Matthew 5:21-32
Anger, Desire, and Faithfulness
Read the passage
21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
25Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
26Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’
28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
31It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jesus has just called for righteousness beyond outward religious standing. He now speaks about murder and the anger and contempt that can live beneath respectable behavior. Avoiding an outward assault does not make hatred harmless. He warns of judgment for treating a brother with contempt.
His example begins at the altar. A worshiper remembers that a brother has something against him. Jesus tells him to leave the gift, go and be reconciled, then return to offer it. The instruction does not wait until the other person makes the first move. He also urges reconciliation with an adversary before a dispute reaches court and brings consequences that cannot simply be wished away.
Jesus then addresses adultery. Deliberately looking at a woman to lust after her is already adultery in the heart. He uses severe images of removing an eye or hand to show the seriousness of resisting sin. These images call for decisive action against temptation, not self-injury. The warning about judgment gives us no room to cultivate lust as though it were innocent.
Finally, Jesus speaks about divorce. A certificate does not make every dismissal of a wife faithful. He says that divorcing her, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her, and that marrying a divorced woman involves adultery. Marriage is a covenant whose obligations cannot be escaped merely by completing a procedure.
These commands reach our anger, desires and treatment of people to whom we owe faithfulness. They must not be used to conceal abuse or force a harmed person into danger. Jesus exposes the sin a respectable appearance can hide and calls His disciples to deal truthfully with it.
Questions
1 Why is avoiding murder not the whole of Jesus’ command?
AnswerHe also warns against anger and contempt toward a brother. Outward restraint does not make hatred in the heart harmless.
2 What should the worshiper do upon remembering a brother’s complaint?
AnswerLeave the gift at the altar, go and be reconciled to the brother, then return to offer the gift. Reconciliation should not be postponed behind religious activity.
3 What do the eye and hand images teach about temptation?
AnswerSin requires decisive resistance. Jesus’ severe language calls us to remove what leads us into sin, not to injure our bodies.
4 What does Jesus teach about dismissing a wife?
AnswerHe rejects treating a divorce certificate as permission for faithlessness. He names sexual immorality as an exception and warns about the adultery involved in divorce and remarriage.
What This Means for Us
Jesus will not let us call a person's inward contempt harmless simply because it has not become an outward assault. Nor will he let us treat a public apology as enough if the pattern of desire, anger, or control remains untouched. Integrity requires truthful attention to the roots of our actions.
His words about divorce defend covenant faithfulness, but they must not be weaponized against victims. A promise is not honored by demanding that someone remain exposed to violence. Wise love can include separation, protection, counseling, legal help, and accountability for the person who caused harm.
Choose the action that addresses the real problem rather than the appearance of peace. Confess without minimizing, remove the tempting access, make a repair, or seek help from people equipped to guide the situation.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, search our hearts and make our love truthful. Give us courage to confront anger, wisdom to set boundaries around temptation, and compassion that protects people rather than hiding harm behind religious language. Amen.