Matthew 5:21-25 You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, “Raca," is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, “You fool!" will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
In this passage we see Jesus making the road straight as far as the intent of the heart. Sometimes people hide malice against others in their hearts, a condition of desiring to hurt others with words or actions. Left to fester such animosity can reach such a crescendo in an individual’s heart that he or she strikes out to end the life of the hated person. Murder is the unlawful, premeditated killing of someone. We see as one of the tenants of the Ten Commandments, You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13) God deals with murderers harshly. As we see in today’s verses, when Jesus repeated this commandment, He added murders will be subject to judgment. When the landscape in our hearts is not smooth and quiet towards others; we can find ourselves as a volcanic mountain, ready to explode, spreading hurt on those we dislike and even on those we love. Sometimes our negative feelings result in passive aggression: unwillingness to interact with someone, refusing to talk to the person who offended us, or maybe just acting out of sync with the individual, not acting with them in a typical manner, interacting coldly or indifferently. But other times the fire kept within can erupt into verbal abuse or physical actions such pushing the person who is the target of your actions. Sadly, the disruptive heart can also plan and even carry out killing someone, an act of madness, destroying a person made in God’s image. Jesus in the above focus addresses levels of anger towards someone that can lead to physically hurting or murdering a person: calling an individual Raca or fool, worthless, undeserving of respect—having a derogatory and belittling manner towards another human being. Such attitudes and behaviors towards others will lead to harsh judgment by God. They are disruptive ways of thinking that will spawn physical hurt and pain in a community. As the Bible teaches us about the power of a man’s thoughts: For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7) As Christians we must beware of fleshly thinking and be quick to surrender any negative attitudes or ideas to the Lord, remembering always that we want to have the mind of Christ as we are led by the Holy Spirit. As Paul wrote, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)
Instead of holding angry and murderous spirits in your heart, Jesus tells his listeners that if you really want to please God and stay away from his judgment, you should be sensitive towards how others perceive you. When you go into the Temple to offer your gifts to God, think about how your life might have adversely affected others. Clear the way for God to honor and bless you by going to those who have something against you and make your relationship right with them. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Likewise when Christians take communion, they are to discern the body’s needs. They are to make right anything that seems to be wrong between them and fellow believers. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:28-29) The Christian community should be one of harmony and peace. If anything is disrupting this condition of love and caring for others, then the troublesome situation should be brought before God in prayer and in consideration of the community of brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus says to settle disputations out of court, away from the world’s courts. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Anger and malice can lead to the court and the consequences might be grim; but in every situation, we should function as servants of others, looking to do good works as living examples of the light Christ brought into the world. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14) If we have lost some of our eagerness and zeal to live a godly life and to resist the temptations of this world, then we must seek the Lord in prayer and read his word.
It is compulsory that we should stay away from vain disputations or conflicts with others. We should live in peace as much as we can. Paul wrote, Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. (Romans 14:1) We are meant to be servants, not controllers. The world wants to control, to dictate what is right and wrong, good or bad. We should be advocates of everything that is good and right, but our lives are fixated on Jesus Christ and a home that awaits us in heaven. Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:1-7) We were once part of this world living with malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. We lived the opposite of a Christian life, living in darkness and death, but when the kindness of God appeared: JESUS CHRIST, we lived a different life, one that represents the mercy and goodness of God. Instead of being controllers, we became the servants to all. Instead of telling people what is right and wrong, we served them regardless. Jesus turned the world upside down: the world hates this. They do not want to love, but they want to hate, to despise, to keep records of wrong. But Jesus came and saved us, keeping no records of wrong. He did not evaluate us on our works, but on God’s mercy and grace. He took the murder out of our hearts; He caused the volcano within us to cease. Jesus paved the way to a life forever with God. We now have the Spirit of Goodness in our lives, a Spirit that will motivate us to do good deeds on Earth, to forsake the garbage of this world: sin and death. This world will always be a violent place, a home of turmoil. Wars and strive will always exist here, but our home is in another dimension called heaven. Jesus in today’s focus describes this earthly environment. He foretells God’s judgment on the natural condition of the unruly, the unregenerate, the unrepentant. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment." But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Variance from God’s perfection will always face God’s wrath. Dear friends, live IN CHRIST, in his goodness,kindness, and holiness, and He will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Love, Dad and Mom
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