Here's what I get.
Mat 5:21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients: "Do not commit murder!" And, Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the Judgment.
Mat 5:22 But I say to you, Everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the Judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever says, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of Hell.
Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes & pharisees. (vs.20)
In the old times, the law was;
Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement (condemnation>.
But Jesus says, never mind do not kill, don't even be angry with your brother, or you will be in danger of judgement (Jesus wants us to love our brother as ourselves). Plus, don't call him Raca (hebrews; worthless), or you'll be in danger of the council, yet more severely still, don't call your brother a fool (graceless welch, Hebrew: dull, stupid, heedless) or you will be in danger of hell fire.
If you are calling your brother such names, speaking such foolish words against anyone (fellow believer or not), you don't have Christ in you, you don't realize that the fight is not with our brothers, not with flesh and blood, but with the higher powers and principalities that be. God has possibly chosen this brother as a vessel of dishonour, as someone who is blinded. The truth therefore does not abide in us or we would realize this person has been blinded by our Lord, the very God we serve. How quickly do we, in our carnal nature, judge and talk (evil) about others? (Peer pressure makes it worse.) Because the truth does not abide in us, thus perverting the right ways of the Lord - by calling one of his children a graceless welch. we will be subject to hell fire (same as the) lake of fire -- for this carnal thought will be "burned" out of all his children eventually.
Love,
Marie
Good post, Marie.
These things are a good discerning point to who is who, when it comes to Christ's teachings. Even though we know in the longrun God will burn these things out of all of us, it's good to know now, who are the real spiritual Jews.
These scriptures come to mind that speaks of this:
(Joh 8:3 LITV) And the scribes and the Pharisees brought to Him a woman having been taken in adultery. And standing her in the middle,
(Joh 8:4 LITV) they said to Him, Teacher, this woman was taken in the very act, committing adultery.
(Joh 8:5 LITV) And in the Law, Moses commanded that such should be stoned. You, then, what do You say?
(Joh 8:6 LITV) But they said this, tempting Him, that they may have reason to accuse Him. But bending down, Jesus wrote with the finger in the earth, not appearing to hear.
(Joh 8:7 LITV) But as they continued questioning Him, bending back up, He said to them, The one among you without sin, let him cast the first stone at her.
(Joh 8:8 LITV) And bending down again, He wrote in the earth.
(Joh 8:9 LITV) But hearing, and being convicted by the conscience, they went out one by one, beginning from the older ones, until the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the middle.
(Joh 8:10 LITV) And Jesus bending back up, and having seen no one but the woman, He said to her, Woman, where are those, the accusers of you? Did not one give judgment against you?
(Joh 8:11 LITV) And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I judge you. Go, and sin no more.
(Joh 8:12 LITV) Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world. The one following Me will in no way walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.
Seems to be we either have love for the brethren (believers or not) or we do not. The ones who do not, are the ones who are constantly condemning in their bellief. A good discerner of who is in the Light and who is in the darkness. Not that we are any better, because we once were the same, but now we can distinguish.
God bless,
Gary