Matthew 6:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

After rebuking the hypocrites and aiming to bring shame to the listeners, Christ once again heals the soul burdened by pride, first explaining how not to give alms and then demonstrating the correct manner of doing so. How should one give? Let your left hand remain unaware of what your right hand is doing. In this instance, He is not referring to the hands literally; rather, He enhances His message: if it is possible, He suggests, to remain oblivious to your own actions, and if it is feasible to conceal your deeds even from the hands that serve you, strive to achieve this. Therefore, those who interpret His words as a command to conceal actions from the most wicked among men do not fully grasp the depth of His instruction. Here, He instructs us to conceal our acts from everyone.

It has been stated in an exaggerated manner that if possible, you should shield yourself from it. Indeed, the left hand embodies vanity while the right hand represents compassion. Therefore, let your generosity be free from the taint of pride.

What actions does the right hand perform that the left hand is unaware of? ...? The response is this: When the mind, focused and filled with a deep longing for God's favor, diligently seeks to fulfill its righteous purpose, it does so with unwavering commitment, giving no attention to anything apart from what serves its divine goal. In this way, just as an artist dedicates his attention solely to the tool that aids him in his craft, the mind is solely occupied with that which aligns with its intended mission.

Let not the desires of the flesh be aware of the guidance offered by the Holy Spirit. However, can a charitable giver truly give without their hands engaging in the act of generosity? It is essential that both hands work together in the service of charity. When the left hand holds the funds or purse, the right hand plants a precious seed in the fertile ground of the beggar's heart, not to gain a meager harvest of straw, but to nurture eternal life secured on the cross.

Moreover, it is not just acts of charity that require discretion; in performing any virtuous actions, your left hand should remain unaware. If it becomes aware, the righteousness of your right hand's deeds is quickly compromised.

After explaining what should not be done, He proceeds to instruct on the proper course of action. By referring to the left hand, He symbolizes those who are close and cherished, as nothing is more intimate than one's hand. He emphasizes that even they should remain unaware of the kindness shown by your right hand. Alternatively, this could be understood as an exaggerated manner of speaking: let the right hand’s actions remain concealed even from the left hand, highlighting the importance of great discretion in this matter. Furthermore, the right hand represents righteousness, while the left hand signifies wrongdoing. Therefore, let wrongdoing be oblivious to the deeds of righteousness, and let good actions be performed without the influence of wrongdoing.

In this context, the Lord is not referring to the physical hands of the human body, which lack the ability to see or speak. Instead, the reference to the right and left hands symbolizes specific individuals or their actions. The Scriptures illustrate that the term "hand" can represent a person, as seen in the account from the book of Kings where it states, “Have I not ten hands in Israel” (2 Kings 19:43), indicating the ten tribes of Israel. Thus, it is evident that the right hand symbolizes the righteous, while the left hand pertains to the wicked. As Solomon noted, "The Lord knows the upright, but the wicked He knows not" (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:2; Proverbs 4:27).

The divine command, “Let not thy hand take away what thy right hand doeth,” is not obscure or hidden, dear friends; rather, it is illuminated and evident to those who genuinely seek understanding. In the aftermath of performing a righteous act, we often experience pride and a longing for recognition. Thus, the Lord instructs us: let your good works be done without fervor stemming from self-importance, and do not accompany your triumphs with lofty thoughts. If you perform a virtuous deed, keep it from public display, avoid seeking glory, and refrain from pursuing the applause of this world; instead, look forward to the rewards that are yet to come.

You are to give to those in need with such discretion that even your left hand remains unaware of what your right hand is doing. But what do these teachings of our Savior signify? Is there truly a distinction between giving with one hand as opposed to the other? Aren’t both hands equally close to us? It becomes apparent that Christ is not referring literally to the hands but rather to the attitude of the heart. He instructs us to conceal our acts of charity not only from others, which is contrary to the ways of the hypocritical, but also from ourselves, as St. Chrysostom sheds light on this passage.

Christ instructs us that when you engage in prayer, allow your left hand to remain unaware of what your right hand is accomplishing. Conceal your actions not only from others, even those who are closest to you, but also strive to keep your good deeds hidden from your own awareness. Remember that within you dwells the old, sinful nature, which operates through your wrongful thoughts and cravings. Therefore, shield the old self from the workings of your renewed self—your conscience, illuminated by the truth of the Gospel and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

At times, an individual who performs acts of kindness purely out of love for others, without seeking recognition or earthly rewards, may begin to elevate himself and dwell on his own virtues. Such arrogance and pride represent a far greater transgression than mere vanity; this is the very sin that Christ cautions against, instructing us to carry out good deeds as if they were concealed from our own awareness: "Let thy left hand not know what thy right hand is doing." This means that after performing a good act, one should strive to forget it entirely, refraining from speaking of it or even recalling it. The purpose is to avoid being puffed up by the admiration of others and to prevent pride from taking root in our hearts. Rather, we should always bear in mind that in selflessly engaging in good works, we are not achieving something extraordinary that warrants accolades; instead, we are merely fulfilling our responsibilities and acting in accordance with God's will.

Do not allow your right hand to interfere with the actions of your left hand. Among the Jews, the right hand was esteemed over the left, with many significant actions accomplished solely by the right hand. Maimonides notes that during the Temple period, the offering of the sacrificial blood to the altar was performed using the right hand, never the left. Even today, the tradition of pouring and consuming the Sabbath cup of wine is carried out with the right hand alone, as per Jewish custom. This practice symbolizes a focused attention and, in a sense, reverence for the act being performed. When applied to the giving of alms, the reference to the right and left hand emphasizes the importance of genuine care from the giver, ensuring that no selfish or self-serving intentions are mingled with the righteous act of charity.

The essence of the initial verses of Matthew 6, specifically verses 1 through 6, along with 16 to 18, conveys that acts of charity and duties of worship, such as prayer and fasting, should not be performed for the sake of outward appearance or to attain human recognition. If one seeks accolades from others, that is the sole reward they will receive. It is truly fortunate for the one who aims solely to exalt the Father in heaven, allowing their righteous actions to illuminate the lives of others, in accordance with the Lord's instructions to His disciples. However, for those whose hearts grapple with pride, it is preferable to engage in fasting, prayer, and acts of kindness toward others in a manner that remains concealed, known only to God. In turn, your Father will reward you privately, referring to the final judgment where all angels and humanity will witness the outcome.

"Beware of performing your acts of charity in front of others to gain their admiration, for if you do, you will forfeit the reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and public places to receive praise from others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full. However, when you give to the needy, do it in such a way that your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing, so that your acts of charity may remain hidden; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:1-4

Let not your left hand be aware of what your right hand is doing. This appears to be a popular saying, suggesting that acts of kindness should be performed discreetly so as not to draw attention from others, remaining as concealed as possible. Here, the reference is not to the hands literally, but rather emphasizes the idea that if it is feasible to be oblivious to your own actions and to conceal them even from the hands that assist you, then endeavor to achieve that. It is evident that there is no prohibition against openly giving to those in need, provided there is no self-serving intention to seek admiration from others; the act of giving is only restricted when driven by such self-centered ambitions.