GNT2012 - Matthew 6.19-7.6

Jesus was one of those dangerous and dynamic people who lived with no attachment to wealth. He called his followers to a radical anxiety-free existence while depending on God for basic needs (Mt 6.19-33). This concept is so foreign in the contemporary western world. Personally, I have no physical need that is not currently met. Even more, I have no foreseeable need that I will be unable to fill. How do Jesus’ words about trusting God for basic needs apply in such a context?

In the middle of his teaching on wealth Jesus provides an odd metaphor for understanding his exhortation to trust God with basic needs.

The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is sincere [ἁπλοῦς], your whole body will be shining. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be dark. Therefore, if the light in you is dark, how great is the dark? (Mt 6.22-23)

The adjective “sincere” [ἁπλοῦς] is unique, appearing only in this saying in the entire NT (Mt 6.22 || Lk 11.34). Additionally, it is extremely rare outside the NT, making it difficult to translate. The NIV, NRSV and ESV translate it “healthy,” while the NASB reads “clear.” It is an odd word to use for vision because it typically means something like “sincere” or “straightforward.” The Jewish historian Josephus uses the adjective to describe “frank” speech in the context of political intrigue (JW 1.469).  The Jewish philosopher Philo uses the same word to mean “simple” or “clear” when describing the commands of God in the Torah (Spec. Laws 1.299). Thus, it refers to honest and unpolluted disposition as well as something uncomplicated.

There is one clear parallel in Jewish literature from around the same time (c. 150 BCE). In Testament of Issachar,

“The genuine [ἁπλοῦς] man does not desire gold, he does not defraud his neighbor, he does not long for fancy foods, nor does he want fine clothes. He does not make plans to live a long life, but awaits only the will of God.”^[1]

This is quite similar to Jesus’ conclusion, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [basic needs] will be added to you” (Mt 6.33).

In this text, the phrase “of God [τοῦ θεοῦ]” is a difficult textual variant. Matthew rarely uses the phrase “kingdom of God” (Mt 12.28; 19.24; 21.31, 43) and when he does it appears he is following source material (Mt 12.28 || Lk 11.20; Mt 19.24 || Mk 10.25 || Lk 18.24). The textual evidence from the very early codex Sinaiticus, however, supports the reading against the majority of texts. Ultimately, I think including the phrase is the best reading because otherwise it is difficult to explain the modifying pronoun “his” on righteousness and it is easily conceivable for a scribe to drop a phrase so rare in Matthew.

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^[1] H. C. Kee, “Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs,” The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (ed. James H. Charlesworth; New York: Yale University Press. 1983), 803. 

GNT2012 - Matthew 6.1-18

The first part of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) focuses on Jesus’ relationship to the scriptures of Israel. While affirming the eternal value of the law (Mt 5.17-20) Jesus sets his teaching as the standard of living for those in God’s kingdom and intensifies OT teachings that were particularly debated among the Pharisees. There is a transition in Mt 6.1 where the focus shifts to the three actions that were particularly emphasized in first century Judaism – almsgiving, prayer and fasting. Jesus has turned from how to interpret the law (5.21-48) to how it ought to be practiced (6.1-18).

Jesus emphasizes righteous actions are not for publicity (Mt 6.1, 2, 5, 16), but done secretly for the father in heaven (Mt 6.4, 6, 17-18). The reason for secrecy is explicitly connected to reward for righteous actions. Public actions merit the “reward [μισθός]” of public attention. This Greek word μισθός is an economic term referring to the wages earned by a laborer (Mt 20.8; Lk 10.7; 1 Cor 3.8, 14; 1 Tim 5.18; James 5.4). Thus, Jesus says that those who perform righteous action for recognition receive the praise of men as their “pay.” However, Jesus uses another economic term to refer to God who will “repay [ἀποδίδωμι]” those righteous actions done secretly (Mt 6.4, 6, 18). This economic term refers to the act of repayment (cf. Mt 5.26; 18.25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34). These two words can even appear in the same context. For example, in a later parable in Matthew a work manager is commanded, “Call the workers and pay [ἀποδίδωμι] them the wage [μισθός]” (Mt 20.8). Jesus says that the present payment of righteous action is public acclaim, but the “payment” deferred until future judgment will be given by God in eternal reward (cf. Mt 16.27).

There are numerous minor textual variants to the end of the “Lord’s Prayer” (Mt 6.9-13). The shortest reading ends the prayer, “but deliver us from the evil one [ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ]” (6.13). Various other endings include:

• “Amen [αμην]”
• “Because yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for the ages, amen [ὁτι σου ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοῦς αἰῶνας αμην]”
• “Because yours is the kingdom of the Father and the son and the Holy Spirit for the ages, amen [ὁτι σου ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος εἰς τοῦς αἰῶνας αμην]”

These differences are easily explained by the fact that this prayer was widely used in the early church. Thus, scribes probably spent little time “copying” and tended to simply write the text as they remembered it.