Short Answer
Jesus was not forbidding public prayer—He was correcting the motive behind it. Prayer should not be done to impress people, but to genuinely seek God, whether in private or in a group.
The Overview
In Matthew 6, when Jesus says to pray in private, He is addressing hypocrisy—not setting a rule against public prayer. His warning is against those who pray to be seen and praised by others. The focus is on the heart’s motive: prayer should be directed toward God, not used as a display for human approval.
At the same time, the Bible clearly teaches and models corporate prayer. Believers are encouraged to gather and pray together, as seen throughout the New Testament. The early church regularly prayed in groups, and even Jesus participated in communal worship and prayer settings.
The difference lies in intention. Public prayer in a church or gathering is appropriate because it is directed toward God within a community of believers. It is not about showcasing spirituality but about collectively seeking God’s presence and guidance.
Ultimately, both private and public prayer have a place in the Christian life. Private prayer cultivates personal intimacy with God, while public prayer strengthens unity among believers. The key is sincerity—praying with a genuine desire to connect with God rather than to impress others.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus Addressed Motive, Not Location
The issue is why you pray, not where. - Avoid Hypocrisy
Prayer should not be done for public attention. - Public Prayer Is Biblical
The early church regularly prayed together. - Private Prayer Builds Intimacy
It deepens personal relationship with God. - Corporate Prayer Builds Unity
It strengthens the church community. - Sincerity Is the Key
Pray to be heard by God, not admired by people.
Transcript
[00:00:00 – 00:00:53] Jesus said, “When you pray, go into the closet and shut the door so that no one hears.” So why do we pray in church or other gatherings? Because the Bible also says in 1 Timothy chapter 2 that we should gather together in church and pray. And uh it’s often what we see Jesus doing even we see it throughout the New Testament. We see it happening say in the book of acts every time they come together at Antioch um and a pacidity in Antioch and they uh they come together for church and they they
[00:00:27 – 00:01:18] commission missionaries. They’re praying. They pray. They pray together. Now, what’s the point in in Matthew 5, uh, Matthew chapter 6, rather, when this discussion is had, let me look it up for you and catch up with you here. Matthew chapter 6, here’s how it starts. The idea of this concept of praying, it starts this way. Be beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. For then you’ll have no reward with your father who is in heaven. So the concern, and
[00:00:52 – 00:01:46] you can really see Jesus lean into this in the 23rd chapter of Matthew, is the Pharisees who love to practice what they think is righteous behavior in front of people so people can go, “Oh, it’s so righteous. You’re so righteous. You’re amazing.” And God said, “That’s nothing but pride and selfishness, and you should not live that way as a real Christian. You should care about what God thinks, not about what people think.” and they used to go on the corners and and make a big deal in the
[00:01:19 – 00:02:01] in the uh in Jerusalem and pray and everyone go, “Oh, what a godly man. All he’s doing is praying all the time.” Well, that’s when he’s saying, “Let’s contrast that. Let’s make sure that your giving is not done by sounding a trumpet, which it says in verse two, and throwing money in an offering bag. Just send in your money, right? Just if you’re going to give to the Lord, give to the Lord. Don’t even care about who sees it. You don’t need your name on a
[00:01:41 – 00:02:28] plaque. You don’t need, you know, you don’t need something in lights, right? If some churches or organizations do that for whatever reason, they just need to be careful about that. Some Christian schools will do that. I can see the reason for that. But when it comes to you giving, the motive needs to be to be seen by your father, not by people. And that’s why he says, “Go into your inner room, shut the door, pray to your father who’s in secret.” Why? Because the Pharisees were known for praying on
[00:02:04 – 00:02:49] street corners. And here’s the thing, we’re not praying on street corners when we go to church to pray. Because as it says in in in 1 Timothy 2, we’re praying together in church as Christians and we care about God hearing us. That’s when you expect to be praying is when you’re in church. Jesus even said it for the the the temple in the Old Testament. He said, “This is supposed to be a house of prayer.” So Jesus isn’t contradicting himself saying, “Hey, you got to pray in
[00:02:27 – 00:03:12] private only pray in private. You can’t pray in public.” Then he goes to the temple and he goes, “This is supposed to be a house where we gather together to pray.” Right? He he knows that the difference between the people praying in a gathered space for worship is different than the Pharisees going out and saying, “Hey, everybody, look at me. I’m praying.” So, Edmund, I I hope that that helps. I hope that helps a little bit.
Question Variation
Did Jesus Contradict Himself About Prayer?
