Matthew 5:

21 "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER '

and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'

22 "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court;

and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the sanhedrin;

and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

23 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar,

and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your offering there before the altar

and go;

first be reconciled to your brother,

and then come and present your offering.

25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way,

so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge,

and the judge to the officer,

and you be thrown into prison.

26 "Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Facts:

1.	Jesus uses a verbal formula through this section of the sermon on the mount. What is it?

a.	You have heard (that it was said, or that the ancients were told), but I say to you.

2.	What two things have Jesus hearers heard v. 21-22?

a.	You shall not commit murder

b.	Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.

Interpretation:

3.	Where would Jesus' hearers have heard this?

a.	Ex. 20:13–the ten commandments

4.	In light of what we have seen in the previous verses, what is the ten commandments part of?

a.	The law and the prophets. (Hmm. We'll come back to this later.)

Facts:

5.	But what 3 things does Jesus say to them?

a.	Whoever is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court

b.	And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca (empty-head),' shall be liable to the Sanhedrin

c.	And whoever says, 'Moros' (stupid–but perhaps more accurately 'worthless') shall be liable to the fire of hell.

Interpretation:

1.	What has Jesus done with the requirements they had heard?

a.	He makes them harder/impossible!

2.	How does he make them harder/impossible?

a.	By addressing the things that lead to murder–things that happen in the heart.

b.	He's announcing a righteousness superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees who wouldn't dare murder, but who are angry and treat others with contempt, and as if they have no worth.

Facts:

1.	What connecting word begins verse 23.

a.	Therefore

2.	So what relationship would the instructions in verse 23 have to the previous statements?

a.	They would come as a result of the previous statements. (good this may help later come back to this)

3.	What situation does Jesus describe next? Give me both components.

a.	If you are presenting your offering at the altar

b.	And there remember that your brother has something against you

4.	Who is presenting the offering?

a.	I am

5.	Who has something against whom?

a.	My brother against me (Hmm)

6.	But who does Jesus call on to act?

a.	Me (even though I'm not the one with the chip on my shoulder . . . Hmmm.)

7.	What actions does Jesus command when you find yourself in such a situation?

a.	Leave your offering there before the altar,

b.	and go

c.	First be reconciled to your brother,

d.	And then come and present your offering.

Interpretation:

1.	What is the relationship between being reconciled to your brother and presenting your offering at the altar ? And, from the context, why? (Which takes precedence offering a gift at the altar or being reconciled, and in this context, why?)

a.	Being reconciled to your brother takes precedence. Because your brother has something against you, and is in danger of judgment or hellfire.

Mini-app:

1.	There is no temple today. How does this apply to me? How could I 'leave my gift at the altar?–what would that mean for me?

a.	It means that more important than my own worship is reconciliation with another.

Facts:

1.	Who has something against whom in this verse?

a.	Adversary against me.

2.	And who does Jesus call on to act?

a.	Me.

3.	How?

a.	Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court–while you are with him on the way

4.	What reason does he give for this instruction?

a.	So that he man not hand me over to judge, officer, prison, until last cent.

5.	For whose sake am I acting?

a.	Mine

Interpretation:

1.	What is the basic contrast between this section and the previous one?

a.	In verses 23-24 Jesus asks me to act on behalf of another. In verses 25-26 Jesus tells me to act on my own behalf. (Hmm. That is interesting.)

2.	Basic review. Who has come to fulfill the law?

a.	Jesus

3.	How does Jesus fulfill this passage? Please keep in mind everything we've seen so far.

a.	Jesus has experienced my anger.

b.	Jesus left heaven where He was constantly participating in worship to be reconciled to me who had something against Him because I was in danger of judgment because of my anger.

c.	Jesus was handed over to the judge, the officer, and the prison of death.

4.	Why?

a.	Because He did not settle matters quickly with His adversary.

5.	For what reason did Jesus choose not to settle matters quickly?

a.	Because He intended to pay the last penny?

Application:

6.	What would it mean for Jesus to pay the last penny?

a.	He come for the least of these–me.

b.	He took care of the least of my sins?

7.	What would you like to say to God in light of this?

Interpretation:

8.

What is the dictionary definition of murder?

a.	To deprive a person of life by illegal, intentional killing. Planning with malice to kill someone and carrying it out. (It's not murder if it is an accidental or self-defense or punishment carried out in harmony with civil laws).

9.	(What is the relationship between being angry, saying raca and saying moros?

a.	Seems to be a progression of seriousness of guilt

10.	Why is He saying Moros is so much more serious that just being angry?

a.	This is a little bit obscure, but many scholars believe that moros questions a person's moral worth–kind of like the way the NAU translators have it only reversed–Raca would be fool, and Moros would be 'good for nothing, worthless.' But some scholars obviously have it reversed–I don't know why.)

27 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY';

28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 "If your right eye makes you stumble,

tear it out

and throw it from you;

for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body,

than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 "If your right hand makes you stumble,

cut it off

and throw it from you;

for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body,

than for your whole body to go into hell.

1.	How did the people hear Jesus' words?

a.	They were amazed at how he spoke with authority

b.