Brotherly Hate

Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, as recorded by Matthew, was nothing short of revolutionary. It challenged centuries of laws and traditions, as He sought to reveal the heart of God rather than mere blind adherence to laws. One of His most striking teachings—still difficult to grasp even today—was that harbouring anger towards our fellow beings is equivalent to committing murder. To this day, people debate and even argue over these words, yet few truly understand and apply what Jesus intended for His followers.

You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
Matthew 5:21 (NIV)

Jesus quotes a familiar law from the Torah, that was even part of the big ten given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Yet this command was not something entirely new; it had existed since the creation of mankind. Cain was warned by God to overcome his anger and jealousy and not give in to the urge to murder his brother (Genesis 4:6–7). After the flood, Noah too was instructed on the seriousness of shedding blood (Genesis 9:5–6). So, the law was not new in any sense, and the people of Israel would have never imagined that they could ever be guilty of violating it. The punishment for murder was reserved for career criminals of those days, and the ordinary citizen would not have contemplated the possibility of being deemed guilty of such an offense. However, Jesus changed this perception when He said,

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Matthew 5:22 (NIV)

Driving Us to Sin

Think for a moment—what makes us angry? Often it is when things do not go our way. Sometimes it is our family, our colleagues, or even people in our church. Unwarranted advice of people who don’t know our situation or the meddling nature of our neighbours makes us explode and lash out. This happens far too often and sometimes even the smallest act of the people around us stirs up our anger. Something as trivial as a parking space can set us off. In church, people even lose their temper if someone sits in “their usual seat”. Even within our families, sibling rivalry can fuel feelings of resentment and anger against our own brothers or sisters.

Jesus places all these seemingly small bursts of anger into the same category as murder. This would have been a rude awakening for His listeners then, and it remains so for those who read His words today. While everyone agrees that murder is wrong, few see anger as sinful. Some try to wrestle with what Jesus meant, but many simply dismiss anger as nothing serious. Yet Jesus wants us to understand that anger is the first step on the path to sin—and in some cases, even to murder, thus the punishment for both is same for His followers.

Separating Us from God

 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7 (NIV)

The brothers Cain and Abel brought their offerings before God. One was accepted, and the other was not. Cain, consumed by anger toward his brother, could do nothing else. His anger for his brother overshadowed his desire to worship God. In the end, he ignored God’s warning, and his anger led to the murder of his brother. He was unable to rule over the sin that was lurking at the doorstep of his heart, and he allowed his anger to separate him from God’s presence.

When we gather in our places of worship, instead of meditating on God’s Word, we are often preoccupied with watching our rivals—what they are doing and what role they are playing. The place of worship has sadly turned into a place of competition. We share our grievances with others, drawing them into our side of the conflict and wasting their time so that they may support our cause. In doing all this, our seemingly harmless anger ends up separating us from God. Our energy is spent on seeking revenge rather than moving forward in the path God wants us to walk.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV)

Our worship cannot be genuine if our hearts are weighed down with resentment, bitterness, or unresolved conflict. Think about the great debt that has been forgiven us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God does not differentiate between His creations; He lets His mercy and grace fall on everyone, regardless of their righteousness. We may see a stark difference between our own righteousness and that of our rivals, but in the sight of God we are all sinners in need of His mercy.

, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:23 (NIV)

If we are unwilling to forgive others for their small offences against us, how can we begin to grasp the weight of God’s forgiveness toward us? We have been forgiven much, and so we are called to forgive freely. Reconciling with our brother or sister is not just a prerequisite for worship; it is itself an act of worship, reflecting the mercy God has shown us.

The Jesus Way

“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.
Matthew 5:25 (NIV)

Even within the same household or fellowship, people often harbour hatred against one another. Brothers may drag each other to court over their father’s property. Churches too are not free from such disputes, where disagreements even related to worshiping God grow into divisions and bitterness. How can we take the advice that God gave Cain and not let our anger separate us from His presence.

This is what Jesus is teaching His followers through His sermon. We must be willing to let go of our anger and replace it with His love. He calls us to be the accommodative ones—ready to yield rather than fight. If we have truly found Jesus and are walking in His path, the things of this world and the quarrels of our lives will appear insignificant compared to the everlasting joy He gives. His way is not about winning arguments or holding grudges, but about living in the freedom that forgiveness and love bring.

If someone backstabs us to gain a promotion, we will let it happen. If someone takes credit for our volunteer work, we will not fight to set the record straight. If someone has a different view on how something in church should be done, we will step aside. And if their view is too different from our leading, then we may simply walk away. There is nothing—no offence, no disagreement, no rivalry—that should drive us to hatred against our fellow beings. To walk with Jesus is to choose His Peace over our pride.