“…whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” + Matthew 5v22b
As a kid this verse terrified me. I thought that if I simply called someone a “fool” then I would go to hell. My paranoia over this verse haunted my mind every hour of the day that simply by thinking about it so much I ended up calling someone a “fool.” I thought I was going to hell. Turns out that’s not exactly what this verse is saying, but it’s not exactly not saying that either. As a kid, my problem was that I approached this verse as if it were a math equation (me + “fool” = hell). Well, it’s not a math equation.
To rightly understand a verse in the Bible you must interpret it within its context. The greater context you have, the greater understanding. I guess that was another one of my problems – I had no context. Let’s back up and start in verse 21 of Matthew 5:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But 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.” + Matthew 5v21-22
So Jesus isn’t giving us a math equation. He’s telling us something about sin. When Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said,” He is referring to the law – the Ten Commandments. He is essentially saying, “You have heard the law.” Then He quotes it, “You shall not murder.” Jesus is saying that everyone knows if you commit murder, you will face judgment. But He doesn’t stop there. He ups the ante. He says, “But I say to you…” Jesus says not only is murder liable to judgment, but anger, insults, and name calling are also. The Pharisees listening to Jesus prided themselves in their pristine (or so they thought) law keeping. Then Jesus comes along and says “Great. But have you called your brother a fool?”
Jesus is telling us that what makes us guilty and worthy of judgment from a perfect and holy God is not just the breaking of the Ten Commandments or our outward actions, but the condition and attitude of our hearts. Jesus is revealing to us that sin is more than just the things we do but it is also the things we say and think. Jesus is revealing to us all that we are all law breakers, even if we haven’t broken the law. He is revealing that there is “no one righteous; no, not one.”
Are we liable to hellfire simply for the things we say and think? Yes. But it’s not a math equation because the gospel doesn’t fit into one. Let’s zoom out for greater context.
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” + Matthew 5v20
The scribes and Pharisees were very righteous people, outwardly. Jesus says we need a righteousness that exceeds theirs to enter the kingdom of heaven. The Pharisees were better at keeping the law than anyone of us will ever be. Yet, their righteousness isn’t enough (as we saw in verse 21-22), we need a righteousness that exceeds theirs.
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” + Matthew 5v17
There it is; there is our righteousness. Jesus came not to do away with the law that haunted me as a child and just forgive me willy-nilly; He came to fulfill it. Jesus never broke the law outwardly or inwardly. He kept it perfectly. This is how he fulfilled the Law. Jesus didn’t do this for Himself, He did this for His people. He did this to not just fulfill the Law, but also to fulfill the Prophets, who spoke of one who would come and bear the sins of His people on His back. They spoke of one who would “make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53v11b). Jesus died taking the judgment for my sins, and giving me his perfect law-keeping righteousness. This is the greatest solace and peace for those haunted by their sin.
When I was tortured by this verse as a kid, it did me good. Though I had a limited understanding of this verse at the time, the Holy Spirit was using it to convict my heart and mind that I was a sinner worthy of the flames of hell. It is not until we know that we are sinners worthy of judgment that we can know the soothing sweetness of forgiveness in Jesus Christ. If your conscience is hijacked with terror over your sin and the consequences, look to Christ crucified. Look to the one takes away the sins of the world. Look to the one who can make you to be accounted as righteous.
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