Jesus was urging reconciliation

JESUS WAS URGING RECONCILIATION
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 5:23-2623"Therefore,if you are offering
your gift at the altar and there remember that your
brother or sisterhas somethingagainst you, 24leave
your gift there in front of the altar. Firstgo and be
reconciledto them; then come and offer your gift.
25"Settlematters quickly with your adversarywho is
taking you to court. Do it while you are still together
on the way, or your adversarymay hand you over to
the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the
officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26Truly I
tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the
last penny.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Christian Idea Of Brotherhood
Matthew 5:22, 23
R. Tuck

Our Lord illustrated the application of the new Christian principles to various
spheres and relations. Or to state more precisely his point, he showedhow the
regenerate characterwould put a new tone on all the life-associations.In a
generalway, the Christian light is to shine freely all abroad. In a particular
way, the Christian influence is to affecta man's first sphere, the sphere of
human relationships, representedby the term "brotherhood." From the
Christian point of view, our human brother is our secondself, and we are to
"love our neighbour as ourself."
I. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BROTHERHOOD IS ESSENTIALTO
PIETY. This is illustrated in vers. 23, 24. Worship cannot be acceptable to
God, when offered by men who are out of brotherly relations. The offering to
God is not acceptable as offering, but as the expressionof the man, the
declarationof his mind and heart, which God accepts in the offering. He must
put his mind and heart right towards his brother, or God will never acceptit
as right towards him. The unforgiving never worship God aright. "If we love
not our brother whom we have seen, how canwe love God whom we have not
seen;" "He who loveth God should love his brother also."
II. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BROTHERHOODRESTS WITHTHE
CHRISTIAN. That is Christ's point. It is his mission to culture and ennoble
his disciples by putting them under the pressure of serious responsibilities.
And this is one of them. However aggravating our brother may be, we, as
Christians, are bound to keep up the brotherhood. . It there are yieldings to be
done, we must do them. The Christian cannever excuse himself by saying,
"My brother will not be reconciledto me." He must be; and the Christian
must not restuntil he is. The burden of right relations rests on him.
III. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BROTHERHOODMAY INVOLVE
SELF-RESTRAINTSAND DISABILITIES. This is one of the greatspheres of
Christian self-denial and self-sacrifice. Everytrue Christian will be willing to
suffer rather than break the brotherhood. - R.T.

Biblical Illustrator
Agree with thine adversary.
Matthew 5:25
Reconciliationwith God
J. A. James, D. D.
1. Man by his sin has made God his adversary.
2. God has opened a way by which sinners, though they have thus grossly
offended, may be brought back into a state of reconciliationwith Him.
3. To show you that it is man's duty and interest to avail himself of the
opportunity of coming into agreementwith God.

I. WHO ARE THE PERSONSTHAT MAY RIGHTLY APPLY TO
THEMSELVES THE MOTIVES BY WHICH I SHALL URGE THE
BUSINESS OF AGREEMENTWITHGOD. God is the adversaryof any
child of Adam who has not availed himself of pardon, the man of private
virtue as wellas his profligate neighbour.
II. MOTIVES BY WHICH THIS BUSINESS IS URGED WON YOU.
1. Considerwhat it is I am endeavouring to enforce upon your attention. No
trifle, agreementwith God.
2. What would be the blessings that would result if you were thus reconciledto
God.
3. What will be the consequencesif you are not reconciled?
4. Let me remind you of the interest others take in your reconciliationwith
God.
III. BEGIN THAT RECONCILIATION IMMEDIATELY"Whiles thou art
in the way."
1. God is now waiting to come to agreementwith you.
2. What reasonhave you to advance why you should not.

3. Considerthe uncertainty of life.
4. All the opportunities of agreementare confined to this present life.
5. The results that in another world will follow a want of reconciliationwith
God in this, are indescribably dreadful.
6. The punishment will be inevitable and eternal.
(J. A. James, D. D.)
Agree with thine adversary quickly
G. Moberley, D. C. L.
1. The Lord warns us to make our Christian peace in time.
2. To take care that our sacramentaloffering of charity and forgiveness be not
delayed.
3. Lest our adversary be no more in the way with us; lest, among the many
partings of this world, we lose sightof him for ever.
4. And that on the ground of God's awful judgment.
5. Forto Him the unreconciledquarrels of this world must be referred.

6. He will exactthe uttermost farthing of His own incalculable debt from those
who have been unkind and unforgiving to their fellow-servants.
(G. Moberley, D. C. L.)
Agree with Thine Adversary
Charles Kingsley
Matthew 5:25
Agree with your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him; lestat
any time the adversary deliver you to the judge…
Eversley, 1861. WindsorCastle, 1867.
St. Matthew v.25, 26. "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in
the waywith him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and
the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be castinto prison. Verily I say
unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hastpaid the
uttermost farthing."
This parable our Lord seems to have spokenat leasttwice, as He did several
others. For we find it also in the 12th chapter of St. Luke. But it is there part
of quite a different discourse. I think that by seeing whatit means there, we
shall see more clearlywhat it means here.

Our Lord there is speaking of the sins of the whole Jewishnation. Here He is
speaking rather of eachman's private sins. But He applies the same parable to
both. He gives the same warning to both. Not to go too far on the wrong road,
lest they come to a point where they cannot turn back, but must go on to just
punishment, if not to utter destruction.
That is what He warned the Jews all through the latter part of the 12th
chapter of Luke. He will come again, He says, atan hour they do not think of,
and then if their elders, the Scribes and Pharisees,are going on as they are
now, beating the man-servants and maid-servants, and eating and drinking
with the drunken, oppressing the people, and living in luxury and profligacy,
He will cut them asunder, and appoint them their portion with the
unbelievers.
In this, and in many other parables, He had been warning them that their
ruin was near; and, at last, turning to the whole crowd, He appeals to them, to
their common sense. "Whenye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightwayye
say, There cometha shower;and so it is. And when ye see the south wind
blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it comethto pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can
discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern
this time?" If Godcan give you common sense aboutone thing, why not about
another? Why can you not open your eyes and of yourselves judge what is
right? "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with
him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge
deliver thee to the officer, and thou be castinto prison. Verily I sayunto thee,
Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing."
So He spoke;and they did not fully understand what He meant. They thought
that by their adversary He meant the Roman governor. For they immediately
beganto talk to Him about some Galileans whose bloodPilate, the Roman

governor, had mingled with their sacrifices(I suppose in some of those wars
which were continually breaking out in Judea). I think He meant more than
that. "Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans?
Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." As much as to say, though ye
did not rebel againstthe Romans like these Galilaeans,you have your sins,
which will ruin YOU. As long as you are hypocrites, with your mouths full of
the cantof religion, and your hearts full of all mean and spiteful passions;as
long as you cannot of yourselves discernwhat is right, and have lost
conscience, andthe everlasting distinction betweenright and wrong, so long
are you walking blindfold to ruin. There is an adversary againstyou, who will
surely deliver you to the judge some day, and then it will be too late to cry for
mercy. And who was that adversary? Who but the everlasting law of God,
which says, Thou shalt do justly? -- and you Jews are utterly unjust, false,
covetous, and unrighteous. Thou shalt love all men; and you are cruel and
spiteful, hating eachother, and making all mankind hate you. Thou shalt walk
humbly with thy God; and you Jews are walking proudly with God; fancying
that God belongs only to you; that because youare His chosenpeople, He will
let you commit every sin you choose, as long as you keepHis name on your
lips, and keepup an empty worship of Him in the temple. That is your
adversary, the everlasting moral law of God. And who is the Judge but God
Himself, who is seton His throne judging right, while you are doing wrong?
And who is the officer, to whom that judge will deliver you? There indeed the
Jews were right. It was the Romans whom God appointed to punish them for
their sins. All which our Lord had foretold, as all the world knows, came true
forty years after in that horrible siege of Jerusalem, whichthe Jews brought
on themselves entirely by their own folly, and pride, and wickedlawlessness.
In that siege, by famine and pestilence, by the Romans'swords, by crucifixion,
and by eachother's hands (for the different factions were murdering each
other wholesale up to the very day Jerusalemwas taken), thousands of Jews
perished horribly, and the rest were sold as slaves overthe face of the whole
earth, and led awayinto a captivity from which they could not escapetill they
had paid the uttermost farthing.

Now let us look at this same parable in the 5th chapter of St Matthew.
Remember first that it is part of the sermon on the Mount, which is all about
not doctrine, but morality, the law of right and wrong, the law of justice and
mercy. You will see then that our Lord is preaching againstthe same sins as in
the 12th chapterof St. Luke. Against a hypocritical religion, joined with a
cruel and unjust heart. Those of old time, the Scribes and Pharisees, said
merely, Thou shalt not kill. And as long as thou dost not kill thy brother, thou
mayest hate him in thy heart and speak evil of him with thy lips. But our Lord
says, Notso. Whosoeveris angry with his brother without a cause is in danger
of the judgment. Whosoevershallsayto him Raca, or worthless fellow, shall
speak insolently, brutally, cruelly, scornfully to him, is in danger of the
council. But whosoevershallsayunto him, Thou fool, is in danger of hell fire.
For using that word to the Jews, so says the Talmudic tradition, Mosesand
Aaron were shut out of the land of promise, for it means an infidel, an atheist,
a godless man, or rebel againstGod, as it is written, "The fool hath said in his
heart there is no God." Whosoevershallcurse his brother, who is trying to be
a goodChristian man to the best of his light and power, because he does not
happen to agree with him in all things, and callhim a heretic, and an infidel,
and an atheist, and an enemy of God -- he is in danger of hell fire. Let him
agree with his adversaryquickly, whiles he is in the way with him, lesthe be
delivered to Godthe judge, and to the just punishment of him who has not
done justly, not loved mercy, not walkedhumbly with his God.
But who is the adversary of that man, and who is the judge, and who is the
officer? Our adversaryin every case, wheneverwe do wrong, knowinglyor
unknowingly, is the Law of God, the everlasting laws, by which God has
ordered every thing in heavenand earth; and as often as we break one of
these laws, let us agree with it againas quickly as we can, lest it hale us before
God, the judge of all, and He deliver us over to His officer -- to those powers
of nature and powers of spirit, which He has appointed as ministers of His
vengeance, andthey castus into some prison of necessaryand unavoidable
misery, from which we shall never escape till we have paid the uttermost
farthing.

Do you not understand me? Then I will give you an example. Suppose the case
of a man hurting his health by self-indulgence of any kind. Then his
adversaries are the laws of health. Let him agree with them quickly, while he
has the power of conquering his bad habits, by recovering his health, lest the
time come when his own sins deliver him up to Godhis judge; and God to His
terrible officers of punishment, the laws of Disease;and they casthim into a
prison of shame and misery from which there is no escape --shame and
misery, most common perhaps among the lowerclasses:but not altogether
confined to them -- the weakenedbody, the bleared eye, the stupified brain,
the premature death, the children unhealthy from their parents' sins,
despising their parents, and perhaps copying their vices at the same time.
Many a man have I seenin that prison, fast bound with misery though not
with iron, and how he was to pay his debt and escape out of it I know not,
though I hope that Goddoes know.
Are any of you, again, in the habit of cheating your neighbours, or dealing
unfairly by them? Your adversary is the everlasting law of justice, which says,
Do as you would be done by, for with what measure you mete to others, it
shall be measured to you again.
This may show you how a bodily sin, like self-indulgence punishes itself by
bringing a man into bondage of bodily misery, from which he cannot escape;
and in the same way a spiritual sin, like want of charity, will bring a man into
spiritual bondage from which he cannot escape.And this, as in bodily sins, it
will do by virtue of that mysterious and terrible officer of God, which we call
Habit. Habit, by which, we cannot tell how, our having done a thing once
becomes a reasonfor our doing it again, and againafter that, till, if the habit
be once formed, we cannot help doing that thing, and become enslavedto it,
and fastbound by it, in a prison from which there is no escape. Look for
instance at the case ofthe untruthful man. Let him beware in time. Who is his
adversary? Facts are his adversary. He says one thing, and Factsays another,

and a very stubborn and terrible adversaryFactis. The day will come, most
probably in this life, when Facts will bring that untruthful man before God
and before men likewise -- and cry, -- Judge betweenus which of us is right;
and there will come to that false man exposure and shame, and a worse
punishment still, perhaps, if he have let the habit grow too strong on him, and
have not agreedwith his adversaryin time.
For have you not seen(alas, you have too surely seen) men who had
contractedsuch a habit of falsehoodthat they could not shake it off -- who had
played with their sense oftruth so long that they had almostforgotten what
truth meant; men who could not speak without mystery, concealment,
prevarication, half-statements; who were afraid of the plain truth, not because
there was any presentprospect of its hurting them, but simply because it was
the plain truth -- children of darkness, who, from long habit, hated the light --
and who, though they had been found out and exposed, couldnot amend --
could not become simple, honest, and truthful -- could not escape fromthe
prison of their own bad habits, and the net of lies which they had spread
round their own path, till they had paid the uttermost penalty for their deceit?
Look, again, at the case ofthe uncharitable man, in the habit of forming harsh
and cruel judgments of his neighbours. Then his adversaryis the everlasting
law of Love, which will surely at last punish him, by the most terrible of all
punishments -- loss of love to man, and therefore to God. Are we not (I am, I
know, may God forgive me for it) apt to be angry with our brethren without a
cause, out of mere peevishness? Letus beware in time. Are we not apt to say
to them "Raca" --to speak cruelly, contemptuously, fiercely of them, if they
thwart us? Let us beware in time still more. Are we not worst of all, tempted
(as I too often am) to say to them "Thou fool;" to call better men, more useful
men more pure men, more pious men than ourselves, hard and cruel names,
names from which they would shrink with horror because they cannot see
Christian truth in just exactlythe same light that we do? Oh! let us beware
then. Beware lestthe everlasting laws of justice and fairness betweenman and

man, of love and charity betweenman and man, which we have broken,
should some day deliver us up, as they delivered those bigoted Jews ofold to
God our Judge, and He deliver our souls to His most terrible officers, who are
calledenvy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness;and they thrust us into
that blackestofall prisons, on the gate of which is written, Hardness of heart,
and Contempt of God's Word and commandments, and within which is the
outer darkness into which if a man falls, he cannotsee the difference between
right and wrong: but calls evil good, and goodevil, like his companions in the
outer darkness -- namely, the devil and his angels. Oh! let us who are coming
to lay our gift upon God's altar at this approaching Christmas tide, consider
whether our brother hath aught againstus in any of these matters, and, if so,
let us leave our gift upon the altar, and be first reconciledto our brother, in
heart at least, and with inward shame, and confession, and contrition, and
resolution to amend. But we can only do that by recollecting what gift we are
to leave on Christ's altar, -- that it is the gift of SELF, the sacrifice of
ourselves, with all our selfishness, pride, conceit, spite, cruelty. Ourselves,
with all our sins, we are to lay upon Christ's altar, that our sins may be nailed
to His cross, andwashedcleanin His blood, everlastingly consumedin the fire
of His Spirit, the pure spirit of love, which is the Charity of God, that so, self
being purged out of us, we may become holy and lively sacrifices to God, parts
and parcels of that perfectsacrifice which Christ offered up for the sins of the
whole world -- even the sacrifice of Himself.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(25) Agree with thine adversary.—The imageryis changed, and returns to
that of human tribunals, which has met us in Matthew 5:22. The man whom
we have wronged appears as the “adversary,” the prosecutorbringing his
charge againstus. The impulse of the natural man at such a time, even if
conscious ofwrong, is to make the best of his case,to prevaricate, to
recriminate. The truer wisdom, Christ teaches,is to “agree”—better, to be on
goodterms with—show our own goodwill, and so win his. The whole

teaching, it is obvious, is addressedto one who has done wrong. The treatment
of a false charge involves different considerations.
The officer.—Inthis case, the officer of the court, the gaoler.
In the application of the words, the judge is clearlyGod, and the officers,
those (angels or others) who execute His judgment, and the “adversary,” those
whom we have wronged, leaving the wrong unredressed. In 1Peter5:8 the
devil is described as the great “adversary,” andthat meaning is, perhaps, not
excluded, though it is not prominent, here. Any evil deed becomes in the end
as an accusing Satan, bearing its witness againstus; and Satanhimself is the
embodiment of all such accusers.
BensonCommentary
Matthew 5:25. Agree, &c. — Here our Lord enforces the preceding
exhortation, from the considerationof what is reckonedprudent in ordinary
quarrel and law-suits. “In such cases,wise men always advise the party that
has done wrong to make up matters with his adversary while it is in his
power, lest the sentence of a judge, being interposed, fall heavy on him. For
the same reason, we, who have offended our brother, ought to make it up with
him, while an opportunity of repentance is allowedus; and that though our
quarrel should have proceededto the greatestlengths, lestthe sentence of the
Supreme Judge overtake us, and put reconciliationout of our power for
ever.” With thine adversary quickly — With any againstwhom thou hast thus
offended; whiles thou art in the way with him — Going with him to a
magistrate;or, instantly, on the spot; before you part. Lest the adversary
deliver thee to the judge — To be tried before him; and the judge, deciding
the cause againstthee, deliver thee to the officer of the court, to keepthee in
custody till satisfactionbe made, and thou be castinto prison — Not being
able to discharge an accountenhancedwith so many additional articles of
expense. Thou shalt by no means come out thence — Be releasedout of
prison; till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing — For thy antagonist, when

he has got thee at such an advantage, will be more rigorous in his demands
than before. And surely, if by impenitent wickedness thoumakestthyself the
prisoner of the divine justice, thy case will be yet more deplorable and
hopeless. Understanding the words in a figurative sense, which is, partly at
least, intended by Christ here, the prison is takenfor hell, out of which the
unrelenting sinner can never come, according to our Lord’s declaration,
because he can never be able to make that satisfaction. “Lord, we are all the
debtors, and, in one sense, the prisoners of thy justice, and of ourselves were
most incapable, not only of paying the uttermost farthing, but even of
discharging the leastpart of the debt! We bless thee for that generous Surety
who has takenand dischargedit for us; and by the price of whose atoning
blood we are delivered from the chains of darkness, and are translated into
the glorious liberty of thy children.” — Doddridge. What has hitherto been
said refers to meekness;what follows, to purity of heart.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:21-26 The Jewishteachers hadtaught, that nothing exceptactual murder
was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its
spiritual meaning. Christ showedthe 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. By our brother, here, we are to
understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are all made of
one blood. Raca, is a scornful word, and comes from pride: Thou fool, is a
spiteful word, and comes from hatred. Malicious slanders and censures are
poison that kills secretlyand slowly. Christ told them that how light soever
they made of these sins, they would certainly be calledinto judgment for
them. We ought carefully to preserve Christian love and peace with all our
brethren; and if at any time there is a quarrel, we should confess ourfault,
humble ourselves to our brother, making or offering satisfactionforwrong
done in word or deed: and we should do this quickly; because, till this is done,
we are unfit for communion with God in holy ordinances. And when we are
preparing for any religious exercises, it is goodfor us to make that an occasion
of serious reflectionand self-examination. What is here said is very applicable
to our being reconciledto God through Christ. While we are alive, we are in
the wayto his judgement-seat;after death, it will be too late. When we

considerthe importance of the case, and the uncertainty of life, how needful it
is to seek peace withGod, without delay!
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Agree with thine adversary quickly - This is still an illustration of the sixth
commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious, is a violation
always, on one side or the other, of the law requiring us to love our neighbor,
and our Saviour regards it as a violation of the sixth commandment. While
you are in the way with him, says he, that is, while you are going to the court,
before the trial has takenplace, it is your duty, if possible, to come to an
agreement. It is wrong to carry the contention to a court of law. See 1
Corinthians 6:6-7. The consequenceofnot being reconciled, he expressesin
the language ofcourts. The adversary shall deliver to the judge, and he to the
executioner, and he shall throw you into prison. He did not mean to say that
this would be literally the way with God, but that His dealings with those that
harbored these feelings, and would not be reconciledwith their brethren, were
representedby the punishment inflicted by human tribunals. That is, he
would hold all such as violators of the sixth commandment, and would punish
them accordingly.
There is no propriety in the use sometimes made of this verse, in representing
God as the "adversary" ofthe sinner, and urging him to be reconciledto God
while in the way to judgment. Nor does the phrase "thou shalt by no means
come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing" refer to the
eternity of future punishment. It is language takenfrom courts of justice, to
illustrate the truth that God will punish people according to justice for not
being reconciledto him. The punishment in the future world will be eternal
indeed Matthew 25:46, but this passagedoes not prove it.
Thine adversary - A man that is opposedto us in law. It here means a
creditor; a man who has a just claim on us.

In the way with him - While you are going before the court. Before the trial
comes on. It is remarkable that this very direction is found in the Roman law
of the Twelve Tables, whichexpressly directed the plaintiff and defendant to
make up the matter while they were in the way, or going to the praetor - in
via, rem uti pacunt orato. - Blackstone's Commentary, iii. p. 299. Whether the
Saviour had any reference to this cannotbe determined. As the Roman laws
prevailed to some extent in Palestine, however, it is possible that there was
such an allusion.
The officer- The executioner;or, as we should say, the sheriff.
The uttermost farthing - The last farthing. All that is due. The farthing was a
small coin used in Judea, equal to two mites. It was not quite equal to half a
farthing of British money.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
25. Agree with thine adversary—thine opponent in a matter cognizable by
law.
quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him—"to the magistrate," as in Lu
12:58.
lest at any time—here, rather, "lestat all," or simply "lest."
the adversarydeliver thee to the judge, and the judge—having pronounced
thee in the wrong.

deliver thee to the officer—the official whose business it is to see the sentence
carried into effect.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Matthew 5:26".
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Agree with thine adversary quickly,.... These words are not to be understood
in an allegoricalsense,as if "the adversary" was the justice of God,
demanding payment of debts; "the way", this present life; "the judge", God
himself; "the officer", the devil; "the prison", the pit of hell; and "the
uttermost farthing", the leastsin, which will never be remitted without
satisfaction:but the design of them is to prevent lawsuits about debts, which
may be in dispute; it being much better for debtor and creditor, especiallythe
former, to compose suchdifferences among themselves, than to litigate the
matter in a court of judicature. By "the adversary" is meant not an enemy,
one that bears hatred and ill will, but a brother that has ought againsta man;
a creditor, who demands and insists upon payment of what is owing to him;
and for this purpose has takenmethods towards bringing the debtor before a
proper magistrate, in order to oblige him to payment: wherefore it is better
for him to make up and agree the matter directly, as soonas possible,
whilst thou art in the way with him; that is, whilst the creditor and debtor are
going togetherto some inferior magistrate, or lessercourt, as the sanhedrim,
which consistedof three persons only, before whom such causes might be
tried: for , pecuniary causes,orcauses relating to money matters, were tried
"by the bench of three" (g): and the selfsame advice is given in the Talmud
(h), as here, where it seems to be a common proverb; for it is said,
"there are men that say, or men usually say, , "whilstthou art in the way with
thine adversary, be obedient".''

Lest at any time the adversary should deliver thee to the judge, a superior
magistrate in a higher court; for if the creditor would, he could oblige the
debtor to go with him to the supreme court of judicature, and try the cause
there; for so say the Jewish(i); canons:
"if the creditor says we will go to the greatsanhedrim, they compelthe
debtor, and he goes up with them, as it is said, "the borrower is servant to the
lender",''
where it might go harder with the poor debtor; and therefore it was advisable
to prevent it by an agreement, lest
the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be castinto prison,
"It was an affirmative command in the law, says Maimonides, to appoint
"judges" and "officers" in every country and province, as it is said,
Deuteronomy 16:18. "judges" they are the judges that are fixed in the
sanhedrim, and such that engage in law suits come before them: "officers";
these are the masters of the rod and scourge, i.e. who beat and scourge
delinquents; and these stand before the judges--and all they do, is by the order
of the judges.''
Now it is one of these that is meant by "the officer";in Munster's Hebrew
Gospel, he is calledwho, when he had authority from the judge, could cast
into prison, and that for debt; of which we have no accountin the law of
Moses.

(g) Misn. Sanhedrim, c. 1. sect. 1.((h) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 95. 2.((i)
Maimof. Hilch. Sanhedrim, c. 6. sect. 7.
Geneva Study Bible
{p} Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him;
lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver
thee to the officer, and thou be castinto prison.
(p) Remove all cause for enmity.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 5:25 f. The precept, to be reconciledwith the injured person in order
not to be castinto hell by God the judge, is made clearby the prudential
doctrine of satisfying a creditor in order not to become liable to
imprisonment. To abide merely by the prudential doctrine itself which the
words convey (Theophylact, Vatablus, and others, including Paulus), is
opposedto the context (Matthew 5:21-24);to take the φυλακή, however, as the
representationof purgatory (many Catholics, not Schegg), orof Sheol(not
Gehenna)(Olshausen), is forbidden by the idea of the judgment which also
excludes the vague and indefinite “transference ofthat which is destructive
for the external life to that which is destructive in a higher sense” (de Wette).
Luke 12:58 has the preceptin quite a different connection;but this does not
justify us in not regarding it in the present passageas belonging to it (Pott,
Kuinoel, Neander, Bleek, Holtzmann, Weiss, and others), since it may be given
here and there as a popular symbolical proverb; while preciselyhere it is most
clearly and simply appropriate to the connection.
εὐνοῶν] be welldisposed—thatis, inclined to satisfy him by making payment
or composition.

τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου]The opponent (in a lawsuit) is to be conceivedofas a
creditor (Matthew 5:26). The injured brother is intended; comp. Matthew
5:23. Explanations of the Fathers referring it to the devil (Clement of
Alexandria), to God (Augustine), to the conscience(Euth. Zigabenus), see in
Tholuck.
ταχύ]without delay, without putting off, Matthew 28:7 f.; John 11:29;
Revelation2:16. “Tarda est superbia cordis ad deprecandum et
satisfaciendum,” Bengel.
ἕως ὅτου]If by ταχύ it was intimated that the compliance should begin
without delay, so it is now stated that it shall remain till the extreme
termination: even until thou art with him on the road to the judge—even then
still shalt thou yield compliance. Notof itself (in answerto Tittmann, Synon.
p. 167), but, in virtue of the context, is ἕως the inclusive “until,” as according
to the context it may also be exclusive (comp. on the passage, Matthew 1:25).
The servant of justice (ὑπηρέτης) belongs to the representative of the legal
act; and who is meant thereby, is evident from Matthew 13:41 f.
βληθήσῃ] The future, which might be dependent on μήποτε (Winer, p. 468 f.
[E. T. 629];Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 201 [E. T. 233];see on the passage,
Colossians 2:8), takenindependently, gives the appropriate emphasis to the
tragic closing act.
In Matthew 5:26 is by no means containedthe finality of the condition of
punishment, but its non-finality; since the ἀποδιδόναι,that is, the removal of
the guilt of sin, is for him who is in this φυλακή an impossibility, Matthew

18:34, Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:46, etc. ἕως states, then, a terminus which
is never reached. Comp. Matthew 18:34.
The quadrans is ¼ As in copper, or 2 λεπτά, ¾ of a farthing (Mark 12:42);see
an the Roman coins in circulation amongstthe Jews, Cavedoni, bibl.
Numismat. I. p. 78 ff.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 5:25-26. There is much more reasonfor regarding this passageas an
interpolation. It is connectedonly externally (by the referencesto courts of
law) with what goes before, and it is out of keeping with the generaldrift of
the teaching on the hill. It occurs in a different connectionin Luke 12:58,
there as a solemn warning to the Jewishpeople, on its wayto judgment, to
repent. Meyer pleads that the logionmight be repeated. It might, but only on
suitable occasions,and the teaching on the hill does not seem to offer such an
occasion. Kuinoel, Bleek, Holtzmann, Weiss and others regardthe words as
foreign to the connection. Referring to the exposition in Luke, I offer here
only a few verbal notes mainly on points in which Matthew differs from
Luke.—ἴσθι εὐνοῶν, be in a conciliatorymood, ready to come to terms with
your opponent in a legalprocess (ἀντίδικος). It is a case ofdebt, and the two,
creditor and debtor, are on the wayto the court where they must appear
together(Deuteronomy 21:18;Deuteronomy 25:1). Matthew’s expression
implies willingness to come to terms amicably on the creditor’s part, and the
debtor is exhorted to meet him half way. Luke’s δὸς ἐργασίανthrows the
willingness on the other side, or at leastimplies that the debtor will need to
make an effort to bring the creditor to terms.—παραδῷ, a much milder word
than Luke’s κατασύρῃ, whichpoints to rough, rude handling, dragging an
unwilling debtor along whither he would rather not go.—ὑπηρέτῃ,the officer
of the court whose business it was to collectthe debt and generally to carry
out the decisionof the judge; in Luke πράκτωρ.—κοδράντην= quadrans, less
than a farthing. Luke has λεπτὸν, half the value of a κοδ., thereby
strengthening the statement that the imprisoned debtor will not escape till he
has paid all he owes.

Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
25. Agree] Lit. be friendly with. The participle in the orig. conveys the idea of
continuance. The thought of the preceding verse is extended and generalised.
By the “adversary” are meant those againstwhom we harbour that
resentment which keeps us from the kingdom of God. “While there is time in
this life put awaythe resentment. Show thyself to be a sonof Godby being a
peacemaker.”Matthew 5:9.
The imagery is takenfrom the law-courts. It would be well for a man to
compound with his creditor before the case should be brought before the
judge.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 5:25. Ἴσθι εὐνοῶν, be friendly) Seek kindly feeling by showing it
yourself.—τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ, with the adversary) to whom you owe money.—Cf.
Matthew 5:26. The language is parabolical, it applies principally to an
adversary who entertains grave animosity even beyond death.—ταχὺ, quickly)
The pride of the human heart is slow in deprecationand satisfaction.—ἐντῇ
ὁδῷ, in the way) sc. to the tribunal.—μετʼ αὐτοῦ, with him) The plaintiff used
himself to apprehend the defendant.—σε παραδῷ, deliver thee) Greatis the
powerof the adversary. God, as Judge, prosecutes the demand of him who
pleads for justice.—φυλακὴν, ward)where thou thy whole selfwilt be the
pledge of payment for the debt.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 25, 26. - Parallelpassage:Luke 12:58, 59. The question of the relation
of the two passages, as regards bothlanguage and originalconnexion, is
exceedinglydifficult. As to the former, the verbal differences seemto be such
as would hardly have been made on purpose, and to be rather due to memory;
yet the agreementis too minute to be the result of memory of a Gospelonly
oral. Perhaps memory of a document best satisfies the conditions. As to the
original connexion of the verses, they, especiallyver. 26, canhardly have been
spokentwice. Mostcritics suppose that St. Luke gives them in their proper

context; but if so, it is curious that two of his words, ὑπάγεις ἀπήλλαχθαι,
seemto recall our preceding ver. 24. One word might have been a mere
coincidence, but hardly two. It is not likely that these words in ver. 24 were
derived from Luke, for this supposes a double process in St. Matthew's mind,
rejecting them from ver. 25 and placing them in ver. 24. It is more natural
also to regard the first clause of Luke 12:58, "As... him," as an expansion of
the corresponding clause in our ver. 25 rather than this as a compressionof
that. This apparent reminiscence in Luke of what is given in our vers. 24 and
25a points to the connexion of vers. 24-26 in Matthew being original, and to it
having been brokenby Luke or by the framer of the source that he used. A
further stage in our Lord's warning. A man must not only seek reconciliation
with the injured person (ver. 23), and that in preference to fulfilling the holiest
service (ver. 24), but he must do so the more because ofthe dangerof
postponing reconciliation. It is noteworthy that our Lord in this verse does not
define on whose side the cause ofthe quarrel lies. Verse 25. - Agree with. And
that not with a merely formal reconciliation, but reconciliationbasedon a
permanent kindly feeling towards him (ἴσθι εὐνοῶν). ProfessorMargoliouth
suggeststhat this is a confirmation of what he thinks is the original text of
Ecclus. 18:20, "Beforejudgment beg off" ('Inaugural Lect.,'p. 23: 1890).
Thine adversary. Primarily the injured brother (vide infra), Quickly. For such
is not the tendency of the human heart. Whiles. Delay not in making
reconciliationwhile you have opportunity. Thayer compares Song of Solomon
1:12. Thou art. On the indicative, cf. Winer, § 41. b, 3. 2, a, note (p. 371, trans.
1870). In the way with him; RevisedVersion, with the manuscripts, with him
in the way. The right reading implies that the proximity of the persons may
perhaps not lastthroughout "the way." "The way" is the road to the judge, as
explained in -Luke. But being on the road to him is here not presented as a
possibility (Luke), but as a certainty. Forso, in fact, it is. Lest... the adversary
(ver. 26, note) deliver thee. Translating from the language of parable to that of
fact, it is only if reconciliationhas not been made, if the heart is still
unforgiving and quarrelsome, that God the Judge will take notice of the
offence. And the judge... to the officer(τῷ ὐπηρέτῃ);i.e. the officer whose
duty it was to execute the judge's commands (cf. Lightfoot, 'Hor. Hebr.,' for
illustrations). The expressionhere belongs to the figure; but in Matthew 13:41
similar duties are predicatedof the angels. If the figure was derived from the

synagogue, the officerwould doubtless be the chazzan, of which, indeed,
ὑπηρέτης is the technicalrendering (cf. Schurer, II. 2. p. 66). And thou be cast
(καὶ βληθήσῃ). The future indicative (still dependent on "lest")brings out the
reality of the danger (cf. Bishop Lightfoot, on Colossians2:8).
Vincent's Word Studies
Agree with (ἴσθι εὐνοῶν)
Lit., be well-minded toward; inclined to satisfy by paying or compromising.
Wyc., Be thou consenting to.
Officer (ὑπηρέτῃ)
Denoting a subordinate official, as a herald or an orderly, and in this sense
applied to Mark as the "minister" or attendant of Paul and Barnabas (Acts
13:5). It furnishes an interesting instance of the expansion of a word from a
limited and specialmeaning into a more generalone; and also of the influence
of the Gospelin lifting words into higher and purer associations. Formedwith
the verb ἐρέσσω, to row, it originally signified a rower, as distinguished from
a soldier, in a war-galley. This word for a galley-slave comesatlast, in the
hands of Luke and Paul, to stand for the noblest of all offices, that of a
minister of the Lord Jesus (Luke 1:2; Acts 26:16; 1 Corinthians 4:1).
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD

Matthew 5:23 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and
there remember that your brother has something againstyou, (NASB:
Lockman)
Greek:eanoun prospheres (2SPAS)to doron souepi to thusiasterion kakei
mnesthes (2SAPS)oti o adelphos sou echei(3SPAI) ti kata sou,
Amplified: So if when you are offering your gift at the altar you there
remember that your brother has any [grievance]againstyou (Amplified Bible
- Lockman)
KJV: Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberestthat
thy brother hath ought againstthee;
NLT: "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a
sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something
againstyou (NLT - Tyndale House)
Philips: So that if, while you are offering your gift at the altar, you should
remember that your brother has something againstyou, you must leave your
gift there before the altar and go away. (New Testamentin Modern English)
Wuest: Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar of whole burnt-offerings
and there you remember that your brother has something againstyou (
Wuest: Expanded Translation: Eerdmans
)

Young's Literal: 'If, therefore, thou mayest bring thy gift to the altar, and
there mayest remember that thy brother hath anything againstthee,
THEREFOREIF YOU ARE PRESENTING YOUR OFFERING AT THE
ALTAR: ean oun prospheres (2SPAS)to doron sou epi to thusiasterion
Mt 8:4; 23:19; Dt 16:16,17;1Sal15:22;Isa 1:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17;Ho
6:6; Amos 5:21, 22, 23, 24
Therefore - Always take a moment to pause and ponder and query this term
of conclusion.
Charles Simeon - THE explanation which our Lord has given us of the sixth
commandment, shews, that we are not to confine the import of the
commandments to the mere letter of them, but to regard them as extending to
the words of our lips, and the dispositions of our hearts. Nor must we imagine
that they are intended solelyto prohibit sin: they must be understood as
inculcating all those virtues which are opposedto the sin forbidden. This is
evident from the connexion in which our text stands with the preceding
context. Our blessedLord had declared, that a wrathful word was in fact a
species anddegree of murder: and from thence he takes occasionto inculcate
the necessityof exercising in every respecta spirit of love, so as, not only to
entertain no angerin one’s own heart againstothers, but so as not to leave
room for the exercise ofit in the hearts of others towards us. The direction
which he gives us respecting it will leadus to shew, I. The duty of seeking
reconciliationwith men— Wild beasts are scarcelymore prone to injure their
own species, thanman is to oppress and injure his fellow-man. Indeed,
considering what tempers we have, and what tempers exist in others, and
what frequent occasions ofinterference with eachother must of necessity
arise, it would be a miracle if any of us had so conductedhimself on all
occasions,that no brother should on any account“have ought againsthim.”
We apprehend that no one who knows any thing of his own heart, would

profess himself so perfect, as never to have done towards another any thing
differently from what he would have wishedto be done towards himself.
Supposing then that “a brother have ought againstus,” what is to be done? I
answer, 1. We should be willing to see our fault...2. We should be ready to ask
pardon for it...3. We should be desirous to make reparationfor it....Suchis
our duty towards an offended brother. (Readthe entire sermon - Matthew
5:23-24 The Necessityof Seeking Reconciliationwith Men)
The setting is worship in the Temple in Jerusalem(or church in our day).
Here are Hebrew word studies related to the various Temple offerings...
Burnt offering (05930)'olah
Contribution (offering, heave offering) (08541)terumah
Freewilloffering (05071)nedabah
Grain offering (offering) (04503)minchah
Guilt Offering (Trespass offering)(0817)asam
Offering (07133)qorban/korban
Offering (grain offering) (04503)minchah
Offering by fire (0801)ishsheh
Ordination (setting, offering)(04394)millu
Peace offerings (08002)selem/shelem
Perfect(whole, whole burnt offering) (03632)kalil
Sin (sin offering) (02403)chattat/chattath
Wave offering (08573)tenupah

Offering (1435)(prosphero from prós = to, toward+ phéro = bring - cf related
word phosphora see Offering, Offerings) means to carry or bring something
into the presence of someone usually implying a transfer of something to that
person. Here it refers to an offering that can include gifts, prayers, or
sacrifices.
Prosphero - 47xin 45v - Mt 2:11; 4:24; 5:23f; 8:4, 16; 9:2, 32; 12:22;14:35;
17:16;18:24; 19:13;22:19; 25:20;Mk 1:44; 2:4; 10:13;Luke 5:14; 18:15;
23:14, 36; John 16:2; 19:29;Acts 7:42; 8:18; 21:26; Heb 5:1, 3, 7; 8:3f; 9:7, 9,
14, 25, 28; 10:1f, 8, 11f; 11:4, 17; 12:7. renders prosphero = bringing to(3),
brought(2), brought to(8), brought up to(1), deals with(1), getto(1),make an
offering(1), offer(8), offered(12), offering(4), offers(1), present(2),
presented(1), presenting(1).
BakerEvangelicalDictionaryOfferings and Sacrifices
Holman Bible Dictionary Sacrifice and Offering
Hastings'Dictionary of the Bible Sacrifice and Offering
Morrish Bible Dictionary Burnt Offering or Sacrifice
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Daily Offering or Sacrifice
Altar (2379)(thusiasterionfrom thusia = that which is offeredas a sacrifice -
see Altar) refers to any type of altar or objectwhere gifts may be placedand
ritual observances carriedout in honor of supernatural beings.
The majority of the uses of thusiasterionrefer to literal altars - (1) the altar of
burnt offering of court of tabernacle or temple (Heb 7:13, (2) the altar of
incense before the Holy of holies (Lk 1:11) and (3) the (golden) altar in heaven
(Rev 8:3, 5, 9:13, 14:18, 16:7).

In the NT thusiasterion is employed to refer to a number of different types of
altars, including the altar for burnt offerings in the Temple, the altar of
incense, the altar which Abraham built, and the heavenly altar mentioned in
the book of Revelation.
Wikipedia - Altars (Hebrew: ‫,חבזמ‬ mizbe'ah, "a place of slaughter or
sacrifice")in the Hebrew Bible were typically made of earth or unwrought
stone. Altars were generally erectedin conspicuous places.The first altar
recordedin the Hebrew Bible is that erectedby Noah.Altars were erectedby
Abraham, by Isaac, by Jacob,andby Moses, (Adonai-nissi).
See the Hebrew word study on mizbeah a masculine noun that is frequent in
the OT (338x) and describes the place of sacrifice where offerings were made
to a deity. The first use in Ge 8:20 describes the altar built by Noahas his first
act after he survived the flood. Abraham is associatedwith an altar in Ge
12:7,8;13:4, 18;Ge 22:9. Not surprisingly the majority of OT occurrencesare
in Leviticus (88xin 72vand Exodus is not far behind - 61x in 53v). The first
offering by Cain and Abel does not mention a specific altar (Ge 4:3). "In the
developed temple ritual, the same word (mizbeah) is used for both the altar of
holocausts andthe altar of incense. Thus, an altar is a place where sacrifice is
offered, even if it is not an event involving slaughter." (Thomas W Davis)
After the theophany on Mount Sinai, in the Tabernacle—andafterwards in
the Temple—onlytwo altars were used: the Altar of Burnt Offering, and the
Altar of Incense.
RelatedResources:
American Tract SocietyAltar

BridgewayBible Dictionary Altar
BakerEvangelicalDictionaryHorns of Altar Altar
Charles Buck Dictionary Altar
Easton's Bible Dictionary Altar
FaussetBible Dictionary Altar
Holman Bible Dictionary Altar Incense Altar
Hastings'Dictionary of the Bible Incense, Altar of Altar
Hastings'Dictionary of the NT Altar Altar
Torrey TopicalTextbook Altars Altar of Burnt-Offering, the Altar of Incense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Altar Horns of the Altar
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Altar Altars forms of
The JewishEncyclopedia Altar
Thusiasterion- 23xin 21v - see all uses below.
In the present context"the altar" refers to the one in the inner court of the
Temple in Jerusalem. There amidst a background of solemnworship, the
worshiper experiences recollectionof a brother with something againsthim
(see Mark 11:25) and Jesus says this should prompt immediate efforts to be
reconciledfor only then is formal worship acceptable.
THOUGHT - One wonders how many in church eachSunday would be well
advised to pay heed to Jesus'instruction in this passage? Whatwould our
worship services look like if this principle were diligently practiced(under
grace not law)? How brightly would the light of Christ's life in us through His
Spirit shine into the darkness ofthe unregenerate world if brothers and sisters
were diligent to practice this principle of personalreconciliation!One is

reminded of the words of Tertullian who preserved the amazing pagan
observationof the Christians, “Look...howthey love one another; and how
they are ready to die for eachother.” Is that what the lost world says about
your church?
The principle is obedience begets genuine worship as Samuel recordedin his
address to the disobedient King Saul who had offered to the Lord sacrifices
that were to have been destroyed...
And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, andto heed than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
In Psalm 51 apparently motivated by David's sins of adultery and murder
records a similar train of thought...
For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise Iwould give it; Thou art not
pleasedwith burnt offering. The sacrificesofGod are a brokenspirit; A
broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. (Psalm51:16-17 -
See comments)
Spurgeonon verse 17 - The sacrifices ofGodare a broken spirit. All sacrifices
are presentedto thee in one, by the man whose brokenheart presents the
Saviour's merit to thee. When the heart mourns for sin, thou art better
pleasedthan when the bullock bleeds beneath the axe. "A broken heart" is an
expressionimplying deep sorrow, embittering the very life; it carries in it the
idea of all but killing anguish in that regionwhich is so vital as to be the very
source of life. So excellent is a spirit humbled and mourning for sin, that it is
not only a sacrifice, but it has a plurality of excellences, andis preeminently

God's sacrifices. Abroken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
A heart crushed is a fragrant heart. Men contemn those who are contemptible
in their own eyes, but the Lord seethnot as man seeth. He despises whatmen
esteem, and values that which they despise. Neveryet has God spurned a
lowly, weeping penitent, and never will he while God is love, and while Jesus is
calledthe man who receivethsinners. Bullocks and rams he desires not, but
contrite hearts he seeksafter;yea, but one of them is better to him than all the
varied offerings of the old Jewishsanctuary.
THOUGHT - How are you doing in this area? Is your worship perfunctory?
hypocritical? devoid of obedience and a brokenness overyour sin? Below are
a few devotionalthoughts to help you searchyour heart with the Spirit's
omnipotent assistance:
MAN TO MAN RECONCILIATION - THE STRAIGHT STORY- Watch
this true story (IT GETS 8/10 STARS!). "The Straight Story" chronicles a
trip made by 73-year-oldAlvin Straight from Laurens, Iowa, to Mt. Zion,
Wis., in 1994 while riding a lawn mower. The man undertook his strange
journey to mend his relationship with his ill, estranged, 75-year-oldbrother
Lyle.
Our Daily Bread Devotional - GOING STRAIGHT - How far would you
travel to put things right with a brother who hadn’t spokento you in 10
years? Would you go 300 miles from Iowa to Wisconsin? On a riding lawn
mower? Unable to drive a car and despising bus travel, Alvin Straight did
exactly that in the intriguing film The Straight Story (watchit on youtube). It
is the true-life drama of a 73-year-oldman who decided it was time to end the
silence, stopthe hating, and break down the wall of angerhe and his brother
had built betweenthem. As I watchedthe film in a packedtheater, where the
audience was silent from beginning to end, I thought of all the broken
relationships that must have surfacedin the minds of people sitting there in

the darkness. Ialso pondered the words of Jesus aboutsetting things right
with those from whom we’ve been estranged. He said, “If you bring your gift
to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against
you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be
reconciledto your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-
24). Is there a relative, a friend, or a brother in Christ with whom you need to
make things right? Then why not go straight to that person and do it today?
Lord, let me feelthe pain of a wounded soul
And seek to heal that wounded one I pray;
Yes, I would take the reconciling role,
And bring an end to pain and strife today.
—Hess
An offense againstyour neighbor builds a fence betweenyou and God.
SPIRITUAL CLEANSING - Read:Exodus 30:17-21 |Cleanse your hands, you
sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. —James 4:8
Plutonium, a naturally radioactive element, is one of the deadliestsubstances
known to man. Its radiation can make normal cells cancerous.Forthat
reason, it was headline news a number of years ago when two scientists from
the University of California announced they had found a substance that could
remove plutonium from living tissue.
Today, man is rightly concernedabout the importance of decontamination.
But long ago, Godshowedmankind the more criticalneed for spiritual

cleansing. This is seenin that wonderful “house of symbols” known as the
tabernacle. Betweenthe bronze altar of sacrifice and the “tabernacle of
meeting” was a bronze washbasinwhere the priest of God cleansedhis hands
and his feet before going into the holy place (Ex. 30:17-21). Bronze symbolizes
judgment. Germs were not the issue—sinwas. Godwas teaching His people
that after He had provided a sacrifice at the altar, a continual self-judging and
cleansing from personal defilement was necessary.
This principle still applies today. Only the cleansedpersoncan move into the
“holy place” of worship, fellowship, and service. Since believers are priests
(Rev. 1:6), we must be careful to washour hands and our hearts daily.
Searchme, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wickedway in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and setme free. —Orr
The road to worship begins at the cross.
THOUGHT - Is there any "spiritual plutonium" in your life which has
resulted in estrangementfrom another human soul, be they spouse or
stranger? First, "wash" offyour "spiritual radioactivity" in the blood of the
Lamb (1 John 1:7), confessing your toxic sins to your Father (1 John 1:9).
Then reconcile your irreconcilable differences with the one (or ones)with
whom you are estranged. Thenwalk forth filled with the Spirit of Jesus our
greatReconcilerand seek reconciliationas much as it is possible with you.
Beloved, when we begin to fathom the infinite distance that Jesus "walked" to
cleanse us for our toxic, deadly sins and effectour eternal
RECONCILIATION with His Father, how canwe not walk across the room,

across the street, or across the land to reconcile with our those with whom we
are at active enmity? Or even ride a lawnmowertractor hundreds of miles to
mend a broken fence (as did Alvin Straight in the The Straight Story)!
What's your excuse? Pride? Stubbornness? An unforgiving spirit? Deep
seatedbitterness? You need to "geton your lawn tractor" today and make the
trip to mend that fence!
EIGHT COWS ON THE ALTAR - PastorEd Dobsonwas speaking to a
congregationon “putting all on the altar” in total surrender to Christ. After
the service, anold German farmer came forward. He told Dobsonthat he had
eight cows that were dying, which would mean greatfinancial loss, and he had
been struggling with accepting this as God’s will. Then he said, “Becauseof
your message, I have found peace. TonightI put them all on the altar.”
Christ’s lordship touches every area, every relationship, every concernof our
lives. If we are willing to submit to Him, any loss in life will be seenas an
opportunity of giving back to God what is rightfully His and trusting Him to
provide what is needed. When God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac,He
seemedto be undermining His own purposes. Isaac was the sonof promise
through whom God would bless the world. Yet Abraham’s faith had grown
strong overthe years, and baffled though he must have been, he said, “God
will provide for Himself the lamb” (Genesis 22:8). The issue is the same for us.
Can we entrust everything to God—our possessions, job, health, family? If we
commit ourselves to Him eachday and thank Him for every blessing, our
confidence in Him will survive any test.
You have longedfor sweetpeace andfor faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest or be perfectly blest
Until all on the altar is laid. —Hoffman

Submission to God means taking our hands off what belongs to Him.
I would add, cleansing our hands of everything that offends Him, such as
unforgiveness or bitterness!
KEEP THE FIRE BURNING - Modern furnaces have takenthe work out of
keeping warm in coldclimates. We simply set the timer on the thermostat,
and the house is warm when we getup in the morning. But in former days,
fire was carefully tended and fuel supplies were closelymonitored. Running
out could be deadly. The same is true spiritually. If we think our “spiritual
fire” can be ignited as easilyas a modern furnace, we risk losing our fervor
for the Lord. In ancient Israel, the priests were instructed not to let the fire on
the altar go out (Lev. 6:9,12-13). This required a lot of work, not the leastof
which was collecting firewoodin a land not knownfor its dense forests. Some
scholars see the fire on the altar as a symbol for the flame of our devotion for
the Lord. Spiritual passionis not something to be treated lightly or takenfor
granted. It will grow coldif we fail to keepit supplied with fuel. The apostle
Paul addressedthe subject of spiritual fervor in his letter to the Romans 12:1-
2,11. To keepthe fire of our devotion burning strong, we must continue the
hard work of stocking our fuel supply with hope, patience, steadfastprayer,
generosity, hospitality, and humility (Ro 12:11-16).
O God, my heart is the altar
And my love for you is the flame;
I’ll keepthe fire burning for You, Lord,
And I will rejoice in Your name. —Hess
Our love for Jesus is the key to spiritual passion.

And I would add that our love for Jesus, our greatReconciler, should serve as
a strong motivator for us (enabled by His Spirit) to reconcile our differences
with those with whom we are estranged, whetherthey be spouses, children,
relatives, co-workers, etc!
TIME FOR A CHANGE - There he built an altar to the Lord and called on
the name of the Lord. —Genesis 12:8
Many believers long to spend daily time with God, praying and reading His
Word. Yet, we are often distractedby a busy schedule. Frustrations mount as
busyness seems to crowdout an opening in our schedules.
Popular Bible teacherOswaldChambers once wisely commented on the
powerof even 5 minutes in the presence of the Lord. Indeed, even a short time
spent in prayer and the Word still has greatvalue: “It is not the thing on
which we spend the most time that moulds us, but the thing that exerts the
greatestpower. Five minutes with God and His Word is worth more than all
the restof the day.” Now, it may sound like Chambers has made an
overstatement. Yet powerful results can come from even a short time of
prayer because Godis powerful. Sometimes our days are filled with busy
demands that crowd out time spent in listening to and responding to God. But
no matter where we are, any time takento build our own spiritual “altar” to
the Lord as Abram did (Gen. 12:8) opens the door to His transforming power.
If you are having trouble finding time with God, you could start with just 5
minutes and see where it leads. Our God longs to meet with us and show His
powerin our lives. - Dennis Fisher
TALK WITH GOD—HE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU.
But remember that in order to enjoy perfect communion with Him, make sure
you are at amity not enmity with others, be they near or far away!

AS IT IS WRITTEN - Read:Ezra 3:1-6 | [They] built the altar . . . to offer
burnt offerings on it, as it is written. —Ezra 3:2
When it comes to putting things together—electronics, furniture, and the
like—my son and I have differing approaches. Steve is more mechanically
inclined, so he tends to toss the instructions aside and just start in. Meanwhile,
I’m poring over the “ReadThis Before Starting” warning while he has
already put the thing halfway together. Sometimes we can getby without the
instructions. But when it comes to putting togethera life that reflects the
goodness andwisdom of God, we can’t afford to ignore the directions He’s
given to us in the Bible. Jesus shows us the way to live. The Israelites who had
returned to their land after the Babylonian captivity are a goodexample of
this. As they beganto reestablishworship in their homeland, they prepared to
do so “in accordancewith what is written in the Law of Moses”(Ezra 3:2). By
building a proper altar and in celebrating the Feastof Tabernaclesas
prescribed by God in Leviticus 23:33-43, theydid exactly what God’s
directions told them to do.
Christ gave His followers some directions too. He said, “Love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your souland with all your mind.” And
“love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37,39). Whenwe believe in Him
and come to Him, He shows us the wayto live. The One who made us knows
far better than we do how life is supposed to work. Remind us, Lord, as we
start eachday that You have already shown us by Your example how to live.
Help us to read Your Word and follow the directions You so graciously
provide for us.
If we want God to lead us, we must be willing to follow Him.

THOUGHT - And we must be willing to LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS
OURSELVES which may mean we need to initiate RECONCILIATION with
our neighbor (Greek = plesion which literally means near, quite near, nearby
= position quite close to another position. Figuratively, plesion means to be
near someone). Is there someone who used to be NEAR TO but are now FAR
FROM because of"irreconcilable differences"(man's viewpoint, not God's!)?
Then ask God to enable you by His Spirit's giving you the desire and the
powerto "mend the fence" for the glory of God. Amen!
AND THERE REMEMBERTHAT YOUR BROTHER HAS SOMETHING
AGAINST YOU
Ge 41:9; 42:21,22;50:15, 16, 17;Lv 6:2, 3, 4, 5, 6; 1Ki 2:44; Lam 3:20; Ezek
16:63;Lk 19:8
Remember ( (3415)(mnaomai - see more detail below)means to recall
information from memory. Paul uses the perfect tense which emphasizes the
continuing state. Timothy is always remembered by Paul!
Why would one "remember"? Undoubtedly the convicting ministry of the
Holy Spirit plays the key roll in prompting such a recall. And when you
remember acton that truth. Don’t waitfor your angry brother or sister to
take the first step. You take it, and take it quickly before things getworse!
Brother (80) (adelphos from a = denoting unity + delphus = womb) refers to
one from the same womb, and in this case is used by Jesus more generallyto
refer to one of the same nature, for all men are born into Adam. So here Jesus
refers to a fellow man as a brother

Jesus is calling for the offender to take the initiative in this process. Thatis,
even if we hold nothing againsthim, if he is angry with or hates us, we should
do everything in our power to be reconciledto him. We might have expected
Jesus to focus primarily on the offended party, since they are the most likely
to feel angertowards another. Instead, in these verses it is the offender who
initiates the process ofreconciliation. Elsewhere Jesus urges the offended
party to make the first move (Mt 18:15). Both share an obligationto work for
resolution when there has been a conflict. Ideally, the two would meet en route
to one another and settle their differences “onthe way.”
How important is it to deal with enmity, disagreements, animosity, or anger?
Reconciliationis so important that it takes priority over everything else. It
even takes precedenceoverworship. God would rather see us resolve our
differences than receive our offerings!
THOUGHT - Let's get practicalfor a moment. Do you know someone who is
angry with you? Is there someone who has offended you? How canyou take
the initiative in eachcase to reconcile with that person? Before attempting to
reconcile, take some time to think through your strategy. For example,
reconciliationmay be better attempted face to face rather than over the
phone. You may even want to write out what you will sayin advance. Note
that there is no way to guarantee how the other personwill respond, but you
can be certain of God’s help as you “make every effort” to be at peace with all
men.
Luke gives us an excellentexample of a new citizen of the Kingdom of heaven
who put this into practice "And Zaccheus (a chief tax gatherer)stopped and
said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions Iwill give to the poor,
and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as
much." And Jesus saidto him, "Todaysalvationhas come to this house,

because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Sonof Man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:8-10)
The Preacher's Commentaryhas the following illustration of reconciliation
(albeit it deals with angerin the one who remembers) "At a communion
service in the South Pacific Islands, a man kneeling at the altar to receive the
emblems suddenly gotup and moved to the back of the auditorium with an
agitatedexpression. Later he rejoined the communicants and participated in
the sacrament. Whenasked, following the service, about his action, he
revealedthat he had seenthe man kneeling at the other end of the altar rail
who had killed his father. He was so angry in his spirit that he could not
partake of the emblems until God enabled him to experience a forgiving spirit.
Just so, Jesus elevatesreconciliationwith one’s brother to a greater
importance than religious rites. And the ministry of reconciliationwas
ultimately expressedby the Masterwho, while we were enemies, died for us.
(Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. Vol. 24:The Preacher's Commentary
Series, Volume 24: Matthew. Nashville, Tennessee:Thomas NelsonInc) (Ed
note: see the serious warning regarding taking communion in an unworthy
manner in 1Cor11:27-34 )
Today in the Word has the following devotional on Jesus'teaching in Mt 5:23-
24...
Writer Shannon Woodwardrelates this recent experience in a bookstore. A
little boy came running into the store and rushed up to his father who was
calmly browsing the children's books. The boy had a request to make, but
before he could finish, his father exploded and angrily told him to go back to
the family van. A few minutes later an older girl came into the store and tried
to talk to the father. But in a voice that turned every head in the store, he
screamedat her to go outside and stay put. As the girl left red-faced, the man
calmly resumed his browsing.

Woodwardwatchedsadly, amazed at the way this father erupted with anger
and then browsedas if nothing had happened. Such scenes are painful to
witness, yet if we are honest with ourselves we would admit this is often the
way we approach our worship of God.
We may come into God's presence, readyto worship Him, yet we come
knowing that things are not right ""outside,""where family or friends are
feeling the effects of our disrupted relationships with them.
God wants us to remove this hindrance before we bring Him our praise and
our gifts--a necessarystep of preparation for worship that Jesus addressedin
the Sermonon the Mount... Applying this to our worship, Jesus turned the
situation around from what we might expect(Matt. 5). The problem here is
not what others have done to offend us, but what we might have done to cause
offense to a brother or a sister.
Why did Jesus state the case this way? Probably because we are a lot quicker
to forget our own offenses than we are to forget the offenses otherpeople
commit againstus. The altar Jesus was talking about was locatedin the inner
portion of the temple, where solemn worship took place (v. 23)
Remember (3415)(mnaomai)means to recallto mind, to recollect, to
remember, to come (or have) to one's remembrance.
Mnaomairefers primarily to people remembering as an act of mental recall
(e.g., Mt 5:23; 27:63; Lk 16:25; Jn 2:17, 22;Acts 11:16; 2Ti1: 4; 2Pe 3:2;
Jude 1:17).

Some uses of mnaomai conveythe idea of “be mindful of,” with a view to
acting in a certainway. The penitent thief on the cross, forexample, pleads for
Christ to remember him in paradise (Lk 23:42, cp Lxx us Ps 106:4). In other
words, the idea is to recallor be aware ofinformation, and as a result to
respond in an appropriate manner (e.g., punishing = Rev 16:19, helping = Ge
8:1, Ge 30:22, Heb 13:3, etc) depending on context.
To remember means to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind.
To recall information from memory, but without necessarilyan implication
that one has actually forgotten.
In Ps 143:5 we see remember is associatedwith meditation. It is difficult to
meditate on what one does not remember.
Renn - When predicatedof God, mnaomai mnaomai refers to divine
remembering in the anthropomorphic sense of initiating an aspectof his
redemptive purposes. Lk 1:54 speaks ofGod “remembering” to be merciful
(cf. also Acts 10:31).Lk 1:72 affirms that God will remember his covenant.
Heb. 8:12; 10:17 promise that God will remember the sins of his people no
more. God is said to remember Babylon in Rev. 16:19, with a view to
punishing her for her sins. (Expository Dictionary)
Gary Hill makes an interesting observationbasedon the fact that all of the
uses of mnaomai are in the middle voice (the subject initiates the action and
participates the the process orresults) - "The high level of personal
involvement and personalinterest motivating this remembering accounts for
why it is always in the middle voice." (The DiscoveryBible).

Many of the uses of mnaomai in the Septuagint are very instructive and
encouraging as they speak of God remembering His covenant(see uses at the
end of this note), remembering individuals (Noah, Abraham, Rachel), and
remembering His ChosenPeople. Perhaps you are in time of doubting God's
goodness andHis remembrance of you, especiallyif you are experiencing
difficult circumstances. If so, let me strongly recommend prayerfully
pondering some of the uses of mnaomai, especiallythose in the Septuagint. In
Nu 15:39-40 Godinstructs His people to use the tassels ontheir garments to
aid their remembering the commandments so that they might keepthem.
The lastwords of the godly leaderNehemiah were a prayer - "Remember
(Lxx = mnaomai) me, O my God, for good." (Neh13:31)
In the Septuagint and in the NT in Heb 8:12, 10:17 (see note below) mnaomai
can conveythe idea of not remembering someone’s sins or to let someone’s
sins go unpunished - Ps 25:7; 79:8; Is 43:25;Heb 8:12; 10:17 (both quoting
from Jer 31:34 where in the New CovenantJehovah says to Israel"their sin I
will remember no more.")
It is interesting to note that the Greek wordfor "tomb" (Acts 13:29)is
mnēmeíon (3419)which is derived from mnáomai and thus a tomb is a
memorial, sepulcher or monument (something set up so that a departed one is
remembered)
Websteron remember - to bring to mind or think of again, to keepin mind
for attention or consideration. We are saidto remember any thing, when the
idea of it arises in the mind with the consciousnessthatwe have had this idea
before.

BDAG (summary) - 1. to recall information from memory = remember,
recollect, remind oneself2. to think of and call attention to something or
someone = to make mention of someone (Acts 10:31, Rev 16:19) 3. give careful
considerationto = to remember, think of, care for, be concernedabout, keep
in mind (Ge 30:22, Lk 23:42, Heb 2:6, 13:3
Friberg on mnaomai - 1) reflexively; (a) of recollectionremember, call to
mind, think about again (Heb 10.17);(b) of solicitous concernbe mindful of,
think of, care for (Lk 23.42);(2) passive be mentioned, be noticed(Acts 10.31);
the perfectpassive has a derived meaning have been reminded equivalent to
remember (2Ti1.4) (Analytical Lexicon)
Liddell-Scott state that the primary meaning of Mnaomai in classical
literature is “to be mindful of, to turn one’s mind to a thing.” After Homer the
term was used to describe one’s pursuit for appointment to an office or
solicitationof a favor. So, when a young man turned his mind to seeking a
bride, mnaomai described the courtship process.
Mnaomai- 21x in 21v - Usage:recall(1), remember(12), remembered(8),
rememberest(1), remembrance (m)(1).
Matthew 5:23 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and
there remember that your brother has something againstyou,
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said,
"Before a cock crows,you will deny Me three times." And he went out and
wept bitterly.

Matthew 27:63 and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that
deceiversaid, 'After three days I am to rise again.'
Luke 1:54 "He has given help to IsraelHis servant, In remembrance of His
mercy,
Luke 1:72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy
covenant,
Luke 16:25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you
receivedyour goodthings, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is
being comforted here, and you are in agony.
Comment: What a horrible remembrance it will be for those who are
separatedeternally from the glorious presence of the Holy One! To have such
memories eternally is simply unfathomable to me (although I believe that is
what the Scriptures clearly teach).
Luke 23:42 And he was saying, "Jesus,remember me when You come in Your
kingdom!" (And Jesus saidHe would - Luke 23:42)
Comment: There was a prayer petition found on gravestonesthat one be
remembered at the resurrection
Luke 24:6 "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you
while He was still in Galilee,

Luke 24:8 And they remembered His words,
John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zealfor Thy house
will consume me."
John 2:22 When therefore He was raisedfrom the dead, His disciples
remembered that He saidthis; and they believed the Scripture, and the word
which Jesus had spoken.
John 12:16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but
when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were
written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.
Acts 10:31 and he said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms
have been remembered before God.
Acts 11:16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say,
'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
1 Corinthians 11:2 Now I praise you because you remember (perfect tense -
speaks ofpermanence of their memory of Paul) me in everything, and hold
firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.
2 Timothy 1:4 longing to see you, even as I recallyour tears, so that I may be
filled with joy.

Hebrews 8:12 "ForI will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember
(Divine passive indicating God as the agent)their sins no more."
Zodhiates on remember in this context(cp Heb 10:17)- This does not mean
that God does not exercise memory with which He has so beneficially
endowedHis creatures;nor does it mean that when we appear before Him to
have our lives reviewedand judged that God will forgetall that we have ever
done (Rom. 14:10;1 Cor. 3:11–15;2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11–15). The
apportionment of rewards to the believers necessitates God’s andtheir
remembrance of their works (James 2:12, 13). The Heb. 8:12 and 10:17
passagesspecificallyspeak ofthe new covenantof the Lord with Israelwhich,
being accepted, brings an end to His remembrance by Him regarding whether
or not they kept the old covenant. This is equivalent to God forgetting all the
sins of the individual before he was savedand ushered into the kingdom of
God. However, there is certainly a remembrance of all one’s works, whether
goodor bad (2 Cor. 5:10), performed during his entire life of faith from the
moment he has been attachedto the body of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). (The
complete word study dictionary: New Testament)
Hebrews 10:17 "And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no
more."
Hebrews 13:3 Remember (present imperative) the prisoners, as though in
prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are
in the body.
2 Peter3:2 that you should remember the words spokenbeforehandby the
holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spokenby your
apostles.

Jude 1:17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken
beforehand by the apostles ofour Lord Jesus Christ,
Revelation16:19 And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of
the nations fell. And Babylon the greatwas remembered before God (Here in
the sense that He remembers the sins -- just the opposite of the idea in Heb
8:12, 10:17, the latter reflecting His gracious new covenant), to give her the
cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.
Mnaomai- 271 uses in the Septuagint - Gen. 8:1; 9:15-16;19:29;30:22; Ge
40:13-14, 20, 23;42:9; Exod. 2:24; 6:5; 20:8; 32:13; Lev. 26:42, 45; Num. 11:5;
15:39f; Deut. 5:15; 7:18; 8:2, 18;9:7, 27;15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:9, 18, 20, 22;
25:17;32:7; Jos. 1:13;Jdg. 8:34; 9:2; 16:28; 1 Sam. 1:11, 19; 4:18; 25:31;2
Sam. 19:19;2 Ki. 20:3; 2 Chr. 6:42; 24:22;Neh. 1:8; 4:14; 5:19; 6:14; 9:17;
13:14, 22, 29, 31;Est. 2:1; 4:8, 17;10:3; Job 4:7; 7:7; 10:9; 21:6; 28:18;36:24;
41:8; Ps. 8:4; 9:12; 16:4; 20:3; 22:27; 25:6f; 42:4, 6; 45:17;71:16; 74:2, 18, 22;
77:3, 5, 11; 78:35, 39, 42;79:8; 83:4; 87:4; 88:5; 89:47, 50;98:3; 103:14, 18;
105:5, 8, 42;106:4, 7, 45;109:16;111:5; 115:12;119:49, 52, 55;132:1; 136:23;
137:1, 6f; 143:5; Prov. 31:7; Eccl. 5:20;9:15; 11:8; 12:1; Isa. 12:4; 17:10;
26:16;38:3; 43:25f;44:21; 46:8f; 47:7; 48:1; 54:4; 57:11; 62:6; 63:7, 11;64:5,
7, 9; 65:17;66:9; Jer. 2:2; 11:19;14:10, 21;15:15; 18:20;31:20, 34; 33:8;
44:21;51:50; Lam. 1:7, 9; 2:1; 3:19f; 5:1; Ezek. 3:20; 6:9; 16:22, 43, 60f, 63;
18:22, 24;20:43; 21:23;23:27; 36:31;Dan. 5:10; Hos. 2:17; 7:2; 8:13; 9:9;
Amos 1:9; Jon. 2:7; Mic. 6:5; Nah. 2:5; Hab. 3:2; Zech. 10:9; Mal. 4:4
The first 5 uses of mnaomai in the Septuagint of Genesis are powerful as they
speak of the Holy God Who condescends to remember His creatures.
THOUGHT - Dearbeliever do you ever feel like God has forgottenabout you,
especiallyif you are experiencing adversity or affliction? Then meditate on the

passagesbelow and ask the Spirit to open the eyes of your heart to see the
Father's greatunconditional love for you. You may feel like Joseph, forgotten
by men, but ultimately ((when all was said and done) remembered by God.
(Ge 40:23)Joseph's Godis your God beloved!
Genesis 8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle
that were with him in the ark; and God causeda wind to pass over the earth,
and the water subsided.
Genesis 9:15 and I will remember My covenant, which is betweenMe and you
and every living creature of all flesh; and never againshall the waterbecome
a flood to destroy all flesh.
Genesis 9:16 “When the bow (rainbow) is in the cloud, then I will look upon it,
to remember the everlasting covenantbetweenGod and every living creature
of all flesh that is on the earth.”
Genesis 19:29 Thus it came about, when God destroyedthe cities of the valley,
that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the
overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.
Genesis 30:22 ThenGod remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and
opened her womb.
Ex 2:24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Ex 6:5 “And furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel,
because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage;and I have remembered
My covenant.
Lev 26:42 then I will remember My covenantwith Jacob, and I will remember
also My covenant with Isaac, andMy covenantwith Abraham as well, and I
will remember the land.
Lev 26:45 ‘But I will remember for them the covenant with their ancestors,
whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I
might be their God. I am the LORD.’”
Num 15:39 “And it shall be a tassel(tasselsonthe corner of their garments -
Nu 15:38)for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the
LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own
eyes, after which you played the harlot, Num 15:40 in order that you may
remember to do all My commandments, and be holy to your God.
One of the most encouraging uses ofmnaomai is in Isaiah65:17 where God
says “Forbehold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former
things shall not be remembered or come to mind."
Matthew 5:24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be
reconciledto your brother, and then come and present your offering. (NASB:
Lockman)

Greek:aphes (2SAAM) ekeito doron sou emprosthen tou thusiasteriou, kai
hupage (2SPAM)proton diallagethi(2SAPM) to adelphos sou, kaitote elthon
(AAPMSN) prosphere (2SPAM)to doron sou.
Amplified: Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your
brother, and then come back and present your gift. (Amplified Bible -
Lockman)
KJV: Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled
to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
NLT: leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciledto that
person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Philips: you must leave your gift there before the altar and go away. Make
your peace with your brother first, then come and offer your gift. (New
Testamentin Modern English)
Wuest: leave there your gift before the altar of whole burnt-offerings and be
going away. First be reconciledto your brother, and then, having come, be
offering your gift. (
Wuest: Expanded Translation: Eerdmans
)
Young's Literal: leave there thy gift before the altar, and go -- first be
reconciledto thy brother, and then having come bring thy gift.

LEAVE YOUR OFFERINGTHERE BEFORE THE ALTAR AND GO:
aphes (2SAAM) ekeito doron sou emprosthen tou thusiasterioukai hupage
(2SPAM)
Mt 18:15, 16, 17;Job 42:8; Proverbs 25:9; Mark 9:50; Romans 12:17,18;
1Corinthians 6:7,8; 1Timothy 2:8; James 3:13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18;5:16; 1Peter
3:7,8
THE RIGHT WAY
TO WORSHIP!
Spurgeon- It is saidthat, in Hindostan, there is a complete divorce of religion
from morality, so that a man may be supposed to be eminently religious even
while living in the utmost filthiness and vice; but it must never be so among
us. We must never imagine that God canacceptan offering from us while we
harbor any enmity in our hearts. Perhaps, after reading this passage,you say,
“If I had anything againstmy brother, I would go to him at once, and seek to
be reconciledto him.” That would be quite right; but you must go further
than that, for Christ says, “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberestthat thy brother hath ought againstthee.” It is much more easy
to go to the man who has wrongedyou than to the one whom you have
wronged. Yet the secondis evidently the clearerduty, and should be attended
to at once: neither can we expect the Lord to attend to us unless we attend to
this duty.
Leave (863) (aphiemi [word study] from apo = prefix implies separation+
hiemi = put in motion, send) conveys the basic idea of an action which causes
separationand means to send from one's self, to forsake, to hurl away, to put
away, let alone, disregard, put off. It conveys the basic idea of an action which
causes separationand refers to total detachment, total separation, from a
previous locationor condition. It means to send forth or awayfrom one's self.

It refers to the act of putting something away or of laying it aside. In secular
Greek aphiemi initially conveyed the sense of to throw and in one secular
writing we read "let the pot drop" (aphiemi). From this early literal use the
word came to mean leave or let go.
This verb presents the interesting picture - "Let go of your offering". How
often do we give to God, but in a sense (with our heart for example) try to
hold on to it? He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Everything we have
belongs to Him. O, so slow to learn this liberating truth!
Offering (1435)(doron) a gift offered to God (eg, to honor Him, Mt 2:11). A
present. An offering (used to support gift to maintain divine service, Lk 21:4 ~
the "offering box") .
Doron - 19x in 17v - Matt 2:11; 5:23f; 8:4; 15:5; 23:18f; Mark 7:11; Luke
21:1, 4; Eph 2:8; Heb 5:1; 8:3f; 9:9; 11:4; Rev 11:10. The renders doron as
gift(1), gifts(8), given(2), offering(8).
Before (1715)(emprosthen) in front of.
Emprosthen - 48x in 45v - Matt 5:16, 24; 6:1f; 7:6; 10:32f;11:10, 26; 17:2;
18:14;23:13; 25:32;26:70; 27:11, 29;Mark 2:12; 9:2; Luke 5:19; 7:27; 10:21;
12:8; 14:2; 19:4, 27f; 21:36;John 1:15, 30;3:28; 10:4; 12:37;Acts 10:4; 18:17;
2 Cor 5:10; Gal 2:14; Phil 3:13; 1 Thess 1:3; 2:19; 3:9, 13; 1 John 3:19; Rev
4:6; 19:10;22:8. The renders it as ahead(3), before(30), higherrank(2), in
front(1), in front of(3), in the presence of(4), in the sight of(3).

Altar (2379)(thusiasterionfrom thusia = that which is offered as a sacrifice)is
the place of sacrifice and thus an altar where gifts may be placedand ritual
observancescarriedout in honor of supernatural beings (the Living God of
course in this context). An altar "is a structure used in worship as the place
for presenting sacrifices to God or gods."
RelatedResource:
What is an altar?
Jesus'point is that angerand hatred affectour relationship to God. As long as
there is internal sin, outward acts of worship are not acceptable to God.
Reconciliationmust precede worship because unresolvedconflicthas priority
and must be settled. Settle the breach betweenyou and your brother before
you try to settle the breach betweenyou and God. Not to do that is to be a
hypocrite by asking for forgiveness without repenting.
THOUGHT - Mark it down beloved. If you bring anger to the altar, you
cannot worship God, so getrid of the anger quickly. Do not be deceived. Is
there someone God's Spirit is bringing to your mind to reconcile with so that
you might then worship Him in spirit and in truth? The Fatherdesires and
seeks true worshipers (John 4:23). Don't put off until tomorrow what you
should dealwith today. And remember your obligation is only as far as it is
possible (the other party may make it totally impossible) for you to be at peace
with all men (see Romans 12:14-17;12:18-21). A clear, cleanconscienceis a
wonderful thing.
Ray Pritchard on the Interpersonal Animosity Jesus describedin Mt 5:23-24 -
The principle is easyto grasp: Solving problems now saves trouble later. And
delayed reconciliationmeans increasedanimosity. Jesus is speaking aboutthe
priority of reconciliation. It’s more important than coming to church; it’s

more important than giving money; it’s more important than praying in
public or going to a Bible study. Sometimes we canharbor hatred toward
others even while attending church on Sunday morning. If that’s true of you,
then when we pass the offering plates in a little while, please kindly keepyour
money to yourself. God doesn’t want money from a murderer! That’s what
you are if you harbor bitterness and resentment in your heart toward
someone else.
FIRST BE RECONCILED TO YOUR BROTHER AND THEN COME AND
PRESENTYOUR OFFERING:proton diallageqi(2SAPM)to adelphos sou,
kai tote elthon (AAPMSN) prosphere (2SPAM) to doron sou
Mt 23:23;1Co 11:28
RECONCILIATION
BETWEENMEN
First (4413)(proton) means first in time, place, order or importance. Here
Jesus speaksofthe priority, and the necessitythat reconciliationofan
animosity should take over worship.
Be reconciled(1259)(diallasso from diá = denoting transition + allasso [word
study] = conveys basic sense is “to make other than it is,” - see Reconciliation
or Reconcile)means to change one's feelings towards anotherand so to
become reconciled. It means to be restoredto normal relations or harmony
with someone. This could apply to a enmity, animosity or a quarrel in which
the fault may be two-sidedor one-sided. The context must show which side the
active enmity is on, but in this case it is the brother who is somehow offended.

Friberg on diallasso - as dealing with mutual hostility change from enmity to
friendship, reconcile;only passive in the NT become reconciled, make peace
with someone (Analytical Lexicon)
BDAG on diallasso - to be restoredto normal relations or harmony with
someone, become reconciled
Vine - diallasso - "to effectan alteration, to exchange,"and hence, "to
reconcile," incases ofmutual hostility yielding to mutual concession, and thus
differing from No. 1 (under which see Lightfoot's remarks), is used in the
Passive Voice in Matthew 5:24 , which illustrates the point. There is no such
idea as "making it up" where God and man are concerned. (Reconcile,
Reconciliation- Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words)
Liddell-Scott on diallasso - (I) Med. to change one with another, interchange,
to make an exchange. (II) Act. to exchange, i.e., (1) to give in exchange (2) to
take in exchange;to change one land for another - to pass through a land (3)
Simply to change (III) to change enmity to friendship, to reconcile one to
another, to make friends, to be reconciled
Thayer on diallasso - (1) to change (2) to change the mind of anyone, to
reconcile
Diallasso is usedin the Septuagint in 1 Sa 29:4 1 where the Philistines
questioned David's loyalty to King Achish - "But the commanders of the
Philistines were angry with him (Achish), and the commanders of the
Philistines saidto him, “Make the man go back, that he may return to his
place where you have assignedhim, and do not let him go down to battle with
us, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For with what could this

man make himself acceptable (Lxx = diallasso)to his lord? Would it not be
with the heads of these men?"
Jesus teachesthat we should take every reasonable stepto promote an effect
opposite of murder (whether it is with or without guns or knives). In this case,
instead of murdering by hand or mouth, citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven
are those who should seek with all their powerto establishright relationships
with their brothers.
Guzik phrases it this way "Jesus considersit far more important to be
reconciledto a brother than to perform a religious duty. Jesus says we must
first be reconciledto your brother. We can’t think that our service towards
the Lord justifies bad relationships with others. We should do what Paul
commanded in Romans 12:18: If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live
peaceablywith all men."
Ray Pritchard - In the Bible, wheneveryou find the word reconcile or
reconciliation, it always implies at leasttwo things. 1) Reconciliationbetween
people, nations, races, groups orindividuals and God. Reconciliationalways
involves first of all a removal of that which causedthe enmity in the first
place. Reconciliationis impossible until you deal with the problem that caused
the separation, that has forced people apart, that has forcedthe wedge
between. Reconciliation, then, is impossible without dealing with the sin and
failure that divides us and pushes us apart. 2. Reconciliationalways involves
the restorationof a relationship of friendship and conciliation. Whenever you
see the word reconcile or reconciliationin the Bible, whether betweenpeople
or people and God, it always involves the removal of the problem and the
restorationof friendship. (Reconciliation - Enemies No More)
RELATED RESOURCES:

Reconciliation-Enmityto Amity
Reconciliation- Baker's EvangelicalDictionaryof BiblicalTheology
Reconciliation- Hastings'Dictionary of the New TestamentTorreyTopical
Textbook
American Tract SocietyReconciliation
BridgewayBible Dictionary Reconciliation
BakerEvangelicalDictionaryReconciliation
Charles Buck Dictionary Reconciliation
CARM TheologicalDictionaryReconcile, reconciliation
FaussetBible Dictionary Reconciliation
Hastings'Dictionary of the Bible Reconciliation
Hastings'Dictionary of the NT Reconciliation Reconciliation Reconciliation
with God
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Reconcile;Reconciliation
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Reconciliation
What is ultimate reconciliation?
What is Christian reconciliation? Why do we need to be reconciledwith God
Reconcile (2644)katallasso
Reconcile (604)apokatallasso
Reconciliation(2643)katallage
Brothers is not used in the sense ofChristian brotherhood but in the sense
that all mankind is relatedthrough Adam's lineage ("the brotherhood of
mankind") and all are to be treated as those made in the image of God.

Present(4374)(prosphero from pros = before + phero = bear) to bear before
and so to bring unto.
Vine - prosphero - primarily, "to bring to" (pros, "to," phero, "to bring"),
also denotes "to offer," (a) of the sacrifice ofChrist Himself, Hebrews 8:3; of
Christ in virtue of his High Priesthood(RV, "this high priest;" AV, "this
man"); Hebrews 9:14,25 (negative),28;10:12; (b) of offerings under, or
according to, the Law, e.g., Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44; Acts 7:42; 21:26;
Hebrews 5:1,3; 8:3; 9:7,9; 10:1,2,8,11;(c) of "offerings" previous to the Law,
Hebrews 11:4,17 (of Isaac by Abraham); (d) of gifts "offered" to Christ,
Matthew 2:11 , RV, "offered" (AV, "presentedunto"); (e) of prayers
"offered" by Christ, Hebrews 5:7; (f) of the vinegar "offered" to Him in
mockeryby the soldiers at the cross, Luke 23:36;(g) of the slaughter of
disciples by persecutors,who think they are "offering" service to God, John
16:2 , RV (AV, "doeth"); (h) of money "offered" by Simon the sorcerer, Acts
8:18 . See BRING , A, No. 8, DEAL WITH, No. 2. (Offer, Offering - Vine's
Expository Dictionary of NT Words)
Offering (gift) (1435)(doron from didomi = to give) is relatedto dorea which
describes a free gift, stressing its gratuitous character. Something offeredin
expressionof honour. A gift is something voluntarily transferred by one
person to another without compensation. Something presentedas an actof
worship and/or devotion (Mt 2:11). Doron is used of offerings to Godexcept in
Eph 2:8 and Rev 11:10. In classicalGreek doronreferred to a votive
(expressing a vow, wish or desire)gift or offering to a god (little g) or a gift
from the gods, as wellas a presentgiven as a tribute or even as a bribe. Of the
166+ uses ofdoron in the non-apocryphal Septuagint, most are used in the
context of an offering to God(cf Ge 4:4, Lev 1:2, 3, 10, 2:1, Nu 5:15, Dt 12:11,
1Chr 16:29, Jer 33:11, etc).

Vine - doron is akin to didomi, “to give,” is used (a) of “gifts” presentedas an
expressionof honor, Matt. 2:11; (b) of “gifts” for the support of the temple
and the needs of the poor, Matt. 15:5; Mark 7:11; Luke 21:1, 4; (c) of “gifts”
offered to God, Matt. 5:23, 24;8:4; 23:18, 19; Heb. 5:1; 8:3, 4; 9:9; 11:4; (d) of
salvationby grace as the “gift” of God, Eph. 2:8; (e) of “presents” formutual
celebrationof an occasion, Rev. 11:10. (Gift, Giving - Vine's Expository
Dictionary of NT Words)
John MacArthur wisely comments that "Obviously we cannot change another
person’s heart or attitude, but our desire and effort should be to close the
breach as much as is possible from our side and to hold no angerourselves
even if the other persondoes. Regardlessofwho is responsible for the break in
relationship-and often there is guilt on both sides-we should determine to
make a reconciliationbefore we come before God to worship. True worship is
not enhancedby better music, better prayers, better architecture, or even
better preaching. True worship is enhancedby better relationships between
those who come to worship. Worship may be improved by our staying away
from church until we have made things right with those with whom we know
our relationship is strained or broken. When there is animosity or sin of any
sort in our heart there cannot be integrity in our worship. (MacArthur, J:
Matthew 1-7 Macarthur New TestamentCommentary Chicago:Moody Press)
(Bolding added)
Sinclair Fergusondraws an illustration "Picture a man in church. He is about
to express his devotion to the Lord in worship and in his offering. But he has
not been enjoying fellowshipwith his brother. There is disharmony in the
relationship. Jesus says the man should leave his offering, be reconciledto his
brother, and then return to worship God with a clearconscienceandfull
heart. Is Jesus saying that the only important thing in worship is right
relationships with our fellow men? Hardly! He recognizes that our
relationship with God is primary, but we always appearbefore God as those
who are related, rightly or wrongly, to our fellow men. What we are before

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