Christ explains that anger is as sinful as murder. Traditionally, only the act of murder was condemned, but Christ says the angry thoughts and feelings that precede murder make one equally guilty. To reconcile with others, we must forgive quickly instead of waiting for anger to grow. We should also recognize our own sinfulness and empathize with so-called "criminals," since we are all equally guilty in God's eyes. The implications are that we should introspect on our own faults before judging others and help others reconcile with Christ, just as we are trying to do.

1. ANGER AND HURT

2. GRACIOUS JESUS
3. KINGDOM LIFESTYLE PART 1
Salt and Light
Fulfilling the Law
Anger and Hurt
Lust and Immorality
Integrity
The Extra Mile
Love your Enemies

3. ANGER AND HURT
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Matt 5:21-26, Matt 18:15-
17, Luke 12:57-59, John
17:20-23
• Traditional perspective
• Christ’s perspective
• Reconciling
perspectives
• Implications today

4. OBJECTIVES
To understand the true
meaning of the sixth
commandment
To apply it to our
marred perspectives in
today’s context

5. INTRODUCTION
Straight off the back of the
announcement of
“fulfilling the law”,
Christ’s first example is
anger vs. murder (the
sixth commandment). He
then goes on to explain
the true meaning of the
sixth commandment,
which had been seriously
misinterpreted till His
time.

6. ANGER AND HURT
Passage:
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall
not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his
brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his
brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You
fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering
your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother
has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before
the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then
come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your
accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your
accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the
guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you
will never get out until you have paid the last penny. Matt 5

7. ANGER AND HURT
“Anger is a natural
passion; there are cases
in which it is lawful and
laudable; but it is then
sinful, when we are angry
without cause. The word
is eike, which signifies,
sine causâ, sine effectu, et
sine modo—without
cause, without any good
effect, without
moderation; so that the
anger is then sinful” [1]

8. TRADITIONAL
PERSPECTIVE
The act (murder, adultery, etc) is the sin, not the thought,
feeling or words.
The act is to be condemned and liable to capital punishment
(ex 20:13)
People who perform the act eg. murder are socially
blacklisted and spiritually marred.

9. TRADITIONAL
PUNISHMENTS
The Jews had three capital
punishments, each worse
than the other:
 beheading, which was
inflicted by the judgment
 stoning, by the council or
chief Sanhedrim
 burning in the valley of
the son of Hinnom, which
was used only in
extraordinary cases [1]

10. CHRIST’S
PERSPECTIVE
 The thought, feeling or words (eg. anger) is as sinful as
the act eg. murder
 The thought is to be condemned and liable to capital
punishment to various degrees.
 People who perform the thought are equally guilty as
those performing the act.
 Spiritually, those who feel angry, therefore, are not
spiritually higher than those who murder and cannot judge
them. (Matt 7:1)

11. UNDERSTANDING
CONTEXT
PRIDE AND HATRED
Anger, pride, hatred – all
deserving capital
punishment are placed at
three separate levels
corresponding to the
Jewish levels.
Pride: Raca is a scornful
word, and comes from
pride, “You empty fellow;”
Hatred: You fool, is a
spiteful word, and comes
from hatred; [1]

12. RECONCILING
PERSPECTIVES
If you are the hurt party:
 Do not wait another minute
 Forgive
If you have caused hurt:
• Do not wait another day
• Seek forgiveness from God
• And the people you hurt
Don’t wait for anger or bitterness to set in.

13. We are all guilty. Only Christ can
absolve our punishment

14. MINISTRY OF
RECONCILIATION
Without reconciling with others, we
cannot reconcile to God.
2 Cor 5
18 All this is from God, who through
Christ reconciled us to himself and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

15. IMPLICATIONS TODAY
Though anger and murder
are spiritually equivalent,
socially and legally, murder
has greater consequences
Before feeling self
righteous and mentally
condemning others,
introspect and realize our
own unworthiness
Empathize with the
murderers, adulterers, etc.
realizing we are in the same
league spiritually and help
them return to Christ in the
same way we are doing so.

16. RECAP
Traditional perspective
Christ’s perspective
Reconciling
perspectives
Implications today

17. DISCUSSION
1. In what ways do we risk being like
Pharisees?
2. How does this enable us to minister
better to murderers and sexual
offenders, etc.?
3. How can we lead by example to repent,
return and meet Christ’s high standards?

18. REFERENCES
1. Matthew Henry’s Commentary