THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
(A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum.)
Subdivision E
ALMSGIVING, PRAYER, AND FASTING TO BE PERFORMED SINCERELY, NOT OSTENTATIOUSLY.
MATT. 6:1-18
Alms
This section is about giving, praying, and fasting. Jesus is concerned that these actions be done quietly, discreetly, and with proper reverence to God instead of show to man.
alms--Or, righteous acts. The word refers to religious externalities. -Scofield
i.e. the reward they have sought. -Scofield
Both commentaries connect this back to the prior passage:
If "but" is genuine, as is on the whole more probable, our Lord places this warning in close relation to the preceding charge. Aim at "perfection," but beware of mere show. -Pulpit Commentary
"As we must do better than the scribes and Pharisees in avoiding heart-sins, heart-adultery, and heart-murder, so likewise in maintaining and keeping up heart-religion, doing what we do from an inward, vital principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be applauded of men; that is, we must watch against hypocrisy, which was the leaven of the Pharisees, as well as against their doctrine, Luk_12:1. Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, are three great Christian duties - the three foundations of the law, say the Arabians: by them we do homage and service to God with our three principal interests; by prayer with our souls, by fasting with our bodies, by alms-giving with our estates. Thus we must not only depart from evil, but do good, and do it well, and so dwell for evermore." Matthew Henry
Prayer
Jon Courson's meditation on the Lord's Prayer is persuasive. He talks about how it is one of a few sacraments, sacraments defined as "that which comes from the outside and works its way in." Baptism and the Lord's Supper are two other sacraments that he mentions. Pointing out that the prayer appears upon two different occasions with the same wording, Courson believes it is not just a prototype, but that the Lord gave us these words specifically as a way to guide us in relating to Him.
Other things he stresses---prayer doesn't have to be long. It's the spirit and thoughtfulness of one's heart that keeps the Lord's Prayer from being a vain repetition.
As a former Catholic, there is definitely something winsome about his argument. I do feel the burden of "creative" or "lengthy" prayer which can keep me from wanting to pray at all. I do get caught up in my earthly needs or the needs of those around me---something that is not wrong, but certainly not the full picture. The balance and simplicity of the Lord's prayer appeals to me too.
"There are only two kinds of people: those who are in harmony with God's purpose, saying, "Thy will be done," and those who live for themselves, saying, 'My will be done.'" -Jon Courson
"Third, God's provision…
Give us…
Notice Jesus did not pray, "Give Me My bread," but "Give us our bread." There are no singular pronouns in the Lord's Prayer. For me, it's so freeing to think of my needs as "our needs." If I'm feeling tired, I pray, "Lord, give us strength, my brothers and sisters who are feeling fatigued today." If I'm sad, I pray, "Lord, lift our spirits today." There's wonderful, continual intercession when a person prays, " -Jon Courson
"The thought is not merely God’s will realized in this or that action, whether performed or endured by us (cf. Mat_26:42; Act_21:14), but God’s will as a whole coming into full being. God’s will is always in ideal until it is accomplished in act." -Pulpit
Fasting
No comments:
Post a Comment