Verses 1–4
Our Lord next warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties. What we do,
must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised
of men. In these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving alms. Take heed of it. It is a
subtle sin; and vain-glory creeps into what we do, before we are aware. But the duty is not the less
necessary and excellent for being abused by hypocrites to serve their pride. The doom Christ passes,
at first may seem a promise, but it is their reward; not the reward God promises to those who do
good, but the reward hypocrites promise themselves, and a poor reward it is; they did it to be seen
of men, and they are seen of men. When we take least notice of our good deeds ourselves, God
takes most notice of them. He will reward thee; not as a master who gives his servant what he earns,
and no more, but as a Father who gives abundantly to his son that serves him.
Verses 5–8
It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may as soon find 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 great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions.
“Verily they have their reward;” if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at
prayer, we can look 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 called a reward, but
it is of grace, not of 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 intercessions
are those which are made with groanings that cannot be 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.
Verses 9–15
Christ saw it needful to show his disciples what must commonly be the matter and method of
their prayer. Not that we are tied up to the use of this only, or of this always; yet, without doubt, it
is very good to use it. It has much in a little; and it is used acceptably no further than it is used with
understanding, and without being needlessly repeated. The petitions are six; the first three relate
more expressly to God and his honour, the last three to our own concerns, both temporal and
spiritual. This prayer teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and that
all other things shall be added. After the things of God's glory, kingdom, and will, we pray for the
needful supports and comforts of this present life. Every word here has a lesson in it. We ask for
bread; that teaches us sobriety and temperance: and we ask only for bread; not for what we do not
need. We ask for our bread; that teaches us honesty and industry: we do not ask for the bread of
others, nor the bread of deceit, Pr 20:17; nor the bread of idleness, Pr 31:27, but the bread honestly
gotten. We ask for our daily bread; which teaches us constantly to depend upon Divine Providence.
We beg of God to give it us; not sell it us, nor lend it us, but give it. The greatest of men must be