John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites , etc.] As the Scribes and Pharisees; whose posture in prayer, the places they chose to pray in, and the view they had therein, are particularly taken notice of: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men . It was their usual custom to pray standing; nay, it is established by their canons. There are eight things, (says Maimonides f385 ,) that a man that prays ought to take heed to do; and the first he mentions is standing; for, says he, no man may pray dmy[m ala , but standing; if he is sitting in a ship, or in a cart, if he can stand, he must stand; if not, he may sit in his place and pray.
Several hints of this custom there are in the Misna f386 . On their fast days they used to bring out the ark into the streets hlptb wdm[ , and they stood in prayer, or praying; and caused an old man to go down before the ark, who was used to recite prayers, and he said them.
Again f387 , whoever hlptb dmw[ , stood praying, and remembered that any uncleanness attended him, he might not break off, but he might shorten.
Yea, standing itself is interpreted of praying; for it is said f388 , and Abraham rose up early in the morning to the place, where he stood, hdym[b ala hlpt yaw , and there is no prayer but standing; though sometimes they prayed sitting, as David did, ( 2 Samuel 7:18) so it is said of R. Jose, and R. Eleazar, that ylxw wbty , they sat and prayed, and afterwards rose up and went on their way f389 . So it was likewise customary to go to the synagogues, and there pray; and indeed they were places built and appointed for this purpose. Wherever there were ten Israelites, a house ought to be provided, in which they may go to prayer at every time of prayer; and this place is called a synagogue f390 .
Hence some have thought, that not such places are here designed, but any assembly, or concourse of people gathered together upon any occasion; but such an interpretation will find no place, when the following things are observed. For ever let a man go, morning and evening, to the synagogue; for no prayer is heard at any time, but in the synagogue; and everyone that hath a synagogue in his city, and does not pray in it with the congregation, is called a bad neighbour f391 .
Again f392 , he that prays in the house of the Lord, is as if he offered up a pure offering.
Now, partly on account of the publicness of the place, and partly because they thought their prayers were only heard there, therefore they chose to pray in the synagogues; and also in the corners of the streets , where two streets met, and they might be the more easily seen. This was also a common thing to pray in the streets: says R. Jochanan, I saw R. Jannai stand and pray in the streets of Tzippore f393 .
And a little after, it is said of another, that he stood and prayed ayjrsab , in the streets; though such places were not reckoned holy, as the synagogues were. The street of a city, (says Maimonides f394 ,) although the people pray in it at fasts and stations, because that there is a great collection of people, and the synagogues cannot hold them, has no holiness in it, because it is accidental, and not appointed for prayer.
Wherefore streets were only used in case of necessity, or by such of the Pharisees, who chose to be seen of men. A reason is given for this practice in another place f395 , where it is asked, why do they go out to the streets, i.e. on their fast days? to show that we are reckoned as if we were carried captive before thee: says Joshua ben Levi, because they prayed in secret, and were not answered; therefore they went without, wmsrptyw , that they might be made public.
Now let it be observed, that neither the posture, nor places of prayer, are condemned by our Lord, but their view in all to be seen of men ; and a considerable emphasis lies upon the word love; they loved standing in prayer, rather than any other posture, because they could be better seen; and they loved to be in the synagogues and streets, rather than in their closets; they liked public better than private prayer, because it gained them applause among men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward ; they gain their point; they have what they seek for; and this is all they will have.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-8 - It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. Yo may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a livin Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless. The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer vain-glory and vain repetitions. "Verily they have their reward;" if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the praise of men, it is just that is should be all our reward. Yet there is not a secret, sudden breathin after God, but he observes it. It is called a reward, but it is of grace, not of debt; what merit can there be in begging? If he does no give his people what they ask, it is because he knows they do not nee it, and that it is not for their good. So far is God from being wrough upon by the length or words of our prayers, that the most powerfu intercessions are those which are made with groanings that cannot be uttered. Let us well study what is shown of the frame of mind in whic our prayers should be offered, and learn daily from Christ how to pray.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ οταν 3752 CONJ προσευχη 4336 5741 V-PNS-2S ουκ 3756 PRT-N εση 2071 5704 V-FXI-2S ωσπερ 5618 ADV οι 3588 T-NPM υποκριται 5273 N-NPM οτι 3754 CONJ φιλουσιν 5368 5719 V-PAI-3P εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF συναγωγαις 4864 N-DPF και 2532 CONJ εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF γωνιαις 1137 N-DPF των 3588 T-GPF πλατειων 4113 N-GPF εστωτες 2476 5761 V-RAP-NPM προσευχεσθαι 4336 5738 V-PNN οπως 3704 ADV αν 302 PRT φανωσιν 5316 5652 V-2APS-3P τοις 3588 T-DPM ανθρωποις 444 N-DPM αμην 281 HEB λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP οτι 3754 CONJ απεχουσιν 568 5719 V-PAI-3P τον 3588 T-ASM μισθον 3408 N-ASM αυτων 846 P-GPM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
6:5 {In the synagogues and in the corners of the streets} (en tais sunagwgais kai en tais gwniais twn plateiwn). These were the usual places of prayer (synagogues) and the street corners where crowds stopped for business or talk. If the hour of prayer overtook a Pharisee here, he would strike his attitude of prayer like a modern Moslem that men might see that he was pious.
