The serious sin of anger
Throughout this next part of the sermon the Lord uses a repeated pattern. He introduces six distinct but linked sections of teaching with the phrase, “You have heard that it was said”. He then highlights relevant Old Testament verses and demonstrates how the rules of His kingdom establish an even higher spiritual standard. In the first of these sections, the Lord places His finger on the sin of anger:
““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.’ 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 5:21,22)
Anger is all around us. We see it in international conflicts, the culture wars, relationship breakdowns, and the violence that saturates the entertainment industry. The Word of God faces this head-on. Scripture never asks us to pretend; in fact, it is profoundly honest about the human condition. Anger is one of the sins we often excuse. Using euphemistic language, we speak about “losing our temper” or “having a short fuse”. The Lord’s sermon makes it abundantly clear that this approach completely misunderstands how seriously God takes the sin of anger.
He begins with the prohibition on murder from the Ten Commandments. Almost everyone, regardless of belief or culture, recognises that murder is abhorrent. On first reading, it may seem radical that anger and murder should be equated in this way. However, the Lord is exposing the inner workings of the sinful human heart. Anger is the seed that leads to the fruit of murder – an extreme act. Robert Mounce points out that the Greek word used for anger in this passage does not refer to moments of passionate rage, but rather to “a brooding inward anger”.[1]
The ingredients that make up this sinful potential are found in every human heart. The Lord Jesus is uniquely qualified to judge mankind. The Bible reminds us that “the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). His knowledge of mankind is perfect: “He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24,25). Even the finest of human judges are limited by the evidence and testimony available to them. In contrast, the Lord sees and knows all the motives and intentions of our hearts.
But what about the wrath of God? Paul exhorted the Ephesian believers to “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). It is possible to be driven by an anger that does not arise from sin or lead to sinful actions. This was the righteous anger that animated the Lord Jesus as He cleansed the Temple: “’Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!’ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up’” (John 2:16,17).
The Lord then uses two Aramaic insults as case studies of how anger can manifest itself. Though believers in Christ are called to live peacefully with everyone (Romans 12:18), the warnings given here by the Lord Jesus primarily concern relationships among His followers. The first expression, “Raca” means “empty head” or “godless”. The use of this term was taken very seriously in first century Jewish society and could lead to an examination by the Sanhedrin. However, the Lord Jesus continues to demonstrate that the standards of His kingdom are infinitely higher. Even using the term, “You fool!” would lead not merely to accountability before a human court but to everlasting punishment in hell.
Is this unreasonable? The Lord is drawing back the curtain on the human heart and showing us what lies inside. It makes for uncomfortable viewing. We are being drawn back to the principle that was established in the previous section: “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
What is demanded in His kingdom is perfect, spiritual righteousness. Sinful anger, in all its forms, is therefore completely out of place. We established in the previous article that this righteousness is available only as a free gift on the basis of faith in Christ. However, as those who are believers in Christ, we must feel the responsibility and weight of these verses and seek the Lord’s help to live lives free from the serious sin of anger.
[1] Robert H. Mounce, New International Biblical Commentary: Matthew, p.45.