, "Tellhim I am busy with his
Master, and cannot see servants now." (BarbedArrows from the Quiver of C.
H. Spurgeon)
Although prayer is private communication betweenGod and and His child,
Jesus is not forbidding public prayer (which even carried out - Mt 14:19,
15:36), but the motive behind such prayer. Public praying that is an overflow
of much prayer in secret.. The early church met togetherfor collective prayer
(Acts 2:42; 12:12; 13:3; 14:23;20:36). Jesus'main point was not so much
where believers pray, but why we pray. Is it for men or for God? Public
versus private prayer howeverdoes potentially provide a measure or test of
one's motives, for the personwho prays more in public than in private reveals
that he or she is less interestedin God's approval than in human praise.

C H Spurgeon's comments…
Be alone; enter into a little room into which no other may intrude; keepout
every interloper by shutting the door; and there, and then, with all thy heart
pour out thy supplication. “Pray to thy Father ”: prayer is mainly to be
addressedto God the Father; and always to God as our :Father. Pray to thy
Father who is there present, to thy Father who sees thee, and speciallytakes
note of that which is evidently meant for him only, seeing it is done “in secret
”, where no eye can see but his own. If it be indeed to God that we pray, there
can be no need for anyone else to be present; for it would hinder rather than
help devotion to have a third person for witness of the heart’s private
intercourse with the Lord.
As the very soul of prayer lies in communion with God, we shall pray best
when all our attention is confined to him; and we shall best reachour end of
being acceptedby him when we have no regardto the opinion of anyone else.
Secretprayer is truly heard and openly answeredin the Lord’s own way and
time. Our King reigns “in secret”:there he sets up his court, and there will he
welcome our approaches. We are not where God sees whenwe court publicity,
and pray to obtain credit for our devotion. (Commentary)
AND YOUR FATHER WHO SEES WHAT IS DONE IN SECRET WILL
REWARD YOU: kai o pater sou o blepon (PAPMSN)en to krupto apodosei
(3SFAI) soi.
Matthew 6 Resources- Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
OUR FATHER
SEES ALL

Proverbs 15:3 says "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the
evil and the good."
He not only sees but He hears every whisper, ever faint cry, every praise,
every cry, every thing!
Sees (presenttense - continually)(991) (blepo) means perceive with your eyes.
Blepo can denote simple voluntary observationand so mean to look at,
behold. Many NT uses convey the sense of becoming aware of or taking notice
of something, of perceiving or discerning or understanding. The present tense
is used reflecting God's omniscience -- He is the All Seeing God.
Secret(2927)(kruptos from krúpto = keepsecret. Eng., “crypt,” “cryptic,”
etc) means hidden, concealed, andthus secretor in secretwhere it cannot be
seenby others.
Jesus reveals that one of the real secrets ofprayer is secretprayer! And so as
Spurgeonexhorts us…
Get into some quiet nook — some secretplace, no matter where. Shut thy
door, so that nobody canhear you — not wishing anybody to know even that
you are at prayer.
Don't pass over this awesometruth too fast, but ponder what Jesus has just
said. The OT reminds us of this axiomatic truth that…

(in context Hanani the seerspeaking forGod to Asa king of Judah) the eyes of
the LORD (Jehovah) move to and fro throughout the earth that He may
strongly support those whose heart is completely His. (2Chronicles 16:9)(The
Septuagint/LXX renders it "the eyes of the Lord look upon [epiblepo = epi =
upon + blepo = look - present tense = continually] all the earth, to strengthen
every heart that is perfect toward him")
Behold, the eye of the LORD (Jehovah)is on those who fear (reverential awe)
Him, on those who hope (not "hope it might chance to be" but tarrying with
confident expectationand trust) for His lovingkindness, (Ps 33:8)
Spurgeoncomments: Behold. Forthis is a greaterwonder than hosts and
horses, a surer confidence than chariots or shields.
The eye of the Lord is upon them that fearhim. That eye of peculiar care is
their glory and defence. None cantake them at unawares, forthe celestial
watcherforeseesthe designs of their enemies, and provides againstthem.
They who fear God need not fear anything else;let them fix their eye of faith
on him, and his eye of love will always restupon them.
Upon them that hope in His mercy. This one would think to be a small
evidence of grace, and yet it is a valid one. Humble hope shall have its share as
well as courageousfaith. Say, my soul, is not this an encouragementto thee?
Dostthou not hope in the mercy of God in Christ Jesus? Thenthe Father's eye
is as much upon thee as upon the elder born of the family. These gentle words,
like softbread, are meant for babes in grace, who needinfant's food.
The eyes of the LORD (Jehovah) are toward the righteous (Who are the
righteous? Ge 15:6 and Hab 2:4 teach it is those who have faith - not those

Jesus was in love with secret praying

Jesus was in love with secret praying

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was in love with secret praying

Similar to Jesus was in love with secret praying (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (18)

Jesus was in love with secret praying