Will Anger Lead Me to Punishment?

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘you fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Matthew 5:21-22

Namaste is a common way of greeting in our nation.  It comes from ancient Sanskrit.  It means “I bow to the divine in you.”  Literally it means that I recognize in you, not just the person I see on the outside, but that you are much more.

On the outside, I see you as a man or a woman.  I see your race.  I see how you dress, I can guess your age and your social status.  But you are more than that.  You are a precious, unique person, never before, never again to be made exactly as you are.  In Christian terms, you are “made in the image and likeness of God.”

When Jesus said “you have heard” Jesus was quoting the torah, the law of Moses, in fact, the ten commandments. The law of Moses, for them, was the law of God.  In the story, Moses received the law from God directly and brought it down Mt. Sinai and gave it to the people.

But what is Jesus doing in contrast to the law of Moses?  He is fulfilling it.  He is getting to the heart of the matter.  Getting down to the fundamental values, down to where no one can find loopholes or exceptions.  Down past where a lawyer could find a technicality.

To Jesus, murder was only the final act in a succession that begins with despising instead of honouring another person. It begins with anger that is not dealt with in a mature manner, and then goes to name calling.

When we are angry, we suffer.  And when we suffer, the natural and automatic thing we do is to to make the other person suffer.  So we say something sharp in reply, or do something – maybe even with our facial expression, or the roll of our eyes –  to inflict suffering in return.  And so the cycle of suffering and causing suffering continues.

Jesus had to tell this because they had convinced themselves, because they didn’t kill anybody they were holy, they were righteous.  Jesus blows that concept to bits.

Jesus simply says, it isn’t the issue of murder alone, it’s the issue of anger and hatred in your heart.  You cannot justify yourself because you don’t kill.  Because if there’s hatred in your heart, you are the same as a murderer. 

Jesus says, “If you’ve ever been angry or hated, you’re a murderer.”  And He uses three illustrations to reveal this sin in verse 22.  Let’s look at them.

The first illustration.  Jesus says, “You want Me to show you how serious this issue is?  Whoever is angry with his brother is in danger of judgment.”

There are times when a believer has a right to be angry.  But here He’s talking about selfish anger. And when you hold a grudge against somebody, when you hold a bitterness against somebody, you are as guilty, says Jesus, as the person who takes a life, and you deserve the same judgment.  If you are angry with your brother, you are in danger of judgment.  There shouldn’t be any difference.  It’s just as serious.

In the second illustration Jesus says, If you’re angry, you are in danger of execution.  Capital punishment should belong to you for anger just as much as for murder. 

In the third illustration Jesus says even calling your brother or considering him a fool will make us liable to the hell of fire.

Contempt, says our Lord, is murder in the heart, and the death penalty is equally deserved.  Dear Friends  what Jesus is saying is that - what you feel inside is enough to damn you to eternal hell as much as what you do on the outside. 

Dear friends this Lenten Season let examine our relation with our fellow brothers and sisters? Is there anger in us towards anyone? Let us ask God to help us to be freed from anger and protect us from judgment.

May the Lord help us. God Bless you