Matthew 5:22
Encyclopedia
Matthew 5:22 is the twenty-second verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
. It is the first of what have traditionally been known as the Antitheses, in which Jesus
compares the current interpretation of the Mosaic law covering murder
with his ideal one.
, according to Westcott and Hort
, reads:
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:22
, and Nedraim. A similar teaching also appears at 1 John 3:15. Gundry notes that "I say to you" is one of Matthew's favourite phrases using it 68 times. Schweizer feels it is used here to link to the word of God in the previous verse.
Davies and Allison note that the references to brothers is probably an allusion to the story of Cain and Abel
. Nolland notes that the word usually translated as brother is gender neutral in the original Greek, and is more accurately translated as "brother or sister." Harrignton notes that brother does not literally refer to sibling, or even to just the small group of followers or disciples. Rather he states that the verse should be read as referring to all Isrealites or all human beings. France disagrees, feeling that in this particular verse Jesus is referring only to the group of disciples.
Early manuscripts are divided between whether this verse should read "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" or "whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment." The two versions are significantly different in implication and most modern scholars feel that "without a cause" was a later addition by a copyist trying to make the statement less radical.
. The word translated as fool is the Greek moros, which has a similar meaning to the Aramaic reka. However moros also was used to mean godless, and thus could be much more severe a term than reka. It is very similar to the Greek word for apostate, and Albright and Mann feel that word was originally intended, but the current version is a typo. The reading of godless can explain why the punishment is more severe.
This verse has also recently become part of the debate over the New Testament view of homosexuality
. Some scholars have argued that raca can mean effeminate, and was a term of abuse for homosexuals. Similarly moros can also refer to a homosexual aggressor. From Semitic
cognates Warren Johansson argued that the word was an Aramaic pejorative, similar to the English words faggot or fairy. By these interpretations Jesus could be specifically condemning homophobia
. Most scholars reject this view, considering it more likely that the terms were meant as general insults, rather than specific attacks on homosexuals. See also the Bible and homosexuality
.
, the council of leading religious thinkers that acted as the central court in Jerusalem. Most controversial is what fate is implied by the third punishment. In Greek the word used is Gehenna
, it refers to a valley south of Jerusalem where the was an ever burning rubbish fire, and where in the past human sacrifice
s had been cremated. Some scholars feel that this is a metaphor for damnation
and for Hell
, and it was traditionally translated this way. Albright and Mann, reject this view and feel that Jesus was here literally referring to the valley and the potential of being thrown in there as punishment. Gehenna appears six other times in the Gospel of Matthew: 5:29
, 5:30
, 10:28, 18:19, 23:15, and 23:33
Some scholars reject that the idea that the first two sections are referring to secular institutions. Albright and Mann argue that only God could known a person's internal emotions, and no human institution could punish such crimes. Hill argues that this verse has been misunderstood as applying to the general population. He feels that the reference to brothers means that these rules are not meant for society at large, but only the disciples and leaders of the new religion, and that the council refers to an internal structure.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and is part of the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
. It is the first of what have traditionally been known as the Antitheses, in which Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
compares the current interpretation of the Mosaic law covering murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
with his ideal one.
Text
The original Koine GreekKoine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
, according to Westcott and Hort
The New Testament in the Original Greek
The New Testament in the Original Greek is the name of a Greek language version of the New Testament published in 1881. It is also known as the Westcott and Hort text, after its editors Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort...
, reads:
- εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο οργιζομενος τω αδελφω αυτου
- ενοχος εσται τη κρισει ος δ αν ειπη τω αδελφω αυτου
- ρακα ενοχος εσται τω συνεδριω ος δ αν ειπη μωρε
- ενοχος εσται εις την γεενναν του πυρος
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his
- brother without a cause shall be in danger of the
- judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,
- shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall
- say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his
- brother without a cause shall be in danger of the
- judgment; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca!'
- shall be in danger of the council; and whoever shall say,
- 'You fool!' shall be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:22
Analysis
This verse asserts that just as great a crime as murder itself, is the anger that leads to it. Schweizer notes that this view is not particularly new to Jesus, appearing in the Old Testament at places such as Ecclesiastes 7:9 and in works such as Sirach, the Slavonic Enoch, PesahimPesahim
Pesahim is the third tractate of Seder Moed of the Mishnah and of the Talmud. It is concerned mainly with the laws of the Jewish holiday Passover as well as the Passover lamb offering...
, and Nedraim. A similar teaching also appears at 1 John 3:15. Gundry notes that "I say to you" is one of Matthew's favourite phrases using it 68 times. Schweizer feels it is used here to link to the word of God in the previous verse.
Davies and Allison note that the references to brothers is probably an allusion to the story of Cain and Abel
Cain and Abel
In the Hebrew Bible, Cain and Abel are two sons of Adam and Eve. The Qur'an mentions the story, calling them the two sons of Adam only....
. Nolland notes that the word usually translated as brother is gender neutral in the original Greek, and is more accurately translated as "brother or sister." Harrignton notes that brother does not literally refer to sibling, or even to just the small group of followers or disciples. Rather he states that the verse should be read as referring to all Isrealites or all human beings. France disagrees, feeling that in this particular verse Jesus is referring only to the group of disciples.
Early manuscripts are divided between whether this verse should read "whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" or "whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment." The two versions are significantly different in implication and most modern scholars feel that "without a cause" was a later addition by a copyist trying to make the statement less radical.
Insults
The word Raca is original to the Greek manuscript; however, it is not a Greek word. The most common view is that it is a reference to the Aramaic word reka, which literally means "empty one", but probably meant "empty headed," or "foolish." Scholars seem divided on how grievous an insult it was. Hill feels it was very, France thinks it was a minor slur. Jesus uses the term himself in Matthew 23:17 when he is deriding the PhariseesPharisees
The Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period beginning under the Hasmonean dynasty in the wake of...
. The word translated as fool is the Greek moros, which has a similar meaning to the Aramaic reka. However moros also was used to mean godless, and thus could be much more severe a term than reka. It is very similar to the Greek word for apostate, and Albright and Mann feel that word was originally intended, but the current version is a typo. The reading of godless can explain why the punishment is more severe.
This verse has also recently become part of the debate over the New Testament view of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Some scholars have argued that raca can mean effeminate, and was a term of abuse for homosexuals. Similarly moros can also refer to a homosexual aggressor. From Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
cognates Warren Johansson argued that the word was an Aramaic pejorative, similar to the English words faggot or fairy. By these interpretations Jesus could be specifically condemning homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
. Most scholars reject this view, considering it more likely that the terms were meant as general insults, rather than specific attacks on homosexuals. See also the Bible and homosexuality
The Bible and homosexuality
There are a number of direct references to homosexuality in the Bible.In Mosaic law, male homosexuality is identified as an "abomination".In the New Testament, Paul of Tarsus condemns arsenokoitēs, a term related to male homosexuality that is open to much interpretation; it could mean male...
.
Punishments
While some scholars have searched for one, the offenses in the verse do not seem to increase in severity. By contrast the verse contains an escalating scale of punishment. Those that are angry with their brother are said to be subject to judgement. This is often interpreted as the judgement of the local council, which would mete out justice in a community. The council is generally seen as a reference to the SanhedrinSanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
, the council of leading religious thinkers that acted as the central court in Jerusalem. Most controversial is what fate is implied by the third punishment. In Greek the word used is Gehenna
Gehenna
Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and...
, it refers to a valley south of Jerusalem where the was an ever burning rubbish fire, and where in the past human sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
s had been cremated. Some scholars feel that this is a metaphor for damnation
Damnation
Damnation is the concept of everlasting divine punishment and/or disgrace, especially the punishment for sin as threatened by God . A damned being "in damnation" is said to be either in Hell, or living in a state wherein they are divorced from Heaven and/or in a state of disgrace from God's favor...
and for Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
, and it was traditionally translated this way. Albright and Mann, reject this view and feel that Jesus was here literally referring to the valley and the potential of being thrown in there as punishment. Gehenna appears six other times in the Gospel of Matthew: 5:29
Matthew 5:29
Matthew 5:29 is the twenty-ninth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. It is the third verse of the discussion of adultery...
, 5:30
Matthew 5:30
Matthew 5:30 is the thirtieth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament and is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Part of the section on adultery, it is very similar to the previous verse, but with the hand mentioned instead of the eye. For a discussion of the...
, 10:28, 18:19, 23:15, and 23:33
Some scholars reject that the idea that the first two sections are referring to secular institutions. Albright and Mann argue that only God could known a person's internal emotions, and no human institution could punish such crimes. Hill argues that this verse has been misunderstood as applying to the general population. He feels that the reference to brothers means that these rules are not meant for society at large, but only the disciples and leaders of the new religion, and that the council refers to an internal structure.