Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Almsgiving, prayer, fasting: Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are three distinctive acts of Jewish piety in Matthew’s community. In presenting almsgiving, prayer, and fasting done in a hidden manner, Matthew is upholding the practice, but reinterpreting the motivation. All three of these acts demonstrate absolute dependence on God and absolute dependence on others to share the gifts of God.
Almsgiving, prayer, fasting: Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting are three distinctive acts of Jewish piety in Matthew’s community. In presenting almsgiving, prayer, and fasting done in a hidden manner, Matthew is upholding the practice, but reinterpreting the motivation. All three of these acts demonstrate absolute dependence on God and absolute dependence on others to share the gifts of God.
By turning these righteous deeds into secret acts, Matthew eliminates the motivation of being publicly seen. What deeds are done in secret will be rewarded in secret by God, when God decides (for Matthew, this occurs at the judgment of the nations [25:31-46]). Until that time, whenever it is, the community does deeds of righteousness because this is the behavior which pleases God. One acts like God, who is hidden, by doing the good deeds of almsgiving, prayer and fasting privately.
Furthermore, such secret deeds eliminate judgment. If almsgiving, prayer, and fasting cannot be seen, then no one can judge who is engaged in these deeds and who is not. People cannot be known by their fruits, Matthew is saying.