Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 6:2

"When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward." — Matthew 6:2 (ASV)

Alms — The history of this word is uniquely interesting. In its original Greek meaning, it referred to the quality of mercy, or more precisely, “mercifulness,” which implies a more complete quality. The practice of the Hellenistic Jews limited the word (eleemosyna) to monetary gifts. With this meaning, the word passed untranslated into the language of Latin Christendom and then into various European languages, taking forms such as “aumone” and “almose.” Eventually, this word, once six syllables and full of rich meaning, contracted and collapsed into our modern English “alms.”

Do not sound a trumpet before thee — Two interpretations have been suggested for these words:

1. Some believe wealthy Pharisees had a trumpet literally blown before them to notify the poor in the area that they were distributing alms.
2. Others suggest the words refer to the clang of money falling into the metal, trumpet-shaped collection boxes in the synagogue—a sound that was like sweet music to the ears of the prideful giver.

However, regarding the first view, top scholars find no evidence of such a practice in Jewish literature, and it is difficult to believe this would have occurred in the synagogues. The second view seems insufficient to explain the active sense of the verb.

There is no need, however, to take these words so literally. The figure of speech describing a vain person as “his own trumpeter” or making a “flourish of trumpets” about his actions is common in any culture familiar with trumpets. The point is that whether giving was done during the synagogue offerings or to beggars in the streets, it was a display of benevolence that effectively called on people to look on and admire.

As the hypocrites do — This word also has its own unique history. Derived from a Greek verb meaning to answer, take part in a dialogue, or act in a play, the noun in classical Greek simply meant an actor—someone playing a role. In only one passage of the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, does it appear in its figurative sense: one who pretends to have a virtue he does not possess (Job 36:13).

The word was therefore ready for the broader use given to it by the Evangelists (it is used in the New Testament only by Matthew, Mark, and Luke). With this new meaning, it passed, almost unchanged in form, first into Latin and then into most modern European languages.

The streets — More precisely, this refers to the lanes or alleys of a city, as distinct from the wider, main streets mentioned in passages like Matthew 6:5 and Matthew 12:19.

They have their reward — The Greek is more expressive, meaning: They have their reward in full and so have exhausted it. There is nothing more for them to look for. They bargained for the praise of men, and they receive it. But because they did not seek the honor that comes from God alone, He gives them none.