Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study
Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

Would You Still Give If No One Knew? | The Gospels | Matthew 6:1–4

September 30, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Would You Still Give If No One Knew?

Jesus does not ask whether his followers will give to the needy. He assumes they will. The real question is why they give—and whether the giving is done for the audience that matters.

In Matthew 6:1–4, part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shifts from correcting misreadings of Old Testament law to targeting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees directly. The opening verse sets the frame: "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." What follows are three case studies—giving, prayer, and fasting—each exposing the same problem: doing good things for the wrong reasons.

The Expectation: Giving Is Not Optional

The passage begins with "when you give to the needy," not "if." That phrasing matters. The podcast host, Jensen Holt McNair, emphasizes that for followers of Jesus, generosity toward the poor is a given, not a debated question. There is no discussion over whether disciples should be generous with their money. The expectation is settled.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:13) **Passage Setup: Matthew 6 and the Shift from Correcting Misreadings to Exposing Hypocrisy** - Jesus transitions from correcting misreadings of the Old Testament law to directly targeting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
  • 2 (01:13) **The Three Acts of Righteousness: Giving, Prayer, and Fasting** - Jesus corrects the Pharisees who perform these religious acts for the wrong reasons.
  • 3 (02:26) **The Focus on Giving to the Needy (Almsgiving)** - Jesus addresses the first of the three religious acts, giving to those in need.
  • 4 (03:19) **The Hypocrite's Reward: Public Praise** - Jesus describes those who give publicly to be honored by others.
  • 5 (04:08) **The Instruction for Secret Giving** - Jesus commands giving in secret to purify motives.
  • 6 (05:13) **The Reward for Giving in Secret** - The reward is not physical but spiritual: becoming more like God and experiencing His love.
  • 7 (06:01) **Personal Application: Examining Your Motives** - A challenge to the listener to reflect on why they give.

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Show Notes

Would you still give if nobody knew? What does your generosity reveal about your heart? And what if giving is really about becoming more like Jesus? In today’s episode, Jensen explains how Matthew 6:1–4 exposes the temptation to seek recognition and calls us toward generosity that puts others before ourselves.


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Passage: Matthew 6:1–4

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study

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