13-15. Lead us not into temptation is a plea for the providential help of God in our daily confrontation with the temptation of sin. James 1:13-14 makes it clear that God does not tempt us to do evil, but rather that we are tempted of our own lusts. However, God does test us in order to give us the opportunity to prove our faithfulness to Him. It is never His desire to lead us into evil itself. Therefore if we resist the devil, we are promised that he will flee from us.

The prayer closes with a doxology of praise for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen, which is a liturgical interpolation from I Chronicles 29:11. Though omitted in some manuscripts, these words constitute a fitting climactic affirmation of faith.

In the first three petitions of this prayer of the Lord, our soul rises directly to God,' in the three following we face the hindrances of these aspirations; and in the last petition we discover the solution to all these difficulties. Stier (The Words of the Lord Jesus, Vol. I, p.198) draws a unique parallel between the two tables of the Decalogue and the two sections of the Lord's Prayer. In the first petition the believer's soul is awed with the character of God, in the second petition with His grand purpose, and in the third petition with His moral condition. In the second part of the prayer the children of God humble themselves in dependence upon divine mercy in the fourth petition; they seek forgiveness in the fifth petition; gracious guidance in the sixth petition; and deliverance from the power of evil in the seventh petition. Thus, this arrangement may be readily suggested by dividing the prayer into two parts:

Relationship to God-

Hallowed be Thy Name;

Thy Kingdom come;

Thy will be done;

Relationship to men-

Give us this day our daily bread;

Forgive us our debts;

Lead us not into temptation;

Deliver us from evil.

Finally, the rich doxology expresses the certain hope that our prayers shall be heard and that God, in view of His great character, will bring to pass the highest good in our lives. Thus, prayer is the expression of the believer's confidence in the ultimate plan and purpose of God. In his Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Matthew (p. 124), J. P. Lange has suggested the following comparison between the statements of the Beatitudes and the petitions of the Lord's Prayer:

The comparison between these two pinnacles of piety is striking indeed. The inexhaustible expression of devotion and simplicity of language in both the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount give them a depth of expression which goes beyond the temporal and touches the eternal.

16. When ye fast is a reference both to fasting prescribed under the Mosaic law in connection with the Day of Atonement (Lev 16:29) and the voluntary' fast of that day. The Pharisees added two fast days, on Monday and Thursday of each week, as a case of public display and piety. The true purpose of fasting was intended, however, for deep contrition and spiritual communion. Fasting was especially emphasized as an effective means of dealing with temptation (cf. Isa 58:6). The Pharisees regarded the practice of fasting as meritorious (cf. Taanith, 8:3) and appeared in the synagogues negligently attired. Their sad disfigurement of face and the wearing of mourning garb gave them an opportunity to exhibit their superior ascetic sanctity before the people. The phrase disfigure their faces (Gr aphanizδ) literally denotes covering their faces and is a figurative expression for mournful gestures and neglected appearance of those wanting to call attention to the fact they are enduring. This was often done with dust and ashes (cf. Isa 61:3) and is similar to the modern Roman Catholic concept of Ash Wednesday. In the original, there is a play upon two cognate words meaning, "they make their faces unappearable," that they may "appear unto men."

17-18. This passage is not to be taken as a command against fasting but rather against the misuse of the spiritual exercise of fasting. Kent (p.2I) observes: "Fasting that requires spectators is mere acting." Though Jesus Himself instituted no fast for His disciples, voluntary fasting does appear in the early churches (cf. Acts 13:2). The injunction to anoint thine head relates to the ancient custom of anointing one's head when going to a feast. In other words, Jesus was saying that when we fast we are to do so secretly unto the Lord, while outwardly maintaining the appearance of joy and triumph which is the end result of true fasting.

Just as we have observed the interesting parallels within this sermon, so again we discover the contrast between outward acts of worship and inward attitudes of devotion. Outward worship stresses giving; inward worship stresses possessing. Outward worship manifests praying, inward worship manifests worrying. Outward worship is characterized by fasting; inward worship is characterized by judging.

The obvious contrasts are that a proper attitude toward giving will arise from the proper inward attitude toward one's possessions. Praying will resolve all worrying.  Fasting, in judging one's self, is to be preferred over judging others.

The common error of Judaism was to regard material wealth as always indicating the blessing of God. While it is true that the book of Proverbs promises material blessings to those who honor God's financial principles, it does not imply that all wealth is a necessary sign of blessing. The Proverbs themselves indicate that many become temporarily wealthy because of ill-gotten gains. The contrast between these two sections of examples, both inward and outward, is directed specifically at the false spirituality of the Pharisees which arose from worldly-mindedness.

20-21. The attention of the believer is directed toward treasures in heaven. The term "treasures" implies the addition or accumulation of things. The two kinds of treasures are conditioned by their place (either upon earth or in heaven). The concept of laying up treasure in heaven is not pictured as one of meritorious benefits but rather of rewards for faithful service, as is illustrated elsewhere in the teaching of Jesus. The ultimate destiny of our lives is either earthly or heavenly and the concentration of our efforts will reveal where our real treasure is. In contrast to the legalistic attempt of Judaism to establish a spiritual treasure upon earth, Jesus calls the attention of His disciples to that true and eternal treasure which is heavenly. The only way man will ever overcome his natural inclination toward materialism and wealth is to place the priority of his possessions in heaven. If one were as concerned about spiritual benefits of his life as he were about the material possessions, his motivations would he pure indeed.

22-23. The light of the body is associated with the eye. The concept here is based on the ancient idea that the eyes were the windows through which light entered the body. If the eyes were in good condition the body could receive such light. Tasker (p.75) notes that Jesus, using this language metaphorically, affirms that if a man's spiritual sight is healthy and his affections directed toward heavenly treasure, his whole personality will be without blemish.  The phrase if...thine eye be single indicates devotion to one purpose.  The "single eye" refers to a single, fixed vision or goal.  This reminds us of the statement of James, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways" (Jas 1:8).  The phrase if thine eye be evil refers to either disease or deception of vision.  Though many commentators suggest the idea of disease, the context seems to imply deception.  The "evil eye" is not necessarily something mysterious or devilish, but rather a deceptive vision which causes the viewer to mistake the identity of an object.  The mistake in this context is the darkening of the mind and thus how great is that darkness!

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