Matthew 6:26

26 Behold ye the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither reap, neither gather into barns [nor gather into barns]; and your Father of heaven feedeth them. Whether ye be not more worthy than they [Whether ye be not more worth than they]?

Matthew 6:26 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 6:26

Behold the fowls of the air
Not such as are brought up in houses, but which fly abroad in the air, wild; and are not supported by their own, or any human care, but by the care of God: ( Luke 12:24 ) particularly mentions the "ravens", referring probably to ( Psalms 147:9 ) , and because they are very voracious creatures: and there it is said, "consider the ravens"; look attentively upon them, and with observation,

for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns.
This is not said, that men should not sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns: but to reprove their diffidence and unbelief: who, though they have the opportunity of sowing, reaping, and gathering in, year by year, yet distrust the providence of God; when the fowls of the air do none of these,

yet your heavenly Father feedeth them;
see ( Psalms 145:15 Psalms 145:16 ) ( 147:9 ) . The Jews acknowledge this, that the least and meanest of creatures are fed by God.

``Mar says F3, the holy blessed God sits (Nzw) , "and feeds", i.e. all creatures, and takes care of them.''

Are ye not much better than they?
Do not you differ from them? are ye not much more excellent than they? And if God feeds and provides for inferior creatures, such as are very mean and contemptible, how much more will he not provide for you? There is a passage in the Talmud, which has great affinity to this of Christ's, and appears to have in it pretty much of the like kind of reasoning. In the Misna
FOOTNOTES:

F4 it is said, that R. Simeon ben Eleazer should say,

``Did you ever see a beast, or a fowl, that had a trade? but they are fed without trouble.''

In the Gemara F5 is added,

``Did you ever see a lion bearing burdens, an hart gathering summer fruits, a fox a money changer, or a wolf selling pots? And yet (reu alb Nyonrptm) , "they are nourished without labour", and wherefore are they created? To serve me, and I am created to serve my Maker: and lo! these things have in them an argument, "from the less to the greater"; for if these, which are created to serve me after this manner, are supported without trouble; I, who am created to serve my Maker, is it not fit that I should be supplied without trouble? And what is the reason that I am sustained with trouble? My sins.''


F3 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 107. 2. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2.
F4 Kiddushin, c. 4. sect. 14.
F5 T. Hieros. Kiddushin, fol. 66. 2. Vid. T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 82. 1, 2.

Matthew 6:26 In-Context

24 No man may serve two lords, for either he shall hate the one, and love the other; either he shall sustain the one [or he shall sustain the one], and despise the other. Ye be not able to serve God and riches.
25 Therefore I say to you, that ye be not busy to your life, what ye shall eat; nor to your body, with what ye shall be clothed [or to your body, with what ye shall be clad]. Whether [the] life is not more than meat, and the body more than the cloak [and the body more than cloth]?
26 Behold ye the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither reap, neither gather into barns [nor gather into barns]; and your Father of heaven feedeth them. Whether ye be not more worthy than they [Whether ye be not more worth than they]?
27 But who of you thinking may put to his stature one cubit? [Soothly who of you by thinking may add to his stature one cubit?]
28 And of clothing what be ye busy? Behold the lilies of the field, how they wax. They travail not, neither they spin;
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.