AUG 23

Matthew 5:21-24
Memorise Ephesians 4:31
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice”

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus corrected many misconceptions concerning the 10 commandments that were prevalent in the teachings of the Pharisees at that time. They prided themselves with the strict observance of the law, and thought that by their own works they could earn their way to heaven. However, Jesus showed them that it was not just about adhering to the letter of the law, but that one’s heart and attitudes were far more important, that to perfectly obey means to also obey in spirit.

In Matthew 5:21-24, Jesus restored the proper understanding of the 6th commandment by teaching what its true requirements were. It was not just that you cannot kill, but that anger without cause, cursing, mocking and all other personal conflicts were considered contravening the law as well. If you did such things, you would be in danger of judgment from God, and your worship would not be acceptable to God.

The word ‘raca’ in verse 22 is an Aramaic word which means ‘worthless person’. It is an expression of great contempt, where you belittle and mock a fellow human. This is similar to saying to a person ‘thou fool’, which is really an insult to the person’s intelligence, and is publicly degrading and humiliating him. When we say such things, it is assassination of a person’s character and reputation. We may not use such archaic insults today, but our vocabulary has expanded to include a whole lot of other mean and nasty curse words that we use so freely to mock and insult one another. As Christians, we ought to be careful with our words, and our tongue, knowing that “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity… the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:6, 8).

Instead, what Jesus also taught was the importance and necessity of seeking reconciliation in any conflict. He advocated peace and unity over anger and conflict. He taught that before one can stand before God and have his worship accepted by Him, he must first make peace with his enemy, and only then can he offer his gift to God. Dear Teen, are there people in your life whom you hold grudges against? Are there people whom you have mocked, insulted and hurt with your words? Make peace with them today.

Thought: Hating and insulting a person is like killing him in my heart.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be loving with my heart and my words, that I be one who promotes peace, and not hatred and strife.