Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 6:1-4

"Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them: else ye have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 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. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee." — Matthew 6:1-4 (ASV)

Take heed that you do not your justice before men. Above, the Lord fulfilled the Law regarding the precepts; now He begins to fulfill it regarding its promises. For in the Old Law temporal things were promised, as Augustine says, and these were the two most desirable temporal things: namely, worldly glory and an abundance of riches. Now if you will hear the voice of all his commandments, which I command you this day, the Lord your God will make you higher than all the nations that are on the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, and so on (Deuteronomy 28:1–2). Now in this chapter, the Lord teaches not to do the works of justice on account of temporal goods, nor on account of the glory of the world, nor on account of an abundance of riches.

Now this chapter is divided into two parts. In the first part, He teaches that the works of justice ought not to be done on account of the glory of the world; and in the second part, He teaches that they ought not to be done on account of riches, where it is said, Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth. Regarding the first part, He does two things. Firstly, He sets forth His teaching in general; and secondly, He proceeds by parts, where it is said, Therefore when you do an alms-deed. Regarding the first point, He does two things. Firstly, He sets forth the teaching, and secondly, He gives the reason for the teaching, where it is said, Otherwise you shall not have a reward. He says, therefore, Take heed that you do not your justice before men.

He says pointedly, Take heed, for three reasons.

1. Attention is needed wherever something is subtly implied. This is the case regarding the desire for human praise. Hence, Chrysostom says, “It enters in secretly, and carries off insensibly all that is within”; Of the arrow that flies in the day (Psalms 90:6).
2. Attention is needed regarding those things that are hard to resist. As Augustine says in a Letter to Aurelius, “Men do not easily know what power the desire for human glory has upon their wills, except those who shall have declared war upon these powers. Because even if human glory is easily not sought when it is denied [to them], nevertheless it is relinquished with difficulty, when it is offered”; Therefore they could not believe (John 12:39).
3. Attention is needed because the greater the works are, the less can man be on his guard. Chrysostom says that every evil vexes the sons of the devil, but this evil vexes the sons of God; Satan stood on his right hand to be his adversary (Zechariah 3:1), that is, the devil laying snares by good works.

And He did not say Take heed except after He eliminated the soul’s anger, concupiscence, and hate. For a soul subject to passions cannot take heed to what is happening in the heart; With all watchfulness keep your heart, because life issues out from it (Proverbs 4:23), and afterwards it is said, Let your eyes look straight on, and let your eyelids go before your steps (Proverbs 4:25).

That you do not your justice before men, meaning a work of justice. Justice sometimes denotes a fault, namely, when it is presumed by one’s own powers: For they, not knowing the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, and so on (Romans 10:3). Other times it denotes a virtue, as here when it is said, Do not your justice before men, which, in fact, is required of us. For the Lord had said, Unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20); and He specifies how justice could be practiced, and if it were entirely referred to the praise of men, it would not be justice. Therefore a right intention is necessary, and this is the meaning of the words, Do not your justice before men, and so on.

But Chrysostom asks: What if I take a poor man aside? He answers, saying that if a man were to have vainglory in his heart, and were to have the intention of glorying, taking the poor man aside would not suffice. And so Gregory says, a work ought to be so done in public that the intention remains secret, and this is the meaning of the words, Do not your justice before men, to be seen by them.

But do we not always seek glory when we want to be seen by men? Augustine says that something is sought in two ways: in one way as the ultimate end, and in another way as necessary for the end. We seek something in a proper sense which we want as the ultimate end. On the other hand, we do not properly seek something else which we want as necessary for the end; for example, someone seeks a ship so that he may go to a country. He does not properly seek the boat but the country.

Therefore, it follows that if you wish to be seen by men so that you may give them an example, and on account of God’s glory, you would not be forbidden, because He said above, So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). On the other hand, it is forbidden that one’s intention be directed [to pleasing men] as the ultimate end, and this is what He says, that you may be seen by them only. That is, just as pleasing men is sometimes reproached: If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10); and sometimes is praised: As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself but to many: that they may be saved (1 Corinthians 10:33).

Afterwards He assigns the reason for His teaching, therefore He says, Otherwise you shall not have a reward. No one merits something from another to whom he gives nothing. Hence, he who does something for men’s sake, and not for God’s sake, is said to give nothing. Chrysostom says: What wisdom is it to give alms and to lose God’s reward? Concerning this reward it is said, I am your reward exceeding great (Genesis 15:1), and, Your reward is very great in heaven (Matthew 5:12).

Afterwards He proceeds by parts, when He says, Therefore when you do an alms-deed. And He relates these three things, according to Chrysostom, because the Lord wanted to instruct against those things by which they may be tempted: namely, gluttony, avarice, and vainglory, as is evident from what was said above in chapter four. Fasting is opposed to gluttony, almsdeeds are opposed to avarice, and prayer is opposed to vainglory. For nothing [besides prayer] is able to conquer vainglory, since it is also increased by good works.

It ought to be considered that these three things are parts of justice in two ways. For justice is satisfactory, so that he who sins may satisfy [by these three things]. Now sin is threefold: it is either against God, or against oneself, or against one’s neighbor.

One sins against God through pride, and the humility of prayer is opposed to this: The prayer of him that humbles himself, shall pierce the clouds . One sins against one’s neighbor through avarice, and therefore one satisfies by almsdeeds. One sins against oneself through concupiscence of the flesh, and therefore one satisfies by fasting. Jerome says that by prayer the plague of every mind is healed; by fasting the plague of the body is healed.

Likewise, these three things are parts of justice, which is a proper act of the virtue of religion. For religious men ought to offer sacrifice to God. Now there is a threefold good [of religious men]: their exterior goods, namely, their property, and their interior goods, namely, their body and soul. By almsdeeds, therefore, they offer their exterior goods: And do not forget to do good and to impart: for by such sacrifices God’s favor is obtained (Hebrews 13:16). By prayer, they offer their soul to God, for prayer is “the raising up of the soul to God”; Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice (Psalms 140:2).

Therefore, regarding almsdeeds, which is the first, He does two things. He excludes an undue manner, and secondly, He sets forth the due manner [of almsgiving], where it is said, But when you do alms. Regarding the first point, He excludes the undue manner, and secondly, He assigns the reason, where it is said, Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. He excludes the undue manner resulting from three things: resulting from the signal, the place, and the end [of almsgiving].

As to the first, He says, Therefore when you do an alms-deed. This is a continuation of the words, Take heed that you do not your justice before men, and so on. Hence, since almsdeeds are a part of justice, when you do an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before you. It was a custom of the Jews that when they gave alms in public, they would sound trumpets so that the poor would gather together. This, therefore, which was introduced due to a certain necessity, men’s malice perverted to vainglory. And so the Lord forbids this, and, according to Chrysostom, it is similar to a sounding trumpet when you desire to appear for any good deed, even if it would be done in secret; Lift up your voice with strength, you that bring good tidings to Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:9).

As the hypocrites. Here hypocrites are mentioned for the first time. Hence, we should examine what this name, ‘hypocrite,’ precisely means. It was derived from the representations made in theatrical plays, where men with masked faces would portray other men, representing their deeds. Hence, the word ‘hypocrite’ is said to come from hypo, which means ‘under,’ and krisio, which means ‘judgment.’

For a man was one thing and he appeared to be another, and such is the hypocrite, who outwardly has the appearance of holiness, but inwardly he does not fulfill what he shows. Gregory says that one is not a hypocrite if one sometimes falls due to weakness, for they are properly hypocrites who have the appearance of holiness so that they may be seen.

Afterwards He excludes the undue manner of almsgiving regarding the place, and this also is to be reprehended if it happens by pretense, but not if it happens for the sake of an example.

In the synagogues [is said] just as now in the Church [is said], and in the streets is just as now in a public place. That they may be seen, and this is what He said above, that they may be publicly honored, and so on; How can you believe, who receive glory one from another: and the glory which is from God alone, you do not seek? (John 5:44).

Afterwards He assigns the reason [for excluding the undue manner of almsgiving], saying, Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. For a reward is that for which someone works; Did you not agree with me for a penny? (Matthew 20:13).

Next He assigns the due and fitting manner [of almsgiving], and thereafter He gives the reason, where it is said, That your alms may be in secret. He says, therefore, But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does. This can be expounded in multiple ways. For Chrysostom says that in the book of The Canons of the Apostles it is expounded such that by the left hand the unbelievers are signified, and by the right hand the faithful are signified. Hence, He wants that nothing happen in the presence of infidels.

Against this, Augustine says that either someone gives alms for the sake of glory, and then this also ought not to be seen by the faithful, or it is for the sake of utility, and then it ought to be done in the presence of unbelievers; [and this] is especially [useful] that seeing your good works, they may glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

Others, however, expound this passage such that by the left hand one understands a wife who sometimes impedes her husband from works of mercy. Hence, the husband also does not want his wife to know, and it is likewise understood regarding anyone else. And Augustine similarly objects, because this precept is also given to everyone, and therefore one would be bound to say, ‘Let not your right hand know,’ and so on.

Hence, Augustine, and also Chrysostom, expound this otherwise, and it comes to almost the same [meaning]. They say that in Scripture, by the left hand temporal goods are understood, and by the right hand spiritual goods are understood: Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory (Proverbs 3:16). Therefore the Lord wanted that almsdeeds would not occur for earthly glory. Or it is expounded otherwise, and it comes to almost the same meaning. By the right hand the works of virtue are sometimes understood, and by the left hand sins are understood, as though when a work of virtue is done it may not be done without some sin. Chrysostom, nevertheless, relates the literal meaning and says that the Lord speaks by excess, as though someone were to say, as if it could happen, ‘I do not want my foot to know this.’

The reason [for this fitting manner of almsgiving] is related, where it is said, That your alms may be in secret, and in your conscience, which is hidden: Our glory is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity of heart and sincerity of God (2 Corinthians 1:12). For thus is interpreted that which is written, For it is not he is a Jew, who is so outwardly… But he is a Jew that is one inwardly (Romans 2:28–29).

And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. All things are naked and open to his eyes (Hebrews 4:13). The heart of man is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it? I am the Lord who search the heart (Jeremiah 17:9–10). Augustine says that in some texts is found, will repay you ‘openly,’ because just as the devil tries to open and make public deeds that are on the conscience so that he might give scandal, so God, for greater benefit and also to counter the examples of evil deeds, brings forth good deeds. Hence, also many saints are unable to hide; And he will bring forth your justice as the light, and your judgment as the noonday (Psalms 36:6), which you were keeping secret. This word, [‘openly’] nevertheless, does not seem to belong to the text.