Matthew 6:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "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.

NIV: "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

NASB: So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

CSB: So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.

NLT: When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do — blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.

KJV: Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

NKJV: Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Jesus has shown that the Father in heaven gives rewards to His people for practicing righteousness in truly righteous ways (Matthew 5:3–12). He warned, though, that doing good deeds so that the world will admire you is unrighteous; there is no heavenly reward when we do the "right thing" for the "wrong reason." Selfish motivation poisons charity into serving spiritual pride. Rather, we ought to serve God out of a pure heart. Public acts of good are part of God's will (Matthew 5:16), but only when they bring glory to God. What Jesus condemns here is motivation—acting "in order to" gain worldly praise.

Jesus uses the example of giving to the needy. He has in mind putting money in the alms box in the synagogue or giving to those in the street who were begging. Modern readers should note that Jesus says "when" you give to the needy, not "if." The expectation was that Jesus' disciples would prioritize caring for the needy, a concept carried through into the Christian church (James 1:27; Galatians 2:10).

It's unclear what is meant by the sounding of trumpets, though trumpets were used in some aspects of Jewish worship. Perhaps some givers had deliberately timed their giving with the trumpets in order to be "caught" giving to the needy and praised by others for their generosity. They may have made a spectacle of their lavish gifts, drawing attention to their donation.

That temporary, eternally meaningless praise is all the reward such givers will get. Since they care so much about the admiration of other people, God will let that stand as their prize.

Matthew 6:1–6 contains Jesus' warning that there is no righteousness is doing the right thing for the wrong reason. This flows from His teaching in chapter 5, which focused on the idea that thoughts and attitudes are as much part of righteousness as are behaviors. Those who do good things, motivated only by the approval of other people, will not be rewarded by God. Hypocrites arrange for everyone to notice their charity, as well as their prayers, because they're mostly concerned with worldly approval. True worshippers give quietly and pray alone behind closed doors; God the Father knows, and He rewards them.

The Sermon on the Mount continues in chapter 6, which is entirely composed of the words of Christ. Jesus teaches that God rewards deeds motivated by sincere devotion to Him, not by approval from other people. He teaches a simple and authentic model prayer. Christ warns against stockpiling money and possessions on earth. Instead, believers should make choices that store up treasure in heaven. A person's top priority can either be God, or money, but cannot be both. Along with that, Jesus says believers should fight against anxiety about daily needs. The heavenly Father knows what we need. All we need to do is pursue His kingdom and righteousness; He will take care of our needs, one day at a time.

Chapter 5 began Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount. In that passage, Jesus pointed out that thoughts and attitudes are part of righteousness, just as much as actions. In Chapter 6, He explains how good deeds are only righteous when done out of sincere devotion to God, rather than for other people's approval. He also provides a model for prayer. Jesus explains how excessive worry, such as over money, interferes with faith in God. Knowing that God loves us should lead believers to trust Him, not to be anxious. Chapter 6 is one of the few chapters of the New Testament entirely composed of the words of Christ. In chapter 7 Jesus will introduce additional themes such as appropriate judgment, trust in God, and treatment of others.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.