The King's Children Seek Reconciliation

Introduction

Have you heard the phrase, “I’m so mad I could spit”? I heard that as a child growing up, usually from my mother, and have wondered where the expression came from. According to one source, it came from carpenters who would hold a mouthful of nails when doing work. The phrase was actually “I’m so mad, I could spit nails,” which now makes more sense. If an angry carpenter had to spit out the nails in his mouth in order to chew someone out, then it slowed down work and meant that the carpenter, by spitting out the nails, had to go retrieve the spit-out nails or other nails to continue working. Thus, it was an expression that capitalized on the intensity of anger.

Have you been angry enough to spit nails? Most of us have. Some reach levels of anger more quickly than others, but most of us have been angry enough to spit nails at some point in our lives. There are all kinds of reactions when we get angry. Some withdraw in their anger. You know they are seething, and you also know to keep your distance because the explosion is coming. Of course, some of us foolishly poke the bear until the bear erupts. Some of us become verbally volatile with our anger. Cursing, fuming, and shouting are all part of the verbal explosion of anger. Some are able to control their anger. They are angry but try to remain composed. Doesn’t that just make you angry?

We are studying the Sermon on the Mount. What we have noticed so far in our study is that Jesus is teaching about what his kingdom looks like. But the focus isn’t on the externals; the focus is on the internals. Jesus’ kingdom anticipates and calls on his followers to have a change of heart and attitudes. When the heart changes, then the externals will align with God’s will and desire. But life as the King’s child centers on having a heart that reflects the King. Honored to be his children, we long to reflect the beauty of our king.

You will recall that in 5:20, Jesus said that those who follow him will exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. These stalwart defenders and keepers of God’s law were viewed as the most spiritual among all the people. To exceed their righteousness would be impossible in the way the people viewed them. Beginning in verse 21, six times Jesus will say “you have heard it was said… but I tell you.” Each of those occasions is a time to demonstrate a higher form of righteousness than the Pharisees. It is a righteousness that comes from the inside—a righteousness of attitude. This is what God wants. To keep the externals didn’t mean that hearts were changed. God wants his children to be a reflection of who he is, not just on the outside but on the inside. And it is the internal attitudes that Jesus focuses on in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount. As we study today, we will focus on a changed heart in terms of anger. Let’s be encouraged.

The Text

Your Bible may have a manmade title to this section: “Murder.” Nothing wrong with that title, but let’s not assume that this is all Jesus is speaking of. He reminds his listeners that murder was against the will of God. Even the ancients taught this. Based upon the command not to commit murder, the ancients taught that to take the life of another human being would bring one into judgment. This was true. But the ancients focused on avoiding that which ended the life of another, and as important as that is, they missed the fuller intent of the command.

Jesus says, “But I tell you.” Remember, Jesus said he came to fulfill the law, not to abolish it. He wants to give us a clearer understanding of the law. And so he begins with murder. He says the intent of the law was not only to keep someone from taking the life of another but to control one’s attitude toward others. Anger would bring us into judgment. Anger? Is Jesus saying that anger as an emotion is bad? There were times in which Jesus was angry, but he did not sin. What is Jesus getting at?

The word anger means a smoldering, lingering, boiling type of emotion. It is this smoldering anger which lingers under the surface and from which violent actions often spring. This is the kind of anger that may lead to the act of murder. Jesus says it isn’t just the external act that will bring judgment but the internal attitude. There are some who seethe with anger. One doesn’t see it often; one can fool others into thinking that they are a decent human being. But under the surface is this lingering, boiling anger.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He says that the spirit of the command includes having choice words for another. The word “Raca” corresponds to the sound one makes as he clears his throat before he spits in someone’s face. While we may not spit in a person’s face, the intent is to show contempt for another. Furthermore, Jesus says calling another person “fool” is enough to demonstrate that the heart of anger is entrenched.

What is the point? To commit murder, to have this underlying anger, to show contempt for another, even to use language of anger speaks of the heart. All of these come from a heart in which another person is dehumanized. To take a person’s life means that you no longer value that human life. To speak contemptuously of another means that you no longer value the humanity of another. This is what anger does. It allows us to see another person as less than human. Who hasn’t been shouted at or treated in ways that resulted in feelings of being treated like dirt? This is the point Jesus is making. To keep the command not to kill another needs to be understood from the fuller intent—our attitude toward others needs to reflect our appreciation for others as human beings filled with worth and dignity. To be angry toward another, as Jesus describes, is to devalue another person.

Application

So what does Jesus say needs to happen? When you are aware of the time that you devalued a person and treated them as less than human, you need to seek out that person and make it right. This is the reflection of the attitude in 5:9. We are called to make peace with others, especially when we are the ones who have devalued the other.

When one spouse speaks critically or in a mean-spirited way to the other spouse, your attitude isn’t a reflection of the King. When a child speaks to parents as if the parents are no better than the dirt that occupies this earth, then the child doesn’t reflect the King. When a parent uses words to crush the spirit of their child—words like “stupid” or “can’t you do any better” or “you won’t amount to anything”—these words crush the spirit of the child, resulting in the child being devalued. This does not reflect the King.

When our words have devalued another, the King’s child seeks ways to make things right. If our attitudes are consistent with the King, then we seek ways to bring people together. The attitude that says “If they apologize then I will too” does not exist in God’s Kingdom. The King’s children search for ways to heal the hurt. Why are we so slow to seek reconciliation? Why are we so reluctant to assist in healing the hurts of others, especially when we are the source of that hurt? Pride. God says his children will have the attitude first of admitting spiritual poverty. This sets pride aside.

Verses 25—26 pose a point of real interest. The illustration suggests that the one who has angrily offended another did so through financial means. He might have taken advantage of another by making a financial deal that took money from another. Things have progressed to the point that the offended party is going to court to rectify the situation. Jesus says that one should settle quickly to avoid judgment. The implication is that one’s stubbornness or pride can lead to public as well as private humiliation.

Salt and light reflect the attitudes of the King. The King’s child searches for ways to bring honor to Father. Our attitude is to treat others with dignity and value. Anger takes away from these attitudes. We are people who are interested in bringing peace, not division. We are quick to bring healing. We will not hold on to our pride and stubbornness. So how do we do that?

We pray that we want to release our pride. Asking God to help you change your attitude is the beginning. It will not be easy, but it is necessary if you will be a peacemaker.

Tell your spouse, children, and trusted friend that you want to change. Nothing like accountability to make it real.

Learn to confess rather than suggest. Some have never learned to confess. “If I have hurt you” is not confession. It is a suggestion. Confession says “I hurt you and I am sorry.” God’s attitudes bring praise to him.

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