Do Not Worry: Consider Closely (Matt 6:25-34)
Verse 25 In the previous section Jesus tells three very short parables of sorts.
- First, do not store up treasures on earth
- Second, guard the condition of our soul
- Third, you can’t serve two masters, both God and money.
- It is into that context that Jesus begins this
- The “therefore” this verse begins with is in light of the previous parables.
- This teaching becomes a summary of those previous three parables.
- Jesus gives specific things we are not to worry about: Life, food, drink, our body, our clothing.
- Jesus is saying there is a whole spiritual dimension to life that we may not be tapping into.
- The Greek word translated as “worry” here in the NIV means, “to be anxious” or “to strive after.”
- This word is also set in contrast within the passage to the “seek first” at the end of the passage v33.
- The whole section is a contrast: Do not strive after, but seek first.
- Jesus gives two categories, do not worry about your life, ………or about your body,
- First, he says “do not be anxious about life.
- Then Jesus mentions our bodies and what we need to care for our bodies, what we will wear.
- Somehow, our life is more important than the very things required to sustain it.
Verse 26 Jesus now brings in the imagery of the Father as creator using illustrations from nature.
- The book of Luke uses the word Raven, (consider the Ravens) which was an unclean bird.
- God will even take care of the birds that were despised by the Jews.
- The NIV has “look at,” perhaps a better way to translate this is “consider closely.”
- Jesus is saying more than just a casual glance.
- There is careful observation and thought implied here. “consider closely.”
- What Jesus is saying is, consider how the Father created them.
- Look at how they exist and are sustained
- This statement is also in the form of a command.
- Jesus is not making a casual suggestion here.
- He is commanding very close observation and understanding of the birds.
- Jesus is commanding us to consider closely how God’s creation works and functions.
- We are not looking at the birds per se, we are learning about the nature of their creator.
- Even though the birds are incapable of striving, God still feeds them.
- Then Jesus gives a reference to farming, sowing, reaping, and storing.
- God is the one who created the seed, he created the soil, he made it rain, he made the sun shine.
- Then Jesus also uses the word valuable
- Our value does not come from our ability to work, to strive, or to be anxious.
- Jesus says here we are, “more valuable” we already have been given value by the Father.
- Our value comes from Him as creator. A value reinforced on the cross.
- Now Jesus is not saying that we don’t have to work for our basic needs.
- But that we have to trust in the Lord’s provision in meeting those needs.
- We must Understand that our value comes from Him, and not our own strength or striving.
Verse 27 In the history of the world, no one has ever worried themselves into a longer life.
Verse 28 Jesus now turns from issue of sustaining life to the care of our bodies.
- In this time period clothing was also a lot more important than it is today.
- Clothing could have been considered family heirlooms and handed down from generation to generation.
- They were expensive and you typically only had two sets.
- You would wear both sets if it was really cold.
- Or you might sleep on one set.
- The NIV uses “see”, But the Greek word means “to learn thoroughly” or “to consider well.”
- So again, this is more than a casual glance.
- This is a deliberate observation with intent to learn, just like it was with the birds.
- The word here is “wildflower” “see, or learn thoroughly from the wildflowers of the field
Verse 29 They have no part in their own beauty, they simply are the way God created them to be.