I recently had a conversation on our church property with a very religious man regarding spiritual things. We agreed on virtually nothing. But the conversation was interesting. In the midst of our discussion he said he had to go elsewhere briefly, and that he would afterward immediately return, and that we would then continue our discussion. He soon announced his return by sounding the horn of his vehicle. I dutifully went into the church yard to greet him. However, I thought it strange that he did not exit his vehicle. I realized why upon reaching his door and looking through its open window: His head was bowed, his eyes were shut, and he was praying. (He later confirmed that he was praying – I suppose to ascertain that I did not assume he was doing otherwise.) I immediately turned and walked away in silence, except for saying under my breath, “Pharisee!” Pharisees of old performed their religious duties “before men, to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1). They therefore would “sound a trumpet before you …, that they may have glory from men” (v.2). They did so because they were “hypocrites” (v.2) – which word in the Greek text means “actors”. Such hypocrites act out their prayers in such a way “that they may be seen by men” (v.5; cp. Luke 18:11f). The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ forbids His people to do so. He speaks of personal prayer as a private and secret deed directed to the ears and eyes of none but the heavenly Father (Matthew 6:5f). (We here, of course, do not refer to corporate prayers, such as those offered in the assembly of saints, even in a public venue, as in Acts 21:5.) This principle applies even to personal prayers in public places, when the saint is unable to follow a directive to physically “go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place.” Such an instance may involve an immediate prayer to God for aid in a difficulty or deliverance from a peril. I here commend to you the example of Nehemiah in the second chapter of the book bearing his name. He was in a public place – the king’s court (v.1). He was in a dire circumstance – one that caused him to become dreadfully afraid (v.2). He immediately prayed a prayer of which no one was aware except the One in heaven to whom the supplication was directed (v.4). His prayer was as secret from men as one prayed from an inner room of his house and behind closed doors and with still and silent lips. He even in public obeyed the exhortation to “pray to your Father who is in the secret place”; and to him was fulfilled the promise that “your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (vv.5-8). This principle applies even to praying to God to bless a meal set before us in a public place. Some will say, “I ascertain that others see me physically bow my head and close my eyes to pray so that they will not think I am a heathen!” I reply, “You are admitting that you are praying in a manner designed to be seen by men, and therefore violating Christ’s teaching and praying as would a Pharisee!” I here commend to you the example of Jesus Christ in Mark 6:41 and 8:7 (and parallel texts). We find no intimation that He bowed His head and closed His eyes. Rather, we are expressly told that He did just the opposite: “He looked up to heaven” (cp. John 11:41; 17:1). And this can be done with the spiritual eyes of the heart without moving the physical eyes of the body, and also by one having no physical eyesight. While doing so He “blessed” the meal. But this does not necessitate what men call the “asking of a blessing” in any outward ritualistic manner. Like the afore-cited prayer of Nehemiah, Christ’s prayer may have been as secret from men as one prayed from an inner room of a house and behind closed doors and with still and silent lips. But God heard the prayer, and publicly answered it in a miraculous manner. Hypocrites are not known for their private prayers, but rather for praying ostentatiously in public in order to be seen and praised by men. The righteous are not known for their public prayers, but rather for praying secretly in private in order to be seen and answered by God alone. Both receive what they desire.
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