Matthew 6:1
Progressive Relationship Required Donations Matthew 6:1-4 3 | Reward | Matthew 6:1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). Jesus begins the middle section of the Sermon on the Mount with a startling proposition. “Take heed that you do not do your charitable (righteous) deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). “Reward” is a subject Jesus develops in this verse and the rest of this chapter. Jesus refers to “reward” seven times as He sets this proposition and highlights it by referring to “treasures” (Matthew 6:19), “clothes” (Matthew 6:30), and “these things” (Matthew 6:32, 33). This concept seems to be vital to His teaching! The Greek word “misthos,” translated as “reward,” is a noun. “Misthos” is used consistently for “pay,” “wages,” or “compensation.” My culture, secular and religious, has influenced my view of “misthos,” teaching me God rewards “good” and punishes “bad.” Reward or punishment are true in behavior, work ethic, or expression of attitude. The gifts from Santa Claus were a reward for good behavior throughout the year. Sunday school lessons I heard as a child emphasized this truth. Sermons about heaven and hell were all based on the outcome of my behavior. Disobeying the commands of Jesus was called “sin,” rewarded by the eternal fires of hell. Even though salvation is a gift of God, and we cannot earn it, there are those who base heaven’s condition on my obedience to His commands. We view the Old Testament teachings with this cultural and religious perspective and come to the same conclusion. The Old Testament presents a theological understanding of the relationship between God’s will and all events, both spiritual and physical. We draw a basic premise. “When disobedience occurs among the people, circumstances do not work out, but when obedience occurs, things go well!” There is ample evidence that the first half of this premise is true. Throughout the history of Israel, they lived in disobedience, which resulted in disaster. The Book of Judges presents a consistent rebellious pattern among Israel’s people that ended in their enemies conquering them. When they cried out in repentance, God brought a deliverer who led them to victory. However, in a few years, they were back into disobedience and disaster. These were the judges’ days, but the days of the Kings of Israel were the same, soon dividing Israel into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The kings of the North were so evil that eventually, the Northern Kingdom utterly disappeared. When people disobey, circumstances do not work out. The reward for disobedience is punishment; there is ample proof for this premise. However, there is little if any proof for the second part of the premise; when obedience occurs among the people, great blessing is the reward! But, suddenly, a righteous King appears. His name is Josiah. “Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor after him did any arise like him” (2 Kings 23:25). Reading this, we breathe a sigh of relief; now, we have proof for the whole premise. But the next verse starts with “Nevertheless” (2 Kings 23:26). It is startling; it keeps one awake all night; it is an occasion for a great “gasp.” It is “unexplainable!” It is the “Oh, no!” of the hour. This obedient King Josiah gets killed in a battle by the Pharaoh of Egypt. Josiah’s son takes over and loses the Kingdom to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, who takes God’s chosen people into Babylonian captivity. The Old Testament ends with these defeated people trying to return to their homeland and do good so that God will bless them. What happened to the premise that obedience brings blessing? Is God a god of terrible manners? As the New Testament story unfolds, things get worse. John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth (Luke 1:15), is called by God to forerun the Messiah. Jesus said that no one born among women ever rose to greater heights than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11). How was such obedience rewarded? Herod, the tetrarch, shortened John’s ministry when he had him beheaded (Luke 9:9). The story continues as Jesus’ ministry becomes the focus of the New Testament. Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus spoke of the intimacy between Himself and the Father, saying, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in me” (John 14:11). If the premise that “obedience brings blessing” is ever to be proved, it would be in Jesus! Yet, Matthew focused half of the chapters of his book on the crucifixion of Jesus. The physical and spiritual suffering of Christ is indescribable! What happened to the premise? Perhaps there is something wrong with the premise. Disobedience always brings a reward of destruction. Indeed, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But the second half of the premise does not exist as we perceive it. There is no “reward” for obedience because that “reward” always reeks of payment, deserving, earning, or benefit of self. But Jesus speaks of “reward” in our passage. What if He is redefining “reward” as He presents to us “the Kingdom person!” But if there are no personal benefits, personal advantages to obedience, why would anyone ever be obedient? What is there to gain? Absolute “Otherwise you have no reward” Jesus’ opening proposition gives insight into this dilemma (Matthew 6:33). He begins with a strict warning, “Take heed,” also translated “Beware.” “Take heed” is said in the sense of “be on guard, be cautious or wary about, or be alert.” We previously learned it as a nautical term, meaning to hold a ship in a direction to sail towards. The mind and heart of the Kingdom person are continually focused in one direction and are continuously aware of any deviation from that course. Jesus stated this direction or focus in a negative sense, “that you do not do your charitable (righteous) deeds, before men, to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1). Matthew 6 will be a description of this direction or focus. Jesus did not discuss the method or manner to accomplish righteous deeds. He is most concerned about the motive. There must be no hint of selfish desire within the practice of righteous deeds. The word “no” is a translation of the Greek word “ouk.” The Greek language has two negative Greek words, “ouk” and “me,” each legitimately translated “no” or “not.” The difference between them is in the perspective of the negative. “Me” implies a conditional and hypothetical negative and is subjective. It would be negative based upon your opinion or your view. However, “ouk” is a direct and full negation, independent and absolute. It is objective. “Ouk” is not dependent upon anyone’s opinion; it is a simple reality, the way it is, Jesus’ approach throughout the Sermon on the Mount. He leaves no room for adjustment or excuses. No one can take His statements and rationalize them concerning their truth. They are simply beyond argument. The reality is that any hint of selfish desire within the element of “reward” cancels the reward. In the premise of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared the character and life of the new Kingdom person as one who embraces his helplessness. Moment by moment, he lives within the boundaries of one fact, “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3), aware of the inability to accomplish, earn, merit, or deserve any “reward.” Lack of resource allows no pride of worthiness. It eliminates all selfish desires. The gracious gift of God’s presence and the resource of His Spirit cannot be earned or merited. It is not a “reward.” It is also true that a selfish perspective will not see every good action coming from the merger of God’s nature and our helpless nature. How can I claim any good deed as an expression of myself when I am helpless? While righteous deeds may be done before men, the motive must never be for self-credit. Jesus said this clearly in the imagery of “salt” and “light” (Matthew 5:13-16). He gave physical imagery to the spiritual reality of a helpless person uniting with sovereign God! It is not (ouk) a state of “doing;” it is a state of “being.” Jesus concluded this description by saying, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). There are “good works” coming from our lives, but they do not glorify us. Those “good works” glorify the One whose resource indwells us. Therefore, Jesus gave an absolute proposition. If there is any hint of selfish desire within the element of “reward,” it cancels the reward. There is “no (ouk) reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). The reward left to the selfish person is the destructive wages of earned and merited recognition from others. Jesus did not present arguments for or against this proposition. He simply stated the reality of its truth. It is above argument! “Reward” as merited, accomplished, earned, or deserved is not within the framework of the “new creature,” the Kingdom person. It is contrary to the merger between the helpless nature of man and the resourceful nature of God. “Reward” is not within the thought process of the Kingdom person. Attribute “your Father in heaven” Once more, we must consider the focus of Jesus’ proposition. He established a contrast between righteous deeds done to be seen by men and righteous deeds accomplished by the merger. The righteous deeds of the Kingdom person are deeds produced and stimulated by the resource of God’s nature merged with humanity’s helplessness. Since the righteous deeds result from God’s resource and not the helplessness of man, there is no merit or wage for the helpless man. A righteous practice by a helpless man without the resource of God deserves, merits, and earns a “reward.” We must applaud the effort involved in a helpless man giving expression to anything good. But righteous deeds expressed from the fullness of God’s righteous nature indwelling man’s helplessness deserve and desire no “reward.” Jesus expressed this in the phrase “your Father in heaven.” The focus of this expression is the sovereignty of God. He is above and beyond all things, transcendent, otherworldly. God is independent or does not need; therefore, I cannot benefit Him. God is not in a bad spot needing my rescue. God is not overworked, and I need to help or aid Him. There is nothing I can do to contribute to God. He is sovereign! Does God owe me? We often hear this in the prayers at church. Perhaps a saint of God who served Him for years is sick. The prayer for her healing includes the phrase “after all, she has been so faithful to You.” The indication is that God is obligated to her for how she has helped Him. After all, God would not be as successful if it were not for her. She should receive a reward. Jesus did not allow such thoughts in our passage. Our God is beyond needing us! It is a picture of the father who involves his young son in his work project. The father needs to instruct the young son; he must redo much of what the son does. The father could do the job by himself much faster without the interference of his son. Does the father owe his son for the excellent work? Did the young son earn, merit, or deserve a reward? Again, we face the contrast of our passage. A helpless man doing righteous deeds. Should we not applaud him? Does he not deserve our respect and admiration? Our admiration is certainly his reward. But when the helpless person merges with the resource of God, is there any applause for him? Does not all the attention go to “your Father in heaven?” Would not a helpless person be embarrassed to receive any recognition or praise for a righteous deed accomplished? Is not his one focus on the Father being seen and praised? Is he not the glove in which the hand of the Father has acted? Is he not the light bulb that the Father has not only created but flows through to produce the light? Alignment “your Father” If a helpless person does a righteous deed, he deserves some praise because he did it independently. The Kingdom person has merged with the Father. Any righteous deed is the result of a joint involvement, which means it is all relational. Helpless people remain helpless in the relationship, and we never suggest that the Kingdom person becomes self-sufficient. We are always dependent, and the resource for the righteous deed is the Father. The helpless person is the platform for demonstrating the Father, expressing the Father’s heart and desires. Jesus had this relationship with the Father. Jesus set aside everything that distinguished Him from us. He emptied Himself of all that He had as God, becoming a helpless man filled with the Father. Jesus became the visible image of the invisible God. Now we follow in the path He established for us! Does a helpless person filled with the nature of the Father receive a reward? There is no sense that we earn, merit, or deserve. That is wages. However, there is a blessing or benefit within the context of “grace.” The blessing between God and man is the merger itself! The reward is in the relationship. He is enough! When a helpless individual wants other helpless beings’ applause for a righteous deed, he nullifies any relationship with the Father. The focus of the Kingdom person is only on the Father. While the imagery in our passage is sonship, it is an illustration. Throughout the Scriptures, the writer’s used the imagery of Father and son, children, and born again. There is no criticism of this imagery. However, we must continually keep in mind that it is not precisely parallel to the earthly relationship between father and son. We must view this imagery through the perspective of the merger. God the Father does not share His DNA with us as an earthly father does. The heavenly Father is our DNA. He does not take something of Himself, give it to us, and we operate apart from Him. It is a merger! He does not give us life; He is our life! He does not provide us with strength; He is our strength! The only reward, benefit, or blessing is “your Father.” What benefit could be more significant than the constant embrace of His presence, the fulfillment of life? To be captured by His person is to be captured by His plan and destiny. God fulfills every need of human existence in His indwelling, enhancing human life to the point of rapture. The applause of men is foolishness to Kingdom people. God fills the hungering and thirsting of the helpless person’s inner being in Himself. He is all there is! “From your Father” implies the source of the blessing, but the proposition “para,” translated “from,” means “with, by the side of.” The true sense is “reserved for you and awaiting you by the side of your Father or with the Father.” It is not just given by Him but is that which is laid up with Him. The blessing is in the Father, the merger. In alignment with Jesus’ heart, I find that He is the desire of my heart. In alignment with His emotions, I find that my feelings are for Him alone. In alignment with His Spirit, I find my spirit enhanced with His presence. In alignment with His resource, I find strength in my helplessness. Is He not enough? I want no wages, rewards, or compensations. I only want Him!