Friday 8th March
Read Matthew 5:21-22
“‘You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, “Raca,” is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (NIVUK)
Jesus begins explaining what ‘righteousness greater than the Pharisees and law-teachers’ (v20) looks like with six examples. Before we begin thinking through each of them it is important to grasp Jesus’ intent. In short, He wants us to see that ‘righteousness’, being right before God, does not consist merely in observing the letter of the law, but in grasping the spirit of the law. If we believe that holiness before God consists in what we avoid doing (not killing anyone) rather than in what we strive for (knowing God and pleasing Him), then we are no better than Pharisees. Following the letter of the law ultimately kills us and we will not enter the kingdom of heaven (v20).
What does following the letter of the law look like? It means that when we read any rule or law we work out what we need to do to not break it. Then we simply avoid doing that thing. If we successfully avoid doing it then we have fulfilled it. This is the tendency of the human heart, both then and now. When Jesus begins each of His examples with ‘you have heard that it was said to the people long ago’ He is referring not to the law, but to the traditions and walls and fences placed around each law so that people could avoid breaking them. He is describing the ‘letter’s, the rule-keeping bare minimum that actually diminishes the law itself.
Wherever we find the tendency to work out what is required to not break a law, there we find a Pharisee’s heart. Whenever we seek a rule to follow, rather than a person to please, we have lost our way. Paul explains much the same thing to the Corinthians, “for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6b) (NIVUK).
