Bible Study
“Pure Devotion and Kingdom Trust“
The primary theme of Matthew 6 in the Sermon on the Mount is sincerity of heart: cultivating a genuine, private relationship with God rather than performing religious acts for public applause. Jesus illustrates this by instructing His followers to practice giving, prayer (including the Lord’s Prayer), and fasting discreetly before God rather than for show, and He extends this principle to material wealth, urging disciples to store up heavenly treasures and replace anxiety about earthly needs with an ultimate trust in God’s provision and the pursuit of His kingdom.
We use the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible (click here for more info)
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Introduction
Matthew 6:1–34 is a central portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a foundational teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew. In this chapter, Jesus addresses how his followers should live out righteousness in daily life, urging them to move beyond mere external religious observance and cultivate genuine devotion to God. The passage explores sincerity, trust, and the proper orientation of the heart, challenging listeners to examine their motives and seek God’s kingdom above all else.
The teachings in Matthew 6 are deeply countercultural, especially in their critique of public displays of piety and material anxiety. Jesus invites his audience to trust God’s provision, reminding them that the Father knows their needs even before they ask. The chapter warns against hypocrisy and calls for a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, rooted in humility, generosity, and faith.
Overview of Content
Matthew 6:1–18 deals with three key acts of Jewish piety: giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting. Jesus warns against performing these acts for public recognition, emphasizing that God sees and rewards true righteousness, which He “sees in secret.” The famous Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) models authentic, God-centered prayer.
Verses 19–24 turn to material possessions, cautioning believers not to lay up treasures on earth but to store up treasures in heaven. Jesus teaches that where a person’s treasure is, there their heart will be also, and warns that one cannot serve both God and money.
Finally, in verses 25–34, Jesus addresses anxiety about daily needs such as food and clothing. He encourages His followers to trust in God’s loving care, pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples of God’s provision. The passage concludes with a call to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” assuring them that God will provide all necessary things.
Giving to the Needy
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Cross-Ref • Matthew 23:5 · Luke 16:15 · John 12:43 · Mark 8:15
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Cross-Ref • Proverbs 20:6 · Luke 14:12 · Matthew 6:5 · Matthew 23:14
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
Cross-Ref • Matthew 6:2 · Matthew 6:4 · John 7:4 · Matthew 9:30
4 So that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Cross-Ref • Luke 14:14 · Jeremiah 17:10 · Matthew 25:34 · Luke 12:32
Matthew 6:1–4 warns against practicing righteousness to be seen by others, especially when giving to the needy. Jesus cautions his followers not to “announce it with trumpets,” as the hypocrites do, seeking people’s praise. Instead, he teaches that true generosity should be done discreetly—so much so that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. This imagery emphasizes secrecy and humility, suggesting that giving should be a private matter between the giver and God.
The heart of Jesus’ teaching is about motivation: charitable acts lose their spiritual value when performed for human approval. The reward for such public displays is limited to recognition from others. However, when giving is done in secret, God, “who sees what is done in secret,” promises to reward the giver. This passage challenges believers to examine their motives and focus on internal devotion rather than external recognition.
In summary, Matthew 6:1–4 calls for genuine, humble generosity. It warns that pursuing earthly praise undermines spiritual integrity. Jesus redirects his followers toward a life where acts of mercy flow naturally from a heart devoted to God, confident that divine approval far outweighs human applause.
The Lord’s Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Cross-Ref • Luke 18:11 · Mark 11:25 · Matthew 23:14 · Luke 20:47
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Cross-Ref • 2 Kings 4:33 · Isaiah 26:20 · Matthew 6:18 · Psalm 34:15
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Cross-Ref • 1 Kings 18:26 · Ecclesiastes 5:2 · Matthew 23:14 · Mark 12:40
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Cross-Ref • Matthew 6:32 · Psalm 139:2 · Luke 12:30 · Isaiah 65:24
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Cross-Ref • Luke 11:2 · Isaiah 63:16 · Matthew 23:9 · Psalm 115:3
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Cross-Ref • Matthew 26:39 · Acts 21:14 · Psalm 103:20 · Matthew 4:17
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
Cross-Ref • Proverbs 30:8 · Luke 11:3 · Job 23:12 · Exodus 16:18
12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Cross-Ref • Luke 11:4 · Matthew 18:21 · Ephesians 4:32 · Colossians 3:13
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Cross-Ref • Luke 22:40 · 1 Corinthians 10:13 · 2 Peter 2:9 · John 17:15
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
Cross-Ref • Mark 11:25 · Ephesians 4:32 · Colossians 3:13 · Matthew 18:35
15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Cross-Ref • Matthew 18:35 · Mark 11:26 · James 2:13 · Galatians 6:7
Matthew 6:5–15 contains Jesus’ teaching on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount. He first warns against praying for show, emphasizing that prayer is not about public display or winning human approval, but about sincere communication with God. Jesus stresses private prayer, “in your room,” to underscore authenticity and humility before God.
He then warns against “babbling like pagans,” discouraging empty repetition or the belief that more words make prayers more effective. Instead, God knows our needs even before we ask.
The passage then presents the Lord’s Prayer—the model prayer for Christians. It begins with reverence for God’s holiness (“hallowed be your name”) and a desire for His will and kingdom to prevail. It asks for daily sustenance (“give us today our daily bread”), forgiveness (“forgive us our debts”), and moral guidance (“lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”).
Jesus concludes by highlighting the necessity of forgiveness: our willingness to forgive others is tied to God forgiving us. The passage encourages a humble, direct, and honest relationship with God, focusing on dependence, trust, and reconciliation with others. It teaches that real prayer shapes the heart, aligns us with God’s purposes, and fosters forgiveness and humility.
Fasting
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
Cross-Ref • Isaiah 58:5 · 1 Kings 21:27 · Matthew 6:5 · Luke 18:12
17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.
Cross-Ref • Ruth 3:3 · Daniel 10:3 · Ecclesiastes 9:8 · 2 Samuel 12:20
18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Cross-Ref • Matthew 6:4 · Matthew 6:6 · Psalm 139:1 · Jeremiah 23:24
Matthew 6:16–18 addresses fasting. Jesus cautions against publicly fasting by looking sombre or disfiguring one’s face to gain others’ admiration. He asserts that those who fast for public recognition “have received their reward in full”—meaning any benefit is limited to human approval, not divine blessing.
Instead, Jesus instructs his followers to fast in secret: “put oil on your head and wash your face,” keeping their appearance normal. This ensures that fasting remains a genuine spiritual exercise between the individual and God, not a performance for others.
The central lesson is that God values sincerity and inner devotion over outward displays of religiosity. True fasting is an act of humility and dependence on God, not a tool for self-promotion. Jesus’ teaching here continues the broader theme in the Sermon on the Mount: that authentic faith is cultivated in the heart and seen by God, who “rewards” what is done in secret. This passage challenges believers to examine their motives and seek a deeper, more personal relationship with God.
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
Cross-Ref • Proverbs 23:4 · Hebrews 13:5 · James 5:1 · Luke 12:33
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:33 · 1 Timothy 6:19 · 1 Peter 1:4 · Matthew 19:21
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:34 · Colossians 3:1 · Philippians 3:20 · 2 Corinthians 4:18
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,
Cross-Ref • Luke 11:34 · Romans 12:8 · 2 Corinthians 11:3 · Ephesians 6:5
23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Cross-Ref • Luke 11:35 · Isaiah 5:20 · Jeremiah 4:22 · Ephesians 5:11
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Cross-Ref • Luke 16:13 · Galatians 1:10 · James 4:4 · 1 John 2:15
Matthew 6:19–24 addresses wealth, priorities, and spiritual focus. Jesus instructs his followers not to “store up for yourselves treasures on earth,” warning that earthly riches are temporary and vulnerable to decay or theft. Instead, he urges them to store up “treasures in heaven”—acts of faith, generosity, and obedience that have lasting value.
The key point is that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our priorities reveal our true loyalties. Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye as the lamp of the body to show that a clear, focused perspective (a “healthy” eye) brings spiritual light, while a clouded, materialistic outlook (a “bad” eye) brings inner darkness.
He concludes with a direct statement: “No one can serve two masters.” Divided loyalty is impossible; one must choose between serving God or serving wealth (“mammon”). This passage calls believers to examine what they value most and warns against the spiritual dangers of materialism. Ultimately, Jesus teaches that wholehearted devotion to God is incompatible with living for earthly gain, urging his followers to seek eternal, not temporary, treasure.
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Cross-Ref •Luke 12:22 · Philippians 4:6 · 1 Peter 5:7 · Psalm 55:22
26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:24 · Job 38:41 · Psalm 147:9 · Matthew 10:31
27“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:25 · Matthew 5:36 · Psalm 39:5 · 1 Corinthians 12:18
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:27 · Matthew 6:25 · Psalm 103:15 · Isaiah 40:6
29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Cross-Ref • 1 Kings 10:4 · 2 Chronicles 9:3 · Luke 12:27 · Ecclesiastes 2:11
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:28 · Matthew 8:26 · Matthew 14:31 · Matthew 16:8
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:29 · Psalm 37:3 · Philippians 4:19 · 1 Peter 5:7
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and my heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:30 · Matthew 6:8 · Ephesians 4:17 · 1 Thessalonians 4:5
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:31 · 1 Kings 3:13 · Psalm 34:10 · Mark 10:30
34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Cross-Ref • Luke 12:22 · Exodus 16:19 · Proverbs 27:1 · James 4:14
Matthew 6:25–34 is Jesus’ teaching on worry and trust in God’s provision. He commands his followers not to be anxious about their lives—what they will eat, drink, or wear—because life is more than these necessities. Jesus points to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples: birds do not sow or reap, yet God feeds them; flowers do not labour, yet God clothes them with beauty surpassing Solomon’s splendour.
Jesus argues that worry is unproductive (“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”) and reflects a lack of faith. He reminds believers that God knows their needs, just as He cares for all creation. Anxiety over material needs, Jesus says, characterizes those who do not know God (“the pagans run after all these things”), but his followers are to live differently.
The central command is to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” trusting that God will provide what is needed. Jesus concludes by urging his listeners not to worry about tomorrow, for each day has its own concerns.
This passage encourages believers to trust in God’s loving care, prioritize spiritual pursuits over material anxieties, and live with confidence that God will meet their needs. It challenges followers to replace worry with faith and a focus on God’s kingdom.
In closing, Matthew 6:1-34 calls us to live with sincere hearts, focusing on pleasing God rather than seeking human approval. Jesus teaches us to give, pray, and fast in secret, trusting that our Father sees what we do in private. He urges us not to worry about our needs but to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, trusting that everything else will be provided. May we carry these words into our daily lives, letting go of anxiety and striving to live faithfully and trustfully under God’s loving care. In conclusion, Matthew 6:1-3 reminds us to give and serve humbly, seeking not others’ praise but the approval of our Heavenly Father. Let us practice quiet, sincere generosity, knowing that God alone sees and rewards our acts of kindness.
Biblical, Historical and Theological Sources (click here for more info)
Sources and References for Matthew 5:1-48, 6:1-34, and 7:1-29 (The Sermon on the Mount)
- The Holy Bible
- Recommended translations: English Standard Version (ESV), New International Version (NIV), King James Version (KJV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Christian Standard Bible (CSB).
- Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible
- Classic public domain exposition, covering every verse in the Sermon on the Mount.
- The Gospel of Matthew (New International Commentary on the New Testament) – R.T. France
- Comprehensive, scholarly commentary with historical, theological, and literary analysis.
- The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew – D.A. Carson
- Evangelical commentary offering clear explanations and practical insights.
- The Gospel of Matthew (New International Greek Testament Commentary) – John Nolland
- Focuses on the Greek text, structure, and historical context.
- Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary
- Integrates social, cultural, and rhetorical background to illuminate the text.
- William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew (The Daily Study Bible Series)
- Accessible, devotional commentary with valuable historical background.
- The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, Volume VIII: Matthew–Mark
- Mainline scholarly resource with detailed treatment of the Sermon on the Mount.
- The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom – R. Kent Hughes
- Devotional and practical guide through Matthew 5–7.
- Aland, K., et al., editors. The Greek New Testament
- For studying the original Greek text of Matthew.
- Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament
- Provides scholarly background and overview of Matthew’s Gospel.
How to Use These References:
- For verse-by-verse interpretation: France, Carson, Keener, Nolland, and Matthew Henry.
- For devotional reflection and practical application: Barclay, Hughes.
- For scholarly background and Greek text analysis: Nolland, Aland et al., Brown.
- For comprehensive, multi-perspective coverage: The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary.
These resources will guide you through every passage in Matthew 5–7.
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