"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:"
Matthew 6:29 (KJV)
"And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
I. Introduction: The King of Heaven Teaches His Disciples About Divine Provision
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, delivers a profound revelation concerning the relationship between the heavenly Father and those who belong to His Kingdom.
Standing before His disciples, Jesus directs their attention away from the uncertainty of earthly circumstances and toward the unchanging character of God.
He does not begin by showing them the wealth of kings, the treasures of nations, or the abundance of earthly possessions.
Instead, He directs their attention to something seemingly insignificant.
A flower growing in a field.
Why would the King of kings use a flower to teach one of the most profound lessons concerning divine provision?
Because the lily possesses something that human beings often struggle to understand.
It exists entirely within the provision of its Creator.
The lily does not possess a treasury. It does not manufacture its own beauty. It cannot determine the weather, command the rainfall, or cause the sun to shine.
Yet it grows.
It flourishes.
It is clothed with beauty.
And according to Jesus Christ, its beauty surpasses the magnificent clothing of Solomon, one of the wealthiest kings in Israel's history.
The central revelation is not that believers should become inactive or neglect their responsibilities.
Rather, the believer must learn to distinguish between faithful responsibility and anxious dependence upon earthly circumstances.
Jesus is teaching that the God who sustains His creation is worthy of the complete trust of His children.
II. Matthew 6:28 — "And Why Take Ye Thought for Raiment?"
1. Understanding the question of Jesus
Jesus begins with a question:
"And why take ye thought for raiment?"
The expression take thought comes from the Greek verb μεριμνάω (merimnaō), Strong's G3309.
It carries the meaning of being anxious, worried, or unduly concerned.
The word describes a state of mental preoccupation in which concern over life's necessities begins to dominate the thoughts.
Jesus is not condemning ordinary planning, responsible stewardship, or preparing clothing for oneself and one's household.
He is confronting the anxiety that arises when human beings begin to live as though their survival depends entirely upon their own abilities.
The word raiment refers to clothing or garments.
In the ancient world, clothing represented more than appearance.
Garments were necessary for protection against the elements, bodily covering, and participation in ordinary social life.
For many people, clothing was a costly possession.
A person might own only a limited number of garments, and the process of producing clothing required substantial labor.
Therefore, Jesus is addressing a legitimate human necessity. He is not speaking about vanity alone.
He is speaking about the fear of lacking what is necessary for life.
2. The spiritual danger of anxious preoccupation
Anxiety concerning material necessities can become spiritually destructive when it begins to govern the heart.
Consider what Jesus declared earlier:
Matthew 6:25 (KJV)
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"
Notice the order of Christ's reasoning. God has already given life. God has already formed the body.
Therefore, Jesus directs His disciples to recognize that life itself is greater than the things required to sustain it.
If God is the giver of life, His children have reason to trust Him concerning life's necessities.
This does not mean that believers will never experience poverty, hardship, or material deprivation.
Scripture records faithful servants of God enduring such conditions.
Rather, Jesus is teaching that anxiety must not become the controlling authority over the believer's life.
Spiritual principle: The necessities of life are real, but they must never occupy the place in the heart that belongs to the heavenly Father.
III. "Consider the Lilies of the Field" — A Divine Command to Examine Creation
The word consider is essential to understanding the teaching. Jesus does not merely say, "Look at the lilies." He commands His disciples to consider them.
1. The Greek meaning of "consider"
The Greek word is καταμανθάνω (katamanthanō), Strong's G2648.
It means to observe carefully, examine attentively, or learn thoroughly through observation.
This is more than a casual glance. Jesus is commanding His disciples to become students of God's creation.
He wants them to examine the lilies and understand the spiritual truth demonstrated through their existence.
The lily becomes an object lesson in divine care. Its growth testifies to the wisdom of its Creator.
Its beauty reveals the excellence of His workmanship.
Its dependence upon the created order demonstrates that life is sustained through provisions established by God.
2. Creation reveals the wisdom of its Creator
Psalm 104:24 (KJV)
"O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches."
The psalmist recognizes that the earth is filled with evidence of divine wisdom. The flowers of the field are not independent of God's creative power.
Their existence belongs to the ordered creation that God brought into being.
Genesis 1:11 (KJV)
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."
Here we discover an important connection between Genesis and Matthew.
In Genesis, God establishes the created order by His Word.
In Matthew, Jesus directs His disciples to observe the continuing operation of that created order.
The vegetation grows according to the capacities God has established within His creation.
The flower does not create the laws governing its existence.
It lives within them.
The same Creator who established the conditions for the flower's growth remains sovereign over His creation.
3. Why did Jesus choose the lilies?
Jesus could have selected the cedars of Lebanon, the mighty oak, or the fruit-bearing olive tree.
Instead, He chooses the lilies of the field.
The exact botanical species is uncertain; the expression may refer broadly to beautiful wildflowers growing in the region.
The significance lies not in identifying one particular species but in understanding the contrast Jesus establishes.
The flowers are ordinary.
They are found in the fields.
They are temporary.
Yet they display extraordinary beauty.
They possess no earthly wealth, social position, or royal authority.
Nevertheless, God has adorned them with splendor.
The lesson: God's creative excellence is displayed even in things that human society considers insignificant.
IV. "How They Grow" — The Mystery of Life Under God's Sovereign Order
Jesus does not simply tell His disciples to admire the flowers. He tells them to examine how they grow.
This phrase directs our attention to the process of growth itself.
1. Growth is not the same as self-sufficiency
The lily grows, but it does not independently produce the conditions necessary for its growth.
It depends upon the created environment. Its roots receive water and nutrients. Its leaves receive sunlight.
Its living structures carry out the processes necessary for growth. These processes are part of the created order.
The flower is active biologically, yet it does not exercise anxious human control over the world around it.
This distinction is central to Christ's illustration. Jesus is not suggesting that lilies perform no biological activity.
He is contrasting the natural growth of flowers with the human labor required to manufacture clothing.
2. God is the ultimate source of increase
The Apostle Paul provides a related spiritual principle.
1 Corinthians 3:6–7 (KJV)
"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."
Although Paul is speaking about spiritual ministry, the illustration reinforces an important truth.
Human beings may plant and water, but they cannot independently create life or guarantee its increase.
Likewise, believers must recognize the difference between performing their assigned responsibilities and assuming control over outcomes that belong to God.
A farmer plants.
A servant labors.
A parent provides.
A minister teaches.
But no human being possesses sovereign authority over life itself.
3. The spiritual application of growth
Spiritual growth also requires dependence upon God.
Jesus declared:
John 15:5 (KJV)
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
The believer is not called to spiritual inactivity. The believer is called to abiding dependence upon Christ.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit independently of the vine, spiritual fruitfulness cannot be produced independently of the life of Christ.
The lily illustrates dependence within creation. The vine and branches illustrate dependence within the believer's relationship with Christ.
Both direct our attention away from self-sufficiency.
V. "They Toil Not, Neither Do They Spin" — The Difference Between Labor and Anxiety
This statement requires careful examination.
Jesus says:
"They toil not, neither do they spin."
1. The meaning of "toil"
The Greek verb translated toil is κοπιάω (kopiaō), Strong's G2872.
It means to labor, work hard, or become weary through exertion.
The word can describe strenuous human labor.
Jesus contrasts this labor with the effortless appearance of beauty in the lilies.
The flowers do not work as human beings work to acquire or manufacture clothing.
They do not earn wages.
They do not purchase fabric.
They do not struggle to obtain garments.
Yet they are beautifully adorned.
2. The meaning of "spin"
The Greek verb νήθω (nēthō), Strong's G3514, means to spin thread.
In the ancient world, spinning was an essential part of textile production.
Fibers such as wool or flax were spun into thread, which could then be woven into cloth.
This was painstaking work.
By using the expression "neither do they spin," Jesus refers to the human process of producing clothing.
The lilies do not engage in this labor.
Yet their natural beauty surpasses human-made garments.
3. Does this mean Christians should not work?
Absolutely not.
Scripture repeatedly affirms the importance of diligent labor.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV)
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."
Paul is addressing those who are unwilling to work, not those who are unable to do so.
Jesus is not contradicting the biblical responsibility to labor.
He is exposing the futility of anxious striving.
There is a difference between working faithfully and living under the bondage of worry.
A believer can labor diligently while trusting God.
A believer can make preparations without surrendering to fear.
A believer can fulfill responsibilities without believing that everything depends upon personal strength.
The Kingdom principle is not freedom from responsibility, but freedom from the tyranny of anxiety.
VI. Matthew 6:29 — "And Yet I Say Unto You"
Jesus now introduces an astonishing comparison.
"And yet I say unto you..."
These words carry the authority of Christ Himself.
He is not merely repeating the opinions of philosophers or religious teachers.
He speaks as the authoritative Teacher of the Kingdom.
He invites His disciples to compare two kinds of splendor.
One is the splendor of human royalty.
The other is the beauty of divine creation.
The comparison is extraordinary because Jesus selects one of the most magnificent kings in Israel's history.
King Solomon.
VII. "Even Solomon in All His Glory" — The Magnificence of an Earthly Kingdom
1. Who was Solomon?
Solomon was the son of David and Bathsheba.
He became king over Israel following David's reign.
His kingdom became renowned for wealth, wisdom, royal splendor, and extensive building projects.
1 Kings 3:12–13 (KJV)
"Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days."
God granted Solomon extraordinary wisdom and also bestowed riches and honor upon him.
Solomon's wealth became a testimony to the prosperity of his kingdom.
2. The abundance of Solomon's kingdom
First Kings chapters 4 and 10 describe the magnificence associated with Solomon's reign.
His household possessed abundant provisions.
His royal court displayed extraordinary wealth.
His throne was constructed with ivory and overlaid with gold.
Gold vessels were used in his household.
Foreign rulers heard of his wisdom and traveled to witness the greatness of his kingdom.
The Queen of Sheba came to examine Solomon's wisdom and the splendor of his court.
1 Kings 10:4–5 (KJV)
"And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,
And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her."
Notice that the apparel of Solomon's servants is specifically mentioned.
The clothing of the royal court contributed to the magnificence witnessed by the queen.
If the servants were splendidly arrayed, we can appreciate the grandeur associated with the king himself.
Yet Jesus declares that Solomon, even in all his glory, could not equal the beauty of a single flower.
3. The limitations of earthly glory
Solomon's garments required human workmanship.
His royal wealth depended upon material resources.
His splendor was connected to his position as king.
But the flower's beauty arises from the living structures God established in His creation.
Jesus is not declaring that Solomon's kingdom possessed no glory.
He is declaring that the beauty of God's creation surpasses even the greatest human magnificence.
The comparison exposes the limitations of earthly wealth.
A king may possess gold, silver, precious stones, and costly garments.
Yet he cannot purchase the power to create a living flower.
Earthly wealth can adorn what already exists, but wealth cannot originate life.
VIII. "Was Not Arrayed Like One of These" — The Glory of God's Workmanship
The word arrayed comes from the Greek verb περιβάλλω (periballō), Strong's G4016.
It means to put around, clothe, or dress.
Jesus uses the language of clothing to describe the appearance of the lilies.
This is a vivid comparison.
The flower possesses no woven garment.
Yet its petals display color, form, texture, and beauty.
The Creator has given it a natural splendor that surpasses royal apparel.
1. Divine workmanship exceeds human craftsmanship
Solomon's clothing represented the highest levels of human craftsmanship available to his kingdom.
The finest materials could be gathered.
Skilled workers could weave and embroider garments.
Precious ornaments could be added.
But no amount of craftsmanship could transform those garments into living flowers.
The contrast is between what human beings can manufacture and what God has created.
2. The beauty of holiness and the glory of God
Scripture also speaks of beauty in relation to worship and holiness.
Psalm 96:9 (KJV)
"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth."
The beauty of holiness is not the same as the physical beauty of flowers.
Nevertheless, both passages remind us that beauty is not confined to human wealth or ornamentation.
God's glory is infinitely greater than the magnificence of earthly kingdoms.
The believer must therefore avoid confusing outward splendor with spiritual greatness.
A person may possess magnificent clothing and yet be spiritually impoverished.
Another may possess little material wealth and yet be rich in faith.
James 2:5 (KJV)
"Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?"
The riches of faith cannot be measured by the magnificence of outward apparel.
IX. The Greater Revelation: If God Clothes the Grass, Will He Not Care for His Children?
Although our primary study concerns verses 28–29, the meaning of Jesus' illustration becomes even clearer in verse 30.
Matthew 6:30 (KJV)
"Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
Here Jesus reveals the conclusion toward which His entire illustration has been moving.
The lilies are temporary.
They bloom for a season.
Their beauty eventually fades.
The vegetation of the field may be gathered and used as fuel.
Yet God has clothed these temporary plants with extraordinary beauty.
Jesus then asks whether the heavenly Father will not much more care for His children.
1. The argument from the lesser to the greater
Jesus employs a form of reasoning in which a truth demonstrated in a lesser case supports an even stronger conclusion in a greater case.
If God cares for the flowers, which are temporary, how much more reason do His disciples have to trust His care?
The emphasis is not upon the flower's worthiness.
The emphasis is upon the character of God.
God is generous in His creative provision.
God is wise in His ordering of creation.
God is attentive to what He has made.
And the disciples of Christ are invited to trust Him as their heavenly Father.
2. "O ye of little faith"
Jesus identifies the spiritual problem beneath anxious preoccupation.
Little faith.
This does not necessarily mean the complete absence of faith.
It describes faith that struggles to apply what is known about God to the pressures of daily life.
A person may believe that God created the heavens and the earth yet struggle to trust Him with tomorrow's necessities.
A person may confess that God is sovereign yet live under the continual fear of losing material security.
Jesus calls His disciples to bring their practical concerns under the authority of what they know about their Father.
Faith must move beyond acknowledging God's power to trusting His character.
X. The Lilies and the Kingdom of God: Seeking the Eternal Above the Temporal
The teaching of the lilies belongs to the larger message of Matthew 6.
Jesus has already warned against storing up treasures exclusively upon the earth.
He has declared that no man can serve two masters.
He has commanded His disciples not to allow anxiety over material necessities to dominate their lives.
Then He gives the governing principle:
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
This verse establishes the proper order of the believer's life.
The Kingdom of God must come first.
His righteousness must be pursued.
Material necessities must not become the supreme object of human devotion.
This does not establish a promise of luxury, unlimited wealth, or freedom from suffering.
Jesus Himself experienced hunger, weariness, rejection, and suffering.
The apostles also endured deprivation.
The promise must be understood within the larger biblical teaching concerning God's fatherly care, His sovereignty, and the believer's calling to seek His Kingdom.
The believer's confidence rests not in the guarantee of a trouble-free life but in the faithfulness of God.
The difference between Solomon's glory and Kingdom glory
Solomon's earthly glory | The believer's Kingdom priority |
|---|---|
Magnificent outward garments | The pursuit of God's righteousness |
Riches and royal possessions | Treasure in heaven |
An earthly throne | Submission to God's eternal reign |
Splendor visible to nations | A life that glorifies the Father |
A kingdom that eventually passed | A Kingdom that cannot be moved |
Hebrews 12:28 (KJV)
"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
The Christian must never mistake temporary earthly magnificence for eternal Kingdom inheritance.
XI. A Deeper Spiritual Examination: Five Lessons From the Lilies
First — The lily reveals the wisdom of the Creator.
Its growth and beauty testify to the divine wisdom displayed throughout creation. The believer is called to recognize God's workmanship rather than treating creation as spiritually meaningless.
Second — The lily exposes the limitations of human control.
Human labor has an important place, but no amount of anxious striving can grant sovereign authority over life. Faithful work must be accompanied by dependence upon God.
Third — The lily demonstrates that earthly status does not determine beauty or worth.
Solomon possessed royal magnificence, yet the flower surpassed his apparel in the comparison Jesus makes. Wealth is not the ultimate measure of excellence.
Fourth — The lily directs attention to the Father's care.
Jesus uses God's provision for temporary vegetation to strengthen His disciples' confidence in their heavenly Father.
Fifth — The lily teaches the proper order of Kingdom living.
Believers must not allow concern for material necessities to displace the pursuit of God's Kingdom and righteousness.
XII. Practical Application: What Does This Mean for the Believer Today?
The teaching of Matthew 6:28–29 confronts the anxieties of everyday life.
People worry about finances, employment, clothing, food, housing, and the uncertainty of tomorrow.
These concerns can be substantial.
Jesus does not deny their reality.
Instead, He calls His disciples to respond to them from a position of faith.
When resources are limited, the believer should exercise wisdom, seek appropriate assistance, work when able, and pray for provision.
When circumstances become uncertain, the believer should remember that anxiety cannot provide the security that belongs to God alone.
When earthly wealth appears impressive, the believer should remember that even Solomon's magnificence could not surpass the beauty God gave to the flowers.
And when the future seems uncertain, the believer should remember Christ's instruction:
Matthew 6:34 (KJV)
"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
Christ calls His disciples to live faithfully in the present rather than becoming consumed by imagined troubles of the future.
XIII. Questions for Personal Reflection and Bible Study
Why did Jesus choose the lilies of the field rather than the wealth of earthly kingdoms to illustrate God's provision?
What is the difference between responsible planning and anxious preoccupation?
How does the Greek meaning of consider deepen our understanding of Jesus' command?
What does the comparison between Solomon and the lilies reveal about the limitations of human wealth?
Why is Matthew 6:30 essential to understanding verses 28–29?
How can a believer practice faithful labor while remaining dependent upon God?
What does Matthew 6:33 reveal about the proper order of spiritual and material priorities?
In what ways can anxiety over earthly necessities interfere with obedience to God's Word?
How does the beauty of temporary flowers direct our attention toward eternal realities?
What changes should take place in our daily lives when we truly believe that God is our heavenly Father?
XIV. Conclusion: The Flower, the King, and the Heavenly Father
There is a profound contrast in Matthew 6:28–29.
On one side stands Solomon.
A king possessing extraordinary wealth.
A ruler surrounded by royal splendor.
A man whose kingdom became famous for its magnificence.
On the other side stands a lily.
A simple flower growing in a field.
Without a treasury.
Without royal garments.
Without human craftsmanship.
Yet Jesus declares that Solomon, in all his glory, was not clothed like one of these.
Why?
Because the beauty of the lily reveals the extraordinary workmanship of God.
The flower does not surpass Solomon because it possesses greater wealth.
It surpasses his royal apparel in the beauty that God has given it.
And this comparison leads to the greater revelation.
The heavenly Father who clothes the flowers is the same Father whom Jesus commands His disciples to trust.
The lilies do not teach us to abandon responsibility.
They teach us to abandon the illusion of self-sufficiency.
They remind us that faithful labor and dependence upon God are not opposites.
They reveal that earthly magnificence is temporary, while the wisdom and power of God endure forever.
Above all, they direct our hearts toward the Kingdom of God, where the pursuit of righteousness must take precedence over the anxieties of earthly life.
XV. Concluding Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come before Thy presence acknowledging that Thou art the Creator of heaven and earth, the Giver of life, and the Sustainer of all things.
Thou hast clothed the lilies of the field with a beauty that surpasses the garments of earthly kings.
Thou hast established the heavens by Thy wisdom and filled the earth with the abundance of Thy workmanship.
Father, teach us to behold Thy creation with understanding.
Deliver our hearts from the bondage of anxiety and from the fear that causes us to depend upon our own strength rather than upon Thy faithfulness.
Grant us wisdom to labor faithfully, to fulfill our responsibilities, and to exercise good stewardship over everything Thou hast entrusted to our care.
Yet let us never place our confidence in earthly possessions, human ability, or the uncertainty of tomorrow.
Strengthen our faith in Thy Word.
Teach us to seek first Thy Kingdom and Thy righteousness.
Let not the temporary glory of this world draw our hearts away from the eternal inheritance prepared for those who belong to Christ.
As we consider the lilies of the field, may we remember the greatness of Thy wisdom, the excellence of Thy workmanship, and the faithfulness of Thy fatherly care.
May our lives be adorned not merely with outward beauty, but with the inward beauty of holiness, humility, faith, obedience, and the fruit of Thy Spirit.
We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
Final Scripture for Meditation
Matthew 6:28–29 (KJV)
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
The central lesson: The glory of the lilies is not found in what they possess or accomplish, but in the extraordinary workmanship of their Creator. How much more should the children of the heavenly Father place their confidence in Him?
