Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 6:7

"And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." — Matthew 6:7 (ASV)

Matthew 6:7–15 digresses from the three chief acts of Jewish piety. Yet the content of these verses is certainly relevant to the issue of prayer. Prayer is central to a believer’s life. So Jesus gives further warnings and a positive example.

Jesus labels all those who pray repetitiously, Jew or Gentile, as pagan! He is not condemning prayer any more than he is condemning almsgiving (v.2) or fasting (v.16). Nor is he forbidding all long prayers or all repetition. He himself prayed at length , repeated himself in prayer (Matthew 26:44), and told a parable to show his disciples that “they should always pray and not give up” . His point is that his disciples should avoid meaningless, repetitive prayers offered under the misconception that mere length will make prayers efficacious. Essentially such babble is thoroughly pagan, for pagan gods allegedly thrive on incantation and repetition. But the personal Father to whom believers pray does not require information about our needs (v.8).