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Doing Acts of Righteousness - Giving
Matthew 6:1 – 4
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE GOVERNING ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
1. Stated simply: we are not to do acts of righteousness to be seen of men - Matthew
6:1 - 18
2. Does not mean no acts of righteousness can be done when/where they might be
seen by others
3. Like Jesus presentations in Matthew chapter 5, the emphasis in this section is on
the motivation or attitude of servant
4. Not JUST to be seen of others to bring praise for yourself
5. Although Jesus now seems to shift the focus, he has not moved to an entirely new
direction
6. He is still calling for His followers to exhibit true righteousness from the heart –
Matthew 6:33
7. Especially in contrast to the hypocrites - Matthew 6:2, 5 16 and the Gentiles –
Matthew 6:7, 32
8. By way of example, Jesus uses what were considered the three most central acts
of religious holiness – giving, praying, and fasting
9. Since the words "hypocrites" and "hypocrisy" are often used in discussions on
religion, it is important for us to understand the meaning
10. "Hypocrite" originally refers to an actor; one who assumes the personality of a
scripted character on stage
11. The English dictionary defines "hypocrisy" as "a feigning to be what one is not or
to believe what one does not"
12. This definition is consistent with how Jesus uses the term. For example, later in
Matthew - 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29
13. In the discussion in Matthew 23, Jesus teaches that they were hypocrites because
they appeared one thing on the outside but were very different on the inside
14. The Pharisees and the scribes were mere actors when it came to their faith and
religion
The first of the matters discussed is giving to the needy...
1. Are you a charitable person?
a. Does your charity please God?
b. Is it a new thought that some charity does not bring God’s blessing?
1) Charitable giving is a religious duty -
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
2) Possible for a person to display charitable giving without having a truly charitable
heart
3) They find ways to ensure that people pay attention – Matthew 6:2
4) They are hypocrites because they present themselves as spiritual and generous,
who sincerely desire God's approval and the people's welfare
5) In reality, they are not looking to please God or to help people at all
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6) Their giving is calculated to impress others and to establish a reputation
7) In essence, they are merely purchasing other people's admiration
8) Jesus says that this is exactly what they will get
9) They do not receive a blessing from God
10) Imagine a person doing as is described in Matthew 6:2
11) Understand that one does not have to do that kind of thing to be guilty of the
wrong spirit
12) Some give generous donors TO receive "VIP treatment"
13) Resulting in the best seats in their gatherings and special honours
14) The expression of thanks and appreciation is not wrong unless it results in evil
such as:
a. If personal motive for giving is to receive praise of men
b. If expressing thanks results in the wrong valuing of people – Might lead to
James 2:1 - 4
2. "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" – Matthew 6:3
b. Some thoughts by others on what this metaphor means:
1) "The right hand represents me with my good deed; the left, me with my good
opinion about my deed." (Lenksi)
2) "The expression probably refers to the fact that as much as possible a person
must keep his voluntary contribution a secret not only to others but even to himself;
that is, he should forget about it, instead of saying in his heart, `What a good man,
woman, boy, girl, am I!'" (Hendricksen)
3) Jesus not only condemns unworthy motives in giving, but He also teaches
His disciples how to give
a. The picture Jesus presents here suggests a man passing one who is in need,
and with his right hand giving alms in so quiet a way that even his own left hand does
not know what is going on
b. The motive should be to help the needy in the name of Christ and to glorify God
without seeking glory for self
c. With the right motive there is no need for display, parade or self-glorification
d. The simple purpose is to honour and glorify God by using our blessings to
God’s glory
e. As we noted in a previous lesson, God will take proper action against those who
do us wrong in His way and time
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f. God will also reward the giver in His way and time
g. ** We know one may do a good deed, seen by the public, with the right motive;
God looks at the motive and rewards according to the motive
h. The point of Jesus instruction here is to point out that when people do things
TO BE SEEN OF MEN, they are feeding their vanity and should not expect reward from
God
i. There are times acknowledging a generous giver may encourage good in others
- Mark 12:41 – 44; Acts 4:36, 37
3. How can one develop the ability to give in the proper way?
1) By developing a truly thankful heart for all God’s blessings
2) By giving so often it becomes "second nature"
Conclusion:
1. Christians who have been blessed with material wealth need to see the potential it
provides – 1 Timothy 6:17 – 19
2. Our giving can help build a foundation for the time to come
3. Must realize that generous giving will not save the disobedient!!