Mountain View Baptist Church

[This sermon is one of a series entitled "Sermon on the Mount, Concentrating on the Beatitudes," which is being preached on Sunday mornings by Pastor Tim Senter.]

Many believe that a “little white lie” is better than being honest at times - that honesty is too insensitive.

Last week we discussed the Pharisees and scribes. When we opened the text concerning them we found that, although they had an incorrect focus and attitude, they were not evil for the most part. The Pharisees and scribes were trying desperately to get Israel to repent in order for God to release them from Roman captivity. In their efforts, they were trying to engineer this repentance through the implementation of an involved and complicated set of rules which were in addition to the given Law.

What we found was that some Pharisees and scribes strove so strenuously to implement these personal rules in their lives that they went too far, and neglected important things such as true ministry to their families and others. This “legalistic” kind of life also set up barriers between those who were supposed to minister to others (the Pharisees and scribes) and those who were to receive ministry (the people of Israel). We found that in our world we can do the same. Many Pharisees and scribes in fact became autocratic concerning their fastidious rule keeping. They were so haughty as to say that if the Israelites did not do the things they required and they themselves did, that the Israelites would never be loved of God.

However, Jesus said we are to have righteousness which exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. This we found instructive. We found that there were scribes and Pharisees that were attempting to implement the Word of God, the Law of God, and the things of God in their lives. We too are called to this, but at a higher level; we are to exhibit faith in God that the Pharisees did not. We are to exhibit faith while seeking to implement the law in our lives. We are to exhibit the Beatitudes while implementing the law in our lives. In this way, we exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, because we depend upon God to implement these things, and not ourselves.

Now we come to two verses that, at first glance, seem disconnected from those before. They are in a new paragraph, and they do establish the discussion for what is to follow, because they are the opening sentences of this paragraph. However, they also follow, include, and expand upon the tenor and tone set before them. This sermon is labeled “Murderous Words” for a reason. Let us together find the meaning, purpose, and reason for these scriptures.

We should do a “Tim’s translation” for this section of scripture:

“You have heard that the ancients were told, “you shall not murder” who now ever kills, is guilty of the judgment. Now, I (the “I” is very emphatic here being included both as a pronoun, and in the word “saying” as an indicated first person singular) am saying to you that everyone who is to be angry with his brother, he is guilty of the judgment, who now might ever say to his brother “numskull” (idiot, imbecile, ignoramus, dimwit, or any number of hateful derogatory names), will be guilty of the council (Sanhedrin); who now might ever speak ‘FOOL!’ will be guilty in the Gehenna of fire.”

I.  Murder will be judged (Matthew 5:21)

The first verse, as we read our Tim’s translation, says, “You have heard that the ancients were told, “you shall not murder” whoever now kills, is guilty of the judgment.” Here Jesus begins to fill the stage with the real elements of true heavenly spiritual practice. We have looked at the Beatitudes and their heart requirements. Jesus teaches that circumcision does nothing, but that the circumcision of the heart is paramount; the circumcision of the heart is of the spirit; the circumcision of the heart is not only in letter, but also in spirit of the things of God. This attitude, this activity, this heart-felt difference is what Jesus is getting to, and what is taught in the Beatitudes. Jesus begins here to use the first action taken against fellow man, and the most destructive thing one can do to another: murder. As Christ talks here of murder, He opens a door that is both sensitive to the Jews, and one that is sensitive to some of the haughty Pharisees and scribes. We should look very carefully at this passage then.

The very first thing Jesus does is point to the scriptures. Once again, as John says in his first epistle, he is giving no new commandment. We are encouraged to learn from what has gone before. Christ Himself points to a phrase from long ago in the book of Job, where, in chapter 8, and verses 8-10 we find this:

8 For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

Look at the scriptures – it is right there – and it has always been there. Job knew to look at things in the past, and his was the first book written. We should (just as Job did) seek the things told to and learned by all those who came before us. Jesus asks us to look at what the ancients, or past generations, or bygone church fathers have told us. What is in the scriptures that we already know about this subject? Once again, Jesus is not creating any new law; He is not developing some new Pharisaical legal requirement; He is saying, this is the way it has always been. Moreover, that way includes your heart; not just what you do, but also your attitude in doing it. Origen put it this way,

“We do not regulate our lives like the Jews. For we are of the opinion that the literal following of the laws is not the thing that conveys the real meaning of this legislation. We maintain that “when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.” For the meaning of the Law of Moses has been concealed from those who have not welcomed the way that is by Jesus Christ. (Origen (c. 248, E), 4.569)”[1]

Jesus takes us back to Cain. We are not to murder anyone. In some of our most prominent biblical examples – Exodus 20:13 and Deut 5:17 - we find, “Thou shalt not kill.” However, in Exodus 21:14, the scriptures indicate a thoughtful and careful plot. That scripture reads, “But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile: thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.” To slay someone with guile does not indicate physical death. Other translations read “so as to kill him craftily (NASB)” and “willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning (ESV).” Both indicate an intellectual attack that can result in the separation of the person from others. If we remember then that death is defined as separation in scripture, then this person is dead. We hear this many times when a family member is ostracized and the family claims, “he/she is dead to me.” This is an attack on a person that is aimed at defaming the character or destroying a relationship. In the mind of the perpetrator, the evil attack perpetrated by this individual kills the victim even if it never truly affects them.

We can read the warning of keeping the law in the body, but not in the spirit in Malachi 2:9, which specifically warns of keeping God’s ways, but also cautions against keeping only part of God’s requirements. It warns against keeping only the things in the law you choose to keep instead of the whole law. Keeping His ways the way we prefer to keep His ways, and not doing so as submitted wholly to Him in body, mind, and spirit is sin. This is the warning. So you ask, “What does this have to do with murder?”

The point to these musings is that murder destroys people whether it is in the body, in the spirit, in the mind, or in their credibility or person (Ex 20:16-17&23:1; Deut 5:20). The murdered individual suffers a death that results in separation from others through denial of fellowship, or association, or some sort of denigration. You can destroy someone by destroying their testimony with false witness (Ex 23:7). You can hurt someone by trying to comfort them with falsehoods and untruths. Many believe that a “little white lie” is better than being honest at times – that honesty is too insensitive. A lie is a self-centered attempt at falsehood, because the deliverer is not willing to face the truth themselves (Job 21:34; 36:4). Any lie, any attempt at intellectual murder or deception to separate someone, also affects the perpetrator as a murderer.

You can destroy someone by falsely accusing their families (Ps 27:12). You can destroy someone by pushing your own agenda upon them (1 Cor 8:10-11). You can destroy someone by not caring for their spirit, paying no attention to their individual needs (Ps 35:10-116). You can destroy someone by making them feel less than adequate or sufficient and God is provoked to wrath because of it (Prov 17:4; Lk 18:10-14). You can destroy relationships and yourself by abusing kindness and generosity (Matt 18:22-35). The Lord hates liars (Prov 6:16-19). Ladies and gentlemen, false representations can kill just as a knife, rock, rope, or any other implement. Consider, in either case, which type of death is more damaging – physical death or character assassination.

In our life, if the body is murdered and the deceased knows Christ, they go on to glory. Yet, if they are defamed and defaced by someone, they have to continue to live in this world and face those falsehoods for the remainder of their earthly lifetime.   Their separation and its cause are ever present. Therefore, I ask you, what is more destructive – a false representation or lie that is forced upon someone for the duration of their life, on earth, or physical murder from the destruction of their body?

Some claim that the latter is more destructive because at that point the witness of truth in the believer’s life will no longer affect those around them. They can no longer be in a position to push away the darkness that is the satanic influence in this world. However, this denies God’s sovereignty as if to say, “We know that this person who was murdered still has value to the Lord.” The fact is that person would not die if that were the case. Many of us have witnessed or heard of wonderful rejuvenation of individuals where modern science and technology had written them off. God still works miracles, but they must be to fulfill His purposes, His will, His plans.

Others may say that the most destructive form of murder is character assassination, and I agree. Individuals can flippantly misrepresent others to further their own devices. People can continue repeatedly to portend a falsehood such that individuals without means or mentality to seek out and research to find the truths may be led to believe the lie. This is where a lie becomes the truth and truth becomes a lie (Rom 1:25). This is seen clearly in the homosexual movement, which calls their perversion a “natural” act. These folks would call us “homophobes.” We have never been afraid of them. There is no call for this type of defamatory labeling. However, we who fear God with great reverence and respect know that He will exact His judgment upon whole nations that fall into sin. We, those who love God, know this nation will fail as it collapses deeper into the depravity and godlessness that is sensuality, sexual deviation, and pornography. Because we know this, we call out the sin as we see it. Believers call sin, sin and do not try to sugar coat it such that it is somewhat easier to accept. Many times that gets us into trouble with man, who does not want to face his sin. However, always understand, God must judge sin. God will judge sin. God hates sin. In addition, folks, all unrighteousness is sin. This means whenever we act in a way that contradicts scripture, we sin and are liable for judgment.

The Pharisees were acting in this fashion. They said, “As long as we obey the letter of the law, we need not worry.” In fact, Christ in verses 18 and 19 has made this clear; it is not only the letter, but the spirit of the law that we must submit to. This made me think of a recent conversation with one of our deacons concerning child rearing. There is a prominent practice in our society today, displayed in many different homes and by many different families, which exemplifies this type of “letter” but not “spirit” in implementing the law obedience.

When we read in scripture for instance, that we are not to spare the rod of correction for a child (Proverbs 29:15), we have to understand that there is a spiritual meaning in this law that is equal to the letter. Properly disciplining your children is a commandment of scripture so much so that neglecting to do so is a form of hatred toward the child (Prov 13:24). We may not enjoy correcting our children, but we do it because we know it shows our love for them. I might add that that has to be a prominent part of the correction – communicating love for the child. If we do not correct them biblically and corporally, we can be as the Pharisee, saying we honor the letter of the law by just verbally commanding or admonishing them. Saying, “no” or instructing them on what right and wrong consists of is only part of this law. If we stop there, we are only serving our own desires and saying, “I’ve done what I can, I told them not to do that. That fulfills my responsibility to rebuke my child when they sin.” The scripture goes further in stating that if we spare the rod of correction we actively hate, and are murdering our children. That is a sin that God will judge, because you are setting your children up for failure.

This leads us to our next verse in that we think of sin as something that takes action. We think sin is something that is heinous. We often correlate sin to the very base things such as physical murder, stealing, or the act of adultery. Christ says that sin is much more elementary than that, and that it begins in the heart.

II. Murder is not what you think (Matthew 5:22)

To understand the scriptures, we should first recognize that the things that follow from verse 21 through verse 26 are simply an exposition of verses 17 through 20, with an emphasis on the events and concerns described in verse 20. In other words, the Savior has set up His argument by saying that we are to fulfill the tenor of the law, as well as the letter of the law, and He is going to be equally zealous in doing both. In addition, this is juxtaposed against the Pharisees who attempt to fulfill only the letter of the law, and escape the tenor of the law in their activities.

Once again attempting to understand the Pharisee and scribe, and their driving force in many ways to please God, they were attempting to help the Israelites by facilitating their implementation and fulfillment of the entire Law. In doing so, they went too far. Their exposition of these passages resulted in a view which concentrated on the activity and a complete dislocation with the spirit of the sin identified. The fact is, if you murder someone, you do so out of hate. You want to deprive them of life. You murder because you hate them, or you hate what they do, or you hate who they are. In any case, you murder because of hate, and hate is the root problem in your heart. You can accomplish this, as stated before, through a physical means, or in a verbal form, which I believe we have established is far more destructive and demoralizing. The spiritual leaders in Christ’s day had taken this from the equation. They had removed the covetousness, jealousy, and hate from these laws. They had reduced these laws to a practice and in doing so removed the tenor of the law. Jesus was the embodiment of these things in His ministry on earth. He taught that perfection had to emanate from the heart and could not just come from the lips, or the checkbook, or stepping into church on Sunday. There is much to be said about the Pharisee who went to the temple regularly, yet did so out of obligation and not a love for God. What I am about to say is not an attempt to boost attendance and offerings.

We find this in Luke 18:11 where the Pharisee prayed “with himself.” The Greek word represented in the word “with” is actually “pros” which means “toward.” He was praying to himself, not to God. His prayer is focused upon what he needs to do, not what God would have him do. This, folks, is following the letter of the law in being here in church, but not seeking to implement the tenor of the law in loving being with your God and Savior every moment that these doors are open. I submit to you, you claim Christ and His love, yet you regularly skip out on Him by not submitting to His fellowship. That, folks, is the equivalent of the Pharisee who goes to the Synagogue to pray, not because he wants to, but because he knows he is supposed to.

The Apostle Paul knew of this type of activity, because he did these very things. He was taught to uphold the letter of the law. He was taught the letter itself, and he taught others to uphold the letter of the law. Then, he came face to face with covetousness, which deals with the true heart, on the road to Damascus. In his sermon on this scripture, Lloyd-Jones puts it this way,

“The apostle Paul…thought before his conversion that he had kept the law perfectly. The rich young ruler thought he had kept the law because he likewise had been taught in this way and believed the same false interpretation. And as long as you and I accept the letter, and forget the whole spirit content and meaning, we may persuade ourselves that we are perfectly righteous face-to-face with the law.”[2]

Look afresh at verse 22 now as I read my translation again,

“Now, I am saying to you that everyone who is to be angry with his brother, he is guilty of the judgment, who now might ever say to his brother “numskull,” will be guilty of the council; who now might ever speak ‘FOOL!’ will be guilty in the Gehenna of fire.”

Ladies and gentlemen, this argument is against using words that hurt people. Words can be as daggers and cut deep into the heart of individuals. I have been guilty concerning this with both my wife and my children in the past. I am sure many of you have as well. Whether intentionally or not, these things hurt. By the way, you do not have to say the words to make the effect, I am sure you know that. Words are just the real complete expression of the thought. The thought, the heart, the actual animosity, or lack of care can be there even without voicing the words. You do not have to speak “Raca” (spitting or saying angrily, “Fool!”) or call someone an imbecile to convey the thought. It can, in fact, be done in a positive fashion. I have had it done to me. Some people, when they say, “You are smart, I’m sure you’ll be okay” sometimes really mean to imply they have no confidence in your intellect, and they treat you in that way. In their actual actions, they treat you as if you are a simpleton.

The total lack of communication can also portray this uncaring heart. Many people, including myself, get distracted with thoughts, or are just simply too tired to concentrate. We tend to act just like our body, as it shuts down unnecessary functions to preserve itself. We shut out those whom we think are unnecessary people, in order to preserve ourselves. This is a very calloused and thoughtless way to act and treat people. This is not esteeming others higher than ourselves. Our short and curt responses can be sharp and cutting. Granted, others should not look for recognition from us; however, when one attempts to address us, we should feel privileged to communicate with them.

The words in the scripture do carry us back to our illustration of murder and the device that originates murder: hate. It does say angry “without a cause” in the King James version. More dependable manuscripts and the marginal notes therein have shown those words to be just that, marginal notes on a manuscript. Ladies and gentlemen, hate at this level, hate of any sort that would have you contemplate taking another life, or intentionally destroying someone else’s testimony is still murder. This communication exudes contempt for another.

This is equally true concerning speaking hateful words to others, calling them an imbecile, telling someone they are worthless. Saying mean and demeaning things to people for the purpose of destroying them in any way is thoughtless. It is hateful, and will result in your destruction. Christ attempts to point out to those in attendance that the communication you use is important and belies your heart.

This anger, this hatred, the part of you that wants to reach out to those around you and scream at them, “You fool, don’t you know you will suffer eternal torment!” wants more and more to scream it at the top of your lungs to get others to see their great depravity. This preacher feels a great pain every day he is in public. The great travesty that is mankind under the shroud of satanic darkness needs the Gospel of Christ. As the Christian grows in Christ, they want more and more to rebuke sin. As the Christian becomes increasingly like Christ, they have an increasing hatred for sin. This is a good hate.

Unfortunately, as the Christian sometimes grows more and more in knowledge of the law, they can also tend to rebuke others with an unloving spirit as if to say, “The scripture says you are supposed to tithe. If you don’t give your 10 percent, you are not a good Christian, you can suffer judgment.” In this sense, we see that calling one a fool for not properly tithing could get you in trouble with the pastor at some level (I do not study the tithing records and do not even know who tithes what, we should make that clear). Yet, the more dangerous thing is the individual calling out the brother or sister in Christ as if to say, “You are like that Pharisee in Luke 18.” Truly, the one saying, “you did not tithe properly” is the Pharisee, not the one who tithes less than 10 percent. Once again, the letter of the law and the spirit of the law – not just the letter. Accusing a brother or sister can place you in danger of the fires in Gehenna. The accuser hates that they tithe 10% every month, and someone else gets away with not doing the same. They hate that they have to give up things they want because they tithe; yet others do not tithe. They are jealous because that person who does not give their 10% may be living a more luxurious life than they are. They hate because they do not know the truth, and ascribe their personal thoughts to what they think is the truth. They hate because they think someone has something that they want. That is the truth. It is born of hate, and it will bring those jealous and hateful individuals down to the depths of Gehenna in the fires unquenchable.

This sets us up, then for our next section of scripture, verse 23, where we continue looking at the implementation of the tenor of the law. Make no mistake folks; this section of scripture is about each one of your hearts and how you feel every day. It tells of the hate and jealousy, the covetousness and desire, and the tremendous self-centeredness that we all have. These scriptures speak of all of us, and it is up to us to cleanse our hearts and get back to God. Next week, we look at the last two verses in this section, 23 and 24, but we maintain the focus, beginning in verse 21.

We saw today first that God will judge murder in all forms. God is a perfect God and demands perfection in our lives, in our testimony, in our worship, and in our hearts. God will judge anything short of that perfection in our lives. Therefore, anyone who even contemplates sinful activity is guilty of that very activity. Man’s mind is a complex thing, and we are unable to even control our own thoughts at times when hate gets in our way. I have heard of people seeing a solid color, either black or red, when they get into physical altercations. They are unable to see anything except that color, and they attack. This is much the same where we see things that we desire, that we covet, that we jealously want and we do all we can to get those things, or deprive others of having those things. That is the raw sin of man born from hate and covetousness, and it will be judged.

The second aspect of these passages today was to consider how we react to things that we covet, that we want, that we jealously seek after. That hatred manifests itself in words that can be damaging, negligent, or just insensitive concerning the situation. If someone comes to you in a conversation and offers you information they think is valuable, a grunt for a response is rather rude and equivalent to, “You ignoramus, I do not care what you think or want to tell me; I’m in my own little world.” That is rather hateful, even if you did not think it, it is in your heart to not respond to someone in a kind fashion, even to say thank you. That is equivalent to saying, “raca” or, “You worthless empty bit of information! Who needs you?” People have emotions, people have feelings, people are sensitive, and we are to be sensitive to how our communications can affect them.

Will you change your heart to attempt to appreciate every person on the planet in some way? Every individual is worth your time, because every individual is worth His Son’s life. Everyone is worth your time because you have Christ, and they may need Him. Every believer is especially worth your time because they actually love you, whether you love them or not. Think about it folks. Would you start a conversation bent upon witnessing Christ to, or fellowshipping in Christ with someone by telling them, “You are not worth my time, you are below me”? Is that any way to treat a sinner who needs Christ, or a saint who loves Him?

[2] D Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, One-volume edition (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976), 196.