Anger or Murder? What's the Difference?

I have a strange question to begin tonight’s study: Who wants to commit murder? Go ahead, show of hands for volunteers. No takers?

Now I have a follow up question on the same matter: Who in here has ever been angry with someone and struggled with letting go, forgiving, and moving on? Go ahead, don’t be shy, put those hands up?

What if I told you that being angry and holding a grudge, refusing to forgive and restore a relationship with someone is, in the eyes of God equivalent to murder? Would you believe me? Would you believe Jesus? Look with me, Matthew 5:21-22

Matthew 5:21–22 KJV 1900

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

I want to point out a very important phrase that you may not have paid much attention to: “Ye have heard...” Why did Jesus not remind His audience about what “they have read?” Simple, they had not read it.

See after the Jewish exile the common people had lost their original language, Hebrew. It had been replaced by Chaldee and Aramaic. The Scribes and Pharisees capitalized on this by translating the Scriptures from Hebrew into these languages, but anyone who wanted to understand the Scriptures had to go to scribes and rabbis. You won’t believe this, but these men used the Scriptures to benefit themselves and promote their own agenda.

This is evident in Jesus’ opening statement on this section… “Ye have heard that it was said....” They had been told, not only what the Word of God said, but what it meant. Notice how the scribes and pharisees watered down the Mosaic law: “Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment”

While that sounds severe enough, let me point out that the “judgment” was not referring to the judgment of God, but of man. Notice also that they agreed that murder is a capital crime and the punishment is death, but their judgment only dealt with this serious matter after it had taken place.

The scribes and rabbis had forgotten that God sees the inner parts of man, knowing their hearts, knowing their motives. This is evident by His words, “But I say unto you...”

There are three truths we must break down concerning how the crime of murder and the sin of anger are connected. Notice first there must be....

Recognition v. 22

Jesus’ anger against the teachings of the scribes was that they viewed murder as an act solely against another person, Jesus pointed out that murder is a crime against the Creator! God is the giver of life, and to take a life is to step into the role of God. That is why it is so despicable. The scribes had reduced to something that we left up to man alone to decide. They had removed the terror of God’s judgment in the life to come.

We must recognize that God judges us from our motives to our actions. Jesus points out that behind the act of murder there are three forms of unrighteous anger:

Being angry with your brother without cause

Jesus says when you have inward resentment toward another person you are in danger of judgment.

The judgment refers to the lower court a coucnil of three held in a local synagogue. The next form of anger...

Insulting your brother by calling him “empty one”

Raca = “empty one”

The meaning is that of disdain, scorn, or contempt

Have you ever said to yourself: “I cannot stand that person! They get right under my skin?”

This is you.

Jesus says those holding on to this level of anger are in danger of the “council”

That is the Jewish supreme court - the sanhedrin

Those that would decide the ultimate fate of the offenders.

Calling your brother a fool

This reference is to a forceful expression of dislike

The term is “Moros”

The word was used by Moses in Numbers 20:10 “10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?”

“Rebels” = fool

Of course the real sin here was not what Moses said, but how he acted. Psalm 106:33 “33 Because they provoked his spirit, So that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.”

He acted out of anger and the result was he was not allowed to enter the promised land.

The idea is that if anger is left unchecked it will lead to action, the action:

Murder.

The result - judgment.

If we were to boil down the teaching of Jesus to its simplest terms here it would be this: Unrighteous anger contains the seed of murder. Once we reach recognition of this it will aid in ...

Remembrance v. 23

We must take the sin of anger as seriously as God does. Anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, all hinder our worship! Matthew 5:23-24

Matthew 5:23–24 KJV 1900

23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Christian, you cannot worship God if you are willingly embracing sin in your life! Psalm 66:18

Psalm 66:18 KJV 1900

18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:

1 John 4:20–21 KJV 1900

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Some practical advice: If you have wronged your brother - go to them and admit your guilt, ask them to forgive, but don’t you dare come to this church and try to worship a holy God if you are unwilling to take care of this first. God will not have it!

What must be done? Once you recognize your sin, remember your offense, then you are read for...

Reconciliation v. 24

Reconciled = to change thoroughly.

Change what? The state and condition of your relationship.

How? By making it right! Confessing your offense, asking for forgiveness, and repent.

Conclusion: Let us suppose for a moment, one recognizes their sin, remembers and offence, but fails or refuses to attempt reconciliation, what then? Matthew 5:25-26

Matthew 5:25–26 KJV 1900

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Let me make two applications here:

For the saved - Your life will be most miserable

You cannot, you will not have the blessing of God on your life until this relationship is repaired

God is very clear: If you are out of fellowship with a fellow Christian, you are out of fellowship with God.

He forgave us all our sins after all

Really, what has anyone EVER done to you that is worse than what you did to God?

For the unsaved - Your life now will be miserable, but not as miserable as eternity!

There is forgiveness for you if you will repent

There is freedom from the penalty of your sin

The choices are the same: Will you forsake your sin and turn to God?