Background Context:
Matthew 6 sits at the center of the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7), where Jesus lays out the ethics and inner life of citizens of God’s Kingdom. In contrast to religious performance for human approval, Jesus calls his followers to a genuine, hidden devotion directed toward their Heavenly Father. For a Jewish audience steeped in Torah observance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, Jesus is not abolishing these practices — he is radicalizing and purifying them. The repeated phrase “your Father who sees in secret” is the heartbeat of this chapter.
Section 1: The Danger of Religious Performance (Matthew 6:1–4)
Read Matthew 6:1–4
1.Jesus opens with a warning about doing “your righteousness before other people to be seen by them.” What does this tell us about the primary audience of our good deeds — and who it should not be?
2.Jesus mentions three pillars of Jewish piety in this chapter: giving (almsgiving), prayer, and fasting. Why do you think he chose these three? What do they have in common?
3.What does Jesus mean when he says the religious performers have already “received their reward”? What reward are they getting, and what reward are they forfeiting?
4.The instruction to give so secretly that your “left hand doesn’t know what your right hand is doing” is intentional hyperbole. What principle is Jesus driving home with this extreme image?
5.Jesus promises the Father “who sees in secret will reward you.” What does this reveal about God’s character and his relationship to hidden faithfulness?
Section 2: How the King’s People Pray (Matthew 6:5–15)
Read Matthew 6:5–15
6.Jesus contrasts two kinds of prayer: the public performers (v. 5) and the Gentiles with empty repetition (v. 7). What is wrong with each approach, and how are they different problems?
7.Jesus says to “go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (v. 6). What does physical privacy in prayer communicate about the nature of prayer itself?
8.The Lord’s Prayer opens with “Our Father in heaven.” How would this address have struck a first-century Jewish listener? What does “Father” imply about the relationship Jesus is offering?
9.Walk through each petition of the Lord’s Prayer (vv. 9–13) and identify what each one asks for:
∙“Hallowed be your name” —
∙“Your kingdom come, your will be done” —
∙“Give us this day our daily bread” —
∙“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” —
∙“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” —
10.Notice the prayer begins with God’s concerns (his name, his kingdom, his will) before turning to our needs. What does this ordering teach us about proper priorities in prayer?
11.Jesus says our daily bread — not monthly or yearly provision — is what we ask for. How does this cultivate a particular posture toward God? What Old Testament story does this echo? (Hint: Exodus 16 — the manna in the wilderness.)
12.Verses 14–15 add a striking warning: if we do not forgive others, the Father will not forgive us. How do you reconcile this with grace? What is Jesus trying to protect us from?
Section 3: Fasting Before the King (Matthew 6:16–18)
Read Matthew 6:16–18
13.Jesus says “when you fast” — not “if you fast.” What does this assume about the practice of fasting for his followers?
14.The Pharisees disfigured their faces to show they were fasting. Why is this self-defeating given what fasting is for?
15.Fasting is designed to be between you and God. What does secret fasting cultivate that public fasting cannot? Have you ever tried fasting as a spiritual practice?
Section 4: Treasures, Hearts, and Eyes (Matthew 6:19–24)
Read Matthew 6:19–24
16.Jesus contrasts treasure on earth (which moth, rust, and thieves destroy) with treasure in heaven (which is permanent). What kinds of things in your life are you currently “storing” — and which category do they fall into?
17.Jesus makes a stunning claim: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v. 21). Notice the order — treasure leads the heart. What does this say about the power of where we invest our resources?
18.The “eye as the lamp of the body” metaphor (vv. 22–23) refers to what you fix your attention and gaze on. A “healthy eye” (some translations: “single” or “generous” eye) lets in light; a “bad eye” brings darkness. How does what we focus on shape our entire inner life?
19.Jesus says no one can serve two masters — God and money (mammon). Why is this impossible, not just difficult? What does serving money actually look like in daily life?
Section 5: The King’s Invitation to Trust (Matthew 6:25–34)
Read Matthew 6:25–34
20.Jesus commands his followers not to be anxious about food, drink, or clothing. Is this a command to be passive or careless? What is the difference between anxiety and responsible planning?
21.Jesus points to birds as evidence of the Father’s provision (v. 26). He then asks: “Are you not of more value than they?” This is an argument from lesser to greater — a common rabbinic form of reasoning (kal v’chomer). What is Jesus arguing, and why does this logic matter?
22.Verse 27 says anxiety cannot add “a single hour” to your life. What is the practical futility Jesus is identifying? How does this land with you personally?
23.The lilies of the field (vv. 28–30) are clothed more beautifully than Solomon — the wealthiest king in Israel’s history. What does this image say about God’s attention to beauty and his care for creation?
24.Jesus refers to worry about material things as the way “the Gentiles seek” (v. 32). What worldview drives anxiety about provision? How does knowing “your heavenly Father knows you need them all” change the framework?
25.Verse 33 is the hinge of the entire chapter: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” How does this verse tie together everything Jesus has taught in Matthew 6 — giving, prayer, fasting, treasure, and anxiety?
26.“Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (v. 34). What practical daily rhythm is Jesus prescribing? How does this connect to the “daily bread” petition from earlier?
Section 6: Putting It All Together
Reflection on the whole chapter
27.Matthew 6 uses the phrase “your Father who sees in secret” three times (vv. 4, 6, 18). What does this repetition emphasize about the kind of relationship Jesus says is available to his followers?
28.Throughout this chapter, Jesus assumes his followers will give, pray, fast, and encounter anxiety about provision. These are deeply human experiences. How does the chapter address both the spiritual practices of faith and the practical pressures of life?
29.If you had to identify one central contrast running through all of Matthew 6, what would it be? (Consider: external vs. internal, earthly vs. heavenly, anxiety vs. trust, performance vs. relationship.)
30.The Sermon on the Mount is addressed to people who are already following Jesus (5:1–2). With that in mind, which specific teaching from Matthew 6 do you find most challenging to actually live out — and what would it look like to take one step toward it this week?
A note for leaders: Matthew 6 moves quickly through dense teaching. Consider spending extra time on the Lord’s Prayer (Section 2) and the “seek first the kingdom” passage (Section 5), as these tend to generate the richest discussion and carry the most theological weight. The Jewish audience touchpoints — manna, Solomon, Pharisaic practice, kal v’chomer reasoning — are excellent opportunities to help your group see how Jesus was speaking within his tradition while also challenging it.
This follows the same structure as Study 1 — 30 questions, seven sections, thematic unity, mixed question types, and Jewish context notes built in. Want me to adjust the length, add a background reading list, or move on to Study 3 (Matthew 7 or 8–9)?