IS THERE A CONTRADICTION BETWEEN MATTHEW 5:16 AND MATTHEW 6:1?

One of Jim Goad's “30 Pairs of Bible Verses that Contradict One Another” involves the above two verses from Matthew's Gospel. You should be especially suspicious of anyone who claims that the same author would contradict his own words. And that holds doubly true for the above pair since it concerns the words of Jesus Christ delivered within the same Sermon on the Mount.

Here is how each of these passages reads in the NRSV:

    “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

    “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

One could probably find a distinction between “good works” and “piety” in order to make the seeming contradiction disappear, but that would be nitpicking. And it is not all necessary since there is a much easier explanation ready at hand.

Calling this a contradiction is only possible when one blindly refuses to consider all of the words in each passage. Thus, it is easy to argue that “shine your light (i.e., good works) before others” and “beware of practicing your piety before others” presents a clear quandary. But that is not at all what Jesus is teaching since it totally leaves out the motives behind each action.

    In Matthew 5:16, Jesus instructs people to do so in order that God will get the glory.

    However, in Matthew 6:1, He warns them against doing the exact same thing so that others will see and praise them.

The distinction lies entirely between the contrasting reasons motivating the same action. We see the same emphasis on motive elsewhere in the Sermon on the Mount:

    Almsgiving is to be done in private, not in the streets so that others will praise you. (Matt. 6:2)

    Do not pray like the hypocrites at the street corners to be seen by others. (Matt. 6:5)

    Do not pray with empty phrases so that others will hear you. (Matthew 6:7)

    Do not fast in such a way that others can see you are fasting. (Matthew 6:16)

None of the above teachings indicates that we should abandon the practices of giving, prayer or fasting, just that these signs of piety and good works must be done for the proper motives.

The above is my personal take on the question, but I turned to the commentators to make sure I wasn't totally off-base in my understanding. Such reality checks are constantly necessary for us in order to avoid relying exclusively on whatever ideas first pop into our heads regarding spiritual matters. Here is what others have to say on the subject:

    Blomberg: “This verse [Matt. 5:16] does not contradict 6:1 because there the motive for good behavior in public is self-glorification rather than bringing glory to God...That which is done solely or primarily for personal honor or gain may accomplish its objective (v. 26), but God will grant no further reward...In striking contrast stands the common approach to fund raising in many churches and Christian organization in which lists of benefactors are published, often as an incentive for people to give. This kind of motive for giving or soliciting reflects hypocrisy (v. 2), pretending to honor God when in fact one is distracting attention from him.”

    Hill: “The word 'piety' (lit. 'righteousness') denotes the totality of religious duties, summed up under alms, prayer and fasting...the reward of unostentatious piety remains in the hands of God, and he himself will give it. It is probable that the idea of 'merit' is involved here, for the chief means of acquiring merit was, in the eyes of Jews, the practice of almsgiving, prayer and fasting.”

    Nixon: “V. 1 links up the idea of reward with the previous passage. It shows that the motive is what counts in religious observances as well as in morals.”

    Barbieri: “righteousness is not primarily a matter between a person and others, but between a person and God...One cannot be rewarded, as the Pharisees expected, by both man and God.”

    Hendricksen: “It is a fine thing that these good works are seen by men. That is exactly what Jesus wants. Rightly considered, it is even what those who perform them want, but not in order to gain honor for themselves in the sense of 6:1,5,16...But is not this exhortation [6:1] in conflict with 5:16?...It is not, for the purpose commended in 5:16 was to secure praise for the Father...On the other hand, the purpose of the hypocrites, referred to in 6:1ff., is to obtain praise for themselves.”