Matthew 6:2

6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving,¹ do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues² and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth,³ they have their reward.

Matthew 6:5

Private Prayer

6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues⁴ and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.

Matthew 6:1

Pure-hearted Giving

6:1 “Be⁵ careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people.⁶ Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.

Matthew 21:27

21:27 So⁷ they answered Jesus,⁸ “We don’t know.”⁹ Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you¹⁰ by what authority¹¹ I am doing these things.

Isaiah 58:3-5

58:3 They lament,¹² ‘Why don’t you notice when we fast?

Why don’t you pay attention when we humble ourselves?’

Look, at the same time you fast, you satisfy your selfish desires,¹³

you oppress your workers.¹⁴

58:4 Look, your fasting is accompanied by¹⁵ arguments, brawls,

and fistfights.¹⁶

Do not fast as you do today,

trying to make your voice heard in heaven.

58:5 Is this really the kind of fasting I want?¹⁷

Do I want a day when people merely humble themselves,¹⁸

bowing their heads like a reed

and stretching out¹⁹ on sackcloth and ashes?

Is this really what you call a fast,

a day that is pleasing to the Lord?

Zechariah 7:3-5

7:3 by asking both the priests of the temple²⁰ of the Lord who rules over all and the prophets, “Should we weep in the fifth month,²¹ fasting as we have done over the years?” 7:4 The word of the Lord who rules over all then came to me, 7:5 “Speak to all the people and priests of the land as follows: ‘When you fasted and lamented in the fifth and seventh²² months through all these seventy years, did you truly fast for me – for me, indeed?

Malachi 3:14

3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped²³ by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord who rules over all?²⁴

Mark 2:18

The Superiority of the New

2:18 Now²⁵ John’s²⁶ disciples and the Pharisees²⁷ were fasting.²⁸ So²⁹ they came to Jesus³⁰ and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?”

Luke 18:12

18:12 I fast twice³¹ a week; I give a tenth³² of everything I get.’

¹tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today. The giving of alms was highly regarded in the ancient world (Deut 15:7-11).

²sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

³tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁴sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.

⁵tc ‡ Several mss (א L Z Θ Ë¹ 33 892 1241 1424 al) have δέ (de, “but, now”) at the beginning of this verse; the reading without δέ is supported by B D W 0250 Ë¹³ Ï lat. A decision is difficult, but apparently the conjunction was added by later scribes to indicate a transition in the thought-flow of the Sermon on the Mount. NA²⁷ has δέ in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.

⁶tn Grk “before people in order to be seen by them.”

⁷tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the clause is a result of the deliberations of the leaders.

⁸tn Grk “answering Jesus, they said.” This construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been simplified in the translation.

⁹sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were – hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Matt 21:23-27 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question, they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.

¹⁰sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.

¹¹tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 23.

¹²tn The words “they lament” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹³tn Heb “you find pleasure”; NASB “you find your desire.”

¹⁴tn Or perhaps, “debtors.” See HALOT 865 s.v. * עָצֵב.

¹⁵tn Heb “you fast for” (so NASB); NRSV “you fast only to quarrel.”

¹⁶tn Heb “and for striking with a sinful fist.”

¹⁷tn Heb “choose” (so NASB, NRSV); NAB “wish.”

¹⁸tn Heb “a day when man humbles himself.” The words “Do I want” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹⁹tn Or “making [their] bed.”

²⁰tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV).

²¹sn This lamentation marked the occasion of the destruction of Solomon’s temple on August 14, 586 b.c., almost exactly 70 years earlier (cf. 2 Kgs 25:8).

²²tn The seventh month apparently refers to the anniversary of the assassination of Gedaliah, governor of Judah (Jer 40:13-14; 41:1), in approximately 581 b.c.

²³tn Heb “What [is the] profit”; NIV “What did we gain.”

²⁴sn The people’s public display of self-effacing piety has gone unrewarded by the Lord. The reason, of course, is that it was blatantly hypocritical.

²⁵tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

²⁶sn John refers to John the Baptist.

²⁷sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.

²⁸sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.

²⁹tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate that in the narrative this question happened as a result of the fasting of John’s disciples and the Pharisees.

³⁰tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³¹sn The law only required fasting on the Day of Atonement. Such voluntary fasting as this practiced twice a week by the Pharisee normally took place on Monday and Thursday.

³²tn Or “I tithe.”