Sessions 12 & 13 Notes Download

Matthew 5:21-22   You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

DO NOT COMMIT MURDER, the 6th commandment, is not a prohibition against taking all human life in any and every circumstance, but in particular against murder which is the unlawful premeditated killing of another human. Some contend that neither war nor capital punishment should be exempt from this prohibition because every human life holds inherent value. However, with this view retaliatory justice is ignored.

Genesis 9:6   Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.

Exodus 21:12   He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.

In the law, instruction is given about the death penalty for a number of injustices and always from a legal point of view and not for personal revenge. Jesus deals with the greater issue−how to avoid murder.

In Greek, two words are used for “anger” to communicate two aspects of anger. Orge is anger as a state of mind, and thumos is used to express an outburst of anger which attacks others. The word here (in verse 22) is anger as a state of mind.

Ephesians 4:26, 27, 31; Colossians 3:8

Psalm 37:8   Anger in the Hebrew literally means nose or nostrils meaning flaring of nostrils. The judgment for anger is the same as murder according to Jesus.

“You good-for-nothing” was translated in KJ as “Raca” which is an Aramaic word meaning empty or worthless (to demean someone’s character or worth). We might say “bonehead”, “numskull”, “nitwit”, “blockhead”. The word had both religious and moral overtones.

Angry thoughts and insulting words may never lead to the ultimate act of murder. Yet, they are tantamount to murder in God’s sight.

1 John 3:15   Everyone who hates [miseo] his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Two Greek words are used to communicate two aspects of “hate”. Ekthra is hate as inner disposition of the mind, and miseo is hate as an active ill will towards others.

Sin is not only in actions but also in our thoughts and words. Jesus elevates the standard from mere outward actions to issues of the heart. Anger and hate are serious issues that can lead to destructive outcomes. If we control the lesser, the greater will never happen. Jesus’ commands are deeper and more demanding in the sixth commandment.

Matthew 5:23-26  “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

If anger and insult are so serious and dangerous, we should treat them with utmost caution and address them without delay. The two illustrations are given − one is with the church and the other with a law court. One is with a brother and the other with an enemy. Immediacy of action is the point. Immediately, as soon as we are conscious of a broken relationship, we must take the initiative to mend the grievance or to pay the debt. Procrastination often opens the door for deeper problems. We are to be humble, righteous seekers, who are merciful and peacemakers.

Matthew 5:27-30   You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’ [the 7th and 10th commandments]; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

The prohibition of murder included angry and the insulting word, adultery includes the lustful look and imagination. We can commit murder with our words; we can commit adultery in our hearts and minds. He is not forbidding looking at a woman but looking lustfully. We know the difference between looking and lusting. This is not just referring to married men and adultery for it includes women, single people, and all forms of immorality.

If heart-adultery is the result of eye-adultery, then the only way to deal with the problem is at its beginning, which is our eyes.

Job 31:1, 7, 9   “I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

7 “If my step has turned from the way, or my heart followed my eyes, Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

Women, looking attractive is different than making yourself seductive.

Matthew 18: 8-9

Colossians 2:20-23   This is not to be taken literally like the third-century scholar, Origen of Alexandria. He went to extremes of asceticism, renouncing possessions, food, and even sleep. In an over-literal interpretation of this passage, he actually made himself a eunuch.

Pornography is a major problem today. Some of us are tempted with certain movies and others are not. Do not judge others.

Matthew 5: 31-32   “It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; [Deut. 24:1-4] but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Matthew 19:3-9. We should interpret the shorter in the light of the longer. Remember a lot of Jesus’ teaching was to confront the wrong doctrine propounded by the religious leaders. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, there was controversy about divorce between two rival rabbinic schools (that of Rabbi Shammai with a rigorous line and of Rabbi Hillel with a lax view). They questioned Jesus to see whose side he was on.