Matthew 5:21-26
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Would you stand with me for the reading of God’s word. Matthew 5:21-26
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
SLIDE Pray with me pray please be seated.
I don’t remember what my sister said, but I do remember the anger that rose from my gut and flushed my face red with heat.
We were at the Church my dad was working as the youth pastor after school. On Wednesdays we would go to Church right after church and help get set up for youth group and awana, then we would usually go out to eat before hand. I loved wednesdays as a kid. I got to be with my dad and my sister!
And like all siblings, we had our squabbles. Allie, shes the middle child, I’m the youngest. And she is brilliant, like really witty and smart. And she always knew what to say that would just pick me apart.
Again I don’t remember what she said - but I remember the anger. And I remember feeling and desire to hurt her. I remember wanting to punch and hit and to make her feel pain.
I also knew that THAT would be a bad idea.
So I yelled, walked out the door, turned to the red brick wall of the church, and started wailing on it. Just ugly raw anger spilling over and striking the bricks.
While I didn’t hit my sister (that time) for many years, I was walking around with this fire pot of anger simmering in my chest - ready to spill out and over onto others.
I wonder, while I was wailing on the bricks, if my sister had walked around the corner - what would happen. It was a very real possibility that if she had - I would have attacked her. My anger had boiled over.
There are a lot of people in our society that are angry people. The outraged and incensed. Some hide it well - until someone cuts them off in traffic. The creative and colorful language that can emerge from their mouths is terrifying and shocking.
And most people will justify themselves by pretended they are not actually all that angry, or by just shoving their emotion down deep and deeper as they grow bitter and contemptuous. And still others justify it by making their opponents less human - making them their enemies who don’t deserve love but hatred. But as long as we don’t kill anyone - we’re good right?
In this section, what some have called the 6 antitheses, Jesus is demonstrating and explaining what the righteous life looks like. He stated that those who will enter the kingdom of heaven will have righteousness surpassing that of the pharisees and the scribes.
And anger and murder and relationships is what Jesus starts addressing - Matthew 5:21
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.
Jesus is quoting, not simply the old testament - but how the leaders of the day were interpreting the old testament. And you may have a footnote helping to explain this further.
The phrase: Do not murder - is from the 10 commandments, the decalogue. This is a bedrock of human society and culture. Don’t kill each other! And when you read the Torah - the punishment for murder was death. In no uncertain details - if you kill someone with hateful intention in your heart - you are guilty and subject to death.
But the Scribes and pharisees in Jesus day added on another phrase - “and whoever murders will be subject to judgment.” This addition is fascinating and weakens the old testament. For the word Judgment in the greek CAN refer to capital punishment - it seems more often it refers to simple human judgement in a court. Many scholars see a weakening of the consequences of murder here.
Just don’t murder anyone - but you know - if you do, you’ll have to show up to court.
Where in the Old Testament it was more: Don’t you fear God?! That you would slay another image bearer of God? And the consequence was quick and swift.
Jesus does something crazy now - look at verse 22: He takes it way beyond the act of murder - the heart of the law.
But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.
Let that sink in. Where some are content walking around with simmering rage - but as long as they don’t ACTUALLY kill someone they feel justified - JEsus says, no no, I tell you this.
He starts this verse saying everyone who IS angry with his brother and sister will be subject to judgement. The verb tense of angry is important.
is angry, a present passive participle. All meaning - this isn’t just a moment of anger - this is a state of anger. An angry person. Like me when I was growing up - with a pot of anger in my chest.
What a dangerous state to live in.
What is anger - what causes anger? Is anger wrong in and of itself?
Anger is an emotional response. psychologists debate whether it is a primary or secondary emotion - meaning do we get angry to cover up fear or shame, or is anger a primary root response. For many it is a secondary response - particulary in men. Being angry feels safer than being sorrowful or wounded. So anger can become a facade emotion.
But at it’s root - anger is a response when our will is obstructed. So when we want something, or when we believe something is right, and something gets in the way of that, or violates it, anger arises. And what’s interesting - is almost always it’s anger AT someone or something and, as Willard points out = includes some desire to do harm in response.
He says that some degree of malice is contained in every degree of anger. That is why is always hurts us when someone is angry at us.
Moments of anger I do not believe are in view here - it’s the being angry IS angry, present and passive lingering in the background.
And it is violent. it has deadly consequences.
Perfect example of this is Genesis 4, the story of Cain and Abel. Perhaps you know it - but Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and eve. Cain was a farmer, Abel was a shepherd. And they both presented offerings to God, Abel sacrificing the firstborn of his flock, and Cain presenting some of his produce. The Lord regarded Abel and his offering well - but not Cains.
Scholars have lots of opinions as to why - but Scripture is the best interpreter of scripture, and Hebrews 11:4 says that it was because of Abel’s faith that his sacrifice was better.
But Cain’s response to this was fury. Genesis 4:5
but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.
Cain’s response was becoming furious. His body then becoming despondent. And now God speaks to Cain, Genesis 4:6-7
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
God gives Cain a chance to repent - to deal with the fury - and warns him in a brilliant image what is at stake. Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.
Sin is waiting there, waiting to eat you alive. To destroy you and kill you. But you must rule over it.
By fostering and festering in anger and fury, it’s like handing that sin monster a loaded gun.
And the story ends tragically. Cain, out of fury and jealousy succumbs to sin - slaying his brother Abel.
Anger is a terribly big deal.
Now, I can already hear: “But wasn’t Jesus angry at times? Did not God have righteous anger? Is no anger permitted?”
Friend - don’t miss it - a moment of anger in some ways is a biological reaction we have no power over. And in many ways - anger can even be a gift! It helps us realize wrongs that need to be made right. And yes God demonstrates perfect and holy anger towards sin. But He’s perfect and I’m not. Anger unchecked leads to great evil. We should not BE angry, an angry person, harboring that heat in our hearts. No we are supposed to be for others.
Looking back at Matthew 5:22
But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.
Anger is serious enough that we must deal with it right away. Rule over it with Christ at the cross. Because Anger never stays there. Jesus continues and says whoever insults or whoever says: “Raca” to their brother or sister is subject to the court, to the sanhedrin.
Raca, according to scholars, was an Aramaic insult similar to clearing your throat and it literally means empty. It wasn’t as much a sign of anger, as it was a word of contempt. Like a scoff at someone - when we begin to view people less as people and more as hindrances. They become less and less human - where we just ignore them. Contempt is a vile vile thing.
When anger goes unchecked - we may not murder them physically - but we end up murdering them in our hearts out of hate and contempt.
Jesus goes even further - saying whoever says ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.
The word fool here is moros - where we get moron. It wasn’t particularly vulgar or offensive - just like calling someone an idiot - it may be unkind, but not explicit.
But Jesus says that when we start speaking these insults to people - we are subject to hellfire!
The word for hellfire is Gehenna. Gehenna was a real place - it was a place outside of Jerusalem where refuse and rubbish was burned. It was used by Jesus and other jewish writers as an example as what hell will be like. A place where trash is throne and burned without being extinguished.
Compare here what’s going on - The leaders of the day that were saying - Do not murder - and if you do murder you’ll have to go to court.
Jesus is saying - no no - being angry is worthy of going to court - and when we start insulting people we are actually in danger of hell!
Jesus is being clear - anger is dangerous and deadly - because murder begins in the heart.
Moments of random anger aren’t in view here - but when we are sitting in our anger - when we become anger like Cain - we are in great danger - why?
Because sin is crouching at the door - and by stewing in anger, we are handing that sin a tool that will destroy us and others.
Jesus is creating an ethic that how we treat others matters as much as how we treat God.
If we hate our neighbor - and while we don’t kill him, we end up living holding them in contempt as if they aren’t alive - we have completely missed God’s desire for us! We are to love our neighbor well!
If we go to church every week, we tithe 10%, and we pray and fast often = but we are living with hatred and with contempt for our neighbors - friends we have empty rituals here. IT’s not about “Just me and Jesus.” We demonstrate our love for God by our love for others. slide
If we say we love God - and we hate our neighbors - our Love of God is deficient! Jesus is demonstrating some insane kingdom ethic here - our love for God will overflow in our love for others. To the extent that we should interrupt our worship to reconcile with others.
So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.
Think about this, friends - Jesus is saying - if you are going to church, and you going to offer your gift, your worship, your tithe, whatever it is - and there you remember that there is something between you and your sibling (meaning neighbor, other believer etc), specifically - if they have something against you - he says to leave your gift - get out of the temple.
FIRST go and be reconciled with the other - then come offer your gift.
This is so backwards from how it’s often played out in our context. Jesus seems to be saying, as soon as we are aware of a breakdown in relationship with a brother or sister we are supposed to deal with it. Immediately. Don’t even let the sun go down on that anger. Go be reconciled first.
INSTEAD we become aware of it, and our habit is to stew on it, to dwell on it, to gossip about it. All while attending the same church as them - sometimes for decades - and never dealing with the growing hate and contempt or issue. But gosh were good Church people, right?
Rich Villodas says it this way slide:
“Jesus says that your relationship with God is not as good as you think if your relationship with another person is damaged.”
Woah.
Sin crouching at the door - waiting to eat us alive and break relationships.
How many churches live fragmented? They may not be killing each other physically - but they despise each other in their hearts.
How many friendships live fractured because the pressure keeps getting turned up - and we are too proud to submit, apologize, confess, and deal with the problem. By ignoring the problem we make it so much worse.
It’s like a check engine light. It’s wise to not ignore it and hope it goes away right? I mean I’m guilty of this. There have been times, that light comes on - and oo I don’t want to deal with this, I don’t have the cash for this - I’m just gonna keep driving. Ignoring the problem doesn’t solve it! In fact, it often creates irreparable damage!
It’s not about lack of violence that we prove our righteousness - but actual right relationship. This first example with a brother and sister - another believer, someone we are on the same team on. First go be reconciled - then come back and worship.
Way more than murder - Jesus is saying we got to love other followers. That’s heavy, and then Jesus then takes it even further and talks about an enemy or adversary, Verses 25 - 26
Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
The concept is similar to Christ’s initial example - but if someone has something against us - settle the matter before you get to the courtroom. Otherwise, if you’re guilty you’ll be punished - and you won’t get out till the whole debt is paid. Settle it first - because the judge could just have his way.
Think about this - far beyond just not murdering - JEsus is stating the need for a new heart - a heart that is for God and for others. You could say it this way: Jesus is so for reconciliation that he says we should interrupt our worship services and legal judgements.
Jesus is, in the words of Scot McKnight, calling kingdom citizens to live now as if the kingdom has come. And nothing expresses the reality of the presence of Jesus, nothing announces the arrival of the kingdom more then reconciled relationships.
It’s not enough, as it were, to just not harm people - but Christ says that the righteousness of his kingdom will be FOR people, FOR reconciliation, to the extent that we should leave the temple, interrupt church, to be restored.
Anger is such a big deal. Contempt. Fractured relationships. These plague us much more than murder and all need to be given to Christ at the cross.
Outrage is such a common currency in our current culture. Politics and news stations trade in fear and loathing. They don’t want you to just vote a certain way - they want you to HATE the other side. They are evil, wretched, lost, demonic, deplorable.
To justify our own emotions, we regularly turn human beings into “others” and foster such contempt towards them.
We as a culture are addicted to outrage.
And this seeps into the Church. We are expected to not be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to be angry,
but QUICK to speak and with great anger against all those evil people!
We are starting to see the fruit of this anger more and more.
What starts as annoying, leads to frustration, leads to anger, which leads to hatred, which leads to contempt. All of this can justify the use of violence against others - even murder!
We must be sober minded, honest, and real with whats going on in us and around us - Sin is crouching at our door! We must rule over it, or it will destroy us.
So What?
We are headed into the holiday season - Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, then Christmas - and for a lot of us - it’s a truly marvelous and magical time of year.
However, for many others - It reminds us of the broken relationships. Of parents or siblings who we no longer speak with due to pain.
It is a season for many where we are aware of the loss and pain of empty seats where loved ones once sat. Where children no longer come. It can be so painful.
Satan would love nothing more than to use our pain, use our loss, use our anger and heartbreak and jealousy to devour us and lead us to sin and distress.
And all of this pain, anger, heartbreak, contempt - all of these ailments can grow in our hearts and insert a wedge between us and others, and us and the Lord.
Our culture is terrible at emotional intellegince and lament.
The Psalms are filled with songs of lament where David and others bring their pain, anger and heart break before the Lord in raw honesty. And God meets us in those moments.
The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.
God loves and is near to those who are humble, and honest, about where they are - be it in sin, or sadness.
Some of you are filled with anger. Some of you have so much pain and heart break.
But so many of us pretend like everything is okay. We pretend like we aren’t angry - and we stuff it down and down - and it eats us alive. Friend - it’s time to release the anger.
Others have so much pain, but don’t want to come across as complaining - so you haven’t grieved or mourned the pain. You just “grind it out” as your soul slowly withers.
And just like JEsus was warning of in this passage - it leads to broken relationtships and distance from others and God.
Here’s what I know - It’s not possible to lie to God. He knows everyting - but gosh do we try. We aren’t fooling God, we are often not fooling others - and even our bodies start counting the cost and breaking.
And Sin is waiting at the door. If we don’t rule over it - it will devour us.
I remember again punching the walls in anger. My sister in great danger - and I, truly truly embarrased. And as I kicked and punched, who came around the corner - but my father.
And while my face flushed - and embarrassment and real rage came up - he gently told me to get in the car. He embraced me. I told him I was so angry - and he simply said: “I know.” I confessed that I actually was quite an angry young man and I walked around so mad, and then I told him I desperately needed help! and my dad gently said: “I know, I’ve just been waiting for you to ask.” My earthy father met me in my sin and rage, and met me with such grace and love - and helped me with my anger. Hleping me process through it - and even find physical outlets for it.
Friend - Our heavenly father is infinitely greater.
We don’t need to have shame - but we do need to treat others with Love and come to Christ. No hiding, Instead - we need to listen to Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are going to offer you a chance to respond.
I know for a fact that some of you are carrying great anger. You’ve told me so. I know others feel like there is a wedge between you and another member of the chruch. Would you be real with them about it, and make things right? Jesus seems to be clear - we can’t get please God while we are sniping at our brothers and sisters.
Still others of you, are carrying such great weight in your heart. You need to call out, you need to cry - to God yes, but perhaps to another sister or brother.
We are giving the next moments to you
Introduce response
