trumpet, call the poor together to receive alms of rice, and other kinds of food. See WARD.
Works of charity and mercy should be done as much in private as is consistent with the advancement of the glory of God, and the effectual relief of the poor.
In the synagogues and in the streets— That such chests or boxes, for receiving the alms of well-disposed people, were placed in the synagogues, we may readily believe; but what were the streets? Schoettgen supposes that courts or avenues in the temple and in the synagogues may be intended-places where the people were accustomed to walk, for air,
amusement, etc., for it is not to be supposed that such chests were fixed in the public streets.
They have their reward.— That is, the honor and esteem of men which they sought. God is under no obligation to them-they did nothing with an eye to his glory, and from HIM they can expect no recompense. They had their recompense in this life; and could expect none in the world to come.
Verse 3. Let not thy left hand know— In many cases, works of charity
well, and cew, I pour out; probably alluding to the offerings or libations which were poured out before, or on the altar. A proper idea of prayer is, a pouring out of the soul unto God, as a free-will offering, solemnly and eternally dedicated to him, accompanied with the most earnest desire that it may know, love, and serve him alone. He that comes thus to God will ever be heard and blessed. Prayer is the language of dependence; he who prays not, is endeavoring to live independently of God: this was the first curse, and continues to be the great curse of mankind. In the beginning, Satan said, Eat this fruit; ye shall then be as God; i.e. ye shall be
independent: the man hearkened to his voice, sin entered into the world, and notwithstanding the full manifestation of the deception, the ruinous system is still pursued; man will, if possible, live independently of God;
hence he either prays not at all, or uses the language without the spirit of prayer. The following verses contain so fine a view, and so just a
definition, of prayer, that I think the pious reader will be glad to find them here.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire Unuttered or expressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast:
Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward gleaming of an eye,
When none but God is near Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high:
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air, His watch-word at the gates of death,
He enters heaven by prayer Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, Behold he prays!
The saints in prayer appear as one, In word, in deed, in mind, When with the Father and the Son
Their fellowship they find Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on th’ eternal throne, For sinners intercedes
“O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer thyself hast trod, Lord, teach us how to pray!” — MONTGOMERY
Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites— upokritai. From upo under, and krinomai to be judged, thought: properly a stage-player, who acts under a mask, personating a character different from his own; a counterfeit, a dissembler; one who would be thought to be different from what he really is. A person who wishes to be taken for a follower of God, but who has nothing of religion except the outside.
Love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets— The Jewish phylacterical prayers were long, and the canonical hours obliged them to repeat these prayers wherever they happened to be;
and the Pharisees, who were full of vain glory, contrived to be overtaken in the streets by the canonical hour, that they might be seen by the people, and applauded for their great and conscientious piety. See Lightfoot. As they had no piety but that which was outward, they endeavored to let it fully appear, that they might make the most of it among the people. It would not have answered their end to kneel before God, for then they might have been unnoticed by men; and consequently have lost that reward which they had in view: viz. the esteem and applause of the multitude. This hypocritical pretension to devotion is common among the Asiatics. Both Hindoos and Mohammedans love to pray in the most public places, at the landing places of rivers, in the public streets, on the roofs of the covered boats, without the least endeavor to conceal their outside devotion, that they may be seen of men.
Verse 6. But thou, when thou prayest— This is a very impressive and emphatic address. But THOU! whosoever thou art, Jew, Pharisee,
Christian-enter into thy closet. Prayer is the most secret intercourse of the soul with God, and as it were the conversation of one heart with another.
The world is too profane and treacherous to be of the secret. We must shut the door against it: endeavor to forget it, with all the affairs which busy and amuse it. Prayer requires retirement, at least of the heart; for this may be fitly termed the closet in the house of God, which house the body of every real Christian is, <460316>
1 Corinthians 3:16. To this closet we ought to retire even in public prayer, and in the midst of company.
Reward thee openly.— What goodness is there equal to this of God to give, not only what we ask, and more than we ask, but to reward even prayer itself! How great advantage is it to serve a prince who places prayers in the number of services, and reckons to his subjects’ account, even their trust and confidence in begging all things of him!
Verse 7. Use not vain repetitions— mh battologhshte, Suidas explains