The Anger That Leads to Murder

In our daily meditations, we delve into Jesus’ teachings, as presented in The Sermon on the Mount. The Lord Jesus has a way of going beyond surface issues to reach the root of problems that affect us at the core of our being, and that is what He does with His next words in the Sermon on the Mount: 21“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment (Matthew 5:21-22)

It is a grave matter to commit the sin of murder, yet the Lord Jesus condemned even entertaining thoughts of violence toward others. Sinful acts are first conceived in the mind and heart of the individual. It is there that choices are weighed, and a decision is made regarding whether to act on the thought. William Barclay, in his commentary, describes this spiritual battle in this way:

Plato likened the soul to a charioteer whose task it was to drive two horses. The one horse was gentle and biddable and obedient to the reins and to the word of command; the other horse was wild, untamed, and rebellious. The name of the one horse was reason; the name of the other was passion. Life is always a conflict between the demands of the passions and the control of the reason. The reason is the leash that keeps the passions in check. But a leash may snap at any time. Self-control may be for a moment off its guard—and then what may happen? So long as there is this inner tension, this internal conflict, life must be insecure. In such circumstances, there can be no such thing as safety. The only way to safety, Jesus said, is to eradicate the desire for the forbidden thing forever. Then and there alone, life is safe. [1] 

When a person receives the gift of new life in Christ, the Spirit of God enters their life and begins a transformative process within their inner man and character. I have found that the Holy Spirit, in His molding and shaping ministry within us, will often highlight specific aspects of our character. Let me provide an example by being transparent about my early life before I received the gift of new life in Christ. Before I came to Christ at the age of 23, I worked as a commercial fisherman with my father on his boat off the coast of Harwich, England. When a man is away from women and children, and among other men of the world, often the worst within him is unleashed. Commercial fishing was a hazardous and high-pressure job, and many things could happen that would create friction among co-workers. The foul language was often prevalent, and tempers would fray easily. I recall a time when my brother, who was working with us, would use my shoulder as a punching bag while practicing his boxing skills. I recall getting so angry with him that I charged at him and attempted to throw him off the boat into the River Deben near Felixstowe, Suffolk. The River Deben is renowned as one of the fastest rivers in England, particularly at its mouth. If I had succeeded in throwing him overboard, the fast-flowing river would have pulled him under and killed him. I thank God for the Holy Spirit’s ability to change us and mold us into the image of Christ.

Whenever I feel tempted to let my anger surface, when I get hot under the collar and sense my anger building, I remember the day I could have thrown my brother over the side of the boat. Several years ago, I visited a friend who had a hole in the wall of his living room. When I asked him why he didn't fill it in and paint over it, he replied that he kept the hole to remind him of the time he got so angry with his wife that he threw a knife at her, missed, and the blade stuck in the wall. He needed this reminder to keep his anger in check. He wasn’t married for long; his wife soon left him, and he was burdened with all the guilt and pain that comes from losing a family. When we let anger rise within us, we don’t realize the potential harm we may cause if we allow it to control us instead of the other way around.

Heavenly Father, please grant us self-control and godly character to pull the reins of our inner lives. Keith Thomas

This meditation is from a more complete study found at the following link:  https://www.groupbiblestudy.com/engsermon/3.-reigning-over-your-soul

[1] William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol 1. Printed by Saint Andrew Press, Edinburgh. Page 136137.