Matthew 5: 20-26

Matthew 5: 20-26

Jesus has previously stated that he did not come to abolish the law and prophets (Jewish terminology for Scripture). They are permanent and have an eternal validity. The teachings of Jesus are not simply a re-statement but a bringing of them to their intended divinely goal, as they all point to him. Jesus therefore is the authoritative and definitive interpreter as he is the one who reveals their ultimate intention, as he himself accomplishes their purpose.

“You must not kill”. This is a reference to premeditated murder not capital punishment, manslaughter or war. Jesus now wants to give us a pre-emptive teaching on murder or killing by looking at it’s root which is anger. If we do not keep our anger in check it festers, it boils, it gets worse. By giving us the examples in today’s Gospel of calling our brother fool, renegade, Jesus is warning us against our anger escalating from thoughts to words to action. We need to nip it in the bud before we lose control and then become controlled by our anger.

Jesus the goes on to invite us to initiate reconciliation. Broken relationships need to be healed and mended. Jesus in this passage is clarifying the deepest meaning of this commandment “thou shall not kill” and restoring God the Father’s original divine as opposed to human intention.