The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 6 Part 1 Hypocrisy And Almsgiving

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An index for all lessons posted from 2019 through 2021, was published on September 7, 2022.

An index for all lessons posted in 2022, was published January 24, 2023.

An index for all lessons posted in 2023 was posted on February 28, 2024. 

The index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21,2025. 

Always remember that God looks past the externals and looks in our heart.

1 Samuel 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

God rejected Saul from being Israel's king because he did not obey what the LORD told him to do.

The LORD spoke to Samuel who was His faithful  prophet, priest and judge. 

Samuel traveled to the home of a man named Jesse where God said He would choose one of his eight sons to be the next king.

As Eliab passed by him, Samuel thought he would be the one picked by God to be king, for he looked strong.

Notice the LORD's reply to His faithful prophet.

God does not see as we see. 

He looks on a man's heart and this is why Eliab was rejected.

As you probably know, Jesse's youngest son David, was ultimately selected by God to lead Israel.

Why did God pick this young man as Israel's king? 

Because David was a man after God's own heart (See Acts 13:22).

God picked David to be king because his heart was tender toward Him.

2 Samuel 23:1-3  Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2)  The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3)  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 

These are the last words King David spoke before he died and God's Spirit saw fit to include his words in the Bible.

King David was a man anointed by the God of Israel and he was the sweet Psalmist of Israel, having written about half of the Psalms.

David, guided by the Spirit of God, declares that His Word "was in my tongue" which is another way of telling us the scriptures were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit (See 2 Timothy 3:15-17).

This is why God chose David, because He looked into the young man's heart and saw a tenderness and passion for the things of God.

You may wonder why I am introducing Matthew 6 with Old Testament scripture.

The reason is that God looks upon our hearts not on our outward facade. 

Any person can look religious on the outside by dressing a certain way or by speaking appropriate religious words or phrases.

Jesus directly confronted the religion of Judaism because it solely focused upon externals and did not address their sin. 

Scribes and Pharisees were zealous about making sure people dressed the right way, said the right things and generally kept up an appearance of religion.

God looks on our heart and Jesus was God manifest in the flesh looking into the hearts of the scribes and Pharisees (See 1 Timothy 3:16). 

Therefore, He looked into the sin darkened hearts of religious leaders and exposed them to the light of His Word.

This is a theme that we find woven into the gospel accounts of Jesus' life and ministry.

He looked past the external facades of men and saw what was going on in their hearts.

And of course, Jesus still does the same thing with all believers today.

We may get bogged down in the cares of this life or caught up in our own agendas and forget that the Lord keeps watch over our heart.

God's law made many provisions to care for the poor and needy.

Deuteronomy 15:11  For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. 

God's law commands that His people be generous and help the poor according to their ability to do so.

God says "Open wide your hand to help your brother"  because each generation will have poor and needy people who need help.

Proverbs 3:27-28  Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. 28)  Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. 

King Solomon commanded the people to not hold back any good thing from those whom God expects us to help.

The idea of "when it is in the power of thine hand to do it" simply means we help others according to the resources that God entrusts to our care.

We are not to turn away our neighbor if they ask us for food, clothing or shelter and we are able to supply the need.

Acts of mercy flow from a heart that knows the Lord and that recognizes our own need of God's help that He supplies liberally for us. 

Leviticus 19:9-10  And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10)  And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Here is one of God's gracious provisions for the poor and needy.

Farmers were commanded to round off the corners of their fields rather than gleaning all the harvest out of each corner.

Such rounded corners in fields were meant to be a provision for poor and needy people.

The book of Ruth is a good illustration of how God's command was acted upon by Boaz.

In like manner they were not to gather every single grape from a vineyard because God wanted some left for the poor.

Deuteronomy 24:19-21  When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20)  When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21)  When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 

When the harvest was complete and a farmer saw that he missed a few sheaves of grain, he was not to go retrieve them.

Instead, God commanded that the sheaves be left in the fields as His provision for the poor, fatherless and widows.

Notice also that God promises a blessing to those who do obey His commands to care for the poor and needy.

When olives were harvested, they often beat trees with rods to make the fruit fall to the ground.

God commanded that they only beat the trees one time rather than doing it two or three times.

The same process applied to harvesting grapes. 

A farmer was allowed to go through one time to gather grapes.

Whatever grapes he missed were left on the vine for the poor and needy.

This was God's provision for the poor and needy.

It also served as a reminder to farmers that their harvest was from God. 

God sent rain showers and warm sunshine as needed so that crops grew bountifully.

All of these commands are connected with how almsgiving was to occur.

Jesus told us how almsgiving must not be done so that we can give rightly.

Matthew 6:1-2  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. 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. 

Almsgiving was a collection of funds taken up for the poor and needy ones.

Many Jewish synagogues were set up like the temple in Jesus' day.

A chest was placed where charitable contributions were placed.

Some Catholic and Anglican churches still collect funds for the poor.

Most churches take up a collection as needed.

For example, one church took up funds for a family whose father died unexpectedly and the funds paid for the funeral expenses.

Another example, a woman with a serious illness required treatment in another city and her church collected funds to pay for her transportation needs.

Almsgiving can take place at the individual level.

Someone I knew greeted a widow after a service was over and pressed some money into her hand and turned away so that she could not refuse it. 

Others donated funds to help a family by needed articles of clothing. I'm sure you can think of examples like these that possibly you have been involved in.

Jesus began with a warning to His disciples to "take heed" not to give alms like the Pharisees did.

Giving of alms is a great duty and privilege which all disciples of Christ, according to their ability, must abound in. 

As I understand it, almsgiving is something that is above and beyond our tithes and offerings to the Lord.

The Pharisees were "hypocrites" and this word refers to putting on a mask to play a part in theater.

Pharisees put on a mask of religious veneer so that they appeared outwardly as good, upright men.

Yet, inwardly they had corrupt hearts blackened by sin because they never addressed issues in their heart.

Pharisees wanted people to notice them when they put their alms in the offering chest. 

Someone usually watched people put money into the offering chest and when a Pharisee made a contribution, a small horn sounded.

This really degraded the act of almsgiving by making a big deal of the giver.

Jesus warned us against being hypocrites when giving our tithes and offerings.

They wanted people to commend them for being so religious.

They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Thus, Jesus warned against giving hypocritically so that we are noticed by others.

Don't give alms in order to seek attention and don't sound a trumpet by putting attention on yourself when you give.

Almsgiving should be motivated by a generous heart desiring to obey God.

Proverbs 28:27  He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. 

Proverbs 19:17  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

It is prescribed by the law of Moses, and great stress is laid upon it by the prophets.

King Solomon wrote that those who give to help the poor and needy shall not lack any provisions for their own family.

We are to view almsgiving as if we were lending our funds to the LORD, who will recompense us for this act of mercy.

As Paul put it, we are encouraged to be cheerful givers not grudging ones.

What are "alms?" 

This word refers to offerings given to help the poor and it was ordained to be an act of kindness from a merciful heart.

Pharisees and scribes had made almsgiving into a ritual that put the spotlight on the giver.

When they gave alms, Pharisees wanted to be noticed by other men.

Matthew 6:3-4  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4)  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 

When we give tithes, offerings or money to help the poor, our left hand is not to know what our right hand is giving.

This is a proverbial expression, signifying that the action of almsgiving should be done as secretly as possible. 

Encouragement and motivation for performing acts of charity in secret is that it will be pleasing to God. 

Our Father will see the act however secret it may be, and will openly reward it. 

If the reward is not granted in this life, it will be in the life to come. 

We should always remember that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and that He sees not only the act, but also every motive that led to it.

Pharisees had no reward from God because they were interested in being seem as very religious when they gave alms.

Psalm 139:1-4  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2)  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3)  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4)  For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 

Paul speaks of the believer's works being tried by fire.

What we do on earth will survive as gold, silver or precious stones and we will receive our Lord's commendation.

Or, our works as Christians will burn up as wood, hay or stubble and we shall lose any reward, but not our salvation (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-16).

It is like David's Psalm. God searches and knows us because He knows what is in our heart.

God knows what activities we have done and He knows our thoughts.

God knows what we are going to say before we say it.

Thus, our motivation must be centered on pleasing God not pleasing ourselves.

Jesus exposed religious hypocrisy connected with almsgiving in His day.

Let us be those who love and serve God first, so that our lives are dedicated to loving God and loving others.

Bob