Matthew 6:29

Matthew 6:29 is the twenty-ninth verse of the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the discussion of worry about material provisions.

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in

all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

yet I tell you that even Solomon in all

his glory was not dressed like one of these.

For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 6:29

In the previous verse Jesus pointed out that the "lilies of the field" do not labour or produce clothing. In this verse he states that despite this the flowers are as finely dressed as the legendary Jewish king Solomon. In the Old Testament Solomon is presented in passages such as 1 Kings 10 as by far the wealthiest king of Israel. The Hebrew Bible nowhere specifically mentions his clothing, though it would be assumed to be fine.^[1] The word translated as arrayed/dressed specifically refers to being dressed in ornate clothing.^[2][3]

Fowler feels that this comparison works on two levels. Firstly the reference to Solomon shows how the pursuit of fine clothes is pointless as one could never match the splendour of that great king. Secondly it makes such efforts even more ridiculous as both are still less splendid than the simple wildflowers of the field.^[4] Carter suggests that this verse is portraying Solomon negatively, as one of the insecure strivers unsure of God's will. France disagrees with this, arguing that it is a modern interpretation of Solomon and in this era he was viewed as a figure of unmitigated good.^[5]

References

1. Harrington, Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press, 1991 pg. 102
2. Nolland, John. The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005 pg. 198
3. Harrington, Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press, 1991 pg. 313
4. Fowler, Harold. The Gospel of Matthew: Volume One. Joplin: College Press, 1968
5. France, R.T.. The Gospel of Matthew. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007 pg. 269