Matthew 5:20-26
Jesus is Wisdom par excellence, and now he will shed his light on many a things starting with anger and follow up with adultery and lust, divorce, oaths. retaliation, love of enemies, Almsgiving and finally prayer & fasting. Jesus is the culmination of all Old Testament Wisdom Literature, and he like Lady Wisdom, is bidding his disciples to surpass the so-called righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees by following God in heart and spirit and be right before God. Jesus will go on to say, later, imitate me, because he is the visible manifestation of Yahweh.
Jesus starts expounding his wisdom by first touching on human relationships which get effected because of anger. Anger which is a result of self-righteousness, selfishness and insecurity. It makes us draw-up walls around ourselves in the form of grudges, in-toleration, resentment etc. Jesus calls this type of a no-show relationship as murder of brother because it also binds the other from having a fruitful relationship with yourself. What we feel routine and take for granted is compared to a grave sin – murder and this draws out the internal meaning of the Law – i.e. abundance of Life all around. Jesus demands of us that we be alert and on guard concerning anger, are we ready? or are we going to treat it as unimportant. Lets bow our heads and invite the Holy Spirit to help us to be convicted regarding Life, Anger and Brotherhood and receive true understand of the Word of God.
