RECONCILIATION BETWEEN MEN (Matthew 5:21-26)

Reconciliation between God and man was paid with the Blood of Jesus. Even reconciliation between men is also paid by the death of Jesus on the Cross. Faith in Christ crucified and resurrected is the only foundation for true reconciliation between men who were once enemies.

This passage is taken from the Sermon of the Mount, preached by Christ Himself. He exposes the wrong understanding of the Pharisees concerning God’s Law. He then preaches the correct way to interpret God’s Law. In this passage, the Pharisees said: ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ It looks good on the surface. They quoted one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not kill” (Exo 20:13; KJ). What is wrong? They added to God’s Law. They said, “whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment”. They refer to the judgment of the court. By adding this sentence, they weakened the original Commandment. They made it to be more a matter of justice among men than the judgment of God. They removed God from His Law. It was for their interest. Their thinking was that for as long as they did not actually kill a person, they have obeyed God’s Law and God is pleased with them. They obeyed legalistically and totally ignored the spirit of the Law. Clearly, they did not know the God who wrote the Law.

“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, ‘Raca (You empty-headed idiot)!’ shall be guilty before the supreme court (Sanhedrin); and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of the fiery hell” (Matt 5:22; AMP). Our Lord says that not only the criminal who kills a human being is guilty of murder. He says that causeless anger against any human being, and especially against a Christian, is equal with murder. It means that murder starts in the heart. It may not manifest in physical killing, but for as long as that anger, bitterness and grudge stays in the heart, God calls it murder. The heart is the source of evil. “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt 15:18,19). The Lord joins evil thoughts and murders. In any way you despise a person in your heart, you have killed that one. Also, murder is not just physical killing. Anger can destroy someone’s joy, peace, reputation, or favor with men.

Showing contempt for another leads to murder. Telling someone “Raca” (meaning you worthless fellow, you empty headed idiot) is a crime. You are in danger of being judged by the Sanhedrin, the supreme Court in Israel at that time. If a man calls another “You fool” is in danger of being judged by God. A fool is not just one who is silly but one who rejects God (Ps 14:1). Telling someone “you are a fool” it means that you are saying “you go to hell”. Insulting another person is judged by God more serious than we imagine. Bitterness in the heart manifests as insults. Is anger always wrong? Jesus insulted the Pharisees and even called them “fools”. How do we reconcile these commands? Let us not forget that Jesus is the Savior of those who believe. The Pharisees rejected Him and His grace of salvation. Jesus is rejecting them totally, sending them to hell. He speaks as a Judge in the court. This is what He said in His High Priestly prayer: “You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (Jn 17:2). Jesus has authority over all men to send anyone to hell fire. He gives eternal life only to those who believe in Him, whom the Father has given to Him.

But we are not Jesus. When we get angry, we should be careful not to cross some boundaries. “BE ANGRY [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], YET DO NOT SIN; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]” (Eph 4:26,27; AMP). Anger is not a sin. It is a human emotion. Jesus always displayed righteous anger. It is a warning to control your emotion of anger. It is the duty of the believer to restrain his anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity” means that believers have the power to cooperate with the devil or to reject him. Sinful anger is a choice. We need to be soberminded. Understanding the devil’s strategy is vital in doing warfare. A foothold is a spiritual secure area that the devil can occupy, from which he can make further progress if not addressed. Tolerating the devil will lead the believer into greater compromise. Anger and bitterness are open doors to evil spirits to harm your character and testimony. Resisting the devil requires total submission to God’s will, God’s guidance and strength. “So, submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you” (James 4:7; AMP). The root of anger will become bitterness that leads to murder. Be angry against sin but never against the sinner. Solve your problems as fast as possible. Do not let anger stay in the heart to become bitterness. Do not use anger to avenge yourself. Anger that is too hot or lasts too long gives a place for the devil to enter and it becomes a sin to be judged by God. When angry, remember God. Forgive others! Guard your heart! Pray!

Anger blocks the way to worship. That is the greatest danger. It is not enough to say that you are not angry anymore. You need to take positive steps to reconcile with an offended person and make peace with him. God is the Judge of all. Confess your sins to one another. Pray for one another. As much as it is in your power, seek peace with all men. Do not delay. Fear God! Honor God! No anger is worth keeping when the price to pay is losing the privilege of worship. Selah!!!