(Matthew 5:21-30)

 

Understanding the Biblical Soul and Heart

 

In our third study of the Sermon on the Mount, we examine one of the most valuable portions of Scripture in the New Testament. Jesus provides practical advice on how our thoughts fundamentally influence our actions. He highlights the importance of a change starting in the heart, where God meets us. A child of God must learn to synchronize their heart with the Father’s. The Book of Proverbs tells us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23 ESV). The springs of our lives start in our thought-and-decision center. In the Old Testament, the word heart (levav) is used whenever thought and intention are implied. The Hebrew word for soul (nephesh—literally, “to breathe”) refers to the inner person. Many Scriptures show that heart, mind, and thought are connected to the soul, and in some places, they are used interchangeably.

 

The Internal Struggle: Defining the Soul in Scripture

 

Growing up in England, I would receive weekly picture comic magazines, with Beano and Dandy being my favorites. In these comics, when Dennis the Menace faced dilemmas about choosing good or evil, a comic demon with horns, cloven feet, and a pitchfork would appear beside him, trying to tempt him into doing something bad. Conversely, a saintly figure clad in white, with a ring above his head, would stand on the other side, urging him to forgive and choose kindness. These stories depict the internal struggle between right and wrong that occurs within our minds and hearts as we navigate a world filled with temptation and sin.

 

This inner part of us—the immaterial aspect of man, including our minds, will, emotions, and conscience—is what Scripture calls the soul of man. When we listen to dark thoughts, our souls are shaped and molded by dark spirits operating in the unseen realm. This is what King David referred to in his famous Shepherd Psalm 23: “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3, ESV). Perhaps you have experienced dark times when you felt no peace and your thoughts were constantly oppressed by the evil one. I hope you have begun walking with the Lord Jesus Christ, because no one can restore your soul, mind, will, and emotions as He can. How does Jesus bring peace to a troubled soul? First, we fully surrender ourselves to Him, and then He starts the process of renewal and transformation. The Sermon on the Mount teaches us how to walk with Christ and avoid grieving the Holy Spirit, who dwells within believers. Jesus goes beyond external sins to deal with the roots of sin. He talks about types of anger that harm another’s character.

 

Jesus’ Authority vs. Traditional Legalism

 

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; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny (Matthew 5:21-26, emphasis added).

 

The religious leaders of Jesus’ time supported their teachings by quoting various rabbis, but Jesus spoke with His own authority, saying, “I say to you” (v. 22). This assertion of His own authority so angered the Jewish teachers that they once responded, asking, “Are you greater than our father, Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (John 8:53). If Jesus were not God in the flesh, speaking with His own authority would have been considered blasphemy by the Jews.

 

The Root of Violence: How Unresolved Anger Shapes Us

 

The Lord has a way of going beyond surface issues to the root of problems that affect us deep inside. Committing the sin of murder is a terrible act, but the Lord Jesus also condemns even thinking about or considering violence against another person. Sinful acts first originate in the mind and heart of a person. It is there that decisions are made about whether to act on a thought. William Barclay, in his commentary, describes this spiritual battle as follows:

 

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 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 then alone life is safe. [1]

 

Consider Plato’s analogy of the two horses: Reason (the gentle horse) and Passion (the wild horse). When have you felt the "leash of reason" snap in a moment of anger? According to Jesus’ teaching in verses 21-26, why is simply "holding the leash" (suppression) insufficient for a disciple?

 

When someone receives new life in Christ, God's Spirit enters and begins to transform their inner being and character. I’ve noticed that the Holy Spirit often highlights specific aspects of our character during His work of shaping us. Let me share an example from my early days as a young Christian. When I first followed Christ at age 23, I was a commercial fisherman working with my father on a boat off Harwich, England. Being away from women and children and among other men often brings out the worst in a person. Commercial fishing is dangerous and stressful, and conflicts among coworkers can easily arise. The language was colorful, and tempers flared quickly. I remember a time when my brother, a year older and working with us, was seen as a bully; he would use my shoulder to practice his boxing skills. I don’t recall if I was a Christian then, but I remember being so angry with him that I charged at him, trying to throw him into the River Deben near Felixstowe, Suffolk. The River Deben is one of the fastest rivers in England, especially at its entrance. Had I succeeded, the strong current would have swept him away, possibly causing his death.

 

Whenever I feel tempted to let my anger get the best of me, I think of the day I almost threw my brother overboard. Several years ago, I visited a friend who had a hole in his living room wall. When I asked why he didn't fill or cover it, he said the hole was a reminder of the time he got so angry at his wife that he threw a knife at her, missed, and the blade stuck in the wall. He needed that reminder that his anger must be kept in check. He wasn’t married for long; his wife soon left him, taking all the pain and baggage that came with losing his family.

 

Righteous vs. Unrighteous Anger: Biblical Examples

 

Feeling anger is not wrong. There is a righteous anger that God's people should experience. The Apostle Paul wrote, "In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" (Ephesians 4:26). What Paul meant is that it's okay to be angry about injustices, but you shouldn't let that anger last too long. Righteous indignation should rise within us whenever we see the rights of the poor being violated or read about innocent children and the weak being hurt and exploited. Jesus was angry at the mistreatment of the sick by the religious leaders and their hardened hearts:

 

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. After looking at them with anger and grieving their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored (Mark 3:1-5; emphasis added).

 

Another example occurs when Jesus enters the Jerusalem temple and notices that the Court of the Gentiles has been turned into a marketplace. People are being forced to pay high prices for lambs and doves for Passover. Instead of getting angry, Jesus restrains His anger. He takes some ropes, makes a whip, and drives out the merchants. He overturns their tables and says, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace” (John 2:13-16).

 

Uncontrolled anger that leads to brooding and seething over slights or pride hurts is a dangerous form of sin. Once, this kind of anger consumed me to the point of wanting to throw my brother over the side of my father's fishing boat. If such persistent anger is not addressed, it can develop into bitterness that spreads and corrupts many (Hebrews 12:15). Those who cannot manage their anger risk grieving the Holy Spirit, causing His presence and anointing to lift, much like what happened when Samson's hair was cut (Judges 16:16-21). Thankfully, God will never fully withdraw His Spirit from us. However, we can lose the close relationship with God that the psalmist describes: “Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me” (Psalm 69:17). Similarly, Isaiah pointed out that Israel lost God's special presence, saying, “…you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities” (Isaiah 64:7).

 

At the beginning of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the true attitudes of those walking with God. By the end of His opening remarks, He warned that living by the beatitudes would lead His followers to face persecution, just as He did. The enemy, the evil one, seeks to fill us with hatred, bitterness, and anger toward our persecutors. Often, those persecuting God's people do not realize why they are doing so. Even during attacks, God may be convicting them. While it might be tempting to respond with anger, that is not the Lord’s way; we are called to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). We cannot predict when God might change an enemy like Saul, who persecuted Stephen, into a leader of the church, as shown when he repented and became the apostle Paul (Acts 7:55-58). We will be rewarded if we keep a meek attitude when persecuted for righteousness’ sake. When Jesus was beaten and attacked, He turned the other cheek and chose not to retaliate (Luke 22:63-65).

 

The High Cost of Resentment and Character Assassination

 

The rabbis taught that murder leads to judgment, but Jesus went further, highlighting that anger and insulting others threaten our inner selves and our soul. Anger can sometimes take hold of a person and escalate into hatred, bitterness, resentment, or even murder. Actress Carrie Fisher once said, “Resentment is like swallowing deadly poison and expecting the other person to die.” The enemy of our souls gains an advantage over us when our anger and resentment control us, making it difficult to manage internal bitterness. For believers, the Holy Spirit warns us when anger begins to surface—often called getting hot under the collar, with signals like the hair on our neck standing up. We always face a choice: follow Jesus’ example or succumb to anger and let it take over.

 

The Lord then explained how to handle situations when the enemy causes division among brothers and sisters in the Lord. We must remember that we are in a spiritual battle, and our adversary will try to sow discord within the body of believers to weaken the church's power. If we are angry with our brother for any reason, we should not ignore or dismiss it as if it didn't happen. Instead, before we approach the Lord in worship, we need to humble ourselves, confront our brother, and resolve the issue. Only then should we return to the place of worship. “…leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:24).

 

Satan, the accuser of the brethren, delights in stirring up discord among believers in a church. He cannot stand it when we agree with the accuser, humble ourselves, repent, and seek forgiveness from our brothers. Some of my most meaningful moments of pleasing the Lord come when I resolve conflicts in relationships. Humility is beneficial for the soul.

 

The Lord also addressed character assassination, saying, “whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire” (v. 22). Often, when we're angry, we utter words that diminish another person's character. The Greek word móros, translated as “fool,” can also mean dull, stupid, or foolish, and it was used to criticize someone’s mental capacity and integrity. In England, there's a saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me,” which is a lie. Words can serve as barbs that linger from childhood, attacking our character through influential people we admired who have inflicted deep wounds. Jesus warned that such words that harm our spirit are subject to God's judgment. Examples today include phrases like, “You'll never amount to anything,” "You're just like your father,” "You're an idiot,” or "The apple never falls far from the tree.” If you've heard similar words, it’s advisable to pray and break the spiritual power these words hold over your core—your inner spirit.

 

Jesus warns that calling someone a "fool" (móros) makes one liable to judgment. Why do you think Jesus treats verbal insults and the devaluing of another person’s character as seriously as the physical act of murder?

 

Jesus explains what it truly means to walk by the Spirit instead of merely following the letter of the law. At the start of His sermon, He spoke about the Beatitudes, which help us build close relationships and prevent grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit's fire. The Pharisees considered themselves righteous and assured of heaven, but in His extraordinary grace, Jesus pointed to a higher standard of righteousness than theirs. It likely shocked the crowd on the hillside when Jesus warned that outward righteousness alone is insufficient. He stated, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). To walk with Christ and avoid grieving the Holy Spirit, we must look beyond outward actions and address the roots of anger at the thought level before they manifest. Dwelling on anger and hatred toward others grieves the Spirit. Jesus then took it further by revealing the thoughts that led to adultery, which in Israel was punishable by stoning.

 

Guarding Your Heart: Overcoming Lust and Sensuality

 

Amid the listening crowd, Jesus further explains the Beatitude on purity: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (v. 8). Our world system constantly challenges our inner thoughts daily. This isn’t merely a physical challenge; it’s a spiritual tactic. The enemy recognizes that whenever images of infidelity and lust take root in our hearts, our obedience to the Spirit becomes difficult. Everything in the physical realm starts as a thought or vision in the mind’s imagination. God has endowed us with the capacity to envision things before they come into being.

 

What architect doesn’t imagine the building in their mind before sketching it? Don’t you think the Wright brothers first visualized their airplane flying through the sky? Evil demonic spirits that aim to manipulate minds try to corrupt a person’s soul by filling us with harmful thoughts. It’s naive to think that accumulating sinful thoughts and images doesn’t impact our character. The more someone indulges in these thoughts and images, the more their character becomes tainted. Adultery, in particular, often results in lifelong regret and guilt, and it opens the door for demonic spirits to influence our inner selves.

 

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell (Matthew 5:27-30).

 

The Lord urges us to close all the gates that allow demonic spirits to attack. If your “eyegate’ has been used to plant lustful images in your mind, uproot them through repentance. Make a covenant with God to avoid places where you've fallen into sin. Temptation comes from three sources: our desires (the flesh), worldly influences, and demonic deception. As the book of James warns us:

 

…But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (James 1:13-15.)

 

Jesus' instruction to tear out your eye or cut off your hand if it causes you to sin is a deliberate exaggeration called hyperbole. His hyperbolic figure of speech emphasizes the need for strict, unwavering self-control and self-denial. Lust begins with the eyes but is then fueled by the mind's imagination, and our lower nature—the carnal mind—takes over, pushing us toward sin.

 

Indeed, for most people, television and its programming can be used by the enemy to desensitize us and corrupt the inner self's vision center. Pay attention to your body's responses to what you watch on TV. For example, if your heart races when a horror show begins, be aware and listen to the Holy Spirit's warning of danger to your soul, so it doesn't take root. If you are triggered by seeing someone of the opposite sex on television, respond appropriately to the Spirit’s warning. Be careful to keep the vision center of your heart free from the programming of the evil one. Author John Stott helps us here:

 

The Power of Mortification: Cutting Off Temptation

 

What does this involve in practice? Let me elaborate and so interpret Jesus’ teaching: “If your eye causes you to sin because temptation comes to you through your eyes (objects you see), then pluck out your eyes. That is, don’t look! Behave as if you had actually plucked out your eyes and flung them away and were now blind and so could not see the objects which previously caused you to sin. Again, if your hand or foot causes you to sin, because temptation comes to you through your hands (things you do) or your feet (places you visit), then cut them off. That is: don’t do it! Don't go! Behave as if you had actually cut off your hands and feet, and had flung them away, and were now crippled, and so could not do the things or visit the places which previously caused you to sin. That is the meaning of mortification. Behave as if you actually cut off your hands and feet, and flung them away, and were crippled, and so could not do the things or visit the places which previously caused you to sin. That is the meaning of “mortification. [2]

 

The study discusses "mortification"—behaving as if the part of you that causes sin (the "eye-gate" or "hand") is no longer there. In our modern context of constant digital access, what does "cutting off" a source of temptation look like practically, without being legalistic?

 

Of course, we must recognize the essential role of the Holy Spirit's ministry in helping us control our desires. The Holy Spirit performs the work of sanctification, but we decide whom we yield to. These small decisions, made every day and every moment, shape our thoughts, intentions, will, and ultimately, our actions.

 

Our role is active, not passive. Trying to simply 'not think about something' is challenging. Instead, replace negative thoughts with positive, uplifting ones. Fill your mind with the Word of God and the Spirit. When you follow God's clear will as shown in Scripture, He will guide you and reveal His plan more specifically. Being faithful in small things will lead to greater revelations from God.

 

Practical Reconciliation: Restoring Your Horizontal Relationships

 

Let me ask you: Is there anyone you have wronged that you need to ask for forgiveness? Is there someone who has wronged you, and you've been holding onto that hurt, allowing bitterness to take root? Jesus makes it clear in the verses we've read (Matt. 5:23-36) that if a barrier exists because of an offense, you need to go to that person and seek their forgiveness. We also need to forgive others and allow God to address any roots of bitterness within us. Sometimes, this means we must approach the other person. Many who have wronged us may not even realize what they've done. Our forgiveness can be as simple as praying and releasing the hurt as much as we can. Make this choice with your will and trust God to take care of the rest. Some emotional pain only fades over time, but in our minds, we can choose to honor God and forgive. This process can be complex, especially since we may not always receive an apology from those who hurt us. However, if you want to experience more of God—His presence, His reality, His peace, and His joy—you must release bitterness from your heart.

 

1. The "24-Hour Rule" for Reconciliation

 

Based on verse 25 ("Come to terms quickly"), challenge your group to the 24-Hour Rule. If an offense happens, address it within 24 hours. If you can't talk to the person yet, write a letter (even if you don't send it) to process the anger before God so it doesn't settle into bitterness.

 

2. Perform an "Eye-Gate" Audit

 

Since Jesus speaks about the eyes leading to sin, suggest a "Digital Fast" or an "Audit." Ask: "What am I watching that makes it harder for me to see God?" If a certain app or show triggers lust or anger, "cut it off" for one week and notice the change in your peace of mind.

 

3. The "Name-Blessing" Exercise

 

Jesus warns against "character assassination." Identify one person who makes you angry or whom you have insulted in your mind. This week, commit to speaking one positive, character-affirming truth about them to someone else. You cannot hate someone while you are actively seeking God’s blessing for their character.

 

I encourage everyone to always keep the end in mind—live life so that when you reach your deathbed, you have no regrets. Jesus offers us a way to break free from our usual patterns, and the opportunity to change our thinking and actions begins today. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

 

Keith Thomas
www.groupbiblestudy.com
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