“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” … Micah 6:8
Preface
This blog post is a continuation of my study and analysis of the commands of Jesus. Our selected Scripture is:
Matthew 5:23-24
“If therefore you are presenting your offering to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.“
The Word Became Flesh
The Holy Scriptures has many ways of introducing Jesus to the world during His inauguration, but none so profound than these words, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14.
The Master’s actual words that He spoke in Matthew 5:17 is His very own affirmation of this truth. In speaking these words He did so not that He doubted His identity; no throughout His public proclamation, He was always surrounded by those who doubted Him, those who hated Him, who misunderstood Him, those who were threatened by Him, and those who needed and believed on Him! He is on record as stating:
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthew 5:17. To His very own people and eventually the entire world, Jesus is offering Himself as the complete embodiment of the Word. He not only communicates it openly, He fully demonstrated the Word of God before all humanity while never invalidating the Law and the Prophets.
The centrality of the truth that Jesus is the “Living Torah” essentially exposed the systemic evils, improper interpretations of the Torah, and the lifeless religious practices of His day and our today as well.
The New Covenant movement of Jesus created the necessary healthy enmity between the man-made religious systems and the spiritual aspects of the Kingdom of God that He implemented.
Murder Begins In The Heart
Space will not permit me to communicate at this time, the essential major differences of the legalistic practice of the Law versus the Spiritual intention of the Law. The former kills thus enslave while the latter brings life and freedom. Perhaps the best reference is 2 Corinthians 3:6.
Jesus comes as the embodiment of the Living Word of God was revolutionary in many ways, namely, He leads fallen humanity into a New Covenant spiritual induced abundant life, or life “to the full. John 10:10 He does so initially by revealing the divine spiritual meaning of the Torah.
One of my most very intriguing discoveries is noted in Jesus’ statement about Matthew 5: 22-23. I do not think that it is not a misinterpretation on my part in suggesting that He was referencing events that predated the written Word of God. Even though in Matthew 5: 21-22, there are two references [Exodus 20:13; and Deuteronomy 5:17] about the Law concerning the act of murder, the setting of our verses 23-24, took me back to the horrific events in Genesis 4:7.
This story of Cain’s misplaced anger toward God for rejecting his offering in worship, while accepting his brother’s Able, leads to the first recorded murder in Scripture. God, speaking directly to Cain, disclosed the unprovoked hate and jealousy toward Able his brother, attempted to intervene by warning Cain, “sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” [v 4:7]
In the Genesis account of this event, the term to slay [harag] is used to communicate the unlawful action between Cain and Able. The term [harag] is also used to imply, to do murder or to kill a human being. However, about the “Law of Murder,” verse 21 uses an entirely different meaning of murder in the text. Murder in verse 21 is translated as [phonos], which according to Young’s Analytical Concordance implies, “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,” or, full of envy, debate, deceit, malice, evil speech, rumor, or report.
Jesus’ words now are clearer in verse 22, in that just as God spoke directly to Cain’s heart, Jesus speaks these words to the heart of those gathered before Him, “but I say to you that everyone angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court.”
There is not any fullness of God’s righteousness within the heart of anyone who has uncaused anger toward another human being. Such condition according to Jesus was worthy of the same punishment of the literal act of slaying a human being.
Jesus is revealing that the Spirit behind the Law of Murder is anger in the injurious language that flows from the heart. It is an act of deadly sin because it is without cause; thus is unjustly, rashly, hastily; where no offense has been given or intended. This is the evil in which this passage exposes as the very same violation as the sixth commandment of the written Torah.
Soul-care note:
We are and each of us has and will get angry. Anger is a proper strong expression of irritation or displeasure. Depression, anxiety, fear, and grief drain the body of emotional and physical energy, anger, on the other hand, releases energy into the nervous system. This action of becoming a person of action is what must become mastered and controlled. “Be angry, and do not sin.” Eph. 4:26
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Having the Right Heart of Worship
As Jesus conveys in verse 23 when anyone comes before God in worship, one’s heart must be righteous out of love and not out of duty. As was the case with Cain’s offering to God, each of us is required to ask and seek out corrective measures to overcome those things within our hearts that are deadly or ungodly.
Those individuals who refuse to reexamine their motive when presenting their offerings of worship to God, will not be received. According to the text, anyone who is unable to discern the inner evil at work within the heart is practicing legalism for their outward behavior is only religious and not transformative.
Jesus’ message is central to those who have been spiritually renewed by replacing a heart of stone, with that of a contrite heart. He commands that those who bring their offerings and gifts to the alter, do so out of willing obedience of love and devotion instead of legalistic religious sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22
The New Covenant mandate for true worshippers of God is to always be mindful of one’s heart condition. If anyone has gone so far as to bring their gift to the altar, it is to their advantage to perform a spiritual inventory first. Examine thyself and if you recall that anyone had anything against you, it is your responsibility to seek out and then become reconciled with that person.
The Renewed Law of Murder by Jesus states that anyone who comes to worship God who is filled with malice, hatred, envy, jealously, and are at war with their brother, neighbors, etc., is hypocritical and will meet with God displeasure and His rejection.
First, be reconciled!
Who but the Living Word Jesus Christ, who came and now dwells among us and in us required such a provocative commandment. To be in right standing before God through Christ, Jesus requires that each follower must make right or settle the difficulty or conflict that exists between those whom you and I have harmed. Or if for no just cause, you have injured or wronged another, all of which must be settled.
- Only then can true worship to God will be acceptable.
- We can only worship God when we have ultimate inner peace in our heart with others.
- We are expected to seek after reconciliation with others when we have injured them.
- This is to done prior to our attempt to entering into worship and praise to God.
Thanks to God who through Christ Jesus, we all have been reconciled into Himself, thus we all are without excuse, for within the Kingdom of God, we are blessed with the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18
The ministry of reconciliation involves the proclamation of the Gospel and its assurance that forgiveness of sin is available in Christ. Sin prevents us from having a relationship with God, but Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross made atonement for sin (Hebrews 2:17) and brought harmony to mankind’s relationship with Him. Jesus reconciled us to God. Now we can proclaim that people can repent of their sin and be right with God again through faith in Jesus (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:20–21).
Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is your God. –Martin Luther
Amen!
Postscript Notes:
Another additional finding according to the Jewish tradition/worldview or perspective concerning evil speech is a term: Lashon hara.
Lashon Hara is any derogatory or damaging statement against an individual. In Hilchot Deot 7:5, Maimonides supplies a litmus test for determining whether something is or isn’t Lashon Hara:
Anything which, if it would be publicized, would cause the subject physical or monetary damage, or would cause him anguish or fear, is Lashon Hara.
The rabbis [of classical Judaism in late antiquity], in inveighing against it, often resorted to hyperbolic language, e.g. in saying that slander, talebearing, and evil talk were worse than the three cardinal sins of murder, immorality, and idolatry. https://torah.org/learning/halashon-review1/
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo