matthew-6:33

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 6:33

Matthew 6:33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, &c.— That is, true religion; the advantages of the kingdom of God; righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom 14:17 the treasures mentioned in Matthew 6:20. Compare 1 Kings 3:11-12. And his righteousness, that is to say, the image of God and all the fruits thereof, springingfromtheinfinitemeritofChrist,thefountainofallrighteousness,asillustrated by the Lord Jesus Christ, and not as understood by the Pharisees. See ch. Matthew... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 6:33

33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you—This is the great summing up. Strictly speaking, it has to do only with the subject of the present section—the right state of the heart with reference to heavenly and earthly things; but being couched in the form of a brief general directory, it is so comprehensive in its grasp as to embrace the whole subject of this discourse. And, as if to make this the more evident, the two keynotes... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 6:19-34

The disciple’s relationship to wealth 6:19-34 (cf. Luke 12:13-34)Having made several references to treasure in heaven, Jesus now turned to focus on wealth. In the first part of chapter 6 His main emphasis was on sincerity. In this part of the chapter it is on single-mindedness. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 6:33

Rather than refraining from the pursuit of material things the disciple should replace this with a pursuit having much greater significance. Seeking the kingdom involves pursuing the things about the kingdom for which Jesus taught His disciples to pray, namely, God’s honor, His reign, and His will (Matthew 6:9-10). This is one of only five places in Matthew where we read "kingdom of God" rather than "kingdom of heaven" (cf. Matthew 12:28; Matthew 19:24; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 21:43). In each... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 6:1-34

The Sermon on the Mount (continued)1. God’s approval, not man’s, to be sought in all our actions. Jesus does not say that we are to do good expecting no reward of any kind, but that we are to look for our reward to God alone: see on Matthew 6:4. That ye do not your alms] RV ’your righteousness.’ The same Heb. word (tsedakah) means both righteousness in general and almsgiving in particular. Our Lord probably used it in the former sense in Matthew 6:1, and in the latter sense in Matthew 6:2 hence... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 6:33

(33) Seek ye first the kingdom of God.—The context shows that the words point to the “seeking” of prayer, rather than of act, though the latter meaning is, of course, not excluded. What is thus to be sought is “the kingdom of God” (the change from the less personal “kingdom of heaven” is significant), the higher spiritual life in its completeness, for ourselves and for others; and with it we are to seek “His righteousness,” that which, being perfect beyond the righteousness of the scribes and... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Matthew 6:1-34

Matthew 6:2 'Practically at present,' Ruskin writes, in Sesame and Lilies, 'advancement in life means, becoming conspicuous in life; obtaining a position which shrill be acknowledged by others to be respectable or honourable. We do not understand by this advancement, in general, the mere making of money, but the being known to have made it; not the accomplishment of any great aim, but the being seen to have accomplished it.' He who sincerely takes life in earnest finds it quite natural and a... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Matthew 6:1-34

Chapter 7The Gospel of the Kingdom("Sermon on the Mount") - Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29IT may seem almost heresy to object to the time-honoured title "Sermon on the Mount"; yet, so small has the word "sermon" become, on account of its application to those productions of which there is material for a dozen in single sentences of this great discourse, that there is danger of belittling it by the use of a title which suggests even the remotest relationship to these ephemeral... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Matthew 6:1-34

CHAPTER 6 1. The Better Righteousness.(Matthew 6:1-18 .) 2. Kept in the World; Single-eyed; Trusting God.(Matthew 6:19-34 .) Our Lord said: “For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in nowise enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matthew 5:20 ). This righteousness He had taught in His confirmation and expansion of the law, but now He speaks of something higher still. He makes known the motive of this true righteousness, which... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 6:1-34

Verse 1 warns against practicing righteousness (margin) before men to attract their attention. This is self-righteousness, a mere show. How can we expect the Father to reward what we do merely to impress men? Again, the Lord searches our motives. This is applied in verse 2 specifically to the giving of alms, though verse 1 is of wider application. Hypocrites sounding a trumpet is a graphic expression, indicating their advertising the good they do in order to secure men's adulation. This is... read more