Pastor Ralph Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabatha Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? When Jesus said, " But I tell you" he was not doing away with the law or adding His own beliefs. Rather, He was giving a fuller understanding of why God made that law in the first place. For example , Moses said, " You shall not murder" ( exodus 20:13 ) Jesus taught that we should not even become angry enough to murder, for then we have already committed murder in our heart The Pharisees read this law and , not having literally murdered any-one, felt righteous. Yet they were angry enough with Jesus that they would soon plot His death, though they would not do the dirty work themselves. We miss the intent of God's Word when we read His rules for living without trying to understand why He made them. When do you keep God's rules but close your eyes to His intent? Killing is a terrible sin, but anger is a great sin too be-cause it also violates God's command to love. Anger in the case refers to a seething brooding bitterness against someone. It is a dangerous emotion that always threaten to leap out of control leading to violence emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage. Anger keeps us from developing a spirit pleasing to God Have you ever been proud that you didn't strike out and say what was really on your mind? Self-control is good., but Christ wants us to practice thought- control as well, jesus said that we will be held accountable even for angry attitudes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjj Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 If we examine the physical and the spiritual response of man we can come to terms with the issue of Jesus' statement. Paul talks abut taking thoughts captive. When you have a prisoner you have options: you release them, torture them, incarcerate them , interrogate them. The same can apply to thoughts. The moment you bring it into a physical realm - you have responded. If you pray for your response it is translated from spirit to flesh, if you call a man fool, or murder him you have responded. If you bless, forgive or even understand you have responded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eudora Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? My first guess would be that it is foolish to break the law and it is like a fool to break Yahweh's law. The law was written: Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13 and again the same in Deuteronomy 5:17) Yah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleBlake Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? Calling someone a fool, is classified the same as murder in that it "murder's" the person's characture. It also means that there is emnity between you and the other person, and this hatred is the same as murder in God's eyes. No, this does not mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes, it means that an angry insult is as bad as murder in God's eyes. I believe that if we were to actually believe and life in thinking that angry attitudes and insults are viewed as murder by God, it would put a halt to much of the violence in the world. Surely this is an over simplification of it, but think about it...if that concept had been practiced as doctorine by the "ancients" it would have "trickled down" to our society, and would have been seen as something very weighty indeed. That is not to say it never would occur, but what if murder had not been treated that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cee Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? To me the reason Jesus treat call someone a fool in the same classification as a murder is because both words (murders and fools) are subject to judgement by God (v21). Yes this does mean the same to God as an insult to Him. We would show more love, respect encouragement, and concern toward others for this is what is pleasing in the eyes by God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjj Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 The process of what we do with the thought defines us. Yes anger will come upon us but that cross over moment when Christ overlays the hurt, anger or bitterness response takes us from the danger zone. The thought is taken captive and given to the Lord. We have that free will. It is not always easy but to harbour the thought in our heart will taint every other thought that we have. Instead of feeling the anger, hurt or bitterness . We will be the anger , be the hurt, be bitter. The same power of releasing Christ into your heart not only prevents the words of hate inspires words of love and blessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elwood C O'Dell Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 When you insult or demean another person you are inflicting injury or hurt upon them. You are intentionally trying to cause discomfort for them in some way, shape form or matter, you certainly are not loving them as God loves them. It seems to me that this is diametrically opposed to doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. When one treats other person in this manner they are taking from the other person a sense of worth that the Master has given to them. In reality you are in a way destroying a part of God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Nelson Posted January 27, 2008 Report Share Posted January 27, 2008 Q2. Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charisbarak Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Our heart is the same--if we can call someone a fool we could, with that heart attitude, kill someone. In God's eyes there are no degrees of sin--sin is sin. I know I have to keep aware of what comes out of my mouth--the awareness of the sin of my thought life is disturbing. (judging, upset with people, etc.) I don't want to sin. I ask for the Spirit to empower me to live in God's love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sisterlily Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Jesus was as always showing by example for our benefit, it is our heart He longs for. He wants us to be more aware of our actions by saying that if you think its ok to call someone a name it is not it is the same as killing them, with this thought we become more aware of what God wants for us and we call on Him for strength to keep a clean heart and be the neighblr God wills us to be, true and abiding in His love always, it is difficult at times but with our precious Lord all things are possible and showing the world this we bring change that will bring Jesus, amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masika Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? -Killing is terrible sin, but anger is great sin, too, because it also violates God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love.serve.know Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Jesus said if we break any part of the law we break it all. Yes, all sin is the same in God's eyes. If we really believed this we would be kinder to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia A Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Jesus is saying that we are guilty before God for a heart that lashes out in anger and venom. Whether or not a person's life is terminated as a result is not the point. Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? God hates name calling, gossiping, insulting someone, grudges, abusive looks or gestures as much as murder! "By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness." What God hates is under his judgment. It deserves hell. It is sin. Jesus went to the cross for that. We will be called to account for every careless word on Judgment Day. (Matthew 12:36). How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? We must not interpret the forgiveness of all of our sins, and the complete payment of Christ for us in such a way that we do not take him seriously when he warns us about our words, gestures and looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJeff Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 It all comes down to intent. As a kid I had a sinus problem which gave me a prepetual runny nose. The result was a nickname that really hurt me and that was the intent. Same as driving a stake through my heart. The feeling was terrible and still pains me to remember until this day. When we think evil in our hearts we are spiritually committing the crime and I assure you, our very spritual heavenly Father knows it. Further, all sin is judged alike and evil thinking is sin so yes, you may as well murder the person. It's the same in God's eyes. If we take our relationship with the Lord seriously we'd better allign our thoughts about every situation with His or we could be in big trouble. Thanks be to His patience with us and praise Him for the Holy Spirit which gives us the ability to learn how to be like Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATJOE Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? Any derogatory name hurled at another, injures and kills a part of their spirit (and maybe their entire spirit) and the damage can last for a life time. It doesn't stop them from taking their next breath, but it murders their self-esteem. Yes, a murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes. We should try to live "In God's spirit" every minute of the day so that by His being at our side, He guards us against such venomous behavior to our fellowman. We need to focus on the fact that God sees all and God hears all, and to injure our fellow man with verbal onslaught, we also injure our beloved Lord, and according to scripture, Jesus sheds tears for us, and because of us because He too feels the pain we have inflicted. May God help us all in this all too prevalent sin against God and our fellowman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YBIC Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 The mean spirit and desire to cause harm to a person is the same. Rather than attacking a persons physical being, the focus of the same anger is at tearing down their emotional well being. In Jesus eyes, any anger focused on attacking and tearing down God's creation is murder. I believe in God's eye any sin, even the smallest in man's eyes, is sufficient to cause a separation with God. We would work to find ways to express our feelings including anger in a way that is not destructive of another persons well being. That would mean spending some time understanding the person and expressing why we feel anger toward them in a constructive manner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loisb Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? 1. Jesus is showing us that one is as bad as the other, because we are to love each other, be forgiving, not be mean spirited and we couldn't have any of these if we are guilty of calling someone a fool or killing someone. We are supposed to have pure hearts and these two things aren't showing purity. 2. In God's eyes, yes. Both os these are from a root of evil and not goodness. 3. I'm sure that we would change our ways and think twice about the way we treat all people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted January 28, 2008 Report Share Posted January 28, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? 1)Our thoughts precede our actions. Jesus said regarding adultery, If you've lusted in your heart, you've done it, so to speak. Murder begins with murderous rage in the thoughts first. Calling someone a fool is meant to harm the individual, and "kills" the spirit. 2)All attempts to wound others is sin. 3) I had some really bad teaching as a young Christian, that all anger is sin....This drove me into denial about ever being angry and was very detrimental emotionally. Eventually, I learned that anger is a God given emotion, which is meant to move us toward positive change. ie: to move us out of abusive situations, or bondage, or to look within at what our response is to different situations. Knowing that holding onto angry attitudes is sin, caused me to be quick to bring my anger to the Lord, for His help in dealing with it. I learned to be a quick forgiver, and to journal about the anger to get it outside of myself, rather than to attack someone with it. Christian Psychologist H. Norman Wright tell us that anger is a powerful force of energy which if allowed to stay inside, can cause illness, so it must be dealt with. Journaling is a healthy way to do this, then to give the anger to the Lord, forgive the offender, and release them to the Lord. This method helped to rid me of years of buried anger over abuses and injustice in childhood. I had forgiven when I became a Christian, but the anger stuffed down inside was making me physically ill, and I'm free now. My abusers are free as well, and never heard me vent my rage at them. All the pretending did was prolong my internal "boiling". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder Because He know where the real reason for murder comes from, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. He knew that angey could quickly lead to harming someone because it grows and takes control of the whole sole. It is not worse than murder but can often lead to things that are worse. We would try to find control of our hearts and try to stay in a peaceful frame of mind and pray for strength that anger never over comes us or cause us to lose control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lulu 1931 Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Jesus says that we are guilty before God for a heart that lashes out in anger..so he would judge us the same what we did to hurt another person. Murder is a criminal thing where lashing out in anger is more of a moral thing..God judges them both equally. If you were a true Christain you would not say hurting things to people or become angry enough ato kill someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherylle Ladner Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? 1. Calling someone a fool, kills the action and brings into the light what that person did. 2. Yes; in God's eye, all life special because God created us to special. 3. Anger is a sin, and sin is against God therefore Anger/sin is a murder in God's eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s8nfighter Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? There are two seperate parts to this. The first part is the law of murder given to Moses for man punishable by man, (the council or the Sanhedrin). The second part given to us by the Spirit of God, punishable by God and reserved as an eternal punishment. The second part is not punishable by man and the therefore the least feared law. Which by the way is how come we are in such a mess today. How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? I can answer that with several questions. How would we act differently if we believed that Christ was on His way for the second time, that the time is near? How would we act differently if we knew that John 3:16 [/b]"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." and 1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." Do we believe that these are the words from the same God. One declaring that we must have love for his Son and the other declaring that we must have love for one another? I often wonder why so many people know John 3:16 but have nerer heard of 1 John 3:16. Do you really think God cares how we treat one another? Do you really think that God expects us to care when our brother is in need? Don't you really think that Jesus was only kidding when he said that it would be as in the days of Noah when he comes again, people doing what is best only for themselves and not caring about others? Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judeshere Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 The commandments to love the Lord your God, and to love your neighbour as yourself, cannot be done naturally. They are conditions of the heart that will only come with a changed life of renewing our mind, submission to the Father of our will and desires. The Bible tells us " Be angry and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath." Ephesians 4:26. Until we are made perfect we will sin, and we will get angry. We are to work out that anger quickly, maybe with the person who we believe has offended us, if possible. Else it turns into hate and bitterness. We are not to keep it in our heart. I know in my life I have often had to cry out to the Lord HELP ME ! AS i CANNOT DO THESE THINGS WITHOUT HIM. Yes I believe they are the same in God's eyes, because of the injury we can do to others with our tongue. We would all act differently if we fully realised how serious our anger can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion of Grace Posted January 29, 2008 Report Share Posted January 29, 2008 I think Jesus is talking about steps here. Anger can lead to physical murder but not only that, I think He also says that hatred is murder. So anger can lead to hatred too. Even "name calling" can murder someone inside. I think Jesus put being called a fool in the same classification as murder because it is! We tend to want to do what I call "Rate a sin." It seems like we have catagories in this. I know there were different punishments in the Old Testament times for each of these kinds of offenses, but Jesus doesn't distinguish between them. They are all liable to punishment in Gehenna, so He warns us to take it all seriously and be reconciled and forgive because that is the measure that will be given to us. I want to say though, that we can't ever live a life free of anger. Jesus taught there is anger....but we can not SIN in our anger. There are also different kinds of anger. Some anger is good against evil things. There is a difference there. We can be angry (and will be angry) but we need to turn to Jesus for help. He pleads for us because He knows what it is like. He lived like we do. He wants us to reconcile or confess our anger before it becomes hatred and leads to worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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