NOT INDULGING IN – BUT TRANSFORMING – OUR ANGER
Matthew 5:21-24; Ephesians 4:26; James 3:8-12
Rev. Paul Wrightman 9/11/22
THIS WEEK WE BEGIN A SECTION OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
IN WHICH JESUS STATES “YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID. . .”,
QUOTES A CENTRAL PRECEPT FROM OLD TESTAMENT LAW,
AND PROCEEDS TO CORRECT IT.
HE DOES THIS NO LESS THAN FIVE TIMES.
BEFORE LOOKING AT THE FIRST OF THESE FIVE CORRECTIONS –
JESUS’ REVOLUTIONARY TEACHING ON ANGER –
WHICH WE HAVE JUST HEARD – WE NEED TO FACE
THE IMPLICATIONS OF WHAT JESUS IS DOING HERE.
DURING HIS ENTIRE PUBLIC MINISTRY IN GENERAL, AND IN
THIS SECTION OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN PARTICULAR,
JESUS SPEAKS AND ACTS WITH AN AUTHORITY
WHICH NO OTHER PERSON IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF ISRAEL
HAD EVER DREAMED OF ASSUMING.
THE AUTHORITY WHICH JESUS ASSUMED ALWAYS AMAZED THOSE
WHO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HIM.
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, AFTER HE
HAD BEEN TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNUM,
IT IS SAID OF HIS HEARERS: “THEY WERE ASTOUNDED
AT HIS TEACHING, FOR HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE
HAVING AUTHORITY, AND NOT AS THE SCRIBES.” (Mark 1:22)
MATTHEW CONCLUDES HIS ACCOUNT
OF THE SERON ON THE MOUNT WITH THE WORDS:
“NOW WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED SAYING THESE THINGS,
THE CROWDS WERE ASTOUNDED AT HIS TEACHING,
FOR HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE HAVING AUTHORITY,
AND NOT AS THEIR SCRIBES.” (Matthew 7:28-29)
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO REALIZE JUST HOW SHOCKING A THING
THIS AUTHORITY OF JESUS MUST HAVE SEEMED
TO THE PEOPLE WHO FIRST HEARD HIM.
TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE, THE LAW WAS ABSOLUTELY HOLY
AND ABSOLUTELY DIVINE.
THE RABBIS STATED: “EVEN IF ONE SAYS THAT THE LAW
IS FROM GOD, [BUT] WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS OR THAT VERSE…
THEN THERE APPLIES TO HIM THE JUDGMENT.
HE HAS DESPISED THE WORD OF THE LORD: HE HAS SHOWN
THE IRREVERENCE WHICH MERITS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUL.”
THIS WAS THE MAJORITY OPINION CONCERNING THE LAW
IN THE RELIGIOUS ESTABLISHMENT OF JESUS’ DAY.
AND NOW, HERE WE HAVE JESUS, NO FEWER THAN FIVE TIMES,
QUOTING THIS VERY LAW, ONLY TO CORRECT IT,
AND TO SUBSTITUTE IN ITS PLACE A TEACHING OF HIS OWN.
JESUS CLAIMED THE RIGHT TO POINT OUT THE INADEQUACIES
OF THE SACRED WRITINGS OF HIS OWN FAITH TRADITION,
AND THEN TO CORRECT THEM ON HIS OWN.
THE GREEKS DEFINED AUTHORITY AS “THE POWER TO ADD
AND THE POWER TO TAKE AWAY AT WILL.”
JESUS CLAIMED THAT POWER EVEN WITH REGARD TO THAT WHICH
HIS OWN PEOPLE CLAIMED TO BE THE UNCHANGING
AND UNCHANGABLE WORD OF GOD.
JESUS DID NOT ARGUE ABOUT THIS, OR SEEK IN ANY WAY
TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF FOR SO DOING, OR ATTEMPT TO PROVE
HIS RIGHT TO DO SO.
HE CALMLY AND WITHOUT QUESTION ASSUMED THAT RIGHT.
NO ONE IN ISRAEL HAD EVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
THE GREAT JEWISH TEACHERS HAD ALWAYS HAD
CHARACTERISTIC PHRASES IN THEIR TEACHING.
THE CHARACTERISTIC PHRASE OF THE PROPHET WAS:
“THUS SAYS THE LORD.”
THE PROPHETS CLAIMED NO PERSONAL AUTHORITY AT ALL:
THEIR ONLY CLAIM WAS THAT THEY SPOKE ONLY WHAT GOD
HAD TOLD THEM TO SPEAK.
THE CHARACTERISTIC PHRASE OF THE SCRIBE AND THE RABBI WAS:
“THERE IS A TEACHING THAT. . .”
THE SCRIBE OR THE RABBI NEVER DARED TO EXPRESS AN OPINION
OF HIS OWN UNLESS HE COULD BUTTRESS IT WITH SUPPORTING
QUOTATIONS FROM THE GREAT TEACHERS OF THE PAST.
INDEPENDENCE OR ORIGINALITY WAS THE LAST QUALITY
THAT HE WOULD CLAIM.
BUT, TO JESUS, A STATEMENT REQUIRED NO AUTHORITY
OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT HE MADE IT.
HE WAS HIS OWN AUTHORITY.
CLEARLY, ONE OF TWO THINGS MUST BE TRUE –
EITHER JESUS WAS MAD, OR HE WAS UNIQUE.
EITHER HE WAS A MEGALOMANIC, OR HE WAS A SINGULARITY.
NO ORDINARY PERSON WOULD DARE TO MAKE SUCH A CLAIM,
TO OVERTURN WHAT UP TO THAT POINT HAD BEEN REGARDED
AS THE ETERNAL AND UNCHANGING WORD OF GOD.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT AUTHORITY
IS THAT IT IS SELF-EVIDENCING.
NO SOONER DOES SOMEONE BEGIN TO TEACH
THAN WE KNOW AT ONCE WHETHER OR NOT THAT PERSON
HAS THE RIGHT TO TEACH.
AUTHORITY IS LIKE AN ATMOSPHERE AROUND A PERSON.
ONE DOES NOT NEED TO OUTWARDLY CLAIM IT.
ONE EITHER HAS AUTHORITY, OR ONE DOES NOT.
JESUS TOOK THE HIGHEST HUMAN WISDOM AND CORRECTED IT,
BECAUSE HE WAS WHO HE WAS.
HE DID NOT NEED TO ARGUE; IT WAS SUFFICIENT FOR HIM TO SPEAK.
PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FACE JESUS
AND TO HONESTLY LISTEN TO HIM WITHOUT FEELING THAT
WHAT HE HAS TO SAY IS GOD’S LAST AND FINAL WORD,
BESIDE WHICH ALL OTHER WORDS ARE INADEQUATE,
AND ALL OTHER WISDOM OUT OF DATE.
BUT STARTLING AS WAS JESUS’ CLAIM TO AUTHORITY,
THE STANDARD WHICH HE PUT BEFORE MEN AND WOMEN
WAS EVEN MORE STARTLING.
JESUS SAID THAT IN GOD’S SIGHT IT WAS NOT ONLY THE PERSON
WHO COMMITTED MURDER WHO WAS GUILTY –
THE PERSON WHO WAS MERELY ANGRY
WAS ALSO IN GREAT DANGER.
NOTE THAT I SAID “GREAT DANGER” AND NOT “JUDGMENT.”
GIVEN THE FACT THAT IN THIS SAME SERMON JESUS GOES ON
TO CAUTION AGAINST JUDGING,
I CAN’T SEE HIM THREATENING JUDGMENT HERE HIMSELF.
THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTANCES IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
WHERE IT IS APPARENT THAT IT IS MATTHEW, AND NOT JESUS
SPEAKING.
THESE INSTANCES ALL HAVE TO DO WITH THREATS OF HELLFIRE
AND/OR BEING THROWN INTO OUTER DARKNESS,
“WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.”
HERE WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF NEEDING TO USE THE TEACHING
OF THE REAL JESUS TO CRITIQUE CONTRADICTORY WORDS
THAT HAVE BEEEN PUT INTO JESUS’ MOUTH
BY ONE OF HIS FOLLOWERS.
IF YOU’RE THINKING “BUT THIS IS COMPLICATED,”
YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THIS IS WHY COMMUNITY CHURCH PUTS SUCH AN EMPHASIS
ON BIBLE STUDY.
WHAT MAKES JESUS’ ORIGINAL TEACHING ON ANGER SO RADICAL
IS THAT HE’S SAYING THAT THOUGHTS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT
AS ACTIONS.
TO PARAPHRASE: JESUS TAUGHT THAT WE JUDGE OURSELVES
NOT ONLY BY OUR DEEDS, BUT JUST AS MUCH BY THE THOUGHTS
AND DESIRES WHICH WE ENTERTAIN IN OUR MINDS.
IT IS SOMETIMES POINTED OUT, IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET AROUND
THIS DIFFICULT TEACHING OF JESUS, THAT ANGER IS A FEELING,
AND THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO CONTROL OUR FEELINGS.
HERE IS ANOTHER INSTANCE WHERE, FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY,
A SENSE TRANSLATION OF WHAT JESUS MEANT WOULD HAVE BEEN
FAR BETTER THAN THE LITERAL TRANSLATION.
THE LITERAL IS WHAT WE HAVE IN TODAY’S TRANSLATION
FROM THE NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION.
WHAT THE TRANSLATORS FAILED TO INDICATE IS THAT
IN NEW TESTAMENT GREEK THERE ARE TWO WORDS FOR ANGER.
THERE IS THUMOS, WHICH DESCRIBED ANGER WHICH WAS LIKE
THE FLAME WHICH COMES FROM DRIED SRAW WHEN IGNITED.
THIS IS THE ANGER WHICH QUICKLY BLAZES UP
AND WHICH JUST AS QUICKLY DIES DOWN.
THEN THERE IS ORGE, WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS ANGER
THAT HAS BECOME DEEP-ROOTED.
ORGE IS LONG-LIVED ANGER.
IT IS THE ANGER OF THOSE WHO NURSE THEIR WRATH TO KEEP IT WARM.
IT IS THE ANGER OVER WHICH PEOPLE BROOD,
AND WHICH THEY WILL NOT ALLOW TO DISSIPATE.
I BET YOU CAN CORRECTLY GUESS WHICH OF THESE TWO WORDS
JESUS USES WHEN HE SPEAKS OF ANGER: THE SECOND, ORGE.
SO WHEN JESUS TALKS ABOUT ANGER, HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT
THE KIND OF ANGER WHICH QUICKLY BLAZES UP
AND JUST AS QUICKLY DIES DOWN.
THIS IS THE KIND OF ANGER WE MEAN WHEN WE DESCRIBE ANGER
AS A FEELING, A FEELING OVER WHICH WE CLAIM
TO HAVE NO CONTROL.
NO, JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT THE KIND OF ANGER WHICH WE
DWELL ON, PUMP UP, AND REFUSE TO LET GO OF.
JESUS FORBIDS THE ANGER WHICH BROODS,
THE ANGER WHICH WILL NOT FORGIVE,
THE ANGER WHICH REFUSES TO BE HEALED,
THE ANGER WHICH SEEKS REVENGE.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO READERS OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
IF THE TRANSLATORS HAD GONE TO THE TROUBLE TO SPECIFY
WHICH KIND OF ANGER IT IS THAT JESUS IS FORBIDDING.
IN PASSING, A SECOND PROBLEMATIC TRANSLATION IN TODAY’S TEXT
IS THE USE OF THE PHRASE “HELL OF FIRE” AT THE END OF VERSE 22.
THIS MAKES IT SOUND TO OUR MODERN EARS AS IF
JESUS IS THREATENING ETERNAL DAMNATION.
HELL AS ETERNAL DAMNATION WAS ACTUALLY AN INVENTION
OF THE CHURCH THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE MIDDLE AGES.
IN THIS TEXT JESUS DOES NOT USE THE WORD “HELL,”
MEANING “ETERNAL DAMNATION,” BUT THE WORD “GEHENNA,”
THE NAME OF JERUSALEM’S LOCAL GARBAGE DUMP.
TO BE SURE, THERE WAS FIRE BURNING IN GEHENNA.
WHEN GARBAGE WAS THROWN ON THAT FIRE,
IT LOST ITS IDENTITY.
WHAT JESUS WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE HERE IS THE FACT
THAT INDULGING IN THE KIND OF LONG-TERM ANGER
THAT LEADS TO HATEFUL THOUGHTS AND HATEFUL DEEDS
RESULTS IN THE LOSS OF OUR TRUEST, DEEPEST SELF.
SO, HOW CAN WE CREATIVELY TRANSFORM OUR ANGER,
THE KIND THAT IS LONG-TERM, DEEP-SEATED, AND INVOLVES
THOUGHTS AS WELL AS DEEDS?
THE SUFI POET AND MYSTIC RUMI POINTS US
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH HIS STARTLING POEM –
“THIS BEING HUMAN IS A GUEST HOUSE.
EVERY MORNING IS A NEW ARRIVAL.
A JOY, A DEPRESSION, A MEANNESS,
SOME MOMENTARY AWARENESS COMES
AS AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.
WELCOME AND ENTERTAIN THEM ALL!
EVEN IF THEY’RE A CROWD OF SORROWS,
WHO VIOLENTLY SWEEP YOUR HOUSE
EMPTY OF ITS FURNITURE,
STILL, TREAT EACH GUEST HONORABLY.
GOD MAY BE CLEARING YOU OUT
FOR SOME NEW DELIGHT.
THE DARK THOUGHT, THE SHAME, THE MALICE,
MEET THEM AT THE DOOR LAUGHING,
AND INVITE THEM IN.
BE GRATEFUL FOR WHOEVER COMES,
BECAUSE EACH HAS BEEN SENT
AS A GUIDE FROM BEYOND.”
I LOVE THE FOLLOWING TEACHING STORY,
WHICH I BELIEVE IS A COMMENTARY ON RUMI’S POEM.
I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT GIVES US A SPECIFIC PATH
THAT WE CAN FOLLOW WHEN CONFRONTED BY
UNWANTED VISITORS – SUCH AS ANGER AND RESENTMENT –
IN OUR LIVES.
SO HERE IS AN ANCIENT STORY, WITH A FEW MODERN UPDATES,
THAT PLAYFULLY SHOWS US WHAT TO DO WITH
OUR DESTRUCTIVE ANGER.
IN A PALACE, IN A KINGDOM A LONG TIME AGO,
A DEMON WALKED IN WHILE THE KING WAS AWAY.
THE DEMON WAS SO UGLY, HE SMELLED SO BAD,
AND WHAT HE SAID WAS SO DISGUSTING,
THAT THE GUARDS AND OTHER PALACE WORKERS
FROZE IN TERROR.
THIS ALLOWED THE DEMON TO STRIDE RIGHT THROUGH
THE OUTER ROOMS, INTO THE ROYAL AUDIENCE HALL,
AND THEN SIT HIMSELF ON THE KING’S THRONE.
SEEING THE DEMON ON THE KING’S THRONE,
THE GUARDS AND THE OTHERS CAME TO THEIR SENSES.
“GET OUT OF HERE!” THEY SHOUTED.
“YOU DON’T BELONG HERE!”
AT THESE FEW ANGRY WORDS, THE DEMON GREW A FEW INCHES,
HIS FACE GREW UGLIER, THE SMELL GOT WORSE,
AND HIS LANGUAGE BECAME EVEN MORE FOUL.
SWORDS WERE BRANDISHED, DAGGERS PULLED OUT,
THREATS MADE.
AT EVERY ANGRY WORD, AT EVERY ANGRY DEED,
EVEN AT EVERY ANGRY THOUGHT,
THE DEMON GREW AN INCH BIGGER.
THIS CONFRONTATION HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A WHILE
WHEN THE KING RETURNED.
HE SAW ON HIS OWN THRONE THIS GIGANTIC DEMON.
HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING SO REPULSIVE BEFORE,
NOT EVEN IN THE MOVIES.
THE KING WAS WISE.
THAT’S WHY HE WAS KING; HE KNEW WHAT TO DO.
“WELCOME,” HE SAID WARMLY.
“WELCOME TO MY PALACE.
HAS ANYONE GOT YOU ANYTHING TO DRINK YET? OR TO EAT?”
AT THOSE FEW KIND GESTURES, THE DEMON GREW A FEW INCHES
SMALLER, LESS UGLY, LESS SMELLY, AND LESS OFFENSIVE.
THE PALACE PERSONNEL CAUGHT ON VERY QUICKLY.
ONE ASKED THE DEMON IF HE WOUILD LIKE A CUP OF TEA.
“WE HAVE DARJEELING, ENGLISH BREAKFAST, OR EARL GREY.”
OR DO YOU PREFER A NICE PEPPERMINT?
IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.”
ANOTHER PHONED OUT FOR PIZZA, MONSTER-SIZE FOR SUCH
A BIG DEMON, WHILE OTHERS MADE SANDWICHES
(DEVILED HAM, OF COURSE).
ONE SOLDIER GAVE THE DEMON A FOOT MESSAGE,
WHILE ANOTHER MASSAGED THE SCALES ON HIS NECK.
“MMMM! THAT WAS NICE,” THOUGHT THE DEMON.
AT EVERY KIND WORD, DEED, OR THOUGHT,
THE DEMON GREW SMALLER.
BEFORE THE PIZZA BOY ARRIVED WITH HIS DELIVERY,
THE DEMON HAD ALREADY SHRUNK TO THE SIZE HE WAS
WHEN HE HAD FIRST SAT ON THE THRONE.
BUT THEY NEVER STOPPED BEING KIND.
SOON THE DEMON WAS SO SMALL THAT HE COULD HARDLY BE SEEN.
THEN AFTER ONE MORE ACT OF KINDNESS
HE VANISHED COMPLETELY AWAY.” ( End of story)
SO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR
WHEN WE ARE ANGRY AT HIM OR HER?
IT MEANS TO BE ESPECIALLY KIND TO THEM,
AND IN THE PROCESS OF SHOWING KINDNESS
OUR ANGER WILL LITERALLY MELT AWAY.
MAY GOD BLESS US WITH THE ABILITY TO SEE OUR ANGER
AS AN OPPORTUNITY, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER GROWTH
AS WE CHOOSE KINDNESS OVER REVENGE,
AS WE CHOOSE THE LIFE-GIVING DYNAMICS OF LOVE
OVER THE DEATH-DEALING DYNAMICS OF ANGER
THAT LEADS TO HATE.
WE CAN BE SURE THAT THE CLOSING PART OF TODAY’S
READING FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE MOUTH OF JESUS HIMSELF:
“SO WHEN YOU ARE OFFERING YOUR GIFT AT THE ALTAR,
IF YOU REMEMBER THAT YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER
HAS SOMETHING AGAINST YOU,
LEAVE YOUR GIFT THERE BEFORE THE ALTAR AND GO;
FIRST BE RECONCILED TO YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER,
AND THEN COME AND OFFER YOUR GIFT.”
AMEN.