Matthew 6:18 · Bible study
Matthew 6:18 Commentary: The Father Who Sees in Secret Rewards
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus teaches fasting for God's eyes only.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Fasting (and piety) should be done for God alone, who sees in secret and promises a reward.
- Key words: φανῇς (appear), aorist passive subjunctive, purpose clause; βλέπων (sees), present active participle, God’s ongoing perception; κρυφαίῳ (secret), hidden place.
- Main debate: Should 'openly' (ἐν τῷ φανερῷ) be included? Many early manuscripts omit it; the idea is implied in the parallel verses.
- Theological theme: The inversion of public and private: the audience of One matters more than the world’s eyes.
- Best use: Teaching on sincerity in spiritual disciplines; comfort that God sees and rewards hidden faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
KJV King James Version 1769
That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
that thou be not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall recompense thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
that thou mayest not appear to men fasting, but to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father, who is seeing in secret, shall reward thee manifestly.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
so that thou mayest not appear fasting unto men, but to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father who sees in secret shall render [it] to thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Para no parecer á los hombres que ayunas, sino á tu Padre que está en secreto: y tu Padre que ve en secreto, te recompensará en público.
Para não pareceres às pessoas que jejuas, mas sim ao teu Pai, que está em segredo; e teu Pai, que vê em segredo, ele te recompensará.
afin de ne pas montrer aux hommes que tu jeûnes, mais à ton Père qui est là dans le lieu secret; et ton Père, qui voit dans le secret, te le rendra.
auf daß du nicht scheinest vor den Leuten mit deinem Fasten, sondern vor deinem Vater, welcher verborgen ist; und dein Vater, der in das Verborgene sieht, wird dir' s vergelten öffentlich.
Opdat het van de mensen niet gezien worde, als gij vast, maar van uw Vader, Die in het verborgen is; en uw Vader, Die in het verborgen ziet, zal het u in het openbaar vergelden.
affinché non apparisca agli uomini che tu digiuni, ma al Padre tuo che è nel segreto; e il Padre tuo, che vede nel segreto, te ne darà la ricompensa.
Abyś nie był widziany od ludzi, że pościsz, ale od Ojca twojego, który jest w skrytości; a Ojciec twój, który widzi w skrytości, odda ci jawnie.
чтобы явиться постящимся не пред людьми, но пред Отцом твоим, Который втайне; и Отец твой, видящий тайное, воздаст тебе явно.
不 叫人 看出 你禁食來，只 叫你 暗中 的父看見； 你 父 在 暗中 察看，必然報答 你。」
So that no one may see that you are going without food, but your Father in secret; and your Father, who sees in secret, will give you your reward.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 6:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the verse's core point: the discipline of fasting should be directed solely toward God, not performed to attract human notice. Barnes emphasizes that the command to 'anoint your head and wash your face' (Matthew 6:17) aims at maintaining an ordinary appearance, so that the fast remains between the believer and the Father. Gill notes that the hypocrites, the scribes and Pharisees, actively courted public recognition, even covering themselves with ashes, while Jesus instructs a hiddenness that only God perceives. Clarke adds that the phrase 'your Father who sees in secret' comforts believers that nothing done in genuine devotion is hidden from Him. On the textual question, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown and Clarke both observe that the final word 'openly' (ἐν τῷ φανερῷ) in verse 18 is absent from many early manuscripts and may have been added from verses 4 and 6 to create symmetry. Regardless, all commentators affirm the promise: the Father who sees in secret will reward the one who fasts for His eyes alone.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Open reward at the judgment (eschatological view): Cross-references like Romans 2:6 ('pay back to everyone according to their works') and 1 Peter 1:7 ('praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ') suggest the open reward is the final divine vindication.
- Open reward as present blessing: Some interpreters see the reward as God’s active blessing—peace, joy, answered prayer—in the hidden life, which may or may not become visible to others.
- Textual omission view: If 'openly' is a later addition, the reward is simply the Father’s response—not necessarily public—and the emphasis falls even more heavily on the secret nature of the relationship.
What is clear: God sees secret fasting and will respond with a genuine reward, regardless of whether that reward is publicly visible or eschatological.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of fasting | Fasting is a biblical discipline that should be directed toward God, not performed for human approval. | Some traditions emphasize regular, prescribed fasting (e.g., Lent, Friday abstinence) while others see it as a spontaneous response to the Spirit’s leading. |
| Nature of the reward | God responds to secret devotion with a reward that is ultimately good for the believer. | Catholic and Orthodox tradition often connects the reward to increased grace and merit in this life and the next; Reformed traditions see the reward as God’s approval and the eschatological inheritance (Romans 2:6; Colossians 3:24). |
| Textual variant of 'openly' | The earliest surviving manuscripts (e.g., Codex Vaticanus, Sinaiticus) omit ἐν τῷ φανερῷ in verse 18. | Some translations (KJV, ASV, YLT) follow later manuscripts that include 'openly'; others (WEB, BSB) follow the earlier witness. Even if omitted, the context strongly implies God’s reward will be manifest. |
| Visible piety | Hypocrisy in religious practice is condemned; sincerity is required. | Catholics and Orthodox maintain that pious works done in a spirit of faith are good and can be visible (Matthew 5:16), while some Protestant traditions emphasize secrecy so strongly that any public practice of fasting is seen as suspicious. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In the first-century Jewish world, fasting was a prominent religious practice, often observed twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, by the Pharisees (Luke 18:12). Public penitential fasts called for dramatic displays: mourners would sit in sackcloth, sprinkle ashes on their heads, and disfigure their faces to appear genuinely sorrowful (Gill, citing the Mishnah). Such visible signs served as social markers of piety, and the Pharisees cultivated these signs to earn the respect and admiration of others.
Jesus does not abolish fasting; He redirects it. His instruction to 'anoint your head and wash your face' (Matthew 6:17) draws on everyday Jewish grooming habits. Barnes explains that anointing with oil and washing the face were ordinary parts of daily hygiene, especially in a warm climate where oil protected the skin. By performing these regular acts on a fast day, a believer would appear no different than usual, the fast stayed between the soul and God.
The three examples in Matthew 6 (almsgiving, prayer, fasting) form what the Jewish tradition called the three pillars of piety. Lange's Commentary notes that they correspond to right relationship with neighbor (almsgiving), with God (prayer), and with self (fasting). In each case, the test is the same: is the act done for an audience of One? The Pharisees had turned these pillars into platforms for self-display. Jesus recasts them as secret engagements with the Father.
Textual Notes
The word 'openly' (ἐν τῷ φανερῷ) at the end of Matthew 6:18 is textually uncertain. Clarke reports that these words are omitted by nine uncial manuscripts, over a hundred minuscules, most ancient versions, and several early church fathers. Griesbach, Bengel, and Wetstein (cited by Clarke) left it out of the text. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown similarly call it 'a later addition' copied from Matthew 6:4 and 6:6 for the sake of symmetry. The critical editions of Nestle-Aland and UBS also bracket the word as secondary. The idea of an open reward is clearly present in the surrounding verses (vv. 4, 6), but the original text of v. 18 likely concluded with the simple promise that the Father 'will reward you.'
Reception History
In the early church, this verse was part of Jesus’ broader teaching on secret discipline. The Didache and the Apostolic Constitutions encourage fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, not to mimic the Pharisees, but with the inward orientation Christ prescribed. Monastic traditions (especially the Desert Fathers) saw fasting in secret as a vital part of hidden ascetic struggle. In the Reformation, Matthew 6:18 became a key text for opposing the public display of works righteousness: Calvin used it to argue that piety is not for human show but for God alone. Matthew Henry (Puritan) called private fasting 'a laudable practice' and lamented its neglect, extending the verse’s application to all self-denial. Today the verse is widely cited to encourage believers to keep their spiritual disciplines, prayer, giving, fasting, free from the corrupting desire for recognition. It has also been a source of comfort: the Father who sees in secret never overlooks small acts of faithfulness.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Audience determines authenticity. Fasting staged for people pays people; fasting offered to the Father connects with Him.
- Normal appearance, supernatural focus. The command to wash and anoint means our piety should not disrupt ordinary rhythms, the notice goes to God, not to those around us.
- God’s reward runs deeper than reputation. Whether temporal or eschatological, the reward comes from the One who values faithfulness over fanfare.
Five-point outline
- The problem of performance: Hypocrites disfigure their faces to look pious.
- The command of secrecy: Fast so that only the Father knows.
- The Father’s location: He is 'in secret', He is not impressed by the public stage.
- The Father’s sight: He sees what is hidden; nothing escapes His notice.
- The Father’s response: He rewards, not because He is bribed, but because He delights in obedient children.
Illustration hooks
- The private marathon: An athlete trains alone in early morning hours. No crowd watches the miles run in the dark, but the progress shows on race day.
- The thank-you note never sent: A person does a good deed for a neighbor and asks them not to tell anyone. The act itself is the satisfaction, not the reputation.
- Parent watching from the window: A child draws a picture and tucks it away without showing off. The parent discovers it and celebrates the gift meant only for them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What counts as 'seeking reward'? Is any joy in being seen always wrong?
- If God rewards openly, are we ever allowed to share our spiritual disciplines with others?
- How do I know if my motives are pure, especially when I feel good about others noticing?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to examine the audience of our piety. Jesus does not discourage fasting; He unmasks the temptation to turn it into a performance. As you discuss, keep the focus on the character of the Father who sees in secret and what that means for how we live our entire faith before Him.
Discussion questions
- Read Matthew 6:16-18. What specific behaviors does Jesus identify as hypocritical, and why would those behaviors have impressed a first-century audience?
- How does the command to 'anoint your head and wash your face' reframe the purpose of fasting?
- Verse 18 says the Father 'sees in secret.' What does that tell you about God’s attention to your unseen life?
- The textual tradition varies on whether 'openly' is original. Does the idea of an open reward change the meaning of the verse? Why or why not?
- In what areas of your life (prayer, giving, service, suffering) do you struggle most with wanting human recognition?
- What would it look like to practice a spiritual discipline this week with no one else knowing?
- How does the promise of God’s reward, whether in this life or at the judgment, motivate you differently than the approval of others?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 6:4 | so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. |
| Matthew 6:6 | But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. |
| Romans 2:6 | who “will pay back to everyone according to their works:” |
| II Corinthians 5:9 | Therefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well pleasing to him. |
| II Corinthians 10:18 | For it isn’t he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends. |
| Colossians 3:22 | Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. |
| Colossians 3:24 | knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. |
| I Peter 1:7 | that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes, even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ— |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke warns that God sees not only our actions but our motives, and the real danger is that our hearts secretly crave human praise more than divine approval. He then notes that strong manuscript evidence supports omitting the word "openly" from the text, suggesting the promise of reward is already implied in the Father's seeing in secret.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that daily anointing with oil was a common practice for health and comfort. Jesus commands fasting without any outward change in appearance or dress, so the focus remains on genuine sorrow for sin before God, not on attracting human notice. God alone sees and rewards such fasting.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note stresses that fasting must be directed entirely toward God, not done to gain human approval. The point is that the Father, who sees what is hidden, will reward openly—so there is no need to seek notice from others. True devotion seeks only God's recognition.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill contrasts the hypocrites' fasting, done specifically to be noticed by people, with Christ's direction to fast in a way only God can see. The point is that God, who sees what is hidden, rewards such private devotion, and receiving honor from Him matters infinitely more than human approval.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the word "openly" at the end of this verse was likely added later from the parallel promise about giving and prayer. The idea is still present, but the original text probably did not include the explicit term.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry treats fasting not as a virtue in itself but as a means to prepare the heart for prayer and other spiritual duties. He stresses that Christ here speaks of private, voluntary fasts, not public spectacle, and laments that this self-denying practice, once common among devout believers, is now largely neglected.