Sermon on the Mount | Week 1 | Great in the Kingdom of Heaven | Matthew 5:21-30
Anger
MATTHEW 5:21–26
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.”
Adultery
MATTHEW 5:27–30
“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.“
REFLECTION
In this section, Jesus goes deeper into what it means to be pure in heart. In verses 21–26 Jesus addresses one of the 10 commandments found in Exodus 20:2–17, “Do not commit murder.” It is easy to think, “Great! I have kept that one perfectly!” However, Jesus calls us to look at our hearts as well as our actions.
At the root of murder is an angry heart. And Jesus claims that the judgment reserved for actual murder is also reserved for the unkind and the hateful. This kind of anger interferes with our relationship with God. We must not let sin or bitterness overtake us. We can only worship God fully when we deal with the sin in our own hearts and our conflict with other people.
Jesus speaks of this again when talking about adultery. It is not enough to avoid the physical act of adultery. Jesus says we must flee, run from, every sinful and impure thought that could lead up to it. He says that a person who looks at another with lustful intent has already committed adultery in their heart. And he wants a life for us that is more satisfying than tiptoeing as close as we can to the boundary lines of sin. Jesus is asking us to do whatever it takes to rid our lives of the sin that trips us up.
What are some ways we “murder” the character of other people with our words and thoughts?
How can you take action to put your own sin to death?