Jesus concentrates on the core issue of the heart and puts the focus back on God. He makes three simple statements. First, Jesus says the penalty for being angry without a holy reason is judgment by the court. He starts by using the exact same phrase the ancients use, “liable to the court,” and switches “anger” for “murder.” Feelings build when arguments get worse and Jesus knows this. This is why He adds “Raca” in His next statement and increases the penalty to an appearance before the Sanhedrin. The first penalty was a trip to the local court of 36 judges. Here the angry person appears before the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court with 70 judges. They could issue the severest penalties, including death. Raca is an Aramaic word. It was a common word used by the people for insulting someone - to say the other person was “empty-headed.” It was accompanied with anger and contempt. As with any great argument, it escalates even more, and it is interesting that Jesus increases the next penalty for calling someone a MOROS. The Greek word MOROS had the idea of being a fool and lazy. It appears to show contempt for the person’s character. Raca targeted the head and MOROS appears to target the character. What was Jesus’ penalty? It was “hell-fire.”

Your Heart? Jesus went past the external physical act of murder. He went after “heart-murder.” Murder in the heart! Can I ask, “Who is your heart angry towards - a sister or brother?” How about dad or mom, a former husband or wife, a pastor or friend, an employer, or some stranger? Yes, you may not have expressed it, but you are just as guilty. God is looking at your heart. Has your stomach been keeping score?

Murder starts in the heart. Anger is murder in the heart! So how is your heart? Is there an old, old hurt somewhere in your heart that you have never dealt with?

Responding To Anger. Now Jesus shows us how to deal with anger. What is surprising is that His examples are focused on people who are angry with us. All too often when there is tension, ill feelings and anger towards another, we let it go because we do not want to deal with it, or we tell ourselves there is really nothing we can do about it. Martin Luther says it well, “The heathen world says, “A broken arrow forever retains its crack.” We tell ourselves there is nothing we can do about it.

Jesus Disagrees. In the next two verses, Jesus says that if in the middle of our worship we remember that someone has something against us, God does not want us to remain. Our worship is muddied by anger. He wants us to go to the one we have offended and seek peace. God does not want our worship, until we have made peace.

Conclusion. Sometimes we seek peace with one whom we have offended and do not find it. All Jesus asks us to do is try (Romans 12:18 ). When anger comes into your heart towards another, do three things: 1) Admit your sin to God (1 John 1:9). 2) Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see what other related sins are in your heart. 3) Go prayerfully to your brother and seek peace. If you are serious about forgiveness, you will go seeking peace. When peace is found, love will be restored and anger will flee away. Anger is a choice (Ecclesiastes 7:9; Colossians 3:8; James 1:19).