Matthew 6:26

6:26 Jesus’ logic progresses from lesser to greater: If the Father tends to birds (the lesser), and the disciple is far more valuable to him (the greater), then he will certainly tend to the disciples’ needs (see also 10:29-31).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mat 6:26. Οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν, neither do they collect) as for example by purchase, for the future.[286]—ὙΜῶΝ, your) He says your, not their.—μᾶλλον, more) i.e. you more excel as sons of God, than other men do, or than you who indulge in such care (anxiety) consider. The word μᾶλλον, therefore, is not redundant. In this verse, the argument is from the less to the greater; in Mat 6:25, from the greater to the less.

[286] “Into barns:” or even into other repositories of food, as we may see instanced in other animals—V. g.

Mat 6:26; Mat 6:28. τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ—τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ, the fowls of the air—the lilies of the field) which men do not take care of, often in fact destroying them; as for example the ravens, mentioned in Luk 12:24.[285]

[285] The ant (Pro 6:6) is an example, which we may apply as an antidote to slothfulness; the birds of heaven, to anxious cares.—V. g.

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

Mat_6:26. Τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ] עוֹף הַשָׁמַיַם, the birds that fly in the air, in this wide, free height, are entirely resigned! Genitive of locality, as in Mat_6:28. This is manifest (in answer to Fritzsche: towards the heavens) from the juxtaposition of the words in Gen_1:25; Gen_2:19; Psa_8:9; Psa_104:12; comp. Hom. Il. 17. p. 675: ὑπουρανίων πετεηνῶν. On the saying itself, comp. Kiddushin, s. fin.: Vidistine unquam bruta aut volatilia, quibus esset aliqua officina? et tamen illa nutriuntur absque anxietate.

ὅτι] equivalent to εἰς ἐκεῖνο ὅτι, Joh_2:18; Joh_9:17; Joh_11:51; Joh_16:9; 2Co_1:18; 2Co_11:10. To this belongs all that follows as far as αὐτά.

μᾶλλ. διαφέρετε αὐτῶν] This μᾶλλον (magis) only strengthens the comparative force of διαφέρειν τινος (to be superior to any one). Comp. on Php_1:23, and the μᾶλλον that frequently accompanies προαιρεῖσθαι.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 6:26 . ἐμβλέψατε εἰς , fix your eyes on, so as to take a good look at (Mar 10:21 ; Mar 14:67 ). τὰ πετεινὰ τ . ου ., the birds whose element is the air; look, not to admire their free, careless movements on the wing, but to note a very relevant fact ὅτι , that without toil they get their food and live. σπείρουσιν , θερίζουσιν , συνάγουσι ε . ἀ .: the usual operations of the husbandman in producing the staff of life. In these the birds have no part, yet your Father feedeth them. The careworn might reply to this: yes; they feed themselves at the farmer’s expense, an additional source of anxiety to him. And the cynic unbeliever in Providence: yes, in summer; but how many perish in winter through want and cold! Jesus, greatest of all optimists, though no shallow or ignorant one, quietly adds: οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν : do not ye differ considerably from them? They fare, on the whole, well, God’s humble creatures . Why should you fear, men , God’s children ?

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of the air, or that live in the air: for in all tongues almost this word Heaven is taken for the air.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Behold the fowls of the air--in Mat 6:28, "observe well," and in Luk 12:24, "consider"--so as to learn wisdom from them.

for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?--nobler in yourselves and dearer to God. The argument here is from the greater to the less; but how rich in detail! The brute creation--void of reason--are incapable of sowing, reaping, and storing: yet your heavenly Father suffers them not helplessly to perish, but sustains them without any of those processes. Will He see, then, His own children using all the means which reason dictates for procuring the things needful for the body--looking up to Himself at every step--and yet leave them to starve?

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 26. Behold the fowls of the air] The second reason why we should not be anxiously concerned about the future, is the example of the smaller animals, which the providence of God feeds without their own labour; though he be not their father. We never knew an earthly father take care of his fowls, and neglect his children; and shall we fear this from our heavenly Father? God forbid! That man is utterly unworthy to have God for his father, who depends less upon his goodness, wisdom, and power, than upon a crop of corn, which may be spoiled either in the field or in the barn. If our great Creator have made us capable of knowing, loving, and enjoying himself eternally, what may we not expect from him, after so great a gift?

They sow not, neither do they reap] There is a saying among the rabbins almost similar to this - "Hast thou ever seen a beast or a fowl that had a workshop? yet they are fed without labour and without anxiety. They were created for the service of man, and man was created that he might serve his Creator. Man also would have been supported without labour and anxiety, had he not corrupted his ways. Hast thou ever seen a lion carrying burthens, a stag gathering summer fruits, a fox selling merchandise, or a wolf selling oil, that they might thus gain their support? And yet they are fed without care or labour. Arguing therefore from the less to the greater, if they which were created that they might serve me, are nourished without labour and anxiety, how much more I, who have been created that I might serve my Maker! What therefore is the cause, why I should be obliged to labour in order to get my daily bread? Answer, SIN." This is a curious and important extract, and is highly worthy of the reader's attention. See Schoettgen.

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

(26) Behold the fowls of the air.—Better, birds. As the words were spoken we may venture to think of them as accompanied by the gesture which directed attention to the turtle-doves, the wood-pigeons, and the finches, which are conspicuous features in a Galilean landscape. Our modern use of the word has restricted “fowls” to one class of birds; but in Chaucer, and indeed in the English of the sixteenth century, it was in common use in a wider sense, and we read of the “small fowles that maken melodie,” as including the lark, the linnet, and the thrush.

Are ye not much better than they?—Here again the reasoning is à fortiori. Assuming a personal will, the will of a Father, as that which governs the order of the universe, we may trust to its wisdom and love to order all things well for the highest as for the meanest of its creatures. For those who receive whatever comes in the spirit of contented thankfulness, i.e., for those who “love God,” all things work together for good.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. fowls] Old English for birds; cp.

“Smale fowles maken melodie

That slepen all the night with open yhe.” Chaucer.

There is no argument here against forethought or labour. In one sense “trusting to providence” is idleness and a sin. God has appointed labour as the means whereby man provides for his wants. Even birds shew forethought, and search for the food which God has provided for them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which of you by taking thought,.... As Christ argued before, from the unnecessariness of anxious thoughts and cares, about the provisions of life; so here, from the unprofitableness of them; it being impossible for a man, with all his care and thought, to

add one cubit unto his stature, or "to his age"; so the word is rendered, Joh 9:21 to the days of his life, he is so solicitous about; for a cubit may as well be applied to a man's age, as an "hand's breadth" is to his days, Psa 39:5. Nor is it so reasonable to think, that Christ should be speaking of making such an addition to a man's height; though that, to be sure, is an impossible thing: since the far greater part of Christ's hearers must be come to their full growth, and could not hope to have any addition made to their height; though they might hope to add to their days; much less such a monstrous one as that of a cubit, and which is a strong reason against the other sense of the word, and for this: for our Lord is speaking of something very small, which men cannot do; as appears from what Luke says, Luk 12:26 "If ye then be not able to do that which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?" Whereas, to add a cubit to a man's height, is a great deal:

"the stature of a middling man (says (f) Bartenora) is three cubits.''

And to add one more, makes a large addition to his stature; but to apply this to a man's age, is a small matter, and yet is what men cannot do: the sense of the words is this, that no man, by all the care and thought he can make use of, is ever able to add one cubit, or the least measure to his days; he cannot lengthen out his life one year, one month, one day, one hour; no, not one moment.

(f) In Misn. Erubim, c. 4. sect. 5. & Negaim, c. 13. sect. 11.

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

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Ver. 26. Behold (or cast your eyes upon) the fowls of the air] Look upon them intently (εμβλεψατε), consider them wisely, learn of them carefully, to cast away carnal carefulness, and to cast all your care upon God, who careth for them, how much more for you? "Ask now the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee," saith Job, {Job 12:7} "that there is a reward for the righteous, and a God that judgeth in the earth." As he made them at first for his own glory (that we might admire his workmanship in their multitude and variety of colours, tunes, and taste, 1Co 15:39), and for our both use and delight; so he knows them all, Psa 50:11, and maintaineth them, providing both for their use, Psa 147:9, and delight, Psa 104:12, giving us wisdom beyond them, Job 39:17, and yet setting us to school to them, to learn dependence upon God, both for preservation from evil, Mat 10:29, and for provision of good, as here and Job 39:16. He taketh care of the ostrich’s young ones, and of the young ravens that cry unto him, Psa 147:9. They are fed of God when forsaken of their dams and left bare and destitute, for out of their dung and carrion, brought before to the nest, ariseth a worm, which creepeth to their mouth and feedeth them. (Aristot., Hist. Animal. ix. 31.)

They sow not, neither do they reap, &c.] They take no care, nor have any to care for them, as geese, hens, and other tame pullen; and yet they are provided for, we see. And, oh, that we would see as our Saviour here enjoins us, and behold not only the fowls of the air, but the clouds above them, and other heavenly bodies! When one asked Luther, where he could be safe and at quiet? sub coelo, under heaven, said he. And to Pontanus, the Chancellor of Saxony, he propounds to be viewed and weighed by him that most beautiful arch work of heaven, resting upon no posts nor pillars, and yet standing fast for ever and ever, merely upheld by the mighty hand of God. The clouds also, as thin as the liquid contained in them; "Behold," saith he, "how they hang and move, though weighty with their burden; they salute us only, or rather threaten us, and vanish we know not whither." {a} These things would be thought on, that God may be the better rested on. "Be not ye of doubtful mind," saith our Saviour, "live not in careful suspense," hang not as meteors in the air between heaven and earth, uncertain whether to keep your standing, or fall to the ground; to trust God, or otherwise, as you can, to make sure for yourselves. Meteors are matters that few men can tell what to make of; Aristotle himself confesseth that he knew little of many of them. {b} And as little can the distrustful person tell what to make of those infinite projects and discourses in the air that he incessantly frames for the compassing of his desires. When he needs but either to look up to the birds or down to the lilies, and learn, that if God feed and clothe them without any their care and pains, surely he will much more provide for his people that rely upon him, and with their reasonable pains and moderate care do serve his providence. Shall the great housekeeper of the world water his flowers, prune his plants, fodder his cattle, and not feed and clothe his children? Never think it. God provided for the necessity and comfort of the unreasonable creatures ere he made them; grass for the beasts, and light for all living and moving creatures, and all for man, for the man in Christ especially. Compare Psa 8:4-5, with Heb 2:6-8, and it will appear that whatsoever is spoken there of a man is applied to Christ; and so is proper to the saints, by virtue of their union with Christ. In which respect, saith one, they are more glorious than heaven, angels, or any creature: and shall these want food and raiment?

{a} Non decidentes, sed velut torvo vultu nobis salutatis subito diffugiunt. Luther.

{b} μη μετεωριζεσθε, Luk 12:29. Meteora dicta volunt, quod animos hominum suspensos, dubios, et quasi fluetuantes teneant. Aristoteles fatetur se de quibuadam eorum adhuc dubitare, quaedam vero aliquo modo attigisse. Magir. Physlolog.

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.

Behold the fowls of the air - The second argument for confidence in the providence of God is derived from a beautiful reference to the fowls or feathered tribes. See, said the Saviour, see the fowls of the air: they have no anxiety about the supply of their wants; they do not sow or reap; they fill the grove with music, and meet the coming light of the morning with their songs, and pour their notes on the zephyrs of the evening, unanxious about the supply of their needs; yet how few die with hunger! How regularly are they fed from the hand of God! How he ministers to their unnumbered wants! How cheerfully and regularly are their necessities supplied! You, said the Saviour to his disciples, you are of more consequence than they are; and shall God feed them in such numbers, and suffer you to want? It cannot be. Put confidence, then, in that Universal Parent that feeds all the fowls of the air, and do not fear but that he will also supply your needs.

Better than they - Of more consequence. Your lives are of more importance than theirs, and God will therefore provide for them.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

God takes care of all his creatures. For example, consider

the fowls, and those not the tame fowls about your houses, but the fowls of the air, for whom the housewife’s hand doth not provide, neither hath God fitted them for any labour by which they can procure their livelihood, nor doth he require any such thing of them, nor do they labour; yet their Creator (who is

your heavenly Father) feedeth them. You have much more reason to trust in God, if you could not labour, being hindered by his providence, for you are more excellent beings than sensitive creatures, and you have a further relation to God than that of creatures to the Creator, for God is your heavenly Father; you are in the order of nature, and especially considering that God is your Father, much better than they.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. Fowls of the air — They do their part, and God takes care of the rest. Hence we have not an unintelligent fate, or a blind chance to deal with; but a heavenly Father, who knows his children, and how to provide for them. The birds of heaven shall teach you to live by faith.

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

Parallel passage: Luk_12:24. The less general term, "ravens" (even though these are "of all the birds of Jerusalem decidedly the most characteristic and conspicuous," Tristram, "Land of Israel," p. 187), and the change of construction apparent in "which have no store-chamber nor barn," point to St. Luke having preserved the more original form of the saying. So also does the presence in Matthew of the Matthean phrase "heavenly." On the other hand, Matthew"s "consider" (ver. 28, vide next note) is perhaps more original. Behold (embleqate). Look on, use your natural eyes. In ver. 28 "consider" (katamayete), learn thoroughly. Our Lord, in the present verse, bids us use the powers we possess; in ver. 28 he bids us learn the lessons that we can find round us. Luke has in both places the vaguer term katanohsate , "fix your mind on." The fowls of the air; Revised Version, the birds of the heaven; (so Mat_8:20 Mat_13:32) a Hebraism. For the thought, of. Job_38:41 Psa_147:9; of. also Mishna, "Kidd.," 4:14, "Rabbi Simeon ben Eliezer used to say, Hast thou ever seen beast or bird that had a trade? Yet are they fed without anxiety." For; that (Revised Version); what you will see if you will look. They sow not, etc. They carry out as regards their food nolle of those operations which imply forethought in the past or for the future. Yet; and (Revised Version). Also what you will see. Your heavenly Father. (Mat_5:16, note) Are ye not much better than they? of much more value (Revised Version). The thought is of value in God"s eyes, (cf. Mat_10:31 Mat_12:12) as men and as his children, not of any superiority in moral attainment.

The God of the fowls and the flowers.

The point which seems to be prominently suggested here is this: Fowls and flowers represent the creatures and the adornments of the Father"s house. Disciples represent the children of the Father"s house. It is fair and forcible argument; it comes close home to us, by its appeal to our common everyday observations and experiences, that if the Father cares, in a very marked way, for the creatures and the adornments (show a mother"s daily care to feed her birds and tend her flowers), he will much more anxiously care for every welfare of his children (see the way of that same mother with her babe). The following line of thought will be readily illustrated.

I Man is a part of God"s creation, just as truly as fowls and flowers are, and must be just as fully included in the Creator"s daily care. "The eyes of all wait on thee.

II But, if included, man must he included as man, and as God knows man, and all his wants, bodily and spiritual, seeing that God created him, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

III For God"s care if we are to conceive of it as worthy of God must be in precise adaptation to each creature for whom he cares.

IV Then we may be sure that God cares for man so far as man is kin with the fowls and the flowers.

V Then we may be sure that God cares for man so far as man is superior to the fowls and the flowers. Remember Mungo Park"s reflection when, in a time of utter despair, he found a small moss, and, admiring its root, leaves, and capsule, thought thus: "Can that Being who planted, watered, and brought to perfection, in this obscure part of the world, a thing which appears of so small importance, look with unconcern upon the situation and sufferings of creatures formed after his own image? Surely not." That reflection inspired new effort, which resulted in Park"s rescue. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A further consideration for those of little faith:

v. 26. Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Examples of perfect trust in God who has always provided for them: the birds do even less than that expected of human beings in the matter of providing for the future, Pro 6:6; Pro 20:4. For them there is neither seed-time nor harvest; they have no barns and granaries to store food against the coming of famine. And yet, behold them! Fix your eyes upon them and think who keeps them alive, who cares for them. Their table is always set, sometimes with the choicest of foods, sometimes with just enough to sustain life, but—He feedeth them. If He cares for these humble creatures and provides for them, is there not reason to believe that His children will not want bread?

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. Behold the fowls of the air. God feeds the birds without their sowing or reaping, but they do the work for which they were created, and God takes care of them. So, too, he will take care of us—not in idleness or improvidence—but if we do the work for which God created us.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

26. ἐμβλέψατε. The aorist implies the instantaneous glance possibly at large flocks of birds whirling at that moment in the sky, just as Canon Tristram observed on that very spot ‘myriads of rock pigeons. In absolute clouds they dashed to and fro in the ravine, whirling round with a rush and a whirr that could be felt like a rush of wind.’ The cliffs too are full of caves, the secure resting-places of ‘noble griffons, lammergeyers, lanner falcons, and several species of eagles’ (Land of Israel, p. 446). From this description and from the emphatic ἕν στρουθίον, ch. Mat 10:29, it seems that the multitude of the birds is a leading thought in this illustration just as the colour and brightness of the flowers is the most prominent point in the other.

οὐ σπείρουσιν κ.τ.λ. There is no argument here against forethought or labour. In one sense ‘trusting to providence’ is idleness and a sin. God has appointed labour as the means whereby man provides for his wants. Even birds shew forethought, and search for the food which God has provided for them.

διαφέρειν, to differ by way of excellence, i.e. ‘to excel’: μᾶλλον redundant strengthens the verb.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. τὰ πετ.] The two examples, of the birds and the lilies, are not parallel in their application. The first is an argument from the less to the greater; that our Heavenly Father, who feeds the birds, will much more feed us: the second, besides this application, which (ver. 30) it also contains, is a reproof of the vanity of anxiety about clothing, which, in all its pomp of gorgeous colours, is vouchsafed to the inferior creatures, but not attainable by, as being unworthy of, us. Notice, it is not said, μὴ σπείρετε—μὴ θερίζετε—μὴ συνάγετε;—the birds are not our example to follow in their habits, for God hath made us to differ from them—the doing all these things is part of our πόσῳ μᾶλλον διαφέρετε, (Luk 12:24,) and increases the force of the à fortiori; but it is said, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε—μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε. τί γοῦν ὠφελήσεις οὕτως ἐπιτεταμένως μεριμνῶν; κἂν γὰρ μυρία σπουδάσῃς, οὐ δώσεις ὑετὸν οὐδὲ ἥλιον οὐδὲ πνοὰς ἀνέμων, οἷς ὁ σπόρος καρπογονεῖ. ταῦτα γὰρ ὁ θεὸς μόνος δίδωσιν. Euthymius.

ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν, not αὐτῶν:—thus by every accessory word does our Lord wonderfully assert the truths and proprieties of creation, in which we, his sons, are His central work, and the rest for us. τοῦ οὐρ., and afterwards τοῦ ἀγροῦ, as Thol. remarks, are not superfluous, but serve to set forth the wild and uncaring freedom of the birds and plants. I may add,—also to set forth their lower rank in the scale of creation, as belonging to the air and the field. Who could say of mankind, οἱ ἄνθρωποι τοῦ κόσμου? Thus the à fortiori is more plainly brought out.

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

26. Look at the birds of heaven, that they sow not, nor harvest, nor gather into granaries. And your heavenly Father feeds them. Are ye not of more value than they ?] Lk. has: “Consider the ravens, that they sow not nor harvest, who have neither chamber nor granary, and God feeds them; of how much more value are ye than the birds!”

Cf. Job 12:7-9, and New Sayings of Jesus, Il. 9-14. “Jesus saith, (ye ask who are those) that draw us (to the kingdom if) the kingdom is in heaven? The fowls of the air, and all beasts that are under the earth, or upon the earth, and the fishes of the sea.” Son 5:11Son 5:11Son 5:11 τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας σὺ τρέφεις

(L)

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