Unrighteous Anger

Greeting

Isaiah 2:3 ESV

Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.

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Grabber

Why do relationships breakdown? Between spouses, friends, business partners? It is usually because selfishness and neglect breed emotions that squash communications. Anger, lust, and hate are easy emotions that take no control or decision to exhibit. Yet these are the very emotions God calls us to control.

In his Sermon, Jesus challenges his disciples to follow the heart of God by not giving in to unrighteous anger.

Introduction

After laying the groundwork for understanding the law, Jesus turns to specific examples where the teaching on the law had left behind the one behind the words. Obedience came to a point where many Jews and their leaders majored in mechanics and ignored the heart of the Law.

Remember, the Law wasn’t just about obedience, it was the means by which the people came to know a God they had never seen, held, or heard. By neglecting the heart of God behind the Law, they were neglecting God himself. This is what Jesus seeks to remedy in his presence.

Matthew records this beautiful Sermon on the Mount where Jesus preaches the very principles that will bring the people reunion with God. It begins with the guiding principles of the beatitudes, not a list merely to be checked off, but principles to change us at our very core. Change us in a way that introduces us to God. Yet, a heart religion doesn’t relieve anyone from obligation to the Law. Rather, it compels us to recognize the heart of God in his Law—Whether the Mosaic Law from the OT or the Law of Christ today. That’s the point of Kingdom Living.

Today, as we continue through Jesus’ Sermon, we begin the section known as the antitheses, a series of six applications from the beatitudes introduced by the formula, “You have heard it was said… but I say to you.” Jesus isn’t trying to annul the Law, but rather establish the Law as God designed it. The contrast isn’t between Jesus’ Law and Moses’ Law, but rather how Jesus understands law versus how the ancients/traditionalists understand law!

The first of Jesus’ antithesis concerns the breakdown of relationships through unrighteous anger. Let’s turn in our bibles to Matthew 5:21 as we explore this important theme.

Discussion

You have heard it said

Matthew 5:21 ESV

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

Jesus appears to discern between what is “written” and what is “said” in this series. Notice that not everything said through tradition is inherently wrong. In this case, the spoken tradition follows the 6th commandment, Exodus 20:13 ““You shall not murder.”

Sometimes we jump to the conclusion that every tradition is suspect. Yet, Paul told the Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians 3:6 “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” Tradition refers to teaching passed down from generation to generation.

It was said “to those of old,” could properly be “by those of old.” This would reinforce the idea of human tradition that Jesus is speaking against.

The problem wasn’t that what they heard was incorrect, but their attitude toward other people had been distilled down to “at least I didn’t kill them.” The Law prohibts me from killing them, so I will just hate them from afar.

But where does “at least I didn’t kill them” leave us? Can we beat them to within an inch of their lives? Can we just beat them enough to feel our wrath? One combination? One punch? One curse? We are left with deciding how close we can get to the line without going over. And when we walk close to the line, we make it easier for the devil to pull us across. That’s where the Jews were, trying to figure out what they could get away with rather than actually loving one another.

But I say to you

Matthew 5:22 ESV

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω. The contrastive “de” sets Jesus’ teaching at odds with the sayings of the ancients.

The word, “lego” reflectively means “I say,” however, Jesus adds the first person singular pronoun “I” to emphasize “I, I say” or “I myself say.” It points to his authority to speak in these matters of God’s word.

The list of prohibitions is not meant to be an escalation of attitudes: anger—>insults—>curse. Rather, each is seen as a breakdown of human relationship. Anger, insults, and curses all come from the same spiritual place as murder! Murder is the ultimate severing of relationship, but anger, insults, and curses also sever relationships. Jesus is not saying they are the same thing—certainly the result of taking a life is worse than cursing someone—but in the end both receive the same spiritual judgment from God.

Reconciliation

Matthew 5:23–26 ESV

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus shows it is not about refraining from the heinous, but rather about reconciliation.

Jesus gives two examples: don’t even worship before you seek reconciliation. This speaks to the necessity for reconciliation. We need to worship God. Our souls cry out for it. But, we also need relationships so we need to seek to mend fences.

The second example is one facing litigation. Jesus says to come to terms, or seek resolution. Too often we feel embittered; we have grounds; we have a case; we looking for a reason to bring them down. Instead, Jesus says we need to repair the relationship. Otherwise, we may be the one destroyed! This is used to illustrate the urgency of reconciliation.

Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Application

Some people are fools, and the Bible points them out to us Psalm 14:1 “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” Jesus himself was angry with the corruption of the temple (John 2:13-17). He was angry when Pharisees couldn’t decide if human need was more important than ritual observance, Mark 3:5 “And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” Jesus himself called the Jewish leaders “You blind fools” (Matt 23:17). Is Jesus holding his disciples to a different standard than himself? NO! What Jesus condemns in the sermon is animosity over personal affront or offense, “You hurt my feelings…pride…honor…ego.” Jesus protects is God’s honor.

Anger is not inherently sinful, Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” The question is why are we angry, Genesis 4:6 “The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?”

Tips to deal with anger

Take time to examine your heart. Why are you angry? It it for God, injustice to someone? Or your own ego and pride (even if you are wronged; Jesus was wronged yet he was silent).

Slow your response. James 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;”

Don’t rehearse the offense. Playing the offense over and over increases your bitterness and self-justification. It makes the anger stick in your heart. Rather, stop feeding the anger.

Speak the truth in love. Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 17:27 “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” Ephesians 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”

Depend on the Spirit. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:21-22), so pause and ask the Spirit to strengthen your Christian resolve. It is not mere will power that will get us through, but the Spirit’s enabling presence.

Take practical action. If there is ongoing sin that causes others to treat you this way, repent. If there is injustice on the part of another, deal with it biblically (Matthew 18:15–17). God is not saying, “Just let it go.” When it comes to real injustice and sin we must act.

So, What?

Anger management is not the suppression of all emotion. It is the transformation of the heart so that anger, when it arises, is rare, brief, righteous in object, and subordinate to love and the pursuit of peace.