Chapter 4—The True Motive in Service
“Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men, to be
seen of them.”—Matthew 6:1, margin.
The words of Christ on the mount were an expression of that which
had been the unspoken teaching of His life, but which the people had
failed to comprehend. They could not understand how, having such
great power, He neglected to use it in securing what they regarded as
the chief good. Their spirit and motives and methods were the opposite
of His. While they claimed to be very jealous for the honor of the law,
self-glory was the real object which they sought; and Christ would
make it manifest to them that the lover of self is a transgressor of the
law.
But the principles cherished by the Pharisees are such as are char-
acteristic of humanity in all ages. The spirit of Pharisaism is the spirit
of human nature; and as the Saviour showed the contrast between His
own spirit and methods and those of the rabbis, His teaching is equally
applicable to the people of all time.
In the days of Christ the Pharisees were continually trying to earn
the favor of Heaven in order to secure the worldly honor and prosperity
which they regarded as the reward of virtue. At the same time they
paraded their acts of charity before the people in order to attract their
attention and gain a reputation for sanctity.
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Jesus rebuked their ostentation, declaring that God does not rec-
ognize such service and that the flattery and admiration of the people,
which they so eagerly sought, was the only reward they would ever
receive.
“When thou doest alms,” He said, “let not thy left hand know what
thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father
which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.”
In these words Jesus did not teach that acts of kindness should
always be kept secret. Paul the apostle, writing by the Holy Spirit, did
not conceal the generous self-sacrifice of the Macedonian Christians,
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