You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment"

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

- Matthew 5:21-26

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught:  "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire."  In yesterday's reading (above), Jesus referred to the Law and the Prophets, and specifically the letter of the law ("one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled").  Here Jesus begins with the statute against murder found in Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17.  He uses a kind of formula in speaking in the following passages, and it begins here with but I say to you.  My study bible calls this a statement of total, divine authority (7:29).  As Christ is Creator of man and the Author of the Law, He can speak with such authority.  There is also anger that is not sinful (Psalm 4:5, Mark 3:5).  But here Jesus forbids sinful anger, and identifies it with murder.  The council is the supreme legal body among the Jews (also called the Sanhedrin).  Raca is an Aramaic word that means empty, indicating stupidity or empty-headedness.  Fool is translated from a word that has similar meaning but perhaps to a greater degree, implying brainlessness or one who lacks the capacity for intelligent thought (in Greek it is the word from which English derives "moron").  My study bible adds that hell (in Greek, Gehenna) is the final condition of sinners who resist God's grace. 

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  My study bible says that peace with other believers is a requirement for worship (Mark 11:25).  The liturgical "kiss of peace" (often called fellowship) at the beginning of the eucharistic prayer is a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness, which prepares the faithful in order to offer the holy gifts at the altar (1 Corinthians 16:20, 1 Peter 5:14).

"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."  My study bible notes here that Luke places this teaching in the context of the end of the age (Luke 12:57-59).  Here, it is in the context of reconciliation surrounding the Liturgy.  The images here suggest judgment, and therefore also gives echoes of the context of Luke.  A delay in reconciliation, my study bible adds, will allow for the spread of animosity and also other evils (Ephesians 4:26-27).

What is righteous anger?  What is sinful anger?  Moreover, how do we distinguish between the two?  Jesus says that "whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment."  We are reminded then to ask, what is a just cause?  People can be angry for all kinds of reasons that they give themselves:  some are reasonable, and others merely selfish.  But often, when our own motives cloud judgment, it is hard to know the difference.  And, we should add, it is so easy to rationalize or equivocate.  One thing that is unmistakable in today's text is the equivalence Jesus gives to words (or insults) and a physical act of violence -- or more specifically, murder.  It tells us something about what we do spiritually or emotionally to another when we insult and call names.  We might not be doing a physical injury, but it's easy to understand the vulnerability involved in a possible soul injury.  Jesus seems to be calling us onto the carpet to bring our attention to the things we do that cause harm -- even when we don't see it and think about it.  And this isn't just a harm to another person.  It is, in effect, a harm to relationship, and through that relationship, a harm to community.  Placing insults in the context of the Eucharist, or of the Liturgy, Jesus speaks of harm within the community, a kind of poison based in injustice (being angry without a cause).  He warns us of the consequences and dangers of prolonged feuding or acrimony:  "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."  Sometimes it is necessary to "agree to disagree" rather than risk a greater degree of harm within the context of relationship and community.  Even if we are in the right, one cannot discount the risk of greater harm coming through increasing strife, insult, and the resulting anger that is sure to come.  For those who are right, and for those who are wrong, there is in fact a similar danger.  The temptation to sin remains, and more damage continues.   A peaceful separation, in such a context, can be preferable to continued and escalating acrimony.  It also gives us time to calm down, to pray, and even to forgive as best we can, even if reconciliation isn't possible.  But we are assured that "you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny" -- one way or another, we pay for missteps, we have lessons to learn, and we're not going to be truly free until we accept whatever they are and follow through.  Let us also note that the kind of insults and name-calling that Jesus mentions involve shame.  These sorts of insults are not clearly stated accusations of wrong-doing.  They are assassinations of character and of a person (note the word "assassination" and its tie to the concept of murder).  They are designed to destroy internal integrity, and when publicly made, to do so in front of community.  Therefore they work as further prompts to anger in an opponent, and to escalate tension and the risk of violence, either emotionally or physically.   Thus, they promote more danger to community and risk further broken relationships.  Jesus Himself, let us remember, did not shirk from telling the truth, even when it would cause division, but He did so at the appropriate time and within the context of a prayerful life, always seeking God's will in doing so and not His own.  This expression would also come in the context of a greater sacrifice on His part for the good of the entire communion and for the life of the world.   The ultimate judge is God, and therefore what Christ calls us to ultimately is mindfulness -- the awareness of God's presence with us at all times.  Before the altar, of course such is true.  In the Liturgy and in the context of the Eucharist it is the same.  And at all times, both in worship and in private, our angels are with us -- and in prompting us to true mindfulness, Jesus in effect teaches us to always be aware of such, even when we find ourselves most angry.  The difference between a righteous and a sinful anger perhaps lies just there:  can we keep ourselves mindful of the presence of God and of God's angels helping us to go through it prayerfully and asking for God's will to be known that we may follow?  Jesus reminds us of the Judge for a reason.  Let us be called to the awareness He asks.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder'

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

- Matthew 5:21-26

We are reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  We began with the Beatitudes, then You are the light of the world.  Yesterday, we read that Jesus taught, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire."  Jesus has just said that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill.  Here He begins with the law against murder (see Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17).   Jesus elaborates on the law repeatedly in the following passages with the formula but I say to you.  My study bible calls this a statement of total, divine authority (7:29).  As Christ, the Son, He is both Creator of man and Author of the Law; this is how He speaks with this kind of authority.   There is anger which is not sinful (Psalm 4:4, Mark 3:5), but here Jesus forbids a sinful anger, which He identifies with murder.  The council was the highest legal body among the Jews.  Hell is "Gehenna" in the Greek (see also 10:28), the final condition of sinners who resist God's grace.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."   My study bible tells us that peace with other believers is a requirement for worship (Mark 11:25).  The ancient "kiss of peace" (which in the West today often means a handshake) comes at the beginning of the eucharistic prayer; as a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness, it is preparation to offer the holy gifts at the altar (1 Corinthians 16:20, 1 Peter 5:14).

"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."  In Luke's Gospel, this teaching comes in the context of the end of the age (Luke 12:57-59);  here it's in the context of reconciliation, which also places it within the Liturgy.  A delay of reconciliation, says my study bible, allows animosity to spread, as well as other evils (see Ephesians 4:26-27). 

The ancient Law was designed to give community to the Jews, to form and shape a society for the "people of God."  Here, Jesus' emphasis takes on the shape of the emphasis of community, the power of love working through community.  A statute against murder becomes a powerful parallel against a sinful kind of anger and its potential effects.  This extends both among individual personal relationships, and through to community in Jesus' teachings.   He begins with name-calling.  "Raca" is an insult (from Aramaic), meaning "empty" and used to indicate worthlessness or stupidity.  If we extend the understanding of name-calling, we know that it is frequently used both to provoke and to demean, cutting down a person in a psychological or spiritual form of murder.  Indeed, if one is reasonably upset or angry about something, the effective ways of expressing exactly what is wrong in a responsible way would not be to use this type of personally insulting language.  More recent psychological understanding of verbal abuse in domestic, parental, or other relationships tend to support Jesus' view of equivalence to murder; there is no more dire warning to us about the use of demeaning language and uncalled-for insult than in the potential results of such abuse and its attack on peace, both within relationships and to individuals.  We see it socially as well; how often does insult and name-calling lead to murder and destruction of community, particularly where gang proliferation (for instance) is high, or anyplace where social standing will be defended with violence or even through other means that destroy peace within community?  To be reconciled as quickly as possible thereby becomes a deeply sensible advocacy, something we should wish to cherish if we cherish our communities.  A Christian needing to pick out enemies within community is problematic.  There are always ways to express discomfort or injustice (Jesus will explicitly give instructions for correction among believers, including forgiveness) which avoid such a route.  To correct or point out an injustice is one thing; to humiliate and shame is another.  As for festering anger in which peace is not established, there is no telling what results may come over time as grievances are allowed to grow and be nursed by yet more real or perceived injustice.  It is important to see justice at the root of these teachings, as well as Jesus' great knowledge of human nature which we can see played out around us every day, if we but look around.  All of this ultimately is about love, love at work in community, and what is best for community in that light.  As His followers, we cannot correct everything and everyone around us, but we can at least do our best to play our part and follow His words and teachings seriously.  Let us remember how much He says depends on it.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder"

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

- Matthew 5:21-26

This week, we have begun reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus preached:  ""Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire."  Here, my study bible tells us:  "But I say to you indicates Jesus' authority (7:28-29).  Jesus, the Son of God, acting with the Father, created human nature and gave the law of the Old Testament.  As the Old Law is fulfilled in the New Law, so human nature is healed by Christ.  Jesus forbids sinful anger (see Ps. 4:4 and Eph. 4:26 for anger, or righteous indignation, that is not sinful), identifying such anger with murder.  The council is the supreme legal body among the Jews.  Hell (Gr. Gehenna) is the final condition of sinners who resist God's grace."  Raca is an Aramaic word meaning "empty head."  The word for you fool in the Greek is our root for moron.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."   My study bible tells us:  "Peace with other believers takes primacy over duties of worship (Mark 11:25).  In early Christian worship the liturgical 'kiss of peace' at the beginning of the Communion prayers - not after - was a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness, preparing the Church to offer and receive the Eucharist (1 Cor. 16:20; 1 Pet. 5:14)."

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."  A note reads:  "Luke 12:57-59 places this teaching in a context dealing with the end of the age; here it is in the context of reconciliation.  In both cases it is clear that quarrels must be settled quickly, not allowed to continue.  Delaying reconciliation and good works gives room for the working of more evil (Eph. 4:26-27)."

Anger is a difficult and complex emotion.  We can be angry about all kinds of things, both just and unjust.   But where Jesus begins is with name-calling that comes from the quick flash of anger, ad hominem attacks (calling someone a moron) that do nothing but fan the flames of disagreement and clashing.  This form of anger provokes, and is akin to murder precisely because it is a deliberate attack upon the person, and not the issue or behavior in dispute.  This is the wrong way to express any anger, justified or not.  If we've done something to cross this line, moreover, Jesus suggests that as we approach the altar, we'd best repair the damage on the way!  Whether our "cause" is justified or not, we can surely apologize for something stupid we've done in the heat of anger.  I know many people who expect that, with time, all insults will be forgotten.  But it doesn't really work that way.  Modern psychology tells us of the damage done to others from name-calling, things that truly diminish and disrespect a person, as opposed, let's say, to teaching about bad behavior.  This name-calliing (a form of abuse) creates a harmful effect to the whole person and when it becomes a habit has the effect of brutality upon someone.  An apology goes a long way to help remedy such a situation, rising above the personal, and holding the door open to an honest discussion about what the problem truly may be.  Jesus warns us here that we are responsible for what we do, and that we will pay the fullness of the price in an improper wounding of others.  In fact, this entire passage is Jesus' expression regarding the statute against murder, and what it means to say that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (see yesterday's reading).   I believe that it is important to keep in mind that Jesus' ministry is one that takes the chief form of healing on every level.  Peace and reconciliation, or an attempt to resolve a problem in the full light of truth rather than personal attacks, become yet another act of healing.  Righteousness and truth cannot be separate from healing.  Even forgiveness, another act of healing, doesn't take place separate from truth -- even if one party refuses to acknowledge it.  Let us remember that Jesus' teachings are for our betterment, our good.  Let us become the people He calls us to be, and take His words seriously. 

I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment

 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' Shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.  Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."

- Matthew 5:21-26

We are reading the Sermon on the Mount, which will continue through chapter 7 in Matthew's Gospel.  Jesus began with the Beatitudes, then  He taught His disciples that they are to be the salt and light of the world, and said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven."    On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.  For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

  "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.  And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' Shall be in danger of the council.  But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire."  My study bible says that "But I say to you indicates Jesus' authority (7:28-29).  Jesus, the Son of God, acting with the Father, created human nature and gave the Law of the Old Testament.  As the Old Law is fulfilled in the New Law, so human nature is healed by Christ.  Jesus forbids sinful anger (see Ps. 4:4 and Eph. 4:26 for anger, or righteous indignation, that is not sinful), identifying such anger with murder.  The council is the supreme legal body among the Jews.  Hell (Greek Gehenna; see 10:28) is the final condition of sinners who resist God's grace."  "Raca" literally means "empty head" in Aramaic.  Interestingly, in the Greek the word for "You fool!" is the same root for the word Jesus uses of salt that has become enfeebled, or lost its savor in the earlier reading on the salt and light of His disciples. 

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way.  First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  A note tells us that "peace with other believers takes primacy over duties of worship (Mark 11:25).  In early Christian worship the liturgical 'kiss of peace' at the beginning of the Communion prayers -- not after -- was a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness, preparing the Church to offer and receive the Eucharist (1 Cor. 16:20; 1 Peter 5:14)."

"Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.  Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."  My study bible tells us, "Luke 12:57-59 places this teaching in a context dealing with the end of the age; here it is in the context of reconciliation.  In both cases, it is clear that quarrels must be settled quickly, not allowed to continue.  Delaying reconciliation and good works gives room for the working of more evil (Eph. 4:26-27)."

In today's reading, Jesus comes first to the subject of anger in His expansion on the Law.  He takes the statute against murder and expands it for us to understand more deeply.  To my mind, Jesus doesn't just expand "sinfulness" to include our thoughts, but rather expands an understanding of what leads to sinful acts -- especially here, murder.  To provoke others to anger unnecessarily, to assassinate others' character without a cause, to unjustifiably accuse, all of these things are akin to murder in our hearts in some sense.  Moreover, reason tells us that these things are the roots that lead to violence.  A quarrel that begins out of nothing can escalate to include the violence of murder.  We have only to witness the statistics on murder here in the United States, where most often the culprit may be a member of our family, our household, one of our neighbors -- this becomes more likely where there are weapons of violence at hand, which proves the point that Jesus is making here.  But there is a deeper level of murder in the heart, and that is a hatred without a cause, the unrighteousness that Jesus points out here.  There's something else similar to this type of murder, and that is a form of envy that simply wants to cut out the other person, substituting oneself in their place.  I believe that Jesus speaks of these things not out of a spirit of condemnation of each of us for what is in our hearts, but more out of a sense that He is teaching us what it takes to make for peace.  It's interesting that my study bible points out that His final teachings in verses 25 and 26 appear in Luke in connection with the end of the age.  We find a similar connection with the intent to teach on peace in Luke's Gospel when Jesus laments over the fate of Jerusalem:  As He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes."  (See My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.)  Jesus expands the teachings on righteousness for us to understand that righteousness is right-relatedness.  Peace isn't simply a matter of two people agreeing, or even the absence of violence, rather it is a situation of reconciliation that includes God, that includes Christ, because true right-relatedness or righteousness includes much more than we think it does.  It goes more deeply into the heart of us than a mere focus on the outside of the cup, or what toeing the line of the letter of the law would include.  If we really want to get to the roots of our own violence, we need a kind of self-awareness that allows us to understand and to take responsibility for how we contribute to it, what we do to incite a bad situation rather than heal it, and more especially to examine our own role in what goes on around us.  Peace isn't just something between people, it's also a state of mind -- of reconciliation -- within ourselves, and in this Sermon Jesus will also teach us about prayer as a kind of reconciliation, a way to deal with our own pain and hurt and even anger, placing it in God's hands.  For today, the focus is on a kind of righteousness that is willing to practice accountability, and encourages us to be aware of ourselves.  Where do you stand in the things that make for your peace?  How does God help you with the kind of righteousness Jesus asks of us here?