Thou Shalt Not Kill

Introduction

Last week we saw the very important aspect of living according to the spirit of the law versus living according to the letter of the law.

I remind you that the basis of our walk with Jesus is not by following an endless set of rules, it is relational. If we expect to have a deep walk with Jesus, then we must focus on a relationship with Him. This means that our primary goal is not to just follow a set of rules; our primary goal is to know Him and follow Him, imitate Him.

As Jesus has explained that there are characteristics that become very evident in the lives of His disciples as they follow him (we know these characteristics as the Beatitudes), he then follows by giving us the purpose of those characteristics - to be salt and to shine in a dark world so that God may receive the glory.

After this, he clarifies that he has come, not to destroy the law which the Jews held in such high regard, but to fulfill it. Jesus was not here to abolish the law or to institute a new law, and this was important to clarify because he was about to attack the teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees that were the primary interpreters of the law in those day. They taught and preached, but they had focused, not on a relationship with God, but on following a set of rules.

So in comes Jesus to set them straight. He wants to clarify that what he says lines up perfectly with the Old Testament prophets and law and that it is, in fact, the Pharisees that have twisted it all.

So he begins his exposition of the law, and we saw last week that the main principle that he is teaching throughout all this is that the spirit of the law matters more than the letter of the law. The letter of the law, we saw last week, kills and binds; but the spirit of the law brings freedom and life.

So it is very important to note throughout these next six sayings that we will be discussing over the next 6 weeks or so, Jesus is not implementing new laws, he is giving examples of how the principle behind the law works, what it looks like in action, and then commanding us to put these principles in action as well.

The Apostle Paul, for example, believed he was keeping the law perfectly, as did those that watched him be super zealous about the scriptures and about persecuting Christians. When he began to understand that the spirit of the law was of higher importance than the letter of the law, he came under conviction of his sin.

So let's start get to this first saying that Jesus has, and we will read it all together in Matthew 5:21-26 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. 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. 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.

We can, and will break down this passage into smaller chunks and study them that way.

The Letter - Thou Shalt Not Kill

Matthew 5:21 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:

The pharisees and Scribes were always reducing the meaning and the demands of the law. This is a perfect example of this practice.

We understand that 'thou shalt not kill' is part of the the 10 commandments (#6). So how can it be that when the Pharisees taught, "Thou shalt not kill," they were wrong in teaching it?

Well, the answer is this. The Pharisees did not simply teach, "Thou shalt not kill." They taught, "Thou shalt not kill (commit murder), for whoever murders will be in danger of the judgement." Their focus is best if rephrased this way, "Don't murder someone because you will then have to go to court and be judged."

And guess what, the Bible does in fact say that anyone that murders should be tried in court and put to death. But that should not be our motivation for not murdering someone. We find this principle for dealing with murderers in Numbers 35:30-31.

But this was given way after the 6th commandment was given. When God spoke to Moses and had him relay the ten commandments to the Israelites, "Thou shalt not kill," stand alone as a complete thought. That is it. It is not expounded on like some of the other commandments. It is simply, "Thou shalt not kill." We find this command and the other nine in Exodus 20.

But later on, in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is reminding the nation of Israel about how God came and gave the Ten Commandments. We find this discourse of Moses in Deuteronomy 5-6. It seems that at the same time that the Israelites received the 10 Commandments, they also received the greatest commandment of all - what Jews know as the Shema, or the Shema Israel. This is the commandment to love God with all of our heart, soul, strength.

In the same conversation that Moses is relating the giving of the Ten Commandments, he also tells how God commanded them to love God above with all of their being. THIS is the principle of "Thou shalt not kill."

The Pharisees had reduced it to, "Don't murder anyone or you will be put to death." Instead of focusing on the principle that they prayed twice daily, the principle of the Shema Prayer - Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength." This prayer was recited twice a day, in the morning and the evening, and yet because it was done to check off the box, they had missed the meaning of it.

They had weakened the whole meaning of "don't murder" by this phrase and how they taught. "I know you're mad at this person, but don't kill him because you will get in trouble." Not "because God loves him," or "because God is fundamentally against murder." No. Don't kill him or you'll be in danger of judgement. The "judgement" here meaning the local court.

They had reduced murder to something purely legal. So, by this effect, the Pharisees felt perfectly fine because they had not murdered anyone. As long as they went to bed at night and had not lifted their hand to murder someone, their could confidently say, "I have kept and fulfilled the letter of the law."

The Spirit - Don't Be Angry without a Cause

Matthew 5:22 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.

First off, we need to see here that Jesus is expressing that his authority supersedes that of the Scribes and Pharisees by saying, "But I say unto you."

Then we look at the very next phrase: "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement."

Depending what version of the Bible you are reading from, it may or may not include that phrase "without a cause." That is all well and good. Some ancient manuscripts that were found as copies of Matthew had that phrase included in the Greek, others do not have it included. The presence or the lack of this phrase does nothing to change the meaning or the teachings of the Bible as a whole. I like to think that it is more accurate with the phrase, "without a cause," included because we find elsewhere in the Bible a command to "be angry, and sin not."

Either way, we can see by Jesus' words here that our anger must be something that is held in check. It is never to be unbridled. And it is never to be nursed. The word Jesus used for anger in Matthew 5:22 means a 'settled anger, malice that is nursed inwardly." It is anger that is not let go.

Jesus tells us that it is not only murder that will bring judgment upon someone, but the anger that leads to murder is something that can be judged.

As far as I am aware, there is no law in existence anywhere in the world that prohibits anger. This would be absolutely unenforceable, for which judge can see the heart of man? So when Jesus says, those that are angry without a cause are in danger of the judgement, he is not talking about the same judgement that the Pharisees were talking about. He is talking about judgment from the one who sees the heart.

Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

This judgment is a judgment from God.

Jesus is saying here that if you are angry with a brother without a cause, you are exposed to the same demand and same punishment of the law as if you murdered someone. Why? Because for Christians to feel enmity in our hearts is, according to Jesus Christ, to be guilty of something that in God's sight is equal to murder. To hate, to harbor bitterness, to have an unkind feeling of resentment towards a person without a cause is murder.

Just Cause

And to clarify, the word cause there means just cause. Again, to clarify, it does not mean "just because," but "just cause." They didn't shake your hand is not just cause. They told you you were wrong about something? That is not just cause. They ran over your dog on purpose? Now that is just cause!

So what if I have just cause? What then? Understand that "just cause" for anger doesn't last very long, nor does it excuse angry behavior.

Ephesians 4:17-32

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Paul is saying here that other Gentiles, those that are not saved, have a different way of walking, and their way is vain, empty.

18 [They have their] understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

What have we learned of Christ? Well, part of that learning is what we are learning in the Sermon on the Mount.

21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation [lifestyle] the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23 And [here's the key] be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

This means that you have to stop thinking about things, specifically anger and what is a just cause for you to be angry, and how long you are allowed to be angry. You have to start thinking of it in a very different way.

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Christians think in a very different way than the world. We think according to the mind of Christ. So when we get angry at someone, even when it is with just cause, look at what we do not do...

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

Be angry, sure. But do not sin. Look at verse 29 and 31.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger [including justifiable anger], and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

When you get angry, don't speak badly about the person you're angry with, speak only things that will be edifying. When you're angry, according to verse 26, you don't have much time to stay angry. If it goes on and on and on, you are sinning. And when you act out of anger, when you speak out of anger, when you hold onto anger, you are giving Satan real estate in your life. You are letting him influence you instead of letting Christ live through you. You are darkening your light, your salt begins to lose its savor.

What is more, you bring grief to the Holy Spirit.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

So instead of holding onto anger, instead of bitterness, wrath, anger, and evil speaking, we are to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. How kind and forgiving? The same level that God, the righteous Judge who has every right to be angry and wrathful toward us forgave us because of Jesus.

When you get angry, and you stop talking to someone, you stop coming to church, you start gossiping about someone, you are guilty in God's eyes and deserving of the same punishment as a murdered.

You might say, "But I am justified in my anger," and that may be true, but I will refer you back to what the Bible says, "You have not so learned Christ." You didn't learn that from Jesus. And if you are holding onto it all, you are not like Jesus, you are against Jesus.

There is NOTHING about anger that reflects the beatitudes. It fights in every way against it. Anger puffs us up; anger makes us proud, and often we are angry because somebody did or said something to wound our pride; anger takes us off the track of searching for righteousness to searching for retribution; anger does not promote meekness nor does it promote peacekeeping; anger does not rejoice in in suffering for Christ's sake or while doing the right thing, it get exasperated. Anger is against the character of a true Christian.

And neither you nor I can say, "Well that is just the way I am," because the Bible clearly teaches that we are NEW creatures. We have a NEW personality. If it is true that that is just the way you are and you cannot control your anger, then I submit you are not saved and you are not a child of God.

But that is not the end of Jesus' teachings on murder and causeless anger.

The Heart of the Matter

Matthew 5:22b ...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.

The word 'Raca' means "worthless person." It is expressing contempt toward a person. When you express contempt toward a person, it comes from the heart.

Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

These evil thoughts and sayings that proceed from the heart are judgeable by God. Why? because it is these type of thoughts that lead to murder in the first place. When the term RACA was used about somebody, their reputation was being destroyed. This was not a word to be used lightly, as it was taken by the hearers as serious. If someone found out another person had called them 'raca' without being able to substantiate the claim that they were indeed worthless, they could take that person to court and sue them for libel.

The "council" which is referred to here is a reference to the highest court. For the Jews, it was the Sanhedrin (kind of like their version of the Supreme Court), for Christians, there is no higher court than God.

The next phrase, "but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire," reiterates what I said earlier. It is the mark of Satan to be destructive. It is the mark of the devil to want to destroy Christians and Christian influence. Therefore, if these kind of thoughts persist, then what Jesus is saying is that those people are not followers of Jesus. A refusal to reconcile contradicts all of Jesus' teachings. If you find yourself in this mindset, it is time to be introspective.

The claim to be a Christian and the claim to be unable to forgive or to let go of anger cannot be true at the same time.

Reconciliation

This brings us to the next verses. Matthew 5:23-26 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. 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.

Jesus starts off this section reminding us that our horizontal relationships, our relationships with others, in particular our brothers and sisters in Christ, have an effect on our fellowship with God. It affects our ability to worship God. That is why Jesus says to leave your gift at the altar if you remember that you have not tried to reconcile with your brother.

So, if there is something in your heart that is against your brother or sister in Christ, reconcile with them, then worship/give your gift at the altar.

1 Peter 3:7 tells us that if we are not rightly treating our spouse, our prayers are hindered.

Up until this point, Jesus has dealt with disciples being angry at offenses or perceived offenses. I hope you noticed that Jesus changes gears here. The phrase, when you remember that "a brother has ought against you," means that there has been something in which you have sinned against a brother or sister in Christ.

If that is the case, do all in your power to right that wrong. Initiate the path to reconciliation before you worship. God's terms are very easy:

Acknowledge the sin

confess it

don't justify or defend yourself (meekness) even if your sin was a result of being provoked.

If there is something that you can do to make it right, do it at once

These things take humility and meekness. When doing these things, they may not be received well. The other person may gloat about them being right and you being wrong. If that happens, take it. Don't fight, remain humble.

As long as you have done all in your power to remove the barrier that separates you and your brother or sister in Christ, then you will be settled with God, even if your brother will not settle with you.

I'll close with Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

If it be possible - sometimes it is not possible

As much as lieth in you - you are responsible for your words and actions. You are responsible for initiating reconciliation. The other party may not accept the apology, they may not want to be reconciled. That is not your responsibility to control them, just to do what is right on your part.

How quickly should we reconcile with others? As soon as possible. These verses indicate that the longer it takes to reconcile with someone, the harsher worse the outcome becomes. Likewise, we have the command in Ephesians to not let the sun set on our wrath.

Invitation

How many of you would say, "Brother Mike, God has spoken to me this morning in some way or another."

Holding onto anger/bitterness/resentment?

Have you sinned against someone and need to make that right?

If they are here, now would be a great time to initiate that reconciliation.

Lost- Jesus came to reconcile you unto God. Our sins separate us from God, and there is nothing we can do about our sins. God initiated it by sending Jesus, you can accept that gift today.

Life Groups

Why was it important for Jesus to clarify that he came to fulfill the law instead of destroy the law before he started to correct the teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees?

How does Jesus’ teaching on anger expand the commandment "Thou shalt not kill"?

Why is harboring anger comparable to murder in the eyes of God?

Why would calling someone worthless be an affront to God? Why would it be considered as high of an offense toward God as murder? God considers no man worthless. He sent his only Son to die on the cross for every person. If there is someone that is worthless, than the sacrifice that was paid for that person was worthless also.

What is the difference between justifiable anger and sinful anger? Can you think of examples from your own life or from the Bible?

How should Christians handle justifiable anger according to Ephesians 4:26-27?

What are the dangers of letting anger fester and grow?

Why does Jesus prioritize reconciliation with others before worshiping God?

How can unresolved conflicts with others hinder our worship and prayer life?

What practical steps can we take to reconcile with someone we have wronged or who has wronged us?

What Beatitudes play a role in the reconciliation process?