What does Matthew 6:4 mean?

Matthew 6:4 KJV
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:4 MKJV
so that your merciful deeds may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret Himself shall reward you openly.

Matthew 6:4 NKJV
“that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Matthew 6:4 KJV 2000
That your alms may be in secret: and your Father who sees in secret himself shall reward you openly.

Interlinear KJV

That /hopos/ thine /sou/ alms /eleemosune/ may be /o/ in /en/ secret: /kruptos/ and /kai/ thy /sou/ Father /pater/ which /ho/ seeth /blepo/ in /en/ secret /kruptos/ himself /autos/ shall reward /apodidomi/ thee /soi/ openly /en/. /phaneros/

Albert Barnes’ Commentary

Verse 4. No Barnes text on this verse. See Barnes for Mt 6:3-4

{n} “reward thee openly” Lu 8:17; 14:14

Adam Clarke’s Commentary

Verse 4.   Which seeth in secret — We should ever remember that the eye of the Lord is upon us, and that he sees not only the act, but also every motive that led to it.

Shall reward thee openly. —  Will give thee the fullest proofs of his acceptance of thy work of faith, and labour of love, by increasing that substance which, for his sake, thou sharest with the poor; and will manifest his approbation in thy own heart, by the witness of his Spirit.

Ripley 4 Gospels

Reward thee openly. Lu 14:14; 1Ti 5:25. Such is the divine arrangement of things, that a good man is generally know to be such, without any effort to make himself known; so that, both in this world and in the next, God rewards the righteous. The inward consciousness of integrity is itself a reward; and the esteem of worthy men, spontaneously bestowed, is a reward. But most of all will the righteous be rewarded, when that takes place which is spoken of in Mt 25:34, &c.

Matthew Poole’s Commentary

Ver. 4. There are some who think that our Saviour here reflects upon some practice of the Pharisees then in use for ostentation, who, under a pretence of a means to call people together, caused a trumpet to be sounded when they distributed their alms; but those learned in their writings assure us they could never find in them any foundation for such an opinion. The speech is rather metaphorical, prohibiting all ostentation in acts of charity, and inviting others to take notice of them, as Jehu invited Jonadab to come and see his zeal, 2Ki 10:16; as the third verse is but a proverbial expression expounded Mt 6:4, That thine alms may be in secret. Not that it is not lawful to give a poor body money or bread, &c., in the sight of others; but only to do it for that end, that we might be seen of others. The thing forbidden under the metaphorical expression is ostentation, and seeking our own honour and applause. The thing commanded is sincerity with respect to our end. The apostle calls it a giving with simplicity, singly aiming at the glorifying of God, by an obedient performance of our duty. He tells us those who give their alms to be honoured of men have their reward, that is, all which they are like to have; men applaud and cry them up, there is their reward: others shall have their reward from God, who seeth in secret, and so needeth not such a publication of our good deeds; and he will reward them openly before men and angels at the last day, Mt 25:31,32,34, and ordinarily in this life, Ps 37:25; 41:1 Ps 112:9,10.