Jesus and the Law - Part 2

Notes
Transcript
Welcome… Introduction...
Matthew 5:21–26 ESV
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 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. 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.
6 Statements “You have heard that it was said”
Jesus is comparing what the Pharisees were saying about the law with what God’s true intent of the Law was.
Jesus is not make the law more strict here, rather revealing the intent of the Law.

Righteousness is a matter of the heart

Matthew 15:11 ESV
it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Matthew 15:16–20 ESV
And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Murder

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.’
Matthew: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chapter 27: Who Is a Murderer? (5:21–26)

The command “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13) does not prohibit every form of killing a human being. The term used has to do with criminal killing, and from many accounts and teachings in Scripture it is clear that capital punishment, just warfare, accidental homicide, and self-defense are excluded. The commandment is against the intentional killing of another human being for purely personal reasons, whatever those reasons might be.

Murder is an attack on the image of God

Genesis 9:6 ESV
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
John 8:44 ESV
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Murder seems one of the most heinous crimes, one we are most quick to judge,
I believe Jesus starts here to show the depravity of our hearts.
And this is not new with the New Testament
Psalm 51:6 ESV
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
The sin of murder runs much deeper than physical violence. It’s a matter of the heart.
Anger is murder.
1 John 3:15 ESV
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Raca

A term of malicious abuse, derision, and slander, it has been variously rendered as brainless idiot, worthless fellow, silly fool, empty head, blockhead, and the like. It was a word of arrogant contempt.

You fool.
More slanderous even than Raca. Stupid and godless.

Righteous Anger

Isn’t there such a thing as “righteous anger?”
Wasn’t Jesus angry sometimes?
Here’s the big question: [slide]
Is your anger a defense of yourself?
Or
Is your anger over the marring of God’s glory?
Think about the sort of things that made Jesus angry.
False temple worship
Hypocritical religious leaders using “righteousness” to suppress people
The Bible describes God as being “Slow to anger” and James commands us to also be slow to anger.
Righteous anger is grieved, not merely infuriated, by evil. Jesus did flip tables in the temple, but he was deeply grieved over the sin that made it necessary (Matthew 23:37). Anger with no tears over evil is often evidence of a lack of love in us.

At the heart of anger and contempt is human judgement, a lack of forgiveness

God has a lot to say about forgiveness.
Forgiveness is releasing someones debt against you.
This is not to be confused with reconciliation...
Romans 12:14–21 ESV
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 6:14 ESV
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
Matthew 18:23–35 ESV
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Matthew 5:23–24 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.

Reconciliation must precede worship

We must seek out reconciliation with our brother who has something against us.
This is the gospel. We pursue others as God has pursued us.
Reconciliation ought to happen now
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