Matthew 6

Matthew 6 continues Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, focusing on practical righteousness in daily life. In this chapter, Jesus moves from outward actions to the hidden motives of the heart. He teaches that true righteousness is not only doing good things, but doing them with the right spirit before the Father. He speaks about giving, prayer, fasting, treasures, loyalty, worry, and trust in God’s care. Jesus warns against religious performance that seeks human praise, because a person can appear spiritual outwardly while the heart is still centered on self. Instead, He calls His followers to live before the Father, who sees in secret and knows every motive. This chapter also teaches that believers cannot serve both God and earthly riches, and that worry is overcome by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jesus reveals a life of sincere devotion, heavenly priorities, simple trust, and complete dependence on the Father.

Matthew 6:1-4 (NKJV)
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Jesus begins by warning His followers about doing righteous acts with a selfish motive. Giving to the needy is good, but if it is done mainly to be noticed, praised, or admired by people, it loses its true spiritual value. The problem is not that others may sometimes see our good works, because Jesus already said to let our light shine before men so they may glorify the Father (Matthew 5:16). The real issue is motive: are we giving to glorify God and help others, or are we giving to receive honor for ourselves? When Jesus says not to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing, He is using a vivid picture of quiet and humble generosity. True giving should be so free from self-display that even the giver does not dwell on it with pride. In the kingdom of heaven, God values the hidden motive more than the outward appearance. A deed done secretly out of love for God and compassion for others is more precious than a public act done for human applause. The Father sees what others do not see, and His reward is far greater than the temporary praise of men.

Matthew 6:5-8 (NKJV)
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Jesus next speaks about prayer, showing that prayer is not a performance for people, but communion with the Father. The hypocrites loved to pray publicly in a way that made them look spiritual, but Jesus teaches His disciples to seek the secret place, where the heart is alone with God. This does not mean public prayer is wrong, but it warns against using prayer to impress others. True prayer flows from sincerity, dependence, and relationship with God. Jesus also warns against vain repetitions, meaning empty, mechanical, or manipulative words repeated as if many words could force God to listen. The Father is not impressed by long prayers, religious language, or outward show; He desires a sincere heart. Since the Father already knows what we need before we ask, prayer is not about informing God, but about trusting Him, opening the heart to Him, and aligning ourselves with His will. This teaching reveals God as a loving Father who hears simple, honest, and humble prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
9 “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Jesus gives His disciples a model prayer that shows the right order and spirit of true prayer. It begins with “Our Father in heaven,” showing both closeness and reverence. God is near as Father, yet exalted in heaven, holy and worthy of worship. “Hallowed be Your name” means that God’s name, character, and reputation should be honored in our lives. Before asking for personal needs, Jesus teaches us to seek God’s kingdom and His will, showing that prayer should first be centered on God’s purpose, not merely our own desires. “Give us this day our daily bread” teaches simple dependence, trusting God for daily provision instead of being ruled by fear about the future. The request for forgiveness reminds us that we continually need God’s mercy, while “as we forgive our debtors” shows that those who receive grace must also give grace to others. Finally, Jesus teaches us to ask for deliverance from temptation and the evil one, because spiritual victory comes from God’s power, not human strength. This prayer is simple, balanced, and deeply spiritual: it includes worship, surrender, dependence, forgiveness, protection, and the recognition that the kingdom, power, and glory belong to God forever.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV)
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Jesus emphasizes forgiveness because it is central to the spirit of the kingdom. A person who truly understands the mercy of God cannot continue to hold bitterness, revenge, or an unforgiving spirit toward others. This does not mean forgiveness approves sin, removes all consequences, or ignores justice. Forgiveness means releasing hatred, refusing to repay evil with evil, and leaving judgment in God’s hands. When someone refuses to forgive, the heart becomes closed to the very mercy it needs from God. Jesus is not teaching that we earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, but that a forgiving spirit is evidence that we have truly received His grace. The heart that receives mercy becomes merciful. Therefore, forgiveness is not optional for the believer; it is part of the life and character of the Father being reproduced in His children.

Matthew 6:16-18 (NKJV)
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Jesus applies the same principle to fasting. Fasting can be a meaningful act of humility, self-denial, prayer, and dependence on God, but it becomes corrupted when it is used to gain admiration from people. Some made themselves look miserable so others would notice their sacrifice and think they were spiritual. Jesus rejects this kind of religious display. He tells His followers to anoint their head and wash their face, meaning they should appear normal rather than advertise their fasting. True fasting is not about impressing people with our discipline, but about seeking God with a sincere heart. In the New Covenant spirit, outward sacrifice has value only when it expresses inward devotion. The Father sees the hidden surrender, the quiet prayer, and the secret hunger for Him. What is done for God alone will be rewarded by God, even if no one else ever sees it.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Jesus teaches His followers to live with eternal priorities instead of being ruled by earthly possessions. Earthly treasures are temporary, uncertain, and easily lost through decay, damage, theft, or death. Wealth, status, comfort, and possessions may seem secure, but they cannot last forever and cannot satisfy the deepest needs of the soul. Heavenly treasures, however, are eternal. They include a life surrendered to God, acts of love, mercy, faithfulness, generosity, truth, service, and a character formed after the likeness of Christ. Jesus is not saying that material things are evil in themselves, but He warns against making them the center of life. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” means that what we value most will shape our desires, decisions, and direction. If our treasure is on earth, our hearts will be tied to temporary things. If our treasure is in heaven, our hearts will be drawn toward God and His kingdom. This teaching calls believers to invest their lives in what cannot be destroyed and to measure success by eternal value rather than earthly gain.

Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV)
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Jesus uses the eye as a picture of spiritual focus and perception. A good or clear eye represents a heart that is single, sincere, and focused on God. When a person’s spiritual vision is clear, the whole life is filled with light because priorities, choices, and motives are guided by truth. But a bad eye represents a divided, selfish, or covetous heart. If a person sees life through greed, pride, lust, envy, or worldly ambition, the whole inner life becomes darkened. This teaching follows Jesus’ warning about treasure, because what we look at, desire, and value shapes the condition of the soul. If what we call “light” is actually darkness—if we mistake selfish desire for wisdom or worldly success for blessing—then that darkness becomes very great. Jesus is calling His followers to have a single eye for God, so that the whole life may be governed by heaven’s light.

Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Jesus makes it clear that the heart cannot be divided between God and mammon. Mammon refers to wealth, possessions, and material security when they become a master over the soul. Money itself can be used for good, but when it rules the heart, it competes with God for loyalty, trust, and devotion. Jesus says no one can serve two masters because both will demand obedience. God calls for surrender, faith, generosity, and righteousness, while mammon often pulls the heart toward selfishness, fear, greed, and compromise. A person may try to serve both, but eventually one will become supreme. This verse shows that the true issue is worship and allegiance. The believer must decide whether God will be the center of life or whether earthly gain will control the heart. In the kingdom of heaven, God alone must be the Master, and material things must remain servants, never idols.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Jesus closes this section by teaching His followers not to live under the control of anxiety. His command not to worry does not mean believers should be careless, lazy, or irresponsible. He is warning against a fearful and unbelieving spirit that is consumed with earthly needs and forgets the Father’s care. Jesus points to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field to show that God faithfully provides for His creation. Birds do not store up barns, yet the Father feeds them; flowers do not labor for clothing, yet God dresses them with beauty greater than Solomon’s glory. If God cares for birds and grass, how much more will He care for His children, who are of far greater value? Worry cannot add life, strength, or security; it only burdens the heart. Jesus contrasts the anxious seeking of the Gentiles with the trusting life of God’s children. The Father already knows what we need, so our first priority must be His kingdom and His righteousness. To seek first the kingdom means to place God’s rule, character, will, and mission above all earthly concerns. The promise is not that believers will receive every luxury, but that God will provide what is truly needed as they walk in faith. Jesus teaches us to live one day at a time, trusting the Father for today and refusing to carry tomorrow’s burdens before tomorrow comes. This is a life of faith, where the heart rests in the goodness, knowledge, and care of the Father.