According to Matthew 5:21-26, not being angry with a brother is higher than not murdering. In Matthew 5:21 and 22 the Lord Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not murder, and whoever murders shall be liable to the judgment. But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever shall say, Moreh, shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire.” The law of the old dispensation deals with the act of murder, but the new law of the kingdom deals with anger, the motive of murder. Hence, the requirement of the new law of the kingdom is higher than the requirement of the law of the old dispensation.
It is difficult for us to control our temper and also to keep from condemning others. In verse 22 the Lord speaks about saying to our brother, “Raca” or “Moreh.” The word Raca is an expression of contempt, meaning stupid, good-for-nothing. Moreh, that is, fool, is a Hebrew expression of condemnation indicating a rebel (Num. 20:10). This expression is more serious than the expression of contempt, Raca. Because it is difficult for us not to condemn a brother or not to hold him in contempt, we should not have any confidence in our natural life but instead should experience and enjoy Christ’s resurrection life, which fulfills the requirements of the highest standard of morality.
The Lord’s word in Matthew 5:27-32 reveals that we should have the highest standard of morality in not committing adultery and in not having divorce. Verses 27 and 28 say, “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, that every one who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” The law of the old dispensation deals with adultery, whereas the new law of the kingdom deals with the inward motive of the heart.
In Matthew 5:21 and 22 the Lord Jesus speaks about anger, and in 5:27 and 28, about lust. Our anger and our lust constantly damage us and trouble us. In order to have the highest standard of morality for the kingdom in its expression, we need to overcome our anger and lust. In order to do this, we need another life—Christ’s resurrection life, which is the divine life. Because of the anger and lust within us, we need to remain in constant fellowship with the Lord, continually experiencing the dispensing of the processed Triune God. Then we shall experience and enjoy the divine life, the life that can fulfill the highest standard and overcome our anger and lust.
In Matthew 5:31 and 32 the Lord speaks about divorce. “It was said: Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a divorce. But I say to you that every one who puts away his wife, except in a case of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries one that has been put away commits adultery.” What the Lord Jesus decrees in 5:21-30 as the new law of the kingdom complements the law of the old dispensation, whereas what He proclaims in 5:31-48 as the new law of the kingdom changes the law of the old dispensation. According to the old law, a man could divorce his wife simply by giving her a writing of divorcement. The law of the old dispensation concerning divorce was ordained because of the people’s hardness of heart (Matt. 19:7-8). The Lord’s new decree recovers marriage back to what God designed in the beginning (Matt. 19:4-6). In His original intention and design for marriage at the beginning, God ordained one wife for one husband. Since the Lord has recovered the matter of marriage to God’s original intention, only two things can now break the marriage tie: the death of one of the parties and adultery. Therefore, not having divorce surpasses putting away the wife with a paper of divorce.
Matthew 5:33-37 says, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: You shall not perjure yourself, but you shall render to the Lord what you have sworn. But I say to you, Do not swear at all, neither by the heaven, because it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of His feet, nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no; for whatever is more than this is of the evil one.” The old law regarding swearing was that we should not perjure ourselves. The Lord’s new law forbids us to swear in any manner, because the heaven, the earth, Jerusalem, and our head are not under our control but under God’s control.
Our words should be simple and true. Instead of trying to convince others with many words, we should be brief and clear in our speaking. We should be able to say, “Yes, yes; No, no.” Whatever is excessive in our speaking is of the evil one.