It Begins in The Heart

This post is part of my “Join Me on The Mountainside” series.

In my previous post, I discussed how Jesus came to fulfill the law, and how He said our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. In this post, I’ll take a closer look at Matthew 5:21-30 which will help flesh out what Jesus meant by what He said earlier.

You have heard that it was said…

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’
- Matthew 5:21 NKJV

Most of you are probably familiar with the 10 commandments. They can be found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. Here Jesus references the 6th commandment. Some translations say kill, but murder seems to be a better translation.

“Murder” is the correct rendering since the underlying Hebrew (ratsach, sometimes translated “kill”) did not include killing in self-defense, wars ordered by Yahweh, capital punishment following due process of law, or accidental manslaughter.
- Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 106.

Jesus quotes a familiar law and one where there is little argument. Most cultures around the globe would agree that murder should not happen. However, Jesus expounds on this law, He brings about a fuller understanding of how we ought to behave as followers of God. If our righteousness is to surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees it is not enough to simply not commit the act of murder.

But I say to you…

“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
- Matthew 5:22 NKJV

According to Jesus, the true application of the prohibition was much wider. Jesus includes thoughts and words, as well as deeds, anger, and insult as well as murder. Jesus gives us a fuller understanding of God’s law, or God’s desire for our lives. As followers of God, we should not be content with simply not having murdered anyone recently, but our aim should be higher, to not experience hate toward another.

Matthew 5:22 is one of those verses where there is some variance regarding ancient manuscripts and some of them do not have the phrase “without cause” but the main point remains clear either way.

A strong manuscript tradition (D, L, W, f1, f13, etc.) adds the phrase “without cause” following the word “brother.” This phrase is usually viewed as a later textual addition, but it nevertheless gives the correct interpretation. There is a righteous indignation against sin (as esp. with Jesus versus the money changers in the temple—21:12–17), and God himself is properly wrathful (cf. 18:34; 22:7). 
- Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 106.

The possible issue with including the phrase “without cause” is that some might take it as permission to be angry with the brother who did something to deserve it. On the other hand, not all anger is necessarily sinful. For examples of anger that is directed towards sin or evil and not directed specifically towards the person see Exodus 32:19 and John 2:14-17.

So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
- Exodus 32:19 NKJV

14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
- John 2:14-17 NKJV

If you would like to explore further what Jesus had to say regarding how to treat our brother see Mathew 5:44; 7:3–5; 12:49–50; 18:15, 21, 35; 23:8; 25:40; 28:10.

Some interpret “brother” as a fellow believer, but since Jesus will tell His listeners to love their enemies in a few verses (Matthew 5:44) I would not limit Jesus’ use of “brother” to a reference to fellow believers but rather to everyone. If we refer to God as “our Father” (Matthew 6:9) then other humans are our brothers and sisters.

Raca?

“Raca” (a quasi-swear word in Aramaic). The expression probably meant something like empty-headed. So too those who call someone a “fool” commit a sin. This word (mōros) carries overtones of immorality and godlessness as well as idiocy.
- Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 107.

So we need to remember that the word “fool” had acquired both religious and moral overtones, being applied in the Old Testament to those who denied God’s existence and as a result plunged into reckless evil doing. (Psalm 14:1–4; 53:1–4)

The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good.
- Psalm 14:1 NKJV

There is also another approach to interpreting the word “mōre” translated as “fool.”

Alternatively, as some scholars suggest, mōre may transliterate a Hebrew word which means a ‘rebel’, an ‘apostate’ or an ‘outcast’. In this case, Tasker proposes the sentiment: ‘The man who tells his brother that he is doomed to hell is in danger of hell himself’. Ps. 78:8; Je. 5:23
- John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 84.

Hell?

Gehenna (“fire of hell”)—a reference to the valley south of Jerusalem in which children were slaughtered in Old Testament times and traditionally associated with a perpetually burning garbage dump in later centuries.
(Craig Blomberg, 107)

(For a deeper dive keep reading, or skip to the next heading)

Hell fire. Literally, “the Gehenna [Gr. geenna] of fire,” or “the hell of fire.” Geenna, “hell,” is a transliteration of the Hebrew ge’ ben hinnom, “valley of Hinnom,” or ge’ ben hinnom, “valley of the son of Hinnom” (Joshua 15:8), the valley to the south and west of Jerusalem that meets with the Kidron Valley immediately south of the City of David and the Pool of Siloam (see on Jer. 19:2). Wicked King Ahaz seems to have introduced the barbaric heathen rite of burning infant children to Molech at a high place called Tophet, in the Valley of Hinnom (2 Chron. 28:3), during the days of Isaiah. For a further description of these revolting rites see on Lev. 18:21; Deut. 18:10; 32:17; 2 Kings 16:3; 23:10; Jer. 7:31. Manasseh, a grandson of Ahaz, restored this practice (2 Chron. 33:1, 6; cf. Jer. 32:35). Years later good King Josiah formally desecrated the high places in the Valley of Hinnom, where this appalling form of worship had been conducted (2 Kings 23:10), so bringing it to a halt. In retribution for this and other evils God forewarned His people that the Valley of Hinnom would one day become “the valley of slaughter” for “the carcases of this people” (Jer. 7:32, 33; Jer. 19:6; cf. Isa. 30:33). Accordingly, the fires of Hinnom became symbolic of the consuming fire of the last great day of judgment and the punishment of the wicked (cf. Isa. 66:24). In Jewish eschatological thinking, derived in part from Greek philosophy, Gehenna was the place where the souls of the ungodly were reserved under punishment until the day of final judgment and rewards.

The tradition that makes the Valley of Gehenna a place for burning rubbish, and thus a type of the fires of the last day, appears to have originated with Rabbi Kimchi, a Jewish scholar of the 12th and 13th centuries. Ancient Jewish literature knows nothing of such an idea. The earlier rabbis base the idea of Gehenna as a type of the fires of the last day on Isa. 31:9. See Strack and Billerbeck, Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, vol. 4, pp. 1029, 1030.
- Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 335.

Words or Feelings?

Do you think Jesus had a problem with the words “raca” or “fool?” If that was the case then I could find other words to express the same sentiment and avoid judgment or hell fire. What if I choose to say, “idiot” or “nincompoop?” Would it be okay for me to call someone a witling?

If we were to study and try to figure out the precise degree of unholy feelings towards our brother that are indicated by the words Jesus used in the original language and proper historical and cultural context we would be embarking on an adventure in missing the point.

If murder is a horrible crime, malicious anger and insult are horrible too. 
- John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 86.

The main point is that Jesus goes far deeper than what we tend to interpret the law of God to mean. He traces murder to its dark lair in human hearts: hatred. The God we worship sees our heart and is concerned not only by the fruit, the actions, the actual murder, but also by the root, the hatred that starts the entire process. Hatred may not be accountable in an earthly court of law, but it is to have no place among followers of God. Anger will have to face the judgment of God.

Legalism?

 Jesus was not against the law and its principles, but rather against all performance-based religiosity generated by the legislative superstructure erected by the religious leaders in an attempt to help prevent the breaking of the law.

for example at Shabbath 3–6 in the Mishnah we note that a new lamp can be moved from one place to another on the Sabbath, but not an old one; hot food may be kept warm by covering with clothes, feathers or dried flax, but not by covering with damp herbs or straw—which could engender fresh heat (and thus ‘work’) on the Sabbath day. An ass may go out on the Sabbath day wearing its saddle cloth if this was fixed on before the Sabbath, but may not wear a bell even if it is plugged (that would be work for the ass). Goats may go out with a protective cloth on their udders if it is to keep them dry, but not if it is intended to collect the milk … and so forth. And all this was intended to preserve scribal righteousness.
- Michael Green, The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 93.

Jesus is not adding a performative aspect to the law. Jesus is not creating a list of words that are not allowed to be uttered, rather He is clarifying the heart and intention of the law.

In fact, so little are we to make of mere words, apart from the feeling which they express, that as anger is expressly said to have been borne by our Lord towards His enemies though mixed with “grief for the hardness of their hearts” (Mk 3:5), and as the apostle teaches us that there is an anger which is not sinful (Eph 4:26); so in the Epistle of James (Jam 2:20) we find the words, “O vain (or, empty) man”; and our Lord Himself applies the very word “fools” twice in one breath to the blind guides of the people (Mt 23:17, 19)
- Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 21–22.

Two passages that help clarify Jesus’ message are Ephesians 4:6 and 1 John 3:15

 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
- Ephesians 4:26 NKJV

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
- 1 John 3:15 NKJV

Here we see that not all anger is sinful and that hatred is compared to murder. My understanding of this is that someone’s behavior may upset you and cause you to experience anger, but you should not hate the person and wish them evil (damnation).

Worship and Relationships

23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
- Matthew 5:23-26 NKJV

What I take away from Jesus’ words is that his followers should avoid judgment by dealing honestly with sin. Not by trying to excuse it, or find loopholes, but rather by considering their hearts honestly and sincerely dealing with their sin.

 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
- Romans 12:18 NKJV

We cannot control the behavior of those around us, but as much as it depends on us we should strive to live in peace with those around us. If I am worshipping at church, giving offerings, returning my tithe, volunteering, and I remember that I wronged someone, I should go and do my best to make it right. We should not do this because someone is forcing us, but because we genuinely want to be at peace with those around us.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV

Now Jesus shifts His attention to the 7th commandment. Adultery specifically refers to sexual relations by a married person with a partner other than his or her spouse but verse 28 clarifies that Jesus is addressing sexual sin in general.

Jesus could be speaking of one who “looks at a woman with the intention of committing adultery” or to one who “looks at a woman for the purpose of getting her to lust after him.” 
- Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 108–109.

Jesus is not talking about a passing glance, or even noticing that someone is beautiful. What Jesus is condemning is the lustful thoughts and actions to have sexual relations with someone who is not that person’s spouse.

As the prohibition of murder included the angry thought and the insulting word, so the prohibition of adultery included the lustful look and imagination. We can commit murder with our words; we can commit adultery in our hearts or minds.
- John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 87.

Just to clarify, Jesus is not speaking against natural sexual relations within the confines of heterosexual marriage (between a biological male and a biological female). The Song of Solomon is part of the Bible after all. Jesus is speaking against sexual interactions outside of marriage (biblical marriage as described in Genesis 1:26-28).

For those who want to argue that Jesus is only talking about married men, insinuating that it is okay for a woman or single men to engage in lustful fantasies is missing the point. Jesus is saying that what you should not do, you should also not fantasize about. Don’t even think about it.

One of the Hebrew equivalents of the Greek word Jesus used for lust is translated as “to desire,” or “to take pleasure in.” The same word is translated as “covet” in the tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17) and “desire” in Deut. 5:21 and Isa. 53:2.

Christ was doubtless thinking of the tenth commandment when He warned against looking “on a woman to lust after her.” In other words, the man who orders his affections and his will in harmony with the tenth commandment is thereby protected against violating the seventh.
- Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 336.

Prevention?

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
- Matthew 5:29-30 NKJV

Is Jesus advocating for bodily mutilation as a means of salvation? (Matthew 18:8-9)

If the eye is the means by which the temptation reaches the heart, should we not remove the eye? But removal of the eye does not keep the heart from sinning. However, if we refuse to behold that which tempts us to sin we achieve the same results, avoiding the lustful thoughts.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I look upon a young woman?
- Job 31:1 NKJV

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27 NKJV

These Bible passages give us insights relating to this topic. We cannot control what is happening all around us, but we have a choice regarding the thoughts we dwell on and what we stare at.

The command to get rid of troublesome eyes, hands and feet is an example of our Lord’s use of dramatic figures of speech. What he was advocating was not a literal physical self-maiming, but a ruthless moral self-denial. Not mutilation but mortification is the path of holiness he taught, and ‘mortification’ or ‘taking up the cross’ to follow Christ means to reject sinful practices so resolutely that we die to them or put them to death.
- John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 89.

Are beautiful women an instrument of Satan to ensnare men? NO! Sometimes women are treated as if they are the problem. Jesus does not say “if you look at a woman to lust after her tell her to change her outfit.” Jesus places the burden on the beholder who is choosing to think lustful thoughts.

However, all of us, when we get dressed, we should consider the goal of our outfit. If we are aiming to cause others to lust after us, I would say we are also guilty.

My recommendation to men is to resist the temptation to objectify women. Look a the whole person. That beautiful person you are beholding is someone with dreams and aspirations. Someone with feelings, a history, and complex emotions, she is someone that Jesus loves and died to save. Someone who deserves your respect, protection, and help.

Sorry to my female readers, I do not have any recommendations for you. But this is a topic that is worth discussing further with a mature spiritual mentor. For my male readers, feel free to message me by leaving a comment on this blog or by reaching out through social media.

Conclusion

My takeaway from these passages is that it is not enough to simply not murder or commit adultery. Jesus wants us to move beyond that and live a life in harmony with those around us (as far as possible). We should not hate another person and wish them evil. We should not kill, but also not attack with words, and not harbor anger in our hearts towards others.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
- Matthew 6:15 NKJV

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
- 1 John 4:20 NKJV

Ultimately Jesus wants to transform our hearts. He does not want followers who are always wishing in their hearts that they could sin, and who would sin if they could get away with it. Jesus wants us to actually, sincerely, and honestly desire to live new lives, to die to the old self, and to be born new and transformed, and to have a heart that desires what God desires for us.

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
- Romans 6:6-7 NKJV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
- Galatians 2:20 NKJV