Jesus' Kingdom Law: Wrath, "Raca," & Fool in Matthew 5:21-22 Explained
Memory Verse
You have heard it said to those of old, “You will not senselessly slaughter,” and whoever senselessly slaughters will be liable to judgment. I say to you that everyone who is wrathful toward his brother without a cause will be liable to judgment. And the one who says to his brother, “Worthless!” will be liable to the council. And the one who says, “Fool!” will be liable to the Gehenna of fire (Matthew 5:21–22).
Jesus has just stated that He has not come to loose the Mosaic law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. Therefore, when Jesus says, “You have heard what was said to those of old, but I say to you”, He is not modifying or clarifying the Mosaic law. He is laying down His law for the Kingdom of the Heavens. The law for His Kingdom is not the Mosaic law, nor a modification of it. In Christ, the Mosaic law was fulfilled and brought to its intended end (Romans 10:4). The law was not given for the purpose of bringing a person to righteousness. Through the law comes the full experiential knowledge of the sin nature (Romans 7:7). This all came about by Christ’s death on behalf of sins and resurrection three days later (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
Daniel spoke of a cutting off of the Messiah and His return (Daniel 9:26; 7:13). Christ died, nailing the law to His cross (Colossians 2:14). The Mosaic law is finished. When Christ returns to set up His Kingdom, the Kingdom He was declaring to the Israelites in the Sermon on the Mount, He will lay down His law.
The term “murder” is not restricted to the slaying of humans. It encompasses any act of slaughter without purpose. James describes the rich man who senselessly slaughters those who do not arrange themselves in battle against him. He is causing death to fulfill his own strong desires (James 5:6). Under the Mosaic Law, anyone who murdered was to be put to death (Exodus 21:12). Under the Kingdom law, that standard of judgment will be based upon their actions that are wrathful towards another without a cause. This is not simply saying something out of anger, but one who is characterized as wrathful towards others for no reason. Out of this type of mindset will come the other two actions Jesus warns against. Calling a brother worthless and a fool. This type of conduct will not be tolerated in Christ’s Kingdom.
Why such a strict standard? If we attempt to apply this today, who would be without judgment? First of all, Jesus is not addressing the Church, nor describing the rules for today. He is laying down the law for His Kingdom, which will be established on earth after the Tribulation period. When Christ returns, Satan is bound, and the world system is destroyed (Psalm 2:8; Revelation 20:2). Israel will be under a new covenant, in which God writes His law upon their hearts, creating an environment where righteousness rules and everyone knows God’s law from birth (Jeremiah 31:33–34). Therefore, the temptations and thoughts that so easily beset us today will be completely foreign to those in the Kingdom. They will have to intentionally, and with purpose, choose to directly violate God’s law and thus violate their conscience to be wrathful without cause, call another person worthless, and consider someone a fool.