I am a Jesus pusher!!! “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgement” (Matthew 5:22). Jesus never participates in “Argument Speaking” of the Scriptures. In previous studies, we discovered a fallacy that gripped the Jewish nation. They operated under the assumption that the Scriptures’ study was more valuable than doing the Scriptures. This fallacy caused debates, arguments, and discussions of the law but put little emphasis on practical living. The disobedience of the Scriptures had little consequence in their minds. Although the Pharisees were continually upset with Jesus because He and His disciples broke their laws, they were more upset about His teachings about the Scriptures. Jesus calling His disciples to live beyond the righteousness of the Pharisees irritated them.
Now Jesus gives His disciples His “Application Speaking.” Everything Jesus lived and said about “You shall not murder” is now going to be applied to our lives. He equates anger with murder (Matthew 5:22). While the outside deed of murder is a product of anger, the presence of anger is the same as murder. This revelation becomes even more disturbing as He applies it to our relationship with God (Matthew 5:23-24). I feel content and secure in my relationship with God. I am one of the “people of God,” but this relationship with God is suddenly questioned. It is not because I have murdered but because I am not in the right relationship with my fellow man. The focus is not on how my fellowman feels about me but how I feel about him. The two categories of relationship with God and relationship with man now overlap (Matthew 22:37-39). I want to be an expression of Jesus to my fellow man! I am a Jesus pusher!!!