Matthew 6:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nothing brings so much pain to the spirit as anxiety and cark. That He says, The morrow shall he anxious for itself, comes of desire to make more plain what He speaks; to that end employing a prosopopeia of time, after the practice of many in speaking to the rude populace; to impress them the more, He brings in the day itself complaining of its too heavy cares. Has not every day a burden enough of its own, in its own cares? why then do you add to them by laying on those that belong to another day?

The concerns of each day reflect our brokenness and sorrow. It is sufficient for you to acknowledge your fragility in the present moment. However, if you find yourself troubled by what lies ahead, becoming preoccupied with physical needs, when will you make time for God?

And as He advises, “Do not be anxious,” He is not dismissing the importance of action. Anxiety and activity are distinct; one can engage in tasks without being overly concerned. Thus, the Lord, instructing us not to cling to earthly matters and to disregard our worries about tomorrow's peace, encourages us to strive each day. He teaches us to focus on today's labor, gathering our daily bread without fretting over what is to come.

Or otherwise; To-morrow is said only of time where future succeeds to past. When then we work any good work, we think not of earthly but of heavenly things. The morrow shall be anxious for itself, that is, Take food and the like, when you ought to take it, that is when necessity begins to call for it. For sufficient for the day is its own evil, that is, it is enough that necessity shall compel to take these things; He calls it evil, because it is penal, inasmuch as it pertains to our mortality, which we earned by sinning. To this necessity then of worldly punishment, add no further weight, that you may not only fulfil it, but may even so fulfil it as to shew yourself God’s soldier.

The directive of the Lord is clear: "Do not worry about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34). Yet, how can we interpret this instruction reasonably? We notice that we tend to be overly concerned with our needs, often accumulating supplies for an extended duration. The appropriate response is found in the teachings of the Lord, who instructed us to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness," and He assured us, "And all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33). A person who embraces this wisdom remains untroubled by earthly anxieties, which can suffocate the word and render it ineffective (Matt. 13:22). Instead, they engage in acts of service to God with a firm belief in the Lord’s promise: "He that laboureth is worthy of his food" (Matt. 10:10).

Do not fret about what you will eat in your later years. We are instructed not to be concerned about tomorrow, yet you preoccupy yourself with thoughts of old age. Instead, let us pursue “the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added” unto us. For our Heavenly Father knows what we need even before we ask (Matt. 6:8). If we fail to prioritize these divine pursuits, it will be clear that we lack genuine concern for them. Thus, “Cast thy sorrow upon the Lord, and He shall feed thee” (Ps. 54:23). Reject any notion that suggests you should endlessly please every person around you. In response, we affirm: I strive to be free in the present, while trusting that the Lord will provide for the future. For He has declared: “Do not labour for the morning.”

To-morrow in Scripture signifies time future, as Jacob in Genesis says, To-morrow shall my righteousness hear me. (Gen. 30:33.) And in the phantasm of Samuel the Pythoness says to Saul, To-morrow shalt thou be with me. (1 Sam. 28:19.) He yields therefore unto them that they should care for things present, though He forbids them to take thought for things to come. For sufficient for us is the thought of time present; let us leave to God the future which is uncertain. And this is that He says, The morrow shall he anxious for itself; that is, it shall bring its own anxiety with it. For sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. By evil He means here not that which is contrary to virtue, but toil, and affliction, and the hardships of life.

Avoid striving for tomorrow, as each day carries its own burdens. Previously, when He stated, “Do not be anxious,” it might have seemed as though He was dismissing all concerns regarding physical necessities. Therefore, in this passage, He clarifies that while He permits attention to the needs of today, due to the frailty of the flesh, He prohibits worry about tomorrow, deeming it unnecessary. The troubles of tomorrow will take care of themselves, meaning that individuals will face the requirements of that day when it comes. Some interpret that He has entirely negated the need for concern for those capable of managing it, while simultaneously permitting current-day care for the more vulnerable.

This is further comprehended under the full meaning of the Divine words. We are commanded not to be careful about the future, because sufficient for our life is the evil of the days wherein we live, that is to say, the sins, that all our thought and pains be occupied in cleansing this away. And if our care be slack, yet will the future be careful for itself, in that there is held out to us a harvest of eternal love to be provided by God.

Every utterance of Christ manifests the compassion, truth, and wisdom of God, and He imparts this power to the souls of those who receive it with open hearts. Consequently, those who are unmerciful and unjust, lacking a willing ear, not only fail to grasp the wisdom of God but also condemned the one who imparted it. Thus, we must examine whether we are attentive to Him willingly. For He has declared: ‘He that loveth Me shall keep My commandments, and shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him, and will appear unto him Myself’ (John 14:15, 21). Do you perceive how He has concealed His presence within His commandments? The greatest of all commandments is the love for God and one’s neighbor, which emerges from detachment from worldly concerns in quiet contemplation.

In our earthly journey, each day presents its own set of essential anxieties and tribulations. Why should we burden ourselves further with unnecessary concerns about a future day that is beyond our control, resting instead in the hands of God? Isn’t it foolish for a traveler to complicate his journey home by accumulating trivial distractions rather than traveling lightly? Likewise, our lack of faith weighs us down with many futile worries, diverting our hearts from our steady and unwavering path towards our heavenly homeland. Only those Israelites who departed from Egypt and fully trusted the Lord as their guide entered into the peace and inheritance of the Promised Land.

He said, "On this day," and once more added, "For this day," conveying a similar message here; He did not merely say, "Do not be anxious," but rather, "Do not worry about tomorrow." This instruction suffices for mankind's limited strength: tomorrow will attend to its own needs. The Lord conveys this not because the day manages itself, but as He addresses the common people, reflecting customary understanding of time. To resonate more profoundly with His audience, He presents time as if it were aggrieved: "You have been given a day to manage what is needed for that day; why burden it with worries about another day?" SUFFICIENT FOR EACH DAY IS ITS OWN CONCERN. St.

A Christian should focus on the pursuit of God's kingdom without being sidetracked by worries about the future or the present. However, it is valid for a believer to have concerns about tomorrow and the days ahead, provided that these worries do not hinder total reliance on God, complete surrender to His divine will, and viewing all earthly matters as opportunities to enhance the kingdom of heaven. What does the Lord imply by disapproving of anxiety regarding the future while acknowledging concerns for the present? The present day is within our grasp, yet tomorrow remains uncertain, bringing with it its own set of unknown troubles. Thus, while concern for the present may be somewhat rational, since it is more familiar, it is essentially still rooted in disbelief (Matthew 6:30).

Do not be anxious about the future and similar concerns. Each day has its own burdens; it is sufficient for human frailty to handle the worries of just one day at a time. It is not wise for the soul to be preoccupied with extended times ahead, as this is best entrusted to our heavenly Father. Tomorrow will manage its own challenges. The Lord communicates this, not to suggest that the day manages itself, but rather in speaking to ordinary people, He aims to clarify His message by personifying time in a way they can easily understand.