Matthew 6:15

Mat 6:15. Τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, their trespasses) The copies which omit these words, elegantly intimate that the sins of men against us, if compared with our sins against the Father, will vanish away. Some Latin writers omit also the words τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, men.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But if ye forgive not, &c.--See on Mat 6:12.

Fasting (Mat 6:16-18). Having concluded His supplementary directions on the subject of prayer with this Divine Pattern, our Lord now returns to the subject of Unostentatiousness in our deeds of righteousness, in order to give one more illustration of it, in the matter of fasting.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. But if ye forgive not] He who does not awake at the sound of so loud a voice, is not asleep but dead. A vindictive man excludes himself from all hope of eternal life, and himself seals his own damnation.

Trespasses] παραπτωματα, from παρα and πιπτω, to fall off. What a remarkable difference there is between this word and οφειληματα, debts, in Mt 6:12! Men's sins against us are only their stumblings, or fallings off from the duties they owe us; but our's are debts to God's justice, which we can never discharge. It can be no great difficulty to forgive those, especially when we consider that in many respects we have failed as much, in certain duties which we owed to others, as they have done in those which they owed us. "But I have given him no provocation." Perhaps thou art angry, and art not a proper judge in the matter; but, however it may be, it is thy interest to forgive, if thou expectest forgiveness from God. On this important subject I will subjoin an extract from Mason's Self-knowledge, page 248, 1755.

"Athenodorus, the philosopher by reason of his old age, begged leave to retire from the court of Augustus, which the emperor granted. In his compliments of leave, he said, 'Remember, Caesar, whenever thou art angry, that thou say or do nothing before thou hast distinctly repeated to thyself the twenty-four letters of the alphabet.' On which Caesar caught him by the hand, and said, 'I have need of thy presence still:' and kept him a year longer. This was excellent advice from a heathen; but a Christian may prescribe to himself a wiser rule. When thou art angry, answer not till thou hast repeated the fifth petition of our Lord's prayer-Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: and our Lord's comment upon it-For if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly father forgive your trespasses."

PRAYER to God is considered among the Mohammedans in a very important point of view. It is declared by the Mosliman doctors to be the corner stone of RELIGION, and the pillar of FAITH. It is not, say they, a thing of mere form, but requires that the heart and understanding should accompany it, without which they pronounce it to be of no avail. They direct prayer to be performed five times in the twenty-four hours.

1. Between day-break and sun-rise;

2. Immediately after noon;

3. Immediately before sun-set;

4. In the evening before dark; and

5. Before the first watch of the night.

They hold the following points to be essentially requisite to the efficacy of prayer: -

1. That the person be free from every species of defilement.

2. That all sumptuous and gaudy apparel be laid aside.

3. That the attention accompany the act, and be not suffered to wander to any other object.

4. That the prayer be performed with the face toward the temple of MECCA. HEDAYAH. Prel. Dis. pp. 53, 54.

There are few points here but the follower of Christ may seriously consider and profitably practise.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But if you forgive not men their trespasses,.... On the other hand, where men are not of a forgiving temper to their fellow creatures and fellow Christians, how can they expect forgiveness at the hands of God? or what sense of pardoning grace can there be upon their minds? Had they any right apprehensions of the grace and goodness of God, in the forgiveness of their sins, this would influence their minds, and engage their hearts to forgive such who have offended them: wherefore, where this is wanting, it may be concluded of, and said to such persons,

neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. It is a plain case, that your Father has not given you a true sense of the pardon of your sins, nor can you be certain that he will; nor have you any reason to expect it, when you are so cruel and revengeful to others. There is a considerable emphasis lies upon the word "men", to which "heavenly Father" is opposed, and the sense, according to it, is, that if men, who are upon an equal foot with each other, should not forgive one another, how should it be expected that our Father which is in heaven, who is so much above, and no ways obliged to us, should forgive us?

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Ver. 15. But if ye will not, &c.] This is a matter much to be observed, therefore so often inculcated. Judgment without mercy shall be to them that show no mercy, Jas 2:13. There is but a hair’s breadth between him and hell that hath not his sins pardoned in heaven. Such is the case of every one that doth not from his heart forgive his offending brother, Mat 18:35, or that saith, I will forgive the fault, but not forget the matter, or affect the person. Men must forbear one another and forgive one another, as Christ forgave them; and that if any man have a quarrel (μομφην) against any, Col 2:13, for else what thanks is it? The glory of a man is to pass by an infirmity, Pro 19:11. It is more comfortable to love a friend, but more honourable to love an enemy. If thou reserve in thy mind any piece of the wrong, thou provokest and daily prayest God to reserve for thee a piece of his wrath; which burneth as low as the nethermost hell, Deu 32:22. Neither will it help any, to do as Latimer reporteth of some in his days, who being not willing to forgive their enemies, would not say their Pater Noster at all: but instead thereof, took our Lady’s Psalter in hand; because they were persuaded that by that they might obtain forgiveness of their sins of favour, without putting in such a hard condition as the forgiveness of their enemies into the bargain.

Neither will your Father forgive your trespasses] And if he do not, who can give pardon or peace, saith he in Job? The Rhemists talk much of one that could remove mountains; God only can remove those mountains of guilt that lie upon the soul. Men may forgive the trespass; God only the transgression. "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned," saith David, Psa 51:4: and, "to the Lord our God belongeth mercies and forgivenesses," saith Daniel, Dan 9:9. Ministers remit sins ministerially, as Nathan did; God only authoritatively, and by his own power. "If the Son set us free, we are free indeed. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s pardoned ones? It is God that justifieth;" or, as St Austin readeth the words, interrogatively, "shall God that justifieth?" No, verily; that were to do and undo: he keepeth no back reckonings. Fear not therefore, though the devil or his imps, or our own misgiving hearts, condemn us: as the prisoner careth not though the jailer or his fellow prisoners condemn him, so long as the judge acquitteth him.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. Forgive not… neither — See on Mat_18:35. Our Saviour adds this to impress the sincerity of the petition upon our hearts.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15.] Our Lord returns (γάρ) to explain the only part of the prayer which peculiarly belonged to the new law of love, and enforces it by a solemn assurance. On the sense, cf. Mar 11:25, and the remarkable parallel Sir. 28:2: ἄφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου, κ. τότε δεηθέντος σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθήσονται. See Chrysostom’s most eloquent appeal on this verse, Hom. xix. 7, p. 255, end.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.