In the last few weeks, we have seen that the Sermon on the Mount is all about the Kingdom of Heaven. We saw that the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ specific address to his followers, about the kingdom of heaven and how to enter in. Specifically, where we left off last week was Jesus setting out that the righteousness offered by the scribes (writers of the law) and the Pharisees (strict religious sect of the Jews) was insufficient to grant entrance into the kingdom. Jesus made clear that the enter the kingdom, one needs righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. From here on, Jesus will build on the topic of righteousness in specific contexts.
(A) A Humbling Standard of Righteousness that Pierces to the Heart (Matt 5:21-22)
In this section of Matthew, this commandment in Matthew 5:21 refers to the command not to murder in Exodus 20:13 which states simply “you shall not murder”. This was a commandment that related to acts between human beings (as opposed to the first four which related directly to God). This was one of the commands that regulated relationships between human beings. What is quoted here is the saying that “you shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment”. Jesus quotes this by saying “you have heard that it was said to those of old” which is to be contrasted with the saying “it is written” which we see in Matthew 4:4, 4:7, 4:10 for example. Here, Jesus is dealing with common sayings, prevalent teachings about righteousness. This is referring to how the Old Testament verse had been interpreted, likely by the Pharisees.
Jesus explains this teaching and in Matthew 5:22, we see how He begins with “but”, which sets this in contrast with what was said by people at the time. Jesus sets out that:
Everyone who is angry (some manuscripts include “without cause”) with his brother will be liable to judgment
Whoever insults his brother (calls him “Raca”, an abusive term, worthless, or calling him a nothing and nobody) will be liable to council
Whoever says, “you fool!” will be liable to the hell of fire
Here, Jesus says (in contrast to what others say) that it is not just murder that is wrong. Anger is wrong. Insulting and belittling someone is wrong. Calling someone an idiot or a fool is wrong.
Jesus broadens the understanding of righteousness here. Righteous is not just avoiding a heinous act like murder. If it were, so many would be righteous. Jesus corrects the listener’s understanding of righteousness here.
From Matthew 5:22b, what kind of heart gets angry with his brother? What kind of heart would insult a brother and call him a fool? This is a heart that is proud, unloving and uncaring.
Now, the Bible doesn’t prohibit all anger, for Jesus was angry too. Mark 3:1-6 when he sees a man with a withered hand and the Pharisees tried to stop Jesus from healing him. There is righteous anger. We are instead talking about a kind of anger that leads to insult, that leads to name calling. A kind of anger that belittles the other party and is rooted in feeling superior.
Have you ever felt that way? Most common areas that people feel anger like this, I think is at work or at home At work, we tend to be very transactional and uncaring. People are colleagues and we measure them very much by what they can achieve. It’s easy to look at someone at work and say, ah this fool, this idiot. At home, it may show up in a lack of patience for family.
If you struggle in a similar way, then Matthew 5:22 cuts right to our heart and reminds us of how sinful we really are. So, in effect, this teaching on righteousness humbles us. Romans 7:7 sets this out, when Paul shows us that the law shows us precisely what sin is. The law that Jesus has set out here, shows us that sin isn’t just murder, it is insult, name calling, anger that proceeds from a heart that feels superior, or devalues others. This standard of righteousness is disarming. Nobody can feel superior in light of it, from murderer to the name caller. Perhaps we sometimes entertain the thought that we are not as bad as other people. This teaching puts us all on even ground, as ruined sinners, from the inside out.
This is also a truer and more effective standard for righteousness. For where does murder begin? It begins in the heart. It begins with anger, which builds into violence. Another reason why the standard proposed by the Pharisees and scribes was flawed – it was limited and shallow.
This standard for righteousness cuts to the heart. What has your heart been like? Is it full of pride? Does it lack love and care and understanding? When was the last time we examined our hearts? For Jesus cares about what goes on there too.
(B) Relationships: A Priority, Above Convenience and Pride (Matt 5:22-23)
In Matthew 5:23, Jesus goes on to explain how this can be applied and put into practice. “So” links this example back to the teaching which Jesus just issued. This is the first example of how to live this out – if you are at the altar and are about to offer your gift to God, a form of worship, but you recall that your brother is angry with you, perhaps you have wronged him, or have not resolved some conflict, then leave the gift and go resolve it.
Why might this be hard? It is not easy to come to the altar. Things then, was not like how we give money today, with the click of a button. There were preparations they’d have to make, as they would be bringing animals to offer and they had to travel on foot to worship God. Yet, the worshipper is told to initiate the reconciliation – this might be shameful. It would require laying aside one’s pride
What does that show us? We are to recognise a pressing and important matter in our relationship with God also includes dealing with our broken relationship with others. Here, we see that worshipping God is much more than just giving an offering. It includes how we love our brothers and seek them out for reconciliation
This is all part of our holiness. Our relationships with others are not simply private matters, that are separate from our relationship with God. How we act in our relationships is not a separate matter from our relationship with God. In fact, there is a direct relationship here.
Some of us may think that as long as we come to church and sing to God and offer our money, then we have done rightly. We don’t live like God cares about our relationships. Settling relationships are often messy and uncomfortable. These verses show us that God cares deeply about our relationships and we must honour and worship Him there too
It also shows us that relationships are not about our convenience or our pride. This issue, resolving conflict with a brother is a clear priority in Jesus’ teaching. God is the recipient and approver of all that is offered on the altar, and we see here that the offering He desires is not just in the form of sacrifice to Him, it is also in how we manage our relationships.
Are you someone who is happy to just come to God, tithe, sing His praises and serve Him while your relationships are in a mess? This texts tell us that we have misunderstood our relationship with God and what He requires. How we treat our brother, sister, mother, father and friends all matter to God deeply and are areas that we must honour Him. The late Timothy Keller, in his book titled “Forgive”, makes a good point: “It is hard to stay angry at someone if you are praying for them. It is also hard to stay angry unless you feel superior, and it is hard to feel superior if you are praying for them, since in prayer you approach God as a forgiven sinner.”
We are all sinful and broken, and have no reason to think that we are better than another person. Prayer is one of the ways that we can combat anger, pride and conflict in our lives. Do you pray for those around you?
Ephesians 2:19-22 challenges our default way of living individualistic lives, where we easily live for ourselves and insist that we are right, and think we know the right way of doing things. The Bible combats this thinking and reminds us that when we approach brothers and sisters in the church, we are fellow citizens, knitted together in the love of Jesus and it is there, that we find the strength to love one another, by standing on the cornerstone that is Christ.
(C) Relationships: To Be Urgently Mended, with the Gospel of Christ (Matt 5:24-26)
Jesus provides a second example in Matthew 5:25-26 that is different from the first example in Matthew 5:23-24? In this second example Jesus says that if you are on the way to court for trial, stop, and come to terms quickly with your accuser. Importantly, this moves from a brother in the first example, to even an accuser. This shows that even with our enemies (as opposed to brother in the previous example), we must find reconciliation. There is also a sense of urgency in this second example.
Coming to court can be a deeply angry and emotionally charged process. Many things are urgent, but seldom is forgiveness one of those things. It is instead, often a foregone conclusion. We are shown here that we should not delay in resolving conflict and in reconciling with even our enemies. Overall, this emphasises the importance of human relationships in the Bible. Not only are they a priority, they are an urgent priority.
This is very different from how the world views things. Often, what is urgent is determined by us and we tend to prioritise our work, finances, health etc are the urgent matters that I need to attend to. Jesus’ teaching flips this around and shows us that our relationships with others are of central and urgent importance.
These verses also warn that there are consequences if we do not reconcile. This idea of being handed over to the judge, guard and then put in prison where you will pay until the last penny shows us a number of things. First, we should reconcile before things get out of hand. Once this person goes to court, the time for reconciliation will have elapsed and there is nothing left but judgment
Second, there are serious ramifications if we do not put right our relationships. If we insist on going to court, in conflict, in insisting on our anger and conflict, then we will suffer, we too will be forced to pay our debts. The consequences of failing to let go of human conflict and forgive are so serious that they can be eternal as seen in Matthew 5:26. The emphasis in this section is on finality as not one single wrong will go unpunished (pay to the last penny).
Why is reconciliation in this context hard? Because we always think that we are in the right and our enemies are in the wrong. In our hurt, we are often calculative and can insist that this wrong and debt be paid. This is what Jesus is addressing here — if we insist that the debt and wrong against us be paid, we too, will need to pay for our sins before God.
How do we find the strength to forgive? We don’t find it in ourselves or our efforts. Instead, we look at the cross, we don’t see someone insisting on what is deserved. We instead see a Saviour who voluntarily takes on the debts that we accumulated, the wrath that we deserved and all the pain and suffering that we deserved, so that we, not he, would find forgiveness and reconciliation.
Matthew 5:21-26 is meant to show us that high standard of righteousness that we have failed, but also a Saviour that has paid it all for us. You and were on the way to Court, where we would surely find condemnation, before Jesus intervened. The good news of the gospel is that we, though enemies of God, were forgiven much at Christ’s expense and this helps us to forgive others and reconcile with them too. It is hard for us to hold on to anger when we look at the cross and see what Christ has done for us.