Murder Begins in the Heart: Matthew 5:21-26

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.'

The sixth commandment. Clear, unambiguous, universally accepted. Murder deserves judgment. No argument.

But Jesus had said he came not to abolish but to fulfill. Now came the fulfillment—and it was terrifying.

"But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.

Anger. Not action but emotion. The seed before the fruit. Murder begins in rage, and Jesus traced the sin back to its root.

"Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' is answerable to the court.

Raca—an Aramaic term of contempt, something like "empty-head" or "worthless one." Insult made you liable to court.

"And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

You fool—moros in Greek, from which we get "moron." A judgment on someone's worth, their intelligence, their value. And the penalty escalated: not just court but Gehenna, the burning garbage dump outside Jerusalem that symbolized final judgment.

The progression was deliberate: anger, contempt, dismissal. Each step toward murder, each one dangerous, each one bringing judgment.

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

The scene was vivid: you're at the temple, animal in hand, priest waiting, smoke rising from other sacrifices. And suddenly you remember—someone has a grievance against you.

Leave. Stop the worship. Let the sacrifice wait. Reconciliation matters more than ritual.

"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Urgency. Don't let conflicts fester. Don't let anger calcify into lawsuits. Settle quickly, before positions harden, before prisons await.

Jesus had taken a law everyone thought they kept—do not murder—and revealed how few actually kept it. Every burst of rage, every contemptuous word, every dismissive insult was murder in embryo.

The heart, not just the hands, must be clean.