Mt 6:6 “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray …in secret…”
Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?
Instead of showing off with grand public prayers that demonstrate to everyone my attitude of self righteous superiority, Jesus is saying to be discrete and even secretive with my prayers .
Why would He say this?
The Big Sable Lighthouse is one of the tallest in Michigan. The lightkeeper’s primary responsibility was to keep the light lit during the darkness. He or she had to keep the lamp fueled, trim the wicks, clean the windows, wind or tend the mechanisms throughout the night and during the day. Lightkeepers were seldom public figures; they didn’t have the time.
Like silent prayer or meditation good things happened because their belief was followed up with action. They quietly went about their duties because they believed in their mission. As a result, over 190 years, thousands and thousands of lives were saved, thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of cargoes arrived at their planned destinations. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses
Jesus just got through explaining why and how to be discrete when I do good things and when I give to people. He then tells me how to avoid being seen as a hypocrite when I pray.
Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. He merely pointed out that God is not impressed with people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement.
Benefit beyond the spiritual
It’s my opinion that fervent prayer in secret serves to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious. When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work by ordering my conscience thoughts and actions. By this mechanism I begin to notice opportunities that I would have otherwise missed and to act in ways that seem to attract the good things I seek.
Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…
COMMAND 25: “…go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret…”
Mt 6:6
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 6:1-5 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
2“So 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.”
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.”
COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:
Mt 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
RESULT:
No stated result except for one chapter later when Jesus came down from the mountain
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.
MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. With this command, Jesus pointed out that God does not reward people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement; that kind of speech has its own reward in public opinion. Jesus said that God hears people who pray with humility and who honor Him.
Most prayer is in secret. But there are times when it is appropriate for people to pray together. On occasion Jesus and His followers prayed out loud and in groups with the clear purpose and result to honor God.
What example of prayer did Jesus and the apostles give?
Jesus prayed publicly
Jn 11:41-42 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”
Jesus prayed privately
Mt 14:23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone;
Mt 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray”;
Mk 1:35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left {the house,} and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
The apostles prayed publicly
Ac 4:24ff And when they heard {this,} they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,…
Ac 6:5-6 …And they chose out Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6each of whom they made stand before the apostles. And having prayed, they placed their hands on them.
Ac 20:36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
The apostles prayed privately
Ac 9:40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Ac 10:9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
My Opinion
I think that this command to pray in secret is related to the popular idea of “Attraction”. My take on the idea of “Attraction” is that meditation and prayer serve to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious. When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work ordering my conscience thoughts and actions. By this mechanism I begin to act in ways that attract like minded individuals and I notice opportunities that would have otherwise been missed. Of course it’s important that I choose those individuals and opportunities well!
DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text
go: 1525 εἰσεìρχομαι ice-er’-khom-ahee — to go in
inner room: 5009 ταμεῖον tam-i’-on — a storage chamber, storeroom
secret: 2927 κρυπτοìς kroop-tos’ — concealed or private
MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments
Private meditation or prayer is an invaluable tool. It strengthens my thinking and assists my subconscious mind to order my actions according to belief. Associating with carefully chosen like-minded people is an excellent method to multiply the results.
© 2018 Christopher Carlson
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB
Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.