Matthew 5:21

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ Matthew 5:21

“You heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Not you shall murder.’ And ‘Whoever, he shall murder, he will be liable to the judgment’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that unless their righteousness exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees, they would by no means enter the kingdom of the heavens. With that stated, He now will make points concerning God’s standard that demonstrate that mere law observance fails to address the true nature of erring before God. He begins this by saying, “You heard.”

The words “You heard” are a way of Jesus introducing a thought that is to be contrasted with the way things really should be (or that really are in God’s sight). In other words, what has been heard is either wrong, insufficient, lacking in some way, etc. In such instances, Jesus will later clarify or correct what has been heard. Next, He says, “that it was said to the ancients.”

The word “to” is inserted. Some translations say “by.” The Greek simply says, “You heard that it was said the ancients.” Thus, the English must supply what is lacking in the Greek. Whether “by” or “to,” Jesus is referring to a time in the past when instruction was given.

Who “the ancients” are is debated. However, Jesus is not setting Himself against Moses or the law given through him. As such, the term is not of the reception of the law, but of the explanation of the law by the scribes or teachers of the past and whose doctrine continued in the scribes and Pharisees just mentioned in the previous verse. This is more certain because the final clause of the verse will have words that are not quoted from the Law of Moses. As for what was taught to the ancients, Jesus begins with the words, “Not you shall murder.”

The words are found in the Ten Commandments as proclaimed to the people in Exodus 20. This is specifically the sixth commandment recorded in Exodus 20:13, lo tir’tsakh or “Not murder.” The Hebrew word is often mistranslated as “kill,” but that is not the intent.

Killing may or may not be sanctioned. Further, and surprisingly, it is not even the same word used when Cain killed Abel. The first time this word, ratsakh, was used was in the giving of the Ten Commandments. Thus, it is a word defined by the law itself.

It is used many times in Numbers 35 when dealing with the cities of refuge for the manslayer. There, it is alternatingly translated in English as “manslayer” or “murderer” based on the guilt or innocence of the offender. However, because the same word is used for both, it carries an underlying thought that whether guilty or innocent, it was a form of unsanctioned taking of human life.

The Greek word is phoneuó. It likewise signifies to murder, and this is what Jesus is focusing on, the act of murdering another human being. With that, He continues with, “And ‘Whoever, he shall murder, he will be liable to the judgment.’”

The words of this clause are not a part of the law. They are a commentary on the law. This confirms that Jesus is not referring to the words of Moses specifically but on a commentary of what the Lord stated in the giving of the Ten Commandments.

The commentary of the ancients, either “by” them and meaning the past teachers of the law or “to” them and meaning those who were instructed by the teachers, was that when someone murdered, he was liable to the judgment as set forth in the law. For example, in Deuteronomy 16, it says –

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.” Deuteronomy 16:18, 19

There is nothing wrong with the commentary that was given by the ancients. It quotes law, and it then cites what the law expects when a violation of it occurs. However, what Jesus will show in the next verse is that God’s standard is actually stricter than what this word of instruction teaches.

Life application: Jesus uttered words concerning the absolutely binding nature of the law. He then said that for those who wish to be saved, meeting a stricter standard than what even the religious leaders demonstrated was necessary. He now gives examples to support His previous words. He is building a case for His hearers that mere observance of the law is insufficient to save anyone.

This is certain because David was an adulterer, and under his authority, he had a man murdered. And yet, he is a saved person, demonstrated by later promises found in the prophets that he would reign again in the future. Despite his failings before the law, David understood that it was not mere law observance that saved him. This is seen, for example, in his words, which are then cited by Paul –

“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.’” Romans 4:5-8

The law demanded the imputation of sin. And yet, David speaks of the non-imputation of sin. Therefore, there was something beyond the law that brought man to that blessed state. This is what Jesus is trying to tell the people. But He is doing it from the other side of the matter, demonstrating that the demands of God are stricter than what was commonly taught within the Jewish society.

He is showing them that what they really needed was still ahead. Once He died in fulfillment of the law, God could then pour out His grace, the non-imputation of sin, through the precious shed blood of Christ. The teachings of Jesus were a necessary part of helping the world understand the enormity of what God in Christ would do. For those who pay heed and receive what He has done by faith, God is pleased with them and will lavish His salvation upon them.

Lord God, we are so grateful to You for the giving of Jesus. In Him is found total restoration for all the sins we have committed. We don’t need to work out deeds of the law to be saved. Rather, He has done that for us. Thank You for Your grace that comes through faith in what He alone has done. Yes, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.