Chapter 6

6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

alms

Or, righteous acts. The word refers to religious externalities. These may be seen of men, but that must not be the motive.

6:2  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.

reward

i.e. the reward they have sought.

6:5  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.

reward

i.e. the praise of men.

6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

kingdom come

vs. Matthew 11:27-30 ; Luke 1:31-33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:24 (See Scofield "Matthew 3:2") .

6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

we forgive our debtors

This is legal ground. Cf. Ephesians 4:32 which is grace. Under law forgiveness is conditioned upon a like spirit in us; under grace we are forgiven for Christ's sake, and exhorted to forgive because we have been forgiven. ; Matthew 18:32 ; 26:28 . (See Scofield "Matthew 26:28") .

For Another Point of View: See Topic 301235

debts sin

(See Scofield "Romans 3:23") .

6:16  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

reward

i.e. the praise of men.

6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

take no thought

Or, have no anxiety. Matthew 6:34 .

6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is to be distinguished from the kingdom of heaven (See Scofield "Matthew 3:2") , in five respects:

(1) The kingdom of God is universal, including all moral intelligences willingly subject to the will of God, whether angels, the Church, or saints of past or future dispensations Luke 13:28 Luke 13:29 ; Hebrews 12:22 Hebrews 12:23 while the kingdom of heaven is Messianic, mediatorial, and Davidic, and has for its object the establishment of the kingdom of God in the earth (See Scofield "Matthew 3:2") 1 Corinthians 15:24 1 Corinthians 15:25 .

(2) The kingdom of God is entered only by the new birth John 3:3 John 3:5-7 the kingdom of heaven, during this age, is the sphere of a profession which may be real or false. (See Scofield "Matthew 13:3") Matthew 25:1 Matthew 25:11 Matthew 25:12

(3) Since the kingdom of heaven is the earthly sphere of the universal kingdom of God, the two have almost all things in common. For this reason many parables and other teachings are spoken of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew, and of the kingdom of God in Mark and Luke. It is the omissions which are significant. The parables of the wheat and tares, and of the net Matthew 13:24-30 Matthew 13:36-43 Matthew 13:47-50 are not spoken of the kingdom of God. In that kingdom there are neither tares nor bad fish. But the parable of the leaven Matthew 13:33 is spoken of the kingdom of God also, for, alas, even the true doctrines of the kingdom are leavened with the errors of which the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Herodians were the representatives. (See Scofield "Matthew 13:33") .

(4) The kingdom of God "comes not with outward show" Luke 17:20 but is chiefly that which is inward and spiritual Romans 14:17 while the kingdom of heaven is organic, and is to be manifested in glory on the earth. (See "Kingdom (O.T.)," Zechariah 12:8, note; (N.T.), ; Luke 1:31-33 ; 1 Corinthians 15:24, note; Matthew 17:2, note.) (See Scofield "Zechariah 12:8") , Luke 1:31-33 See Scofield " 1 Corinthians 15:24 " See Scofield " Matthew 17:2 "

(5) The kingdom of heaven merges into the kingdom of God when Christ, having put all enemies under his feet, "shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father" 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 (See Scofield "Matthew 3:2")