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Secret Giving The style of speech Jesus uses in Matthew 5-7 is instructional. Yet in no way is his message mundane and dry. He uses a colorful assortment of anecdotes and current events. These illustrative tools of divine instruction were implemented while he sat upon a “mountain” (Mt.5:1). Anytime Jesus used imagery or current events, he did so with the intent to ignite the heart of his hearers to be more spiritual. So when Matthew 6:1 says, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven”, He requires spiritual attitude examinations. Jesus is plain. If one is doing a good deed just so other people notice— God will not ever be pleased. How is a follower of God suppose to give to the needy? – with a quiet demeanor, because Jesus says, “when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you” (Mt.6:2). The way kingdom citizens give to the needy is a tribute to their own heart. If a Christian has a friend who breaks their leg and the Christian pays the hospital bill— it is “trumpet” sounding and un-spiritual for that Christian to tell all their other friends about their financial good deed (Mt.6:2). It is always impressive to read of individuals who contribute money to charities and identify themselves as “Mr. or Ms. Anonymous.” Christians of course can individually give to charities & good causes out of their own pockets— as long as they are not doing it “in order to be seen by” others (Mt.6:1). Jesus elaborated on the subject of secret giving with a current event. He said, “sound no trumpet… as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others (Mt.6:2). Note the current events that Jesus spoke so freely of. Some refused to give in secret but drew attention away from the gift and onto their own prideful self’s. Jesus offers a better way for the individual to give to the needy of society. He says, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt.6:3-4). Some wrongfully link this passage with passages dealing with Sunday giving. Some of these folks practice strange giving habits, saying “I always wrap my contribution up in a 1$ bill to hide my gift” or “we can’t write a check on Sunday for fear someone might see the figure.”(all in the name of Mt.6:1) Granted, we can (and probably should) be discreet with our Sunday giving. But this passage is not to be connected with the Contribution of the saints passages. The historical time setting and the grammar of the Mt. 6 passage shows why. The “first day of the week” (1 Cor.16:2) collection of the saints is for many purposes(Rom.15:26/1Tim.6:16/Phil.4:15/2 Cor.11:8/1 Tim.5:17). Yet, Jesus in Mt. 6 is speaking of the individual’s general acts of benevolence. The giving of Mt. 6 is more general than the Sunday collection. For He says twice, “when you give to the needy”(Mt.6:2, Mt.6:3), not when you give to the Lord on the first day of the week. He also refers to the way people gave to the needy “in the streets”(Mt.6:2) showing it was the overall individual giving to people in need. Plus, this speech was before Jesus’ death…thus before the Church…thus before the Sunday collection. For the Jews were still going to (Mt.6:2)the “synagogues.” But the speech has a moral message today in one’s personal non-church giving. Bottom line? Are our good deeds secret? And is our “in the street” giving in secret? By: J.R. Rosado |
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