If anger and (in effect) hatred are the same as murder, then what does this mean for everyday life? Jesus says it’s so important that we ought to skip church—to leave our seats on Sunday morning immediately, if necessary—and resolve issues with people right now.

The 6th commandment (“You shall not murder,” Ex 20:13) seems pretty simple at first glance. Many assume that, if they have never taken a life, they have fulfilled this law.

Yes and no.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is speaking to believers about what his Christian counterculture must look like—about how believers must live as children of God. And so, when it comes to “murder,” Jesus gives us what I’ll call a “maximal interpretation” of the statute, to show us the spirit behind the letter of this law. He extends the definition of “murder” beyond the physical act to include the attitudes and emotions within the human heart.

Interpreting the Law: A Narrow or Expansive View?

There are two common ways people understand commands in the bible about “right and wrong” (i.e., the moral law). The first seeks to minimize their implications, limiting personal responsibility. The Pharisees and legal experts of Jesus’ time often adopted this approach, dissecting the law in minute ways to determine the narrowest possible application (“and who is my neighbor?” Lk 10:29). This is a legal (not necessarily legalistic) approach. You precisely define terms at every step to narrow your liability.

But Jesus calls for a different way that maximizes personal responsibility—you must err on the side of your own guilt! In fact, “murder” means more than “planning to kill someone and doing it.” It means that (a) if you have biblically unjustified anger against someone, or (b) you do nothing to stop someone else’s anger against you, then (c) “murder” has occurred. Jesus says you must resolve it immediately—even if that means not going to church!

Anger as a Form of Murder

In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus says:

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.” 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.

This passage reveals that the issue extends beyond external actions to internal attitudes and assessments. The word “Raca,” which the NIV should not have left untranslated, means you think the person is unintelligent and you have contempt for him.

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