Matthew 5:21-26
21 "You have heard that it
was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder;
and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.'
Matt 5:21 (ESV)
Ø
Have heard-This will be a constant through the
passage. 27, 31,33, 38 and 43. Jesus is referring to the OT but now there is a
new law with motive behind it not just the action that we will be judged by.
Ø
Murder-Exodus 20:13, Barnes, “This literally
denotes taking the life of another with malice or the intention to murder him.”
Murder was wrong but the anger prompting the murder is wrong as well.
Ø Judgment-This
would occur for those who committed murder during those days. “This was
the tribunal that had cognizance of cases of murder, etc. It was a court
that sat in each city or town, and consisted commonly of seven members. It was
the lowest court among the Jews, and from it an appeal might be taken to the
Sanhedrim” Barnes
22 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.
Matt 5:22 (ESV)
Ø I Say-Jesus words were just as authoritative as the LAW.
McGee, “He is lifting himself up to be the lawgiver and the authority on the
Law.
Ø Angry-An anger without a cause, unjust and rash. A malice
that burns within ones breast and is poured out with all of its filth.
Ø Judgment-Not just earthly courts but also in the heavens
itself.
Ø The root of murder is that of anger towards another.
Ø The idea of the one who insults his brother is translated
Raca in some versions, it was a Syriac word expressive of great contempt and
denotes senseless, stupid or one of shallow brains. Verbal abuse of one another.
Ø Fool-Has the idea of more than just one who lacked wisdom
but also was used of those who were idolaters and guilty of great crimes.
Literally He was a rebel against God.
Ø Hell of fire-We are not just talking about earthly judgment
but the judgment of Hell itself. At one time outside of the city in Area of
Gehenna children were offered to the god Molech in flames. Drums would be
played to drown out the sounds of their cries. Later on it would be a place
where Israel’s garbage would be dumped and burnt continually. It would be used
for executions and to throw away dead carcasses. Fire was made in order to
destroy them as well as the garbage later on.
Ø Result: To the person who has this type of anger his
lifestyle is one that deserves the flames of Hell. Anger is NEVER something to
be proud of. No matter what our upbringing or culture was like do not take
pride in having an angry heart.
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember
that your brother has something against you,
Matt
5:23 (ESV)
Ø “This
transports us to the moment when the Israelite, having brought his sacrifice to
the court of the Israelites, awaited the instant when the priest would approach
to receive it at his hands. He waits with his gift at the rails which separate
the place where he stands from the court of the priests, into which his
offering will presently be taken, there to be slain by the priest, and by him
presented upon the altar of sacrifice." It is at this solemn moment, when
about to cast himself upon divine mercy, and seek in his offering a seal of
divine forgiveness, that the offerer is supposed, all at once, to remember that
some brother has a just cause of complaint against him through breach of this
commandment in one or other of the ways just indicated. —Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Bible Commentary What then were they supposed to do? GET IT RIGHT IMMEDIATELY,
NO DELAY!!
Ø
Your brother-In this passage if you
know that someone has something against you do not let it just go on. We are to
go to them immediately.
Ø
Don’t just go through the religious
motions but take care of your problems and then come to fellowship with the
Lord.
24 leave your gift there before
the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer
your gift.
Matt 5:24 (ESV)
Ø First, has the idea of to get thing right quickly with one
another as soon as possible. There is a sense of urgency here in the passage.
Ø Be reconciled-Don’t dismiss things with an excuse but run to
your brother and deal with the sin between you and him. In Matthew 11 we will
see the converse to this which is if a brother has offended us and we carry
that in our heart we are to go to him. No easy outs here.
25 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.
26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.
Matt 5:25-26 (ESV)
Ø Sometimes our sins against our fellow brothers will come to
a court of law here on earth and we are told do our best to get things right
with our brothers before it gets to that point. For if we are in the wrong we
will face judgment. ( I Cor. 6:6-7) In
the same way we will all appear before the Lord and he wants us to be clean
before judgment.
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