But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
3. Let not thy left hand know By this expression he means, that we ought to be satisfied with having God for our only witness, and to be so earnestly desirous to obey him, that we shall not be carried away by any vanity. It frequently happens, that men sacrifice to themselves rather than to God.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth--So far from making a display of it, dwell not on it even in thine own thoughts, lest it minister to spiritual pride.
Hypocrisy is a subtle sin that steals into our alms unawares, and it is ruinous if it takes hold. Do good from an inward, vital principle approved by God, not to be applauded by men; vain-glory is the dead fly that spoils the whole box of precious ointment.
AI summary
Commenting on Matthew 6:1-4