The Sermon on the Mount is arguably one of the most important portions of Scripture with which a believer must be significantly familiar. In the sermon, Christ is on display in a magnificent way. He starts by setting Himself up on the mount and preparing Himself for the most famous sermon there ever was.
He takes His listeners through a number of essential qualities that will be evident in the life of a believer, how the world will respond to a believer with those qualities, the impact such a believer will have in this world, and then on to words which target the heart of man. Much more could be said about the Sermon on the Mount and Christ’s teachings found within. This short intro certainly does not do it justice.
However, we must focus in on one point of the Sermon that is of great necessity today. The topic of anger finds it place in many teachings, but nevertheless, anger is still looming large in the lives of many Christians. Anger can be one of those areas in which the believer begins to assume defeat and bows the knee in submission. Anger is also something that can seem justifiable. After all, if someone is sinned against, does this not merit such a response?
However, anger is rarely a proper response from the Christian. The only exception is when righteous anger is at work. Unfortunately, the topic of righteous anger may best be avoided at the moment rather than thatched so closely to a discussion on sinful anger. Man will find any excuse to continue in his anger; all he needs to know is that there is an anger that is not sinful, and off he goes, engaging in “righteous anger” every time he is wronged. Hopefully the sarcasm is evident in the words being spoken.
Jesus made it clear that anger is a devilish kind of evil. Can you see the anger that caused Cain to kill his brother? Can you witness the anger that brought about the hurling of Saul’s spear at the righteous man David? Can you begin to imagine the burning anger of Satan as he thinks upon the God of creation?
Please take note of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount and the way that He helps His people to repent.
The commandment
People must first come to the realization that being angry is breaking a command of God. Scripture says, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement…” (KJV, Matt. 5:21-22). When someone reads this, it would not be surprising for him to think to himself. “Hmmm, it says, ‘angry with his brother without a cause…’” This “cause” that is spoken of is not the same as someone’s finding a way in which he has been wronged, then responding in anger because he feels justified. It is, instead, a righteous anger, which is self-controlled, is not for selfish reasons, and is for the glory of God. So often, the anger of man lacks self-control, is for selfish reasons, and is not concerned about the glory of God.
Take note of the way that Jesus aligns anger with the commandment, “Thou shalt not murder.” Jesus is clearly after the heart of man and is not primarily concerned with external matters. The Christian must be aware of the fact that being angry is breaking a command of God and that Christ looks into the heart.
The display
The Christian must also be aware of the ways that anger will manifest itself. In verse 22, Jesus speaks of three things: “anger”; the people who say, “Raca”; and the people who say, “Fool.” Anger, in general, will manifest itself in many different ways. Paul says, “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8). This list can be thought of as different manifestations of sinful anger. Note the way in which Jesus highlights the words that people use as being important when He tells the people that they must not say, “Raca,” to one another and that they must not call each other “fools.”
When the people would say, “Raca,” to each other, it was the equivalent of calling someone “empty-headed.” It was a common insult in Jesus’ day, and it was meant to degrade someone by labeling him as worthless. Jesus goes on from there to highlight the sinful act of calling someone a fool.
In a sense, Jesus briefly touched upon a topic rather than exhausting it. He did not share all the ways that anger can manifest itself. But the Christian should get a good idea after reading the text that anger can show up in many different ways. The Christian should also be able to see quite plainly that he must be careful about the words that he speaks as they can be filled with anger.
Remember the advice of James: “… let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
The consequence
Jesus takes us from the command to the display. He then takes us from the display to the consequence. All of these matters are vital in the Christian’s understanding if he would seek to overcome his anger for the glory of God. The consequence can be seen when Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matt 5:22). Jesus was not speaking in a parable here. His words are not confusing or somewhat shrouded. He makes His point clear.
Jesus states in simple terms that when someone is angry toward another person, he is just as guilty of breaking the law as a murderer. If the law has been broken, that will be enough to be found guilty of eternal punishment. The Christian should never reason through his sin based on his idea that some sin is worse than others.
Yet again, remember the guidance of James: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all”.
The cure
After the previous message, Jesus shows His listeners the heart that they must develop. He says, “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to thy altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift” (Matt. 5:23-24). This portion of Scripture was about more than what was plainly stated. Remember that Jesus targets the heart in much of the passage that is being addressed in this article, as well as throughout the Sermon on the Mount.
In essence, Jesus is saying that a Christian must have a heart of reconciliation and peace. The Christian must have a heart that desires for his relationships to be right. With all of his God-given ability, he must seek to be at peace with those around him. When this is his prerogative, it will dispel anger.
However, Jesus is saying even more than that. Did you catch the way that Jesus did not want the people to make an offering to God unless they made things right with one another? Jesus is saying that if someone really wants to maintain his relationship with the Lord, he must also be making sure that his relationships with those around him are good, as well. Thus, if someone wants to cultivate a healthy relationship with the Lord, he will keep in the forefront of his mind that his personal relationships matter.
Conclusion
Jesus desires for people to overcome the sin of anger. He helps us to see the way out through the Sermon on the Mount. First, someone must recognize that when he gets angry, he is breaking a command of God. Second, he must be aware of the many manifestation of anger so he can repent instead of justify his acts. Third, Jesus wants us to be aware of the consequences for our anger. Finally, Jesus tells us of the heart that we must have: a heart of reconciliation, a heart with peace in our relationships, and a heart that guards our relationship with the Lord.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You that You loved me enough to help me see the error of my ways. Convict me by Your Spirit and through Your Word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.