That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee [openly], х en (G1722) too (G3588) faneroo (G5318)]. The "openly" seems evidently a later addition to the text of this verse from Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:7, though of course the idea is implied.
Remarks:
(1) We have here one of many proofs that the whole teaching of the Epistles of the New Testament is seminally contained in the Gospels. When the apostle bids servants obey their masters, "not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God (Colossians 3:22), what is this but the great precept of this Section, to "do our righteousness" - whatsoever we do in word or deed-to the Lord alone? Not that we are to be indifferent to men's observations on our conduct-quite the reverse-for servants are exhorted so to carry themselves toward their masters as to "please them well in all things" (Titus 2:9). But just as the supreme authority for all duty, and the final judgment on all we do in respect of it, lies with God, so in simple obedience to Him must all duty be done, and to His judicial procedure upon it must all be referred.
(2) As nothing is more hateful to God, and beneath the true dignity of His children, than an ostentations way of performing any duty-while a retiring spirit, and an absorbing desire to please God in all we do, is as beautiful in itself as it is in the divine eye-so at the great day this will be signally manifested, when "they that despise Him shall be lightly esteemed," and as "having had their reward," shall be "sent empty away;" whereas "them that honour Him He will honour" by "rewarding them openly."
(3) What power and warmth is there in the brevity of those prayers which are offered by God's dear children to a Father who wants no information from them, and no stimulus to attend to them, though with equal love and wisdom He has linked all His supplies to their confiding petitions! What "babbling" would this spirit effectually disperse, and what a glorious contrast would at present, not only to the prayers of "the pagan," but to the paganish prayers which one too often hears from professedly Christian lips!
(4) Surely it is not lot nothing that the first three Petitions in the Model-Prayer have respect to GOD; and that not until we have exhaust ed the uttermost desires of the gracious soul for His glory are we directed to seek anything for OURSELVES. This was very early observed by the devout students of this Prayer, and has been often, but cannot be too often, pointed out. The inference is obvious, but weighty-that God must have the first place, as in our prayers, so in the desires of our heart (Psalms 73:25-26).
(5) Are not the fountains of the missionary spirit opened by the first three Petitions of this incomparable Prayer; and must not its living waters spring up into everlasting life within us the oftener we pour them forth from the bottom of our hearts? Can he who says daily, "Hallowed be Thy name," hear that name "continually every day blasphemed," without trying to "come to the help of the Lord against the mighty"? Can he who ceases not to say, "Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven," know that the kingdom of God's enemy embraces, even in this nineteenth century of the Christian era, a majority of the earth's population, and that even where God's kingdom is set visibly up, and where it is had in greatest honour, His will is yet far, O how far! from being done as it is in heaven-and not feel his spirit stirred within him, remembering that to His own disciples did the Master, before he took His flight for glory, commit the evangelization of the world, and that the curse of Meroz (Judges 5:23) rests upon those who come not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty (6) Dear to all the children of God should be the fourth petition of this matchless prayer-in its proper literal sense-because it teaches them that this body, which God thus cares for, is of value in His esteem: because, if they be needy, it gives them "cords of a man, and bands of love," to draw them to the fountain of plenty, and calms their anxious spirits with the assurance that the needed supply will not be withheld; and if they be not needy, but blessed with plenty, it teaches them consideration and compassion for those whose case is the reverse, and identifies them with such-constraining them to feel that for the gift, and the continuance of their abundance, they are as dependent upon their Father in heaven as are the poorest of their brethren for their scanty means.
(7) By directing God's children to say daily, "Forgive us our debts," our Lord rebukes not only those perfectionists who say that as believers "they have no sin" (1 John 1:8), but those who, without going this length, deem it so the privilege of believers to have forgiveness, that to ask it is unbelief. Were this really the case, who that knows the plagues of his own heart would not think it a pity, and would not irresistibly break through the restraint, for the very privilege of crying, "Forgive us our debts"? But that it is not the case, this petition plainly shows. It is true that "he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit;" but it is just this exceptive "washing the feet," the felt need of which daily makes it such a necessity and such a privilege to say daily, "Forgive us our debts." (See the note at John 13:10.)
(8) O how much hypocrisy is there in multitudes of worshipers, who protest before the Searcher of hearts that they "forgive their debtors!" And if we have just so much forgiveness of God as we ourselves extend to men, may not this be at least one explanation of the inability of some real Christians to attain to the joy of God's salvation?
(9) How strange it is that any real Christians, after saying, "Lead us not into temptation," should deliberately adventure themselves into scenes which not only they ought to know are trying to Christian principle, but from which they themselves have already suffered! It is not enough that what is transacted is not intrinsically sinful. Whatever is found by experience to wound the conscience, or even greatly endanger its purity, ought to be eschewed by all who cry daily from the heart, "Lead us not into temptation."
(10) How precious is the closing petition of this model prayer - "But deliver us from evil," lifting the soul into a region of superiority to evil, even while yet in the midst of it, encouraging it to stretch the neck of its expectation beyond it all, and assuring it, as its believing aspirations are dying away, that the time is drawing nigh when it shall bid an eternal adieu to the last remnant and memorial of it.