Matthew 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By verbosity, we refer to empty chatter, such as requesting inappropriate things from God, like power, honor, triumph over adversaries, or material wealth—essentially asking for things that do not benefit us spiritually. Furthermore, it seems that the Savior discourages lengthy prayers, not necessarily in duration, but in the excessive number of words, as we are called to be patient in our requests. The Apostle reminds us, “in prayer we are patient” (Rom. 12:12). Additionally, the Savior, through the parable of the persistent widow who prevailed over the unyielding judge through her relentless approach, and the parable of the friend who requested help at night not out of friendship but because of his persistent knocking, teaches that we should continually pray to Him. He did not forbid prayers that are lengthily composed but rather encouraged us to present our requests openly. This is underscored in His statement, “They think that in their many words they will be heard.”

In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we discern the contrast between extravagant speech and simple, humble communication. The Pharisee, who boasts in his multitude of words, is dismissed, while the tax collector, approaching God with meekness and a plea for forgiveness, is granted mercy more righteously than the self-important Pharisee. This illustrates the truth of what is written, "The prayer of the humble has passed through the clouds" (Sir 35:17), as it reaches God, who intentionally attends to the cries of those who seek Him earnestly.

In contrast, brief yet consistent prayer is more effective, as a brief but sincere connection to God allows for greater warmth. This is why the Lord teaches us: “When praying, do not speak unnecessarily,” illustrating that it is not the volume of words that captures His attention. St. John of the Ladder advises: “Do not try to speak much, lest your mind be scattered in search of words. The tax collector's single utterance won God's favor, and the same act of faith redeemed the thief. Excessive words in prayer can lead to a wandering mind, while a few carefully chosen words bring about focus and clarity.” Yet, one might wonder about the apostle’s exhortation in his letter to the Thessalonians to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).

In our previous discussion, we heard how the Lord Jesus, mindful of our salvation, cautioned us against the insincere and barren prayers of the Jews. He instructed us to enter the private chamber of our hearts, shutting out worldly and carnal distractions, and to earnestly call upon our heavenly Father, who knows all inner truths.

Continuing His teaching on prayer, He advises us to speak succinctly, warning us against the empty chatter practiced by the pagans, who believe that their multitude of words will garner a response. The rebuke of excessive verbosity that the Savior offers does not imply that we should not pray extensively or frequently; rather, the Gospel encourages us to pray continually (Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17). The genuine Teacher of prayer condemns the redundant speaking of the pagans who, lacking knowledge of the one Almighty Creator and Omniscient Provider, have created numerous false deities driven by their myriad passions and desires. In their attempts to communicate with these false gods, they sought to convey their needs through an abundance of eloquent phrases or loud, drawn-out cries. An illustrative example of such fruitless verbosity can be found in the account of the prophet Elijah, where the priests of Baal stood at the altar, crying out from morning until evening, "Hear us, Baal, hear us," yet there was no response, no acknowledgment (1 Kings 18:26).

Christ shields us from this emptiness of excessive speech, which is foreign to those who believe in the one true God, who knows all our needs and desires our souls to remain focused, particularly during prayer. He wishes for us to avoid scattering our thoughts with various temporal desires, which are often futile or even detrimental. We should pray not merely with our vocal cords but from the depths of our hearts. Our heavenly Father is already aware of our real needs before we articulate them. Some may ask, if that is the case, why should we pray? Prayer is not intended to inform God of our needs, for He knows them; rather, it is meant to open our hearts to Him. When we neglect to seek God in earnest prayer, our hearts remain susceptible to worldly temptations and the harmful suggestions from the evil one, yet they are closed to the transformative grace of the Holy Spirit. Just as closing our eyes to the sun prevents us from experiencing its illuminating rays, failing to turn our hearts to God in prayer keeps our souls enveloped in darkness, unaware of ourselves and the divine presence, even as God's true spiritual light continuously shines. Without this life-giving light, we cannot perform actions that are genuinely good. These good works reside with God, the Source of life and light, from whom every perfect gift flows (James 1:17). Such blessings manifest when we genuinely yearn for them and present our requests to Him in heartfelt prayer. This is why Jesus Christ assured us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7, 8).

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:31-33).

The implication of these words, linking to earlier points, is clear: the ultimate aim of humanity is to attain eternal life within the Heavenly Kingdom. The pathway to this aspiration lies in fulfilling God’s will and His righteousness during our earthly journey, within the Kingdom of God. Therefore, a person's primary focus should revolve around seeking the means to enter into the Kingdom of God, to be a worthy participant, and thus obtain access to the Kingdom of Heaven. This should be the center of one's thoughts, actions, and prayers; all that is unrelated to this divine pursuit, namely earthly and momentary matters like sustenance, drink, and clothing, is ultimately redundant in prayer. While necessities are important for survival, they are irrelevant in the context of prayer. A person diligently seeking God's Kingdom and His righteousness will have these provisions granted by God freely, as the heavenly Father is aware of their needs.

Nevertheless, asking for these earthly necessities is not categorically prohibited. By teaching us to pray for our daily sustenance, Christ acknowledges that it is acceptable to request these material goods but only as needed; such requests should not overshadow the pursuit of God’s kingdom and righteousness. In this regard, John Chrysostom notes: "The Lord implies that those who pray should not seek after fleeting and corruptible things: neither physical beauty, which diminishes over time, plagued by illness, and ceases at death; nor worldly riches, which, like the current of a river, are transient, moving from one to another, eluding their holders, and beset by many threats such as moths, thieves, defamation, fire, shipwrecks, enemy attacks, and other misfortunes; nor esteemed power, which brings its own sorrows. Moreover, some individuals, in their folly, do not merely petition the Almighty for beauty, wealth, or power, but they even beseech Him to impose suffering upon their enemies, asking for harshness towards those they wish harm upon, despite pleading for mercy for themselves. The Lord, aiming to avert this, instructs: do not use vain words."

In instructing us to refrain from empty phrases in prayer, Christ pointed out that the Gentiles believed their lengthy discourses would be heard. Augustine further clarifies this by differentiating between the excessive wordiness criticized here and the persistent prayers that the Lord encourages elsewhere. The One who spent nights in prayer and taught, "Seek, and you will find" (Matt. 7:7), and illustrated through parables the importance of unwavering prayer, is certainly not condemning extended prayer as long as it is genuine. Rather, He disapproves of prayers that merely consist of an endless array of grandiose words, replacing the heartfelt, sincere expressions of deep yearning that often elude verbal articulation.