Mathew chapter 5 continues…….1

Mathew chapter 5 continues…….1

Jesus reveals the relation between the deed and emotion. He defines that the state of mind and heart – the emotional part – is considered as primary and the deed as secondary in any case. Other wise what the deed we committed is not the primary consideration but the emotion we maintained behind it is. Whether it is murder or a small insult, doesn't matter, both are equal as both of them spring up from the same emotion anger. See the verses below.

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

A very difficult commandment to obey! We can try to maintain our inner being somehow but how to take care of the others’ attitude? What a teaching is this? That is Jesus’ standard. When Jesus called his disciples from sea shore what was the promise he made? “I will make you fishers of men”. Means we need to process others heart and mind also, as we have seen in the previous post – chapter 4. Means first we responsible for our heart and mind and then for others also, because whether it is our attitude or the others, it doesn’t matter, the emotion we maintain causes everything. In nutshell we have to focus primarily on the standard of mentality we maintain that is responsible for the kind of culture we follow. Whether we commit murder or not are not a matter but whether we maintain the emotion anger then it is equal to commit murder. According to these verses we are responsible to maintain healthy mentality around us as well as in us. But in the time of Jesus nobody cared about this side, only the deeds. That’s why Jesus had to define everything from the perspective of mentality. It is not easy for anybody to obey these verses . We need a lot of daily training means we need life long everyday help. We need fishers in our life to lead a spiritual life.