Sermon on the Mount week 4

Murder

As we continue in our series on The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7, last week we looked at the law.

This week in our text, Jesus continues with the thought of the law, as He goes through six topics from the law.

In this section, Jesus begins each topic with, “You have heard, which is how He introduces each topic.

After He mentions the topic He then says, but I say to you.

He takes the topic and expounds on that topic from the law.

Those six topics are - murder, adultery, divorce, vows, retaliation, and enemies.

These are all interpersonal relationship topics.

This morning we will be looking at murder in Matthew 5:21-26.

Last week as we looked at the Law, Jesus said He did not come to abolish or do away with the law but to fulfill it.

In these six topics we will see how He takes like murder and expounds on it showing that He is not abolishing the law but fulfilling it.

Look with me at our text

Matthew 5:21–26 NASB95

21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Pray

In our text and for the next couple of weeks, we see that Jesus takes six important Old Testament laws and interpreted them for His people in the light of the new life He came to give.

He deals with the attitudes and intents of the heart and not simply with the external action.

The text of these six topics, make it clear that Jesus was presenting what the Pharisees and teachers of the Law were saying to the people, and by contrast, what God’s true intent of the Law was.

This spells out Jesus statement that He made in v. 20 that Pharisaic righteousness is not enough to gain entrance into the coming kingdom.

I. You Have Heard

Matthew 5:21 NASB95

21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’

Jesus is not altering the terms of the law, rather, He is correcting what the Pharisees have taught.

You shall not commit murder comes from the 6th of the ten commandments.

Exodus 20:13 NASB95

13 “You shall not murder.

The Hebrew word for murder ratsach is sometimes translated “Kill” but for the sixth commandment murder is the correct translation.

The sixth commandment did not include killing in self-defence, wars order by God, capital punishment following due process of the law, or accidental manslaughter.

II. Jesus says

Matthew 5:22 NASB95

22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Here Jesus says that the commandment extended not only to the act itself but also to the internal attitude behind the act.

Of course, murder is wrong, but the anger prompting the act is also as wrong as plunging in a knife.

Jesus is saying the attitude of anger with a brother, and He is not referring to a blood brother but rather a fellow believer.

As Christian we should not get angry with anyone, to the point that it causes sin.

There is a holy anger and an unholy anger.

Ephesians 4:26–27 NASB95

26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.

By New Testament standards, anger can be either good or bad, depending on motive and purpose.

Paul may have been sanctioning righteous indignation, anger at evil.

This type of anger hates injustice, immorality, ungodliness, and every other sin.

Becoming angry and assuming a position of superiority over another by calling them a derogatory name such as Raca or You fool demonstrates sinfulness of the heart.

Jesus is not only condemning murder, but He goes on to claim that harboring wrath in one’s hart is also sinful and deserving of punishment.

The message Bible states at the end of verse 22 - “The simple moral fact is that words kill.”

A. Reconcile Your Brother

Matthew 5:23–24 NASB95

23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

In these two verse Jesus turns to presenting an offering.

He brings up a person coming to present an offering but has a dispute with a brother which as with the verse 22 He is referring to a fellow believer.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is speaking to a large Jewish crowd, for them to bring an offering in one sense is them bring an animal for a sacrifice.

For us today it would be more like when we are giving our tithes and offerings, or even when preparing for the Lord’s Supper.

We need to examine our hearts and if there is any ought, dispute, or hard feelings in our hearts toward another person we need to make things right before we precede with the offferings.

Why is Jesus so serious about this, and making sure they are cleared up before presenting an offering?

First, because they reveal a lack of love for God.

1 John 4:20–21 NASB95

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

A person cannot love God without first loving his fellow believer.

You may think, well, just because I have a disagreement, or am angry with my brother, does not mean I hate them, but we must go back to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:22.

Jesus said, everyone who is angry with his brother is guilty, that is guilty of murder, when anger is in our heart towards a brother it is as bad as murder.

The second reason this was serious for Jesus to bring up is because they are sins.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 NASB95

6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

A third reason Jesus takes this seriously is because it causes bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15 NASB95

15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

As Christians we have been given grace by God and we are to share in that grace to others.

Because Jesus considered this a serious issue, it needs to be taken care of quickly, and we should also take it seriously.

A person that gives an offering, that worships with a heart that is not right with God, that partakes of the Lord’s Supper in the wrong manner, any of these things that are done in the wrong manner, or wrong attitude, will not be accepted by God.

We see this right from the very first account of an offering being given - Cain and Abel.

Genesis 4:3–5 NASB95

3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.

The problem with Cain’s offering was the heart with which Cain was bringing the offering to God with, he was doing it halfheartedly.

We must ask then who is responsible for making things right when there is a problem.

Jesus said, GO.

He did not ask who was wrong, He did not ask who did what, He just said go.

Both parties are responsible for going, in an ideal situation you will meet in the middle, but we know we do not live in a perfect world.

Therefore, be the bigger person and go, and make things right, put the ball in their court so to speak, once you have asked for forgiveness, even if you do not feel like you need to, you have done your part now you are cleared of the issue, and you can then clear it up with God.

B. Make Friends

Matthew 5:25–26 NASB95

25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Here Jesus gives us two solutions for dealing with the interpersonal problems, there is a two-fold demand really.

First, we are to be reconciled to the person, He tells us to make friends with the opponent, do not just go apologize, but make friends with them.

Second, He says, once we have cleared up the problem we then can come back and offer our gift, not before, but after the problem is cleared up.

We also see that there is an urgency in this matter, He says, make friends quickly with your opponent.

Do not take time, do not hold on to the issue, do not hold a grudge.

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

As Christians we are to be people of love, not anger, not grudges, and within the body of Christ we are to have unity.

The church of Jesus Christ has been deeply damaged by interpersonal problems, but that damage is nothing compared to the individual damage wrought by unreconciled problems.

Every interpersonal problem that arises among Christians must be dealt with.

Romans 12:18 NASB95

18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.

Let me say, too, that if someone does something or says something that hurts your feelings, do not assume that they know.

You must also go to them with the issue, so that it can be cleared up.

As Christians we are ambassadors for Christ, in that we must allow the love of Christ to shine through us, and if we are holding anger, or grudges in us, that love is being hindered.

1 John 4:7–8 NASB95

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Therefore, let us strive to be know by the love of God.