anger (Matt5:21-22)

Matthew 5:21-22

You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgement." But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brohter will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council and whoever says "you fool" will be liable to the fire of hell.

Not being a murder is often our favourite way of justifying ourselves. Start talking about sin and sooner or later someone will say "well, at least I haven't killed anyone". Jesus offends all of us when he says that anyone who is angry is guilty of the same sin - which makes all of us guilty.

This is not talking about righteous anger because Jesus himself got angry. But our anger is rarely righteous, it is much more likely to be self-centered - someone said something we didn't like, someone didn't treat us in the way we thought we should be treated etc.

there is a place for burning with anger at sin and injustice. Our problem is that we burn with indignation and anger, not at sin and injustice, but at offense to ourselves. In none of the cases in which Jesus became angry was his personal ego wrapped up in the issue... Let us admit it - by and large we are quick to be angry when we are personally affronted and offended, and slow to be angry when sin and injustice multiply in other areas.
DA Carson

  Jesus points the finger at this selfish anger - insulting others, calling them fools (Jesus called the Pharisees fools [Matt 23:17&19] but calling somebody a fool as a fact is different to saying it in contempt, in the same way that warning someone of the dangers of hell is different to saying "go to hell"). Indeed, we are assumed to be the guilty party in the applications - your brother has something against you, you are likely to be found guilty in the court room.

We are guilty of this anger and are in the same position as the murder before God, without excuse. But, while our anger is selfish, Jesus' anger was selfless. He was so angry with our sin that he dealt with it, out of love, by going to the cross. That sets us free, we no longer need to be enslaved to the selfish anger that bears grudges and gets offended.