Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 6:25

"Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?" — Matthew 6:25 (ASV)

Therefore I say to you, Take no thought, and so on. The general design of this paragraph, which closes the chapter, is to warn His disciples against avarice and anxiety about the supply of their needs. This He does by four arguments or considerations, expressing with unequaled beauty and force the duty of depending on the providence of God for the things we need.

The first argument is stated in verse 25: Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? In the beginning of the verse, He charged His disciples to take no thought—that is, not to be anxious—about the supply of their needs. God will take care of these.

He has given life, a far greater blessing than meat; He has created the body, of far more consequence than raiment. Shall not He, who has conferred the greater blessing, be willing to confer the less? Shall not He, who has formed the body so intricately and made such a display of power and goodness, see that it is properly protected and clothed? He who has displayed such great goodness as to form the body and breathe into it the breath of life will surely follow up this blessing and confer the smaller favor of providing that the body should be clothed and that life is preserved.

No thought. The word thought, when the Bible was translated, meant anxiety and was frequently used this way by older English authors. For example, Bacon says, "Haweis died with thought and anguish before his business came to an end." It is used in this sense here by our translators, and it corresponds exactly to the meaning of the original. Like many other words, it has since somewhat changed its meaning and would convey an incorrect idea to most readers. The word anxiety would now precisely express the sense and is exactly what the Savior would guard us against. (Luke 21:34; Philippians 4:6).

Thought about the future is right; anxiety, solicitude, trouble is wrong. There is a degree of thinking and industry concerning the things of this life that is proper. (See 1 Timothy 5:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; Romans 12:11).

But it should not be our supreme concern; it should not lead to solicitude or anxiety; it should not take time that ought to be devoted to religion.

For your life. This means for what will support your life.

Meat. This word here means food in general, as it commonly does in the Bible. We now confine it to animal food. When the Bible was translated, it denoted all kinds of food and was used this way by older English writers. It is one of the words that has changed its meaning since the translation of the Bible was made.

Raiment. This means clothing.