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TEXT: Matthew 6:2-4
SUBJECT: Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount #12: Motivation in Giving
The first eighteen verses of this chapter form one paragraph. Its subject: religious motivation. The Lord's people will do good deeds. And more: they will perform their good deeds with equally good motives. V.1 is the introduction: "Take heed that you do not do your righteous deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven". We must "take heed" or be careful. Our good deeds mustn't be done for the praise of men, but for the pleasing of God alone. This is the subject. Three examples follow. The first of which is "charitable deeds".
The Lord Jesus assumes that His people "do charitable deeds". That they are generous with their money. We must be careful here to understand precisely what the Savior means by "charitable deeds". Devout Jews practiced two kinds of religious giving.
1.They would give to the synagogue. This money would pay the Rabbi's salary, keep up the building, run the Sabbath School, buy new Scriptures, and so on. It was equivalent to what we do when we drop our checks into the offering box. If given with joy, this was a "sacrifice...well pleasing to God". It is not, however, the sort of giving to which Christ refers.
2.He is describing "alms-giving". This is money given to the poor, meant to relieve their poverty. It put food in their bellies, shoes on their feet, and roofs over their heads. We call it "charity".
"Alms-giving" was an integral part of Hebrew religion. Why? Because it was so often taught in the Old Testament. It is commanded in Deuteronomy 15:11: "For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore, I command you, saying, `You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy in the land'". It was praised: "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble" says Psalm 41:1. Its absence was sternly criticized. Proverbs 21:13 could not be plainer: "Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard". In light of these Scriptures, it is no wonder, therefore, that the devout Jew was eager to give alms.
This brings us to a question: Has the command been revoked, superseded, or "spiritualized"? It has not. Charity is as much our duty as it was the First Century Jew's. And more.
1.The first deacons were appointed, after all, to take care of the physical needs of the Hellenized Jewish widow, see Acts 6.
2.Paul practiced charity, as Galatians 2:10 clearly teaches. "They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do".
3.Paul's main argument for working hard and saving money is charity, see Ephesians 4:28: "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need".
4.Some have put a "spiritual twist" on these passages. The "charity" of which they speak--it is argued--is "sharing the Gospel". The interpretation is highly problematic. I John 3:17, cannot be understood in that way: "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" If words have any meaning, "this world's goods" must refer to food, clothing, shelter, and so on.
John Brown of Edinburgh (no advocate of the social gospel) comments: "True religion always teaches men to be merciful; and it is the duty of all who have more than what is absolutely necessary for their own support, and that of their families, to give what they can spare to those who need. I do not think Christ Jesus would have acknowledged any person as a disciple who did not give alms, unless he was himself absolutely indigent".
And so, the Lord's people "do charitable deeds". Having so "freely received", they "freely give". The Lord assumes as much. But having stated the obvious, He goes on to add...
The giving of alms must be rightly motivated.
He informs us as to what the right motivation is not, vv.2b-3: "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".
The Pharisees gave alms. There was nothing wrong with this. But why they did it was wrong. It was to receive "glory from men". They did it for reputation. They wanted to be known as paragons of generosity. To guarantee their fame, they blew a trumpet when giving alms. To us, this seems comical; but they had a reason for it: to get the attention of the poor. When the poor heard the horns blowing, they would gather to receive the Pharisee's largess. But, of course, they wouldn't be the only ones hearing the trumpet. Everyone else would too. If the Pharisee gave a lot and often, he would gain the respect of his community. "Benefactor" they would call him, an honored title.
The praise of men was their reward. And a pitiful one!
In v.3, He goes further: "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing..." What does this mean? Something like this: Don't keep track of how much you give to the poor. Some will give alms to be congratulated; others to congratulate themselves. The Lord's people mustn't do either. We must be better motivated.
What is our motive? "...that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly", says v.4. We must give to the poor for God's sake. Not to earn His favor, but because we want to please Him--and He's pleased by almsgiving. As it is written: "He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD..." (Proverbs 19:17).
These "charitable deeds" will be "rewarded". How? Let's make one thing clear: there is no promise of financial reward for those who give! This is not a money-making scheme! Paul gave everything he had to the poor--and died a poor man.
The reward is two-fold, it seems to me: (1) Your gift will be blessed to help those in need. And if you're giving out of love for them, the gift is its own reward. (2) It will be recalled on the Day of Judgment. And, on that Day, you won't miss the $50 you spent on one of the Lord's poor or regret the $1,000 you were never repaid. Then, you'll be blessed by the alms you gave. And so, in this life and in the life to come, "It is more blessed to give than to receive".
May God make us "cheerful givers" for Christ's sake. Amen.
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