What does Matthew 6:3 mean by "do not let your left hand know"? Canonical Text “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,” Matthew 6:3 Immediate Context in the Sermon on the Mount Matthew 6:1-4 falls inside the first major movement of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Jesus has just warned, “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them” (6:1). He then gives three parallel examples—almsgiving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15), and fasting (6:16-18)—each stressing secrecy before people and openness before God. Verse 3 stands at the heart of the almsgiving section: a vivid picture of utter concealment, guarding the purity of motive so “your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (6:4). Original Greek Expression μη γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου mē gnōtō hē aristera sou ti poiei hē dexia sou 1. μη γνώτω (mē gnōtō): “let not know” (aorist imperative with negative particle)—decisive prohibition. 2. ἡ ἀριστερά/ἡ δεξιά: “the left…the right.” Semitic idiom for opposite sides of the same person, stressing complete internal privacy. 3. τί ποιεῖ: “what [it] is doing”—continuous present, the right hand’s ongoing generosity. Figure of Speech: Deliberate Hyperbole No human can literally separate the awareness of his own two hands. Jesus employs Semitic hyperbole, as elsewhere (“gouge out your eye,” 5:29), intensifying the command: give in a way that is so inconspicuous even your closest “observer”—yourself—does not linger on it. Jewish Cultural Background of Almsgiving • The Hebrew Bible commands charity (Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Proverbs 19:17). • Intertestamental writings (Tobit 4:7-11; Sirach 3:30) extol almsgiving as atonement. • First-century Jerusalem contained public trumpeting when large donors gave to the temple treasury (Josephus, Antiquities 19.6.1). Jesus’ illustration of “sounding a trumpet” (6:2) mirrors this theatrical philanthropy. Contrast With Pharisaic Hypocrisy Matthew regularly portrays the Pharisees as craving public esteem (23:5-7). Jesus’ injunction in 6:3 counters “skēnopoios dikaiosynē”—stage-crafted righteousness—demanding a hidden life whose true audience is God alone (cf. Luke 18:9-14). Harmonization with Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men” (5:16) appears opposite to 6:3. The distinction is intent: visibility that glorifies the Father (5:16) vs. visibility that glorifies self (6:2). The believer may be seen doing good; he must never perform good to be seen. Theological Implications 1. Divine Omniscience: “Your Father…sees in secret” (6:4)—omnipresent surveillance unique to the God of Scripture (Psalm 139:7-12). 2. Reward Motif: Not salvation by works (Ephesians 2:8-9) but paternal recognition for kingdom citizens (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). 3. Glory to God Alone: Echoes Isaiah 42:8—“My glory I will not give to another.” Early Church Reception • Chrysostom (Homilies on Matthew 19) insists the verse “pulls up vain-glory by the roots.” • Augustine (Sermon 54) warns against “doing nothing worthy of condemnation, yet losing heavenly reward by seeking earthly applause.” Practical Application 1. Personal Giving: Anonymous offerings, discreet bank transfers, and unpublicized benevolence align with 6:3. 2. Institutional Accountability: Scripture nowhere forbids receipts or tax records; the issue is display, not documentation (2 Corinthians 8:20-21). 3. Heart Audit: After gifting, deliberately “forget” the act (Philippians 3:13) to prevent self-congratulation. Evangelistic Implications Hidden generosity evangelizes indirectly. Recipients glorify God (2 Corinthians 9:11-13), observers perceive a supernatural ethic, and the giver cultivates Christlike humility—“Though He was rich…He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Common Questions • Is it ever appropriate to list donors? Only when the intent is mutual encouragement and not self-exaltation (Hebrews 10:24). • May testimonies of giving be shared? Yes, if the focus remains on God’s provision and not the giver’s virtue (Acts 4:36-37; 1 Chronicles 29:9-12). Integrative Summary Matthew 6:3 commands radical secrecy in charity to purge the cancer of self-glorification. The verse stands firm in the textual tradition, coheres with Old Testament charity laws, and meshes flawlessly with Jesus’ broader ethic: righteousness practiced before the Father for the Father. When the believer’s right hand gives, the left hand must remain uninformed—so that only God applauds, and His children, freed from the tyranny of human opinion, lay up treasure in heaven. |
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