The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 269

Vere. 1-18.-Sermon on tM moont: 4. OstentatiO'US religion. After indicating tbe righteousness which admits to the kingdom of heaven, our Lord proceeds to warn against a flaw that vitiates the goodness of many religious people, and to illustrate it in connection with three chief characteristics of the religious life of those days--alms- giving, prayer, and fasting. I. ALMBGIVING has been recognized as one of the first duties by most religions. Under the Jewish Law the poor were well provided for. It was probably in connection with the receptacles for alms in the women's court of the temple that ostentatious liberality was most frequently indulged in. "Sounding a trumpet" is not to be taken literally, but is only a figure implying that when you do a charity you are not to make a noise about it, but do it so quietly that your own left hand may not know what your right hand is doing, not even letting it dwell much before your own mind, much less craving for acknowledgment from others. We are not beyond the danger of giving, either that we may not be outdone by others, or because our love of applause is stronger than our love of money, and we think it a good use of it if by giving it away we can purchase the good will of our acquaintances. II, IN CONNECTION WITH PRAYEil THERE WAS MUOH ROOM l"OR OSTENTATION IN THE JEWISH RELIGION. As the Mohammedan of the present day spreads bis prayer-carpet wherever the hour of prayer overtakes him, so the Jew was called on three times a day to pray towards the temple. In every town the synagogues were open at the hour of prayer, and there were also places of prayer, chiefly on the banks of the rivers, that the necessary ablutions might be made on the spot. 'l'he Pharisee often allowed him- self to be surprised by the hour of prayer in the public square. Ostentation implies insincerity, and insincerity begets vain repetition. Our Lord sets this down as a specially heathen trait, and it is one which abundantly charac;terizes their practice to this day, But his warning against long prayers and vain repetitions applies to all affectation of continuance in prayer merely because it is the custom and is expected; and to that which arises from indifference and from a want of some clear definite object of desire which we can 1.sk for in plain, simple terms. For the correction of these faults our Lord gives us an example of simple brief prayer, and also adds the assurance that no elaborate explanations are required, because be/ore we pray our heavenly Father knowcth the things we have need of. Ho does not. shape bis answer with only our petition for his guidance, but, knowing before we do what we have need of, he gives us that good gift which we only vaguely conceive, This may suggest the thought-Why pray at all? Does not even the earthly parent  !!62 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [cH. VI, 1~4c.