Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount (15)
Pray Psalm 42.1-3.
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So pants my soul for You, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they continually say to me,
“Where is your God?”
Sing Psalm 42.1-3
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
As the deer pants for fresh water let my soul, LORD, pant for You!
Let my soul thirst as it ought to for the Savior, ever true!
Tears by day have been my portion, tears by night have been my food,
While my foes add to my sorrow, saying, “Where now is your God?”
Read Matthew 5.1-48; meditate on verses 21, 22.
Did Jesus change or enlarge the commandment? What’s the difference?
Prepare.
1. To what does Jesus compare murder?
2. What kind of relationships does Jesus want us to have with our fellow believers?
Meditate.
Jesus has established righteousness as the defining characteristic of the blessed people of the Kingdom of God (vv. 13-20). But He warns that the righteousness He commands is not like that of the scribes and Pharisees—merely superficial, based on traditions rather than Scripture, and meant to be displayed for selfish gain. Jesus insists that true righteousness is inward, and in the rest of chapter 5, He will elaborate on what He means by that.
He begins with murder. Surely there were no murderers in that crowd gathered around Jesus. “Murder?” someone present may have thought. “Well, at least He’s not pointing the finger at me?” Then, BANG: If you fly off the handle at your neighbor and are angry for no just cause, you are just as much a murderer as if you clubbed him to death (vv. 21, 22). Unrighteousness begins in the heart, where our affections are lodged and nurtured, and from which our bodies are engaged. If our hearts are not right toward our neighbors, then we have broken the Law of God before we take the first step of outward sin!
The same is true with passing judgment: If you call your neighbor a fool, or talk about them as such, you have passed judgment on him. To refer to someone as a fool is to condemn them as not believing in God (cf. Ps. 53.1). Who are you or I to make that determination? We’ve transgressed in our thoughts and our heart by usurping a prerogative only God can exercise. We’ve set ourselves up as God in the very place of God and judged our brother, if only in our mind (v. 22).
And now we can see that all the “non-murderers” in the crowd around Jesus are beginning to squirm. We should, too, because our hearts are no different from theirs. We must exercise constant vigilance in our attitudes, and neither destroy our neighbor with anger nor condemn him by a judgmental spirit.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15.3).
And the eyes of the LORD see directly into each person’s heart.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish,
but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence/unrighteousness.
Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish,
that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matt. 23.25, 26).
We needn’t feel left out, sad, or sorry that Jesus didn’t include us in His diatribe of “Woes”.
We can rest assured that we fit right in with His words against them.
When we see these unfortunate behaviors and thoughts creeping stealthfully into our own lives
we must repent of them, and turn to righteousness.
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and
pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life,
to which you were also called…” (1 Tim. 6.11, 12).
Our hearts, at all times, must be clean before God.
Jesus struck a clear delineation between outward behaviors and inward thoughts;
and the permeating attitudes that foment them. Both are wrong—the outward being driven by the inward.
The spark, the match, the gasoline—all that lead to the fire and ultimate explosion—are equally culpable in God’s purview. All need to be doused at their source.
To call someone a name, as in the pejorative “raca”, meant they were observing a person to be devoid of sense—demeaning, as it were, their intellect or moral standing. It was rude, and obviously dealt with by the council; but was not as damnable as saying “you fool” which had the earmarks of salvific judgment. Then we are guilty of “usurping a prerogative only God can exercise”.
“Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
He who hates, disguises it with his lips, and lays up deceit within himself;
when he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
for there are seven abominations in his heart;
though his hatred is covered by deceit,
his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly” (Prov. 26.23-26).
God’s assembly. Right there is where it will all be revealed. What is really lurking in a person’s heart—the earthenware pottery heart covered over clumsily with silver; the hypocritical, happy-clappy heart, that just happens to be housing sinful abominations—that heart, the one God sees.
Jesus carefully warned His followers—Be aware. Be ready. Be vigilant with your heart (1 Pet. 5.8).
Then Jesus made a way for us to be righteous within!
“Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15.57).
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!” (2 Cor. 9.15).
Be obedient. God does, in fact, know us inside-out.
Reflect.
1. God sees our entire soul—heart, mind, and conscience. What do you want Him to see there today?
2. How would you counsel a new believer to practice vigilance over their soul?
3. What’s the most positive thing about knowing God sees your soul at all times?
Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. Matthew Henry (1662-17140), Commentary on Matthew 5.21-26
Pray Psalm 42.9-1
Weep and mourn for the condition of your heart, and ask the Lord to cleanse, renew, and uplift you, as you repent of your sins and go forth to serve Him today.
Sing Psalm 42.4-11.
(Nettleton: Come Thou Fount)
Now I pour my soul out in me as these thoughts come to my mind.
And I long to once again be where true worship I might find.
Oh my soul, be not despairing! Hope in God, and praise His Name!
For the LORD, your burden bearing, will restore your peace again.
Oh my God, my soul is weary, therefore I remember You.
Let Your grace and goodness near be, and Your promise, firm and true.
LORD, when trials and fears surround me, Your commands will be my song;
when distresses sore confound me, Your great love will keep me strong.
LORD, forget me not in mourning ’neath my foes’ oppressing hand.
See their mocking, hear their scorning; help my weary soul to stand.
Hope in God, praise Him forever when despair on you has trod.
Look to Jesus; never, never doubt your gracious, saving God.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column finishes our study of the Church as Jesus envisions it. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
