Matthew 6:34

34 Be not therefore solicitous for to morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:34 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 6:34

Take therefore no thought for the morrow
Reference is had to ( Proverbs 27:1 ) . "Boast not of thyself tomorrow": a man cannot promise or assure himself, that he shall have a morrow, and therefore it is great weakness and folly to be anxiously thoughtful about it. This is expressed in the Talmud ^F19, nearer the sense of Christ's words, after this manner:

``(rxm tru rut la) , "do not distress thyself with tomorrow's affliction, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth"; perhaps tomorrow may not be, and thou wilt be found distressing thyself, for the time which is nothing to thee.''

And should it come, it is unnecessary to be thoughtful of it in a distressing manner before hand;

for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
The morrow is here introduced by a "prosopopeia", as if it was a person sufficiently thoughtful and careful for the necessaries of it: every day brings along with it fresh care and thought, being attended with fresh wants and troubles; and therefore, it is very unadvisable, to bring the cares and troubles of two days upon one; as he does, who is anxiously concerned today, for the things of tomorrow;

sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
This proverb is thus expressed in the Talmud ^F20, (htevb hrul hyd) , "sufficient for distress", or "vexation, is the present time"; which the gloss explains thus,

``sufficient for the vexation it is, that men should grieve for it, at the time that it comes upon them.''

It is very wrong to anticipate trouble, or meet it before hand; if it was for no other reason but this, that every day's trouble is enough, and should not be needlessly added to, by an over concern what shall be done for tomorrow; or how shall the necessities of it be answered, or the trials of it be endured.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 100. 2.
F20 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 9. 2.

Matthew 6:34 In-Context

32 For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things.

33 Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Be not therefore solicitous for to morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.