(Ly 1629-84), and was practised on other occasions also (Ex 348, 1S 76, 28 1216, Jer 369, Dn 103). The prophets sometimes spoke against it (Is 5838, Jer 1412, Zec 75), but it was a prevailing usage throughout the Hebrew history, cf. Jth 68, To 128, In the NT also the Pharisee is represented as boasting in his prayer, ‘T fast twice in the week’ (Lk 1812), and the frequent fasts are mentioned in Mt 914 (cf. art. Fastine in vol. i.). It is noticeable that Jesus has not joined with these three outstanding acts of Jewish worship the observance of the Sabbath, which stood in somewhat the same prominence ; but elsewhere He dealt with that subject also (Mk 225-28), and on a similar principle.
* Sizeesorbyy is to be understood here in a comprehensive sense ; it is a repetition of the diz. of v.20, now to be illustrated in acts of religious worship, and embraces alike almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.
+ In v.2 caazions is a figurative term signifying ostentation. ixoxpirai refers to the Pharisees; they were hypocrites because they wore a mask of piety over their selfish lives ; cf. also Mt 235-7, gvvoeyoryecis, pomecess indicate that almsgiving was a part of the regular synagogue services, but that alms were also given upon the streets to those in need. The ami eyo duiv pubs a special emphasis upon the fact that this almsgiving, when done out of vanity, had no real merit ; cf. Lk 624. In y.® the phrase, “Jet not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth,’ is quite surely a current Semitic proverb to express secrecy.
tIn v.5 écecbe is an imperatival future, as‘in Mt 548; the parallel verb in v.? is an imperatival subjunctive, and in v.6 an imperative, the meaning being quite the same in each. The yayios TOY ThoTedy WEYe the four corners of street intersections, which were chosen as the most conspicuous place for the ostentatious prayers. éerdres indicates that prayers, were customarily offered in a standing posture. The rasiov, or, more frequently in the NT, srepaov, was the upper room of an Oriental house used for guests or for retirement to pray; see Ac 113 987.39 208, With the language of v.64 compare 21K 433, Is 2620,
§ In v.16 cz parol and dpevitovery +e xpbowre refer to neglect of the customary care for the head, the unwashed face and
32 SERMON ON THE MOUNT
SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Jesus removed all obligation from His followers to observe the Pharisaic system of fasts, or to practise fasting except as it was the personal and spon- taneous expression of inner feeling (cf. Mk 2!8-22), Here He teaches that when one fasts it must be a genuinely religious performance, free from all ostentation and selfish motives.
It is true, Jesus says, that those who turn these acts of religious worship to selfish account do secure their object; ‘they have their reward’ in the false reputation for generosity and piety which for a time they can win. But they cannot win God’s approval, or secure any spiritual blessings. These things, which alone are worth while, belong only to those whose worship is sincere, who give and pray and fast with pure unselfish motives, for the good they can do their fellow-men and for their own spiritual growth. And the principle which Jesus here sets forth for these three acts of religious worship is to apply to every kind of religious observance. Sacred things are never to be turned to worldly account; everything we do in the name of religion, and for the sake of religion, must be untarnished by self-seeking ends and unholy purposes. *
h. The Lord’s Prayer.—Mt 67%=Lk 1114, No words of Jesus which have come down to us are of greater significance or usefulness to mankind than this Prayer, which He taught His disciples, in- dicating as it does the true foundation, the true spirit, and the true substance of all prayer, prayer being our communion with God. A consideration of the Lord’s Prayer will involve the following points: (1) the historical occasion on which the Prayer was given; (2) the original form of the Prayer as taught by Jesus ; (3) the genetic relations of this Prayer to the OT, to Jewish prayers, and to the life of Christ ; (4) the analysis and interpreta- tion of its contents ; (5) the right use of the Prayer.
(1) There is no portion of the Sermon as given by Matthew (chs. 5-7) which is so obviously an addition to the historical discourse as the section 67% containing the Lord’s Prayer. That these verses are extraneous matter, introduced here by the process of compilation, is now maintained by many scholars.+ This fact appears in several ways: (a) Lk 111 explicitly states that Jesus gave the Prayer to His disciples in response to an ex- pressed wish on their part for a form of prayer, such as John the Baptist had given his disciples (the Jews were accustomed to many liturgical prayers). This statement, while it might be a mere literary setting of the Third Gospel, is prob- ably a historical datum; and if historical, it points to another occasion than the Sermon for the presentation of the Prayer. (b) The precise time when the Prayer was given is not fixed by Luke, but it is assigned in a general way to the Perzan period, after the close of the Galilean ministry. This is perhaps too late a position, since it was the