Red Letter Edition: The Power and Perils of Anger.

Have you ever been angry? I mean blood-boiling murder in your heart, angry. I have—and that is not a statement of pride. It does not take much to get angry. Human beings have the capacity for immense amounts of hostility and violence. Some of us might be incarcerated if not for the Lord’s intervention.

Anger is also sneaky. Someone ticks us off. At first, we just play it off like it’s no big deal, but, in our mind, and heart, we are already thinking about how to exact our revenge. Then our attitude toward that person changes. Whenever we see them, our blood pressure goes up, and we begin hoping this is the moment of vengeance.

Eventually, if we do not get control of ourselves, we start wishing that person was dead. Sure, we may never physically kill them, but we kill them in other actions: gossip, manipulation, slander - off-the-cuff remarks making them look small or dumb or uninformed.

Jesus tells us that, as His followers, we must surpass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. These religious people taught that only the actual murder of someone was wrong. Jesus, however, goes beyond the doing and points to the attitude of one’s heart. For those who name the Name of Christ, the murderous content of our hearts is serious.

Last week I wrote about how Jesus came to fulfill The Law and the Prophets. He often corrected the teachers of the law for their misinterpretation of God’s commands. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus is correcting these teachers' teachings about the command “thou shall not kill.”

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell (Matthew 5:21-22).

These two verses don’t require a great deal of interpretive prowess to understand. Jesus’s audience knows that command, “You shall not murder.” Committing murder brings judgment upon the murderer, that is, the death penalty. But it seems that Jesus is correcting the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees when He says, “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”

The teachers held the view that sin was limited to the actual act of taking someone's life, allowing for justification of actions that stopped just short of committing murder. This perspective implied that causing severe harm or injury, almost to the point of death, was deemed acceptable if it didn't cross the threshold into actual homicide. However, Jesus pushed the boundaries further by extending this concept beyond physical deeds to verbal expressions. Hear His words: “Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

Incredible! Jesus is emphasizing that it's not just unacceptable to engage in physical violence, but even the insults you speak, your very words, can steer you towards a path of sin.

Eugene Peterson interprets this verse in The Message Bible:

“I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother “Idiot!” and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell “stupid’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill” (emphasis mine).

Jesus aims to clarify that adhering to "The Law" extends beyond mere external actions; it's rooted in wholehearted obedience. His message significantly revolves around addressing the potential progression towards murder—a notion originating within an individual's heart and thoughts.

This prompts the question: "Is Jesus teaching us never to become angry?" Simply put, no! Jesus Himself displayed anger when He witnessed the exploitation of God's house for personal profit.

It seems evident that Jesus intends to convey that when feelings of anger and vengeance arise within us, as Christians adorned with God's righteousness and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we must arrest these thoughts and surrender them to Christ before they steer us toward un-Christian conduct.

Indeed, certain matters deserve our anger. Just this week, I felt intense anger upon discovering that an individual was attempting to tarnish the reputation of our church (and mine) to fellow ministers in our ministerial network. However, I cannot permit this anger to steer me toward harmful actions. It's imperative that I rein it in, channeling the anger constructively. I must take this anger captive and seek a path to guide the person toward recognizing the truth (if they're open to it).

Let’s read on...

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Now, pay attention to this keyword: "Therefore." Jesus is combining His prior statements from Matthew 5:21-22 by outlining the precise response expected from believers when the temptation arises to label someone as “Raca” (stupid, idiot, or fool).

Consider this passage within the context of The Law. Each sin mandated an offering presented at the Lord's altar. This offering represented a worshipful action fostering reconciliation between the offender and God.

Jesus might be yet another misinterpretation propagated by religious leaders: the notion that rectifying things solely with God suffices while neglecting reconciliation with one's fellow believers or community members. This perspective could be summarized as: "Just adhere to the Law, appease God, and pay little heed to your connections with other believers or community members."

This teaching finds prevalence in today's churches: "Just repent to God, accept His forgiveness, and all will be well!" However, that's just part of the equation. Indeed, God forgives, but He equally demands that we "live in peace with all men" (Romans 12:18). The message is straightforward—we must make efforts to reconcile with those we've wronged.

I'm not oblivious to this fact: Reconciliation requires two people. However, regardless of whether we've been wronged or have done the wronging, the Law of Love binds us—we're obliged to foster reconciliation actively. Jesus conveys to His listeners that mending ties with others is equal to restoring our relationship with God. In fact, Jesus instructs us to seek resolution with our brother or sister before seeking reconciliation with Him.

If we've permitted anger to overpower us, if our words have inflicted hurt on others, if we've yielded to our emotions' control, it's imperative that we act—repent and reconcile. This must happen before that anger and resentment deepen, resembling a cancer that corrodes our relationship with God and jeopardizes the well-being of our fellow brothers and sisters.

Next week, we'll examine Matthew 5:25-26, where Jesus summons us to address anger quickly and head-on.

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