Don't Be a Hypocrite » What Jesus Said to Do

Mt 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray …so that they may be seen by men.”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to not be like a hypocrite. That is someone who pretends, like an actor in a play, to be more than they really are.

Why would He say this?

If I use religious cover such as a prayer to display my arrogance, then the prayer sounds like hypocrisy to others. I think we all have a keen sense to

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It’s easy to look down on people from my own perspective and see their flaws. I must remember to be patient with others because it is all too easy for them to look down from their perspective on my flaws.
The New Presque Isle Lighthouse on the coast of Lake Huron has been guiding mariners since 1871. The words of Jesus have been guiding people since the 0030’s!
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recognize hypocrisy when we see it in others. However, it is much more difficult to see it in ourselves.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 24: “…you are not to be like the hypocrites…”

Mt 6:5

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1-4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. ²So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

RESULT:

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

COMMENT:

Jesus told a story to illustrate this very point. The story is found in the Bible’s book of Luke.

Lk 18:9-14 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: ¹⁰“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! ¹²I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

¹³“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ ¹⁴I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I think we all have a keen sense to recognize hypocrisy when we see it in others. It is much more difficult to see it in ourselves. I also think that it is hard to understand my own motives. For some reason I feel the need to make myself more important in the mind of others and perhaps this leads to critical words. Pure unselfish motives are difficult to maintain and may be impossible in most circumstances; but I think it’s important to recognize this fact before I say something stupid and hypocritical.

If I build myself up and belittle others with my public words, most people will perceive the words as coming from someone who is arrogant or hypocritical. I have heard it said that the reason people would perceive hypocrisy in me is often because the very attitudes and actions I might point out as character flaws in other people are also present in myself but manifested differently. If I use religious cover such as a prayer to display my arrogance then then it’s no wonder that the prayer sounds like hypocrisy.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text.

pray: 4336 προσευìχομαι pros-yoo’-khom-ahee — to pray

hypocrites: 5273 ὑποκριτηìς hoop-ok-ree-tace’ — one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite

love: 5368 φιλεìω fil-eh’- ō — to love (brotherly love)

stand: 2476 ἱìστημι his’-tay-mee — to make to stand, to stand

seen: 5316 φαιìνω fah’ee-nō — to bring to light, cause to appear

men: 444 ἀìνθρωπος anth’-rō-pos — a human being

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: This is my application; I encourage you to make your own

I must demonstrate the attitude of humility whenever I speak publicly. The purpose of public speaking is not to call attention to myself for personal glory. Instead, the purpose is to bring benefit to the listeners. The value of the benefit I produce will win the appropriate praise.

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Return to Command 24

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Don’t Be a Hypocrite