“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be [Or liable to] guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice against him shall be guilty before the court; and whoever speaks [contemptuously and insultingly] to his brother, A severe Aramaic insult.‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the [Gehenna, a Greek version of the Hebrew for Valley of Hinnom, a ravine where garbage was burned continuously, located just south of Jerusalem. Often regarded in ancient times as symbolic of hell (the lake of fire), a realm reserved for the wicked. Mentioned in Matt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6. Gehenna of fire] fiery hell.So if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and while there you remember that your brother has something [such as a grievance or legitimate complaint] against you, leave your offering there at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come and present your offering. Come to terms quickly [at the earliest opportunity] with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way [to court], so that your opponent does not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you are thrown into prison. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid the last [kodrantes, from the Lat quadrans, which was the smallest Roman bronze coin] cent.
Anger is the road to murder. Anger is the opposite of love. And the Lord has commanded that we love Him and one another. Anger is a road away from what He wants for us. Anger is a road away from His Way. Anger can make us feel righteous. Anger can make us feel better than our neighbor. Anger can make us feel elevated. And that is why anger is such a dangerous path to walk. It will take us down a road that leads our heart away from the act of loving.
“You’re familiar with the commandment taught to those of old: ‘Do not murder or you will be judged.’[See Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17]. But I’m telling you, if you hold anger in your heart [Some manuscripts add, “without a cause.” See 1 John 3:15. Both Aramaic and Hebrew Matthew read “if you provoke a fellow believer to anger,” or “if you cause offense to the spirit of your brother”] toward a fellow believer, you are subject to judgment [The implication is that you would be judged as a murderer. Anger and murder are equally odious in God’s eyes. Angry words kill.]. And whoever demeans and insults [The Aramaic is raca and can mean “spittle” or “lunatic.” It is a word that could imply calling a fellow believer demon-possessed. The Greek is “worthless fool, imbecile”] a fellow believer is answerable to the congregation [Or “council” (Sanhedrin)]. And whoever calls down curses upon a fellow believer [Or “whoever calls him a worthless fool.” It is a word that could imply calling a fellow believer demon-possessed] is in danger of being sent to a fiery hell [Or “the Gehenna of fire.” Gehenna, which was an actual place where garbage was burned outside of Jerusalem, became a figure of speech for hell in the days of Jesus. It used to be the site of child sacrifice to the god Molech. See 2 Chron. 33:6].
“So then, if you are presenting a gift before the altar and suddenly you remember a quarrel you have with a fellow believer, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go at once to apologize to the one who is offended. Then, after you have reconciled, [A true heart of repentance means attempting to heal severed relationships, not just empty words] come to the altar and present your gift. It is always better to come to terms with the one who wants to sue you before you go to trial, or you may be found guilty by the judge, and he will hand you over to the officers, who will throw you into prison. Believe me, you won’t get out of prison until you have paid the full amount!”
So, I am not to call my fellow image bearers names that insult and demean them. I am not to call them foolish or imbecile or lunatic or stupid or Satan or demon or any other number of hateful and angry words. I am to treat everyone the same way that Christ would treat everyone. And that is not with angry words BUT with love. I should not be out insulting people or making them angry to elevate myself. I should be looking at them with love and working to elevate them as well as myself.
'Ye haue heard that it was sayd vnto them of the olde time, Thou shalt not kill: for whosoeuer killeth shalbe culpable of iudgement. But I say vnto you, whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly, shalbe culpable of iudgment. And whosoeuer sayth vnto his brother, Raca, shalbe worthy to be punished by the Councill. And whosoeuer shall say, Foole, shalbe worthy to be punished with hell fire. If then thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, Leaue there thine offring before the altar, and goe thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine aduersarie quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him, lest thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to ye sergeant, and thou be cast into prison. Verely I say vnto thee, thou shalt not come out thence, till thou hast payed the vtmost farthing. '
And the one dilemma I see often and I have also fallen into is the idea of saying something “Out of love” when it is really out of anger. And many churches and many Christians have gotten into the habit of talking out of anger and disguising it as love. They get tied up in “hating the sin and not the sinner” so much that the sin and the sinner and hate become more of their preoccupation than God and love. And too often that road of anger and hate can be what defines my life. BUT it shouldn’t be.
I am not anti-sin. I am pro-God. I don’t define myself by what I am against BUT by what I am for. I am for living the Way of the Lord as Christ intended and that means focusing on what I love.
“Have you not heard what was said to those of old: ‘You shall not murder and whoever murders is guilty of a judgment of death’? But I say to you, he who angers his companion is guilty of judgment; he who calls his brother inferior shall be guilty of judgment before the congregation; he who calls him a fool is guilty of the fire of Gei-Hinnom [hell, valley of evil counsel]. If you should offer your gift at the altar and remember that you have a quarrel with your companion and he is complaining about you because of this matter, leave your gift there before the altar and go to appease him first and afterwards offer your gift.”
Then Yeshua [God is Salvation] said to his disciples: “See that you hasten to appease your enemy while you are walking with him in the way lest he deliver you to the judge and this judge delivers you to the slave to put you into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out from there until the last piece of money is given”.
I have to pay my debt to not only God BUT to my neighbor. I owe God everything. He is the reason I am alive. He is the reason I have hope. He is the reason I have joy. And I owe His image bearers the treatment of love as His creation. When I choose to love my neighbor, there are so many blessings to God and my community. When I choose to love my neighbor, I am being obedient to the commandments of God. When I choose to love my neighbor, I am showing my love to God. And I owe Him that love.
“You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not murder,’ and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
I pray that today I show love and not anger. I pray that my words and actions are a reflection of God’s love in the world. I pray that I treat every image bearer of God with the respect, love, and dignity they deserve.
I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!
