February 25–March 3
Matthew 6–7
“He Taught Them as One Having Authority”
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Matthew 6–7
Quick note on Matt compared to Luke account:
The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain
The very real similarities between the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–49) have led many students of the New Testament to see these two magnificent sermons as variants of one another. And because the Risen Christ repeats the Sermon on the Mount almost verbatim in 3 Nephi 12–14, we tend to prefer this sermon over the Sermon on the Plain when studying the teachings of Jesus. And well we should because the Sermon on the Mount contains a much fuller body of Jesus’ instructions.
The very real similarities between the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20–49) have led many students of the New Testament to see these two magnificent sermons as variants of one another. And because the Risen Christ repeats the Sermon on the Mount almost verbatim in 3 Nephi 12–14, we tend to prefer this sermon over the Sermon on the Plain when studying the teachings of Jesus. And well we should because the Sermon on the Mount contains a much fuller body of Jesus’ instructions.
This said, I suggest that we consider two possibilities. First, Jesus gave the two sermons on different occasions and, second, Jesus’ rehearsal of the Sermon on the Plain was partially to introduce the Twelve to his growing number of followers.
One main reason for seeing the two sermons as separate events has to do with their settings. According to Matthew, when “seeing the multitudes, [Jesus] went up into a mountain.” In our minds’ eye, we can readily imagine Jesus climbing the broad hillside that rises above the north shore of the Sea of Galilee and, after “he was set, his disciples came unto him” (Matthew 5:1). Luke describes a completely different setting. He relates that, after Jesus chooses the Twelve following all night in prayer on “a mountain” (Luke 6:12), “he came down with them [the Twelve], and stood in the plain” (Luke 6:17). In the hills that ring the Sea of Galilee on the east, north, and west sides, a single area stands out as an extensive level area that matches Luke’s sketch.
Taken from: Based on The Testimony of Luke by S. Kent Brown, an e-volume in the BYU New Testament Commentary Series
James E. Talmage
"The Sermon on the Mount has stood through all the years since its delivery without another to be compared with it. No mortal man has ever since preached a discourse of its kind. The spirit of the address is throughout that of sincerity and action, as opposed to empty profession and neglect...Such doctrines as these astonished the people. For His distinctive teachings the Preacher had cited no authority but His own." (Jesus the Christ, 229-30)
Matthew 6:1–4
My Thoughts.
There is a reason our “offerings” are done privately. Only ourselves, the Bishop and a counselor and clerk know what we give. Now days with the online offerings even the counselors and clerk don’t see what we give.
Alms means more than money, it also means our time and what we do for our callings and service to others.
What others have said:
James E. Talmage
"The tossing of alms to a beggar, the pouring of offerings into the temple treasure chests, to be seen of men, and similar displays of affected liberality, were fashionable among certain classes in the time of Christ; and the same Spirit is manifest today. Some there be now who cause a trumpet to be sounded, through the columns of the press perchance, or by other means of publicity, to call attention to their giving, that they may have glory of men -- to win political favor, to increase their trade or influence, to get what in their estimation is worth more than that from which they part. With logical incisiveness the Master demonstrated that such givers have their reward. They have received what they bid for; what more can such men demand or consistently expect?" (Jesus the Christ, p. 237)
Spencer W. Kimball
"I am grateful that all through this great Church there are many people who live unselfishly, who pray in the quiet of their homes, who are far more interested in paying their tithes of which no one knows except their bishop, than they are to pay large contributions which may be heralded far and wide. I am grateful that there are numerous people in this Church who go quietly week after week to attend their meetings; worship the Lord in their assemblies; bear testimony in their fast meetings; serve faithfully as ward teachers, stake missionaries, or in the auxiliaries or priesthood quorums without glamour, without praise, without public notice.
"God bless us, brothers and sisters, that we may 'seek first the kingdom,' that we may forget all else, and that we may project ourselves out of ourselves into the great world of service to our fellow men, realizing that after all, the two great commandments which the Lord gave to us did this very thing...
"All of this is service to others-love of others, not love of nor service to ourselves. May the Lord bless us that we may be unselfish in this kingdom, give of ourselves generously that we may live by the spirit rather than by the letter..." (Conference Report, October 1951, Afternoon Meeting 90.)
I can draw closer to God through humble, sincere prayer.
My thoughts:
Prayer is a very tangible thing. It can change daily. I know when I pray about items or problems at work they seems to go better. I know I prayed very hard when my wife had cancer and went through chemo etc.
Prayer is the best way to draw closer to God and forget myself, but I need to work on it daily. It is very easy, at least for me, to simple forget or fall into bad habits.
The key word here is sincere. Prayer is a very personal thing even when offering it in public. We have all herd those prayers that are sincere and strike at our very soul. They are not flowery or language that we remember, but they brought a feeling that touched our spirit. Some of the most spirit filled prayers I have heard come from the most humble of people. We need to make sure our heart is behind what we say. Then God can help use through revelation and we can truly communicate through prayer with the All Mighty.
What others have said:
Gordon B Hinckley
The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries-we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18) that is the invitation. Believe in the power of prayer-it is real, it is wonderful, it is tremendous. “Stand a Little Taller”
Richard G Scott
You communicate with God through sincere prayer. He answers you through the Spirit by impressions that come to your mind and heart. How can you learn to pray properly? By speaking openly to a trusted Father you love. “Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy.”
Gordon B Hinckley
We get on our knees and we ask the Lord o help us live in obedience to His commandments. We get on our feet and resolve to be better people than we were when we knelt down. Our beliefs will govern our actions. God help us to be those who are not faithless, but believing. “Stand a Little Taller”
Henry B Eyring
If you have had trouble getting answers to your prayers, try asking today, “What is there that you would have me do?” That prayer will be answered if you are sincere and if you listen like a little child, with real intent to act. “To Draw Closer To God.”
M Russell Ballard
Let me offer a further word of caution. I often hear people say, “I told the Lord this” or “I told the Lord that”. Be careful not to “tell” Him; rather, humbly seek and ask your Heavenly Father for guidance and direction…After pouring out our hearts in sincere prayer; we may need to listen for His response more often than we do. Prayer should express yearning and should be filled with gratitude.
“Yesterday, Today, and Forever”pg 35
Virginia H Pearce
The miracle of prayer doesn’t reside in the ability to manipulate situations and events, but in the miracle of creating a relationship with God. Think about that carefully, would you? What does it do for you to have an assurance that the Lord is with you? A Year of Powerful Prayer, 186-187
Jeffery R Holland,
God is anxiously waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if you don’t pray, and He can’t if you don’t dream. In short, He can’t if you don’t believe. “Broken Things to Mend, 85”
Russell M Nelson
Jesus taught us how. We pray to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost. This is the “true order of prayer,” in contrast to “vain repetitions” or recitations given to “be seen of men.”
Jesus revealed that we pray to a wise Father who knows what things we have need of, before we ask Him.Mormon taught his son, Moroni, that we should pray “with all the energy of heart.” Nephi exclaimed, “I pray continually for [my people] by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, … and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry.”
The sweet power of prayer can be intensified by fasting, on occasion, when appropriate to a particular need.
Prayers can be offered even in silence. One can think a prayer, especially when words would interfere. We often kneel to pray; we may stand or be seated. Physical position is less important than is spiritual submission to God.
We close our prayer “in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.” When we hear another’s prayer, we audibly add our “amen,” meaning, “That is my prayer, too.”
Dallin H. Oaks
Brothers and sisters, the special language of prayer is much more than an artifact of the translation of the scriptures into English. Its use serves an important, current purpose. We know this because of modern revelations and because of the teachings and examples of modern prophets. The way we pray is important. The Language of Prayer, Ensign, May 1993,
Dalin H Oaks
We must not only do what is right.. We must act for the right reasons. The modern term is good motive. The scriptures often signify this apporiate mental attitude with the words, full purpose of heart or real intent.
The scriptures make clear that God understands our motive and will judge our actions accordingly. If we do not act for the right reasons, our acts will not be counted for righteousness…Just as it is the spirit that identifies and gives life to the ministry, so it is the motive that gives life and legitimacy to the acts of the believer…
Priestcraft is the sin committed by the combination of a good act-such as preaching or teaching the gospel-and a bad motive. The act may be good and visible, but the sin is in motive. On earth, the wrong motive may be known only to the actor, but in heaven it is always known to God. “Pure in Heart”
What teachings in Matthew 6–7 inspire you to improve how you pray?
My thoughts:
Be thankful
Be sincere
Think of others
Get up and work at being better
What others have said:
Charles W. Penrose
"Now, prayer is not acceptable for its rhetoric. It is that which comes from the heart, the sincere sentiment, the secret feeling, which ascends to our Father and which He, who sees in secret, will reward openly. It is not a multitude of words and repetitions that is pleasing to the Lord, but the earnest desire of a humble heart. And this will be answered, no matter how broken or ungrammatical the language may be. On the other hand, no matter how flowery the language of the petition may be, if it does not convey the feelings of the heart, it is not true prayer." (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, ed. by Brian Stuy, vol. 2, Charles W. Penrose, March 22, 1891)
Vaugh J. Featherstone
"Now, the Lord taught us to pray in secret. What happens to us when we pray in secret? First, our faith is put to the test. How foolish people would feel who pray alone and really do not believe in God. We can pray in public and people might think we believe, but praying alone takes faith. When we pray alone, there is no one to impress with our command of the language, with our beautiful phrases or eloquence. We simply talk with a loving, interested Father about what is troubling us most. We take problems that no one else, not another living soul, can help us with. We become like little children, feeling a dependence and need for someone wiser and with power and influence. We do not have to worry about embarrassment if our prayers are not answered the way we think they should be, because only we and God know for what we pray. When tears come, there is no embarrassment. We can be totally honest, knowing that we cannot lie to or deceive the Spirit or God. He knows us for our real worth. He knows who and what we really are, not what we seem to be. When we have personal problems or struggles, we can pray and know that these things are kept totally confidential. We can discuss our weaknesses, our sins, our frustrations, our needs, and know that He will listen and respond." (The Incomparable Christ: Our Master and Model, 60 - 61.)
Matthew 6:9
When I pray, I should treat Heavenly Father’s name with reverence.
My thoughts:
I often have said that God is like a friend and should be easier to talk to. I have since decided that is not the case all the time. God the Father is GOD. He is so far above me and I am not even worthy to kneel before Him yet he wants me to.
He is approachable yet I feel He deserves the utmost respect.
This is a hard one at times. I know and trust that Father knows what is best for me but times happen that I hope it will be easy. No one wants to lose a family member or a job or be called to have to endure some trial. But there is a peace that accompanies this action when you are truly converted and in tune. I believe one of the main reasons for counseling with he Lord is to get our ideas and attitude in line with His.
What others have said
Dallin H Oaks
Brothers and sisters, the special language of prayer is much more than an artifact of the translation of the scriptures into English. Its use serves an important, current purpose. We know this because of modern revelations and because of the teachings and examples of modern prophets. The way we pray is important.
Dallin H. Oaks, "The Language of Prayer," Ensign, May 1993,
Dallin H. Oaks, "The Language of Prayer," Ensign, May 1993,
https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/face-to-face/eyring-holland?lang=eng
Matthew 6:10
We can draw closer to God through prayer.
My Thoughts:
You can’t be close to any one if you never talk to them. Even if you think you know them without conversing you are lost.
Prayer is the same thing. I truly believe we really don’t pray to convince God to do something(although there is scripture argument to say we can) but to more get our wants and desires in line with what He has planned for us.
What others have said:
Francis M. Lyman
"What a splendid condition would obtain among the Latter-day Saints today, what an improvement there would be among us, if we were to do the will of our Father as it is in heaven! It is possible for us to do the will of our Father. We know what His will is, and we beseech our Father that we may do His will as His will is done in heaven; and when we pray with faith we will be enabled to live up to that prayer and that petition, and this should be the endeavor of every member of this Church. Our thoughts should be brought to that point upon every occasion when we approach the Lord, that his will in us may be done as it is done in heaven." (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, ed. by Brian Stuy, vol. 2, Francis M. Lyman, Oct. 6, 1895)
David O. McKay
Why pray for the Kingdom of God to come unless you have in your heart a desire and a willingness to aid in its establishment? Praying for His will to be done and then not trying to live it, gives you a negative answer at once. You would not grant something to a child who showed that attitude towards a request he is making of you. If we pray for the success of some cause or enterprise, manifestly we are in sympathy with it. It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God's will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will. (Pathways to Happiness [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1957], 226.)
Gordon B Hinckley
Teach children how to pray concerning their own needs and righteous desires. Let prayer, night and morning, as a family and as individuals, become a practice in which children grow while yet young. There will distill into their hearts a natural inclination in times of distress and extremity to turn to God as their Father and friend.
Gordon B Hinckley “Stand a Little Taller”
Gordon B Hinckley
The marvelous thing about prayer is that it is personal, it’s individual, it’s something that no one else gets into, in terms of your speaking with your Father in Heaven in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be prayerful. Ask the Lord to forgive your sins. Ask the Lord for help. Ask the Lord to bless you. Ask the Lord to help you realize your righteous ambitions…Ask the Lord for all of the important things that mean so much to you in your lives. He stands ready to help. Don’t forget it.
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Teaching of Gordon B. Hinckley”
John Taylor
“Do you have prayers in your family? …
“And when you do, do you go through the operation like the guiding of a piece of machinery, or do you bow in meekness and with a sincere desire to seek the blessing of God upon you and your household? That is the way that we ought to do, and cultivate a spirit of devotion and trust in God, dedicating ourselves to him, and seeking his blessings.” (Journal of Discourses, 21:118.)
What does it mean to use “vain repetitions” in prayer?
My Thoughts:
This is a hard one. I think it all comes down to what your intent and feeling is. For years I always prayed for the missionaries out serving. But when my own son was serving the same words had more meaning. I really meant them deeply.
We are trained from a young age on what to say but it is how we say it in our hearts that matters.
“Use not vain repetitions” is the King James translation of Matthew 6:7. Other translations say, “Do not use meaningless repetition” (NASB), “Do not heap up empty phrases” (ESV), or “Do not keep on babbling” (NIV)Matthew 6:9–13
What others have said:
Ezra Taft Benson
"Our public prayers need not be everlasting to be immortal. We are advised not to multiply many words (3 Nephi 19:24) and to avoid vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7). An invocation should set the spiritual tone of the meeting, and the benediction should leave the people on a high spiritual plane, because they have been present when one has talked with God. It is the feeling rather than the length which determines a good public prayer." (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 427.)
Matthew 6:9–13
What others have said:
Bruce R. McConkie
"How glorious it is to address such a holy and exalted person by the greatest of all titles, Father, and to be privileged to have audience with him on our own invitation, anytime we pray in faith with all the strength and energy of our souls!" (The Mortal Messiah, Book 2, p. 151)
James E. Talmage
"The first part of this petition has occasioned comment and question. We are not to understand that God would ever lead a man into temptation except, perhaps, by way of wise permission, to test and prove him, thereby affording him opportunity of overcoming and so of gaining spiritual strength ...The intent of the supplication appears to be that we be preserved from temptation beyond our weak powers to withstand; that we be not abandoned to temptation without the divine support that shall be as full a measure of protection as our exercise of choice will allow.
"How inconsistent then to go, as many do, into the places where the temptations to which we are most susceptible are strongest; for the man beset with a passion for strong drink to so pray and then resort to the dramshop; for the man whose desires are lustful to voice such a prayer and then go where lust is kindled; for the dishonest man, though he say the prayer, to then place himself where he knows the opportunity to steal will be found! Can such souls as these be other than hypocrites in asking God to deliver them from the evils they have sought? Temptation will fall in our way without our seeking, and evil will present itself even when we desire most to do right; for deliverance from such we may pray with righteous expectation and assurance." (Jesus the Christ, p. 225)
Jeffrey R. Holland
"Life is too short to be spent nursing animosities or in keeping a box score of offenses against us...We don't want God to remember our sins, so there is something fundamentally wrong in our relentlessly trying to remember those of others. When we have been hurt, undoubtedly God takes into account what wrongs were done to us and what provocations there are for our resentments, but clearly the more provocation there is and the more excuse we can find for our hurt, all the more reason for us to forgive and be delivered from the destructive hell of such poisonous venom and anger. It is one of those ironies of godhood that in order to find peace, the offended as well as the offender must engage the principle of forgiveness." (Ensign, Nov. 1996, p. 83 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 423)
Gordon B. Hinckley
"If you concentrate on the work of the Lord, if you give it everything you have, your whole body shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you. Gone will be the darkness of sin. Gone will be the darkness of laziness. Gone will be all of these negative things. That's the word of the Lord to you and to me." (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, "Missionary Service, Full-time")Matthew 7:1–5
Matthew 7:21–23
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
Matthew 6:5–13
What can we learn about prayer from the way the Savior prayed?
My Thoughts:
Every-time the Savior has prayed in the scriptures and it has been recorded I am struck by the simpleness of the prayer. He did not use grand, sweeping monologues. He spoke from His heart. We should do the same.
What others have said:
Hugh Nibley
"The Lord's Prayer is more than just a way of getting through life, a code of morals or a pattern of behavior. It is an appeal to a Father we have known before and hope to dwell with hereafter. It asks for help in carrying out the first and greatest commandment. In this very short prayer, God, man as the child of God, and fellowman are all put in their proper relationship, which is the closest possible family association, approaching identity. The Tempter and his methods are introduced without which the statement of the Gospel plan would be incomplete; for the prayer by its very nature is an appeal from those in distress who are supplicating for something much better than what
they have. "What we want is to dwell in the Father's Kingdom under the sole dominion of his divine will by his power and in his glory forever and ever. Jesus proceeds to explain the relationship to those to whom he imparts the prayer: The Father will deal with you exactly as you deal with other humans; he will even withhold his kindness from you if you withhold it from them. But as far as credit for what you do, you are making no deals with men; you are not out to impress them or make points with them. . . . Any consideration of reward is wholly between you and your Heavenly Father; and any credit you are able to get from man, seeking it deliberately by various means, you will lose with him." (Of All Things: Classic Quotations from Hugh Nibley, 2nd ed., edited by Gary P. Gillum [FARMS], 180.)
How can we use His prayer as a model to improve our personal and family prayers?
My Thoughts:
Practice practice practice! Children learn best when observing and then doing.
Great resources at LDS.org
https://www.lds.org/manual/gospel-principles/chapter-8-praying-to-our-heavenly-father?lang=engMatthew 6:33
What does it mean to “seek … first the kingdom of God”?
David O. McKay
Why pray for the Kingdom of God to come unless you have in your heart a desire and a willingness to aid in its establishment? Praying for His will to be done and then not trying to live it, gives you a negative answer at once. You would not grant something to a child who showed that attitude towards a request he is making of you. If we pray for the success of some cause or enterprise, manifestly we are in sympathy with it. It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God's will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will. (Pathways to Happiness [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1957], 226.)
Russell M Nelson
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.Conference April 2018
Russell M Nelson
"Praying helps us to face trials in life. Prayer centers our attitudes precisely. With that focus, we do not wander to the right or left through land mined with traps of temptation. Disciples do not flirt with danger at the jagged edge of disaster. Russell M. Nelson, "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods," General Conference April 1996; Matthew 7:1–5
My Thoughts:
What others have said:
Milton R. Hunter
"Throughout my life...I have observed that as a rule it seems as if human beings like to gossip. We like to hear unsavory things about our neighbors and talk about each other. It seems that ofttimes we get a certain degree of satisfaction or even joy out of saying bad things about other people. We thoughtlessly and sometimes maliciously judge each other. We censure our associates sometimes unjustly, many times unkindly; and most of the time we speak without having the evidence to back up what we are saying. We seem to forget that James, the brother of the Lord, warned that the unbridled tongue is 'full of deadly poison.' (James 3:8.)
"I know that even sometimes people who are faithful in the Church pass judgment and condemnation on those with whom they associate without knowing the facts. Such is displeasing to God." (Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p. 64)
Spencer W. Kimball
"What a monster is prejudice! It means pre-judging. How many of us are guilty of it? Often we think ourselves free of its destructive force, but we need only to test ourselves. Our expressions, our voice tones, our movements, our thoughts betray us." (Conference Report, Apr. 1954, p. 106)
Jeffrey R. Holland
"Remember that whatever you toss out mentally or verbally comes back to you according to God's plan of compensation: 'For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.' (Matthew 7:2.) A critical, petty, or vicious remark is simply an attack on our own self-worth. On the other hand, if our minds are constantly seeing good in others, that, too, will return, and we will truly feel good about ourselves." (On Earth As It Is In Heaven, p. 29)
Spencer W. Kimball
"The promise is made to everyone. There is no discrimination, no favored few, but the Lord has not promised to crash the door. He stands and knocks. If we do not listen, he will not sup with us nor give answer to our prayers. We must learn how to listen, grasp, interpret, understand. The Lord stands knocking. He never retreats. But he will never force himself upon us. If our distance from him increases, it is we who have moved and not the Lord. And should we ever fail to get an answer to our prayers, we must look into our lives for a reason. We have failed to do what we should do, or we have done something we should not have done. We have dulled our hearing or impaired our eyesight." (Faith Precedes the Miracle, p. 208)
Howard W. Hunter
"Every seeker receives; every seeker finds. Yet not every asker receives what he asks; not every seeker finds what he seeks. As an earthly father gives good gifts to his children, so God gives good things to those that ask him, not always what they ask, for they often ask amiss, but something far better than that which they ask for or seek. Those who would obtain exactly what they ask must confine their will to God's and ask for things which they know he is willing to give." (The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, p. 37-38)
Matthew 7:24–27
My thoughts:
What others have said:
Joseph B. Wirthlin
"What a magnificent blueprint for life at its best! These commandments and all that they encompass constitute a glorious challenge and an unassailable fortress against evil. They involve the use of time in the best and highest sense and will certainly safeguard our integrity and morality and help us be a good example. This is the kind of life building that is possible for Latter-day Saints...
"If we build our life with and for our Savior, we will build it from the best materials and with the best effort we can give. We won't skimp on study or training or diligence or obedience. We won't misrepresent what we're trying to build...We will wish to build something noble and solid, something worthy of the trust we have been given." (New Era, Mar. 1990, pp. 65-66 as taken from The Mount and the Master, by Robert E. Wells, p. 209)
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