John Calvin 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)

Throughout this entire discourse, Christ rebukes that excessive anxiety with which people torment themselves about food and clothing, and at the same time, offers a remedy for this disease. When he forbids them to be anxious, this is not to be taken literally, as if he intended to take away all care from his people. We know that people are born with the condition of having some care; indeed, this is not the least part of the miseries that the Lord has laid upon us as a punishment, in order to humble us. But immoderate care is condemned for two reasons: either because in doing so people worry and agitate themselves uselessly, by carrying their anxiety further than is proper or than their calling requires; or because they claim more for themselves than they ought, and place such reliance on their own efforts that they neglect to call upon God. We should remember this promise: though unbelievers shall rise up early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of sorrows, yet believers will obtain, through the kindness of God, rest and sleep (Psalms 127:2). Though the children of God are not free from toil and anxiety, yet, properly speaking, we do not say they are anxious about life, because, relying on God’s providence, they enjoy calm repose.

From this, it is easy to learn how far we should be anxious about food. Each of us should labor, as far as their calling requires and the Lord commands; and each of us should be led by our own needs to call upon God. Such anxiety holds an intermediate place between lazy carelessness and the unnecessary torments with which unbelievers kill themselves. But if we give proper attention to the words of Christ, we will find that he does not forbid every kind of care, but only what arises from distrust. Be not anxious, he says, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink. This applies to those who tremble with fear of poverty or hunger, as if they were going to lack food at any moment.

Is not the life of more value than food? He argues from the greater to the less. He had forbidden them to be excessively anxious about how life might be supported; and he now assigns the reason. The Lord, who has given life itself, will not allow us to lack what is necessary for its support. And certainly, we greatly dishonor God when we fail to trust that he will give us necessary food or clothing, as if he had thrown us onto the earth haphazardly. Anyone who is fully convinced that the Author of our life intimately knows our condition will have no doubt that he will make abundant provision for our needs. Whenever we are seized by any fear or anxiety about food, let us remember that God will take care of the life he gave us.