The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1358, titled "How to Pray." A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2001 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.
Question
I have a question concerning the gospel where it's talking about hypocrisy of praying aloud versus praying in the closet and praying the Lord's prayer.
Answer
Well, you see, when Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and to the Jewish leaders, they wanted to pray in public because that's how they displayed their spirituality. When they came to pray they would always put on real "cruddy" clothes and put ashes all over their head and they would come down very spiritual with the ashes over their head and this was their format. And Jesus was saying, "You know, that's despicable because that's pride. If there was anything legitimate to this you would go in your closet and pray between you and God." He wasn't saying that always when you pray go in your closet. In some places they don't even have closets, you know, so that isn't the point. And sometimes there isn't one around. The point is He's simply saying, as opposed to that public display of pride there ought to be the private reality of real conversing with God.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986