Matthew 6:5
Encyclopedia
Matthew 6:5 is the fifth verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
. This verse opens the discussion on the proper procedure for praying.
In the King James Version of the Bible
the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 6:5
The previous verses have been discussing alms
-giving, and Jesus argued that such giving should be in secret, and not be to pursue praise from others. This verse extends this argument to prayer, another of the cornerstones of Jewish piety. In that era there were public prayers at the temple, and private prayers to be said on one's own. There were also regularly scheduled times for prayer. Schweizer notes that when it was time to pray, one was instructed to seek out an inconspicuous corner, and prayers not at public events were to quietly mumbled. As mentioned in this verse, standing was the standard position for prayer.
In this verse Jesus condemns as hypocrites those who make an ostentatious display of praying. Hendriksen links this verse to Luke 18:9-14, which condemns a Pharisee who seeks out the most prominent location in the Temple to pray. Boring notes that some of read this verse as descriptive of mainstream Jewish prayer during this period. Boring disagrees strongly, noting that contemporary Jewish writings are equally condemning of such exhibitionist prayer practices. Hendriksen also notes that while in Matthew 6:2
the word used for street can also alley
, this verse is clear in stating that the prayer is taking place at the corner of the major thoroughfares. As with Matthew 6:2
this verse states that for those who pray to be seen by others, their only reward will be the adulation of their peers. There will be no heavenly reward for those who pray ostentatiously.
This verse is not a total rejection of communal worship. Such behaviour is praised at Matthew 15:36 and elsewhere in the New Testament. What is being attacked is ostentatious prayer meant to impress others. Those who pray to be "seen by men" rather than to pray to God.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
. This verse opens the discussion on the proper procedure for praying.
In the King James Version of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
the text reads:
- And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites
- are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and
- in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.
- Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for
- they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the
- corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most
- certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 6:5
The previous verses have been discussing alms
Alms
Alms or almsgiving is a religious rite which, in general, involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue.It exists in a number of religions. In Philippine Regions, alms are given as charity to benefit the poor. In Buddhism, alms are given by lay people to monks and nuns to...
-giving, and Jesus argued that such giving should be in secret, and not be to pursue praise from others. This verse extends this argument to prayer, another of the cornerstones of Jewish piety. In that era there were public prayers at the temple, and private prayers to be said on one's own. There were also regularly scheduled times for prayer. Schweizer notes that when it was time to pray, one was instructed to seek out an inconspicuous corner, and prayers not at public events were to quietly mumbled. As mentioned in this verse, standing was the standard position for prayer.
In this verse Jesus condemns as hypocrites those who make an ostentatious display of praying. Hendriksen links this verse to Luke 18:9-14, which condemns a Pharisee who seeks out the most prominent location in the Temple to pray. Boring notes that some of read this verse as descriptive of mainstream Jewish prayer during this period. Boring disagrees strongly, noting that contemporary Jewish writings are equally condemning of such exhibitionist prayer practices. Hendriksen also notes that while in Matthew 6:2
Matthew 6:2
Matthew 6:2 is the second verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion of how even good deeds can be done for the wrong reasons....
the word used for street can also alley
Alley
An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane found in urban areas, often for pedestrians only, which usually runs between or behind buildings. In older cities and towns in Europe, alleys are often what is left of a medieval street network, or a right of way or ancient footpath in an urban setting...
, this verse is clear in stating that the prayer is taking place at the corner of the major thoroughfares. As with Matthew 6:2
Matthew 6:2
Matthew 6:2 is the second verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion of how even good deeds can be done for the wrong reasons....
this verse states that for those who pray to be seen by others, their only reward will be the adulation of their peers. There will be no heavenly reward for those who pray ostentatiously.
This verse is not a total rejection of communal worship. Such behaviour is praised at Matthew 15:36 and elsewhere in the New Testament. What is being attacked is ostentatious prayer meant to impress others. Those who pray to be "seen by men" rather than to pray to God.