Red Post: Jesus on Anger

This post appeared originally on my other blog, "Red Letter Systematic", and you can find it here. If you are wondering what it is all about, then read this post on this blog, which explains what on earth it's all about. I thought I'd share this post through my main blog because Jesus is a powerful speaker on anger, and because he also speaks very frankly about judgement, which is something some in the modern church have tried to ignore. This version is not the original post as it has an additional postscript, as the Red Letter Blog is an ongoing project.

In the last five posts, I've been working through Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, which I've seen to be Jesus' blueprint for the world. Today I want to share something specific - Jesus' teaching on anger. Verses 21-26 of Matthew Chapter 5 are a little cluster of dynamite, as Jesus continues the process of affirming the Old Testament and going further with something even better. The interesting thing here is that in the words of Jesus we see something surprising, something clear, and this section closes with something rather scary.

Verse 21 opens with Jesus speaking clearly about the Old Testament Law, the Ten Commandments instead; "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder". Jesus is recognising the culture and heritage of the Jewish listeners - and reminding those of us who aren't that this is something that happened a long time ago. Jesus strongly confirms and upholds the Law; "and whoever murders will be liable to judgement". This is intriguing - Jesus' usage of the word 'will' emphasises the certainty of Justice in the kingdom of God, and this is the starting point for Jesus' teaching here. In terms of doctrinal content, this is a clear hint to the unpopular but biblical Doctrine of Hell. 

Jesus then drops a bombshell on us. Everyone is as bad as a murderer. This shocking revelation opens with the important phrase that Jesus continually uses: "But I say to you that". Jesus makes it very personal, "everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement". This is everyone - because everyone relates to someone. And the issue here - the 'sin' that makes us liable to judgement - is anger. Not murder - though anger is a subsequent element of murder - but anger. We then end up again returning to this judgement, as Jesus explains that "whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You Fool!' will be liable to hell of fire". We can see a link from anger to judgement. It is interesting to note Jesus' usage of 'the council' - I'll be heading into some commentaries which might give me an idea of whats going on here! This judgement, it is not unreasonable to say, is "Hell of fire". Jesus is very clear about the results of judgement for certain actions - here anger.

Verses 23 and 24 relate this issue - by way of reconciliation - to a religious method of the day. In the modern world we don't come to the altar with our gifts any more (though one could say tithes and communion echo this), but we do come to worship God. Jesus is making it very clear that instead of going straight to something, we should sort ourselves out. Repair relationships. Reconcile ourselves with our brothers. Then we can go and offer our gift. This is an interesting idea, and the concept of reconciliation will be expanded throughout Jesus' ministry.

The closing verses of this section relating to anger are fascinating. Jesus tells another little story, that of  a guilty man relating to his accuser - where the guilty man is one listening to Jesus. Like you. Like me. "come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court". Court is the place of judgement - and one judgement could echo what Jesus has already talked about. But there is in what Jesus says here the hope of leniency, the hope of escape. The three characters in this courtroom could land you in prison. And then Jesus closes this section with a chilling observation; "Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny". This opening phrase has been seen before - we are to listen to Jesus here as he speaks about this judgement. A judgement where we must pay every penny of our sentence. Is this a comment on the finite nature of judgement? Or is it a comment about an infinite offence requiring an infinite judgement? Its not clear - speculation is unhelpful at this point.

This post has not been easy to write. I often get angry. I often sin. we all do. And Jesus is very clear about the consequences of this. But there are already hints of something else. And this little speech about anger and judgement comes after Jesus' portrayal of what his world will look like. It's exciting. 

Next week on Red Letter, I'll be looking at what Jesus said about Lust in the Sermon on the mount.

Postscript - it's easy to get downhearted by what Jesus teaches here. It is clear that Jesus is teaching about judgement. About what Christians call 'Hell'. About that concept we moderns struggle with called 'sin'. But this is because Jesus was in himself the answer to the problem of sin. He lived to show us how to live in God's kingdom, and he died to set us free from sin because we are incapable of perfection. In his Resurrection, he showed us that he has defeated death, and he sent the Holy Spirit to fill his followers with power. If you haven't heard this before - then consider it. Jesus died to set you free, and to usher you into full and better life. I'd love to chat to you about it, so find me on Facebook.