“Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 6:2 Mean?
Jesus addresses the practice of giving — and specifically, the practice of announcing it. "Do not sound a trumpet before thee" is likely hyperbole (there's no evidence of literal trumpet-blowing before almsgiving), but it captures the impulse: making sure everyone notices your generosity.
The hypocrites do this "that they may have glory of men." The motive is the problem, not the giving. They give in order to be seen. The audience for their generosity is the crowd, not God. And Jesus' verdict: "they have their reward." The word "have" (apecho) is a commercial term — it means "paid in full." They got what they were after: human applause. The receipt is signed. The transaction is complete. Don't expect anything from God.
"Verily I say unto you" — Jesus uses His strongest formula of authority. This isn't a suggestion. It's a definitive statement: performance-giving receives performance-rewards. Nothing more.
Reflection Questions
- 1.When you give or serve, who is the real audience — God or the people watching?
- 2.How does the 'paid in full' language change how you think about publicly recognized generosity?
- 3.Where in your life have you been 'sounding a trumpet' — making sure your goodness is visible?
- 4.What would it look like to give, serve, or sacrifice in a way that only God sees?
Devotional
They blew a trumpet before they gave. And Jesus said: congratulations. You got what you paid for. Don't expect anything else.
"They have their reward." Paid in full. Transaction complete. Receipt signed. The people who give in order to be seen get exactly one thing: being seen. And that's all they get. The glory of men is the glory of men. It doesn't transfer into the glory of God. It doesn't compound into heavenly reward. It's consumed the moment it's received.
Jesus isn't against public generosity. He's against performative generosity — giving that's designed to produce an audience response. Where the real product isn't the help given to the poor. It's the reputation gained by the giver. The poor person is a prop. The trumpet is the point.
The commercial language — apecho, paid in full — is devastating. It means the transaction is closed. There's nothing more coming. If you gave for applause and got applause, the account is settled. You can't also claim a reward from God. You already spent the generosity on something else.
This challenges every public display of generosity you've ever seen — including your own. What's the real audience? When you give, when you serve, when you sacrifice — who are you performing for? If the answer is the crowd, you'll get the crowd's response. And that's all you'll get.
God rewards what the crowd never sees. The trumpet gets the crowd. The secret gift gets God.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Wherefore, when thou dost thine alms,.... Christ proceeds to give some directions and cautions about giving of alms,…
Do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do - The word “hypocrite” is taken from “stage-players,” who act…
As we must do better than the scribes and Pharisees in avoiding heart-sins, heart-adultery, and heart-murder, so…
do not sound a trumpet before thee The chests for alms in the Court of the Women, where the temple-treasury was placed,…
Cross References
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