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“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”
— Matthew 5:21–22 (NIV)
The central theme here is very clear: anger is not a small, harmless emotion. In the sight of God, persistent, sinful anger is in the same category as murder. Jesus takes us behind the outward act and exposes the inner condition that produces murder. Murder is the fruit; anger is the root.
The song “Chains of Anger” is built around this passage. It shows us that Jesus is not satisfied with religion that keeps the hands clean while the heart boils with resentment, bitterness, and contempt. He goes deeper. He speaks to the hidden anger, the cutting words, the broken relationships. And He shows us the way to freedom.
Let us look at what the Word of God says, especially in this section of the Sermon on the Mount:
This passage is not optional for mature believers. It is central to true righteousness. Many Christians are spiritually imprisoned—not by demons alone, not by curses alone—but by unresolved anger. Jesus here provides both the diagnosis and the remedy.
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These words are spoken by Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry, in what we call the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). He is addressing Jewish people who knew the Law of Moses, who had heard the Ten Commandments read and taught in the synagogues.
The quotation Jesus uses comes from the Sixth Commandment:
> “You shall not murder.”
> — Exodus 20:13
In Jesus’ day, the religious teachers (scribes and Pharisees) largely interpreted that commandment externally. As long as you did not physically kill someone, you had kept the commandment. The focus was on the act and on the human court that could punish the act of murder.
So Jesus begins:
> “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
> ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
> But I tell you…”
> — Matthew 5:21–22
Notice that phrase: “But I tell you”. He is not correcting Moses. He is correcting the incomplete, shallow interpretation of Moses. He is asserting divine authority over the traditions of the teachers.
The listeners would have thought, “Murder—serious sin. Anger—not so serious.” Jesus reverses their thinking. He essentially says: “You are far more guilty than you realize—not in the courts of men, but in the court of God.”
Then He moves from internal attitude (anger, contempt) to broken relationships:
> “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,
> leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
> — Matthew 5:23–24
In the temple system, bringing a gift to the altar was an act of worship, devotion, and sacrifice. Jesus is saying, very plainly: God will not accept your worship if you refuse reconciliation where it depends on you.
Then He makes it even more practical and urgent:
> “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.
> Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge,
> and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.”
> — Matthew 5:25
Here He shows that delayed reconciliation, delayed settlement, does not remain static. It grows. It creates consequences—both spiritual and sometimes legal or relational—that can imprison us.
So in context, Jesus is:
1. Exposing the inner root of murder: anger and contempt.
2. Requiring reconciliation as a condition of acceptable worship.
3. Warning of the urgency of dealing with offenses before they imprison us.
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To understand the weight of Jesus’ teaching, we need to look at two key Greek words.
### 1) “Angry” – *orgizō* (ὀργίζω)
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus says:
> “But I tell you that anyone who is angry (*orgizomenos*) with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”
The verb *orgizō* comes from the noun *orgē* (ὀργή), which often means settled, abiding anger, not just a passing flash of irritation. It is an anger that boils and remains, that is nursed and entertained.
This is crucial. Jesus is not condemning every momentary emotional reaction. The issue is cherished anger—anger that is not surrendered to God, not repented of, not released. Anger that becomes a condition of the heart.
When we keep replaying the offense, rehearsing the hurt, justifying our resentment, we are in *orgē*. That is the anger that chains the soul.
### 2) “You fool” – *raka* (ῥακά) and *mōros* (μωρός)
In Matthew 5:22, some manuscripts read:
> “And anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court.
> And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”
Two key words:
Jesus is not only dealing with anger as an inner condition. He is dealing with words that assassinate character. Verbal murder. Speech that writes the other person off as worthless or beyond redemption.
When this anger and contempt are aimed at a “brother or sister” (fellow believer), it is an attack against someone whom Christ has redeemed with His blood. It is a sin not only against the person but against the work of Christ in them.
This deepens the lyrics’ emphasis: “Words of contempt cut deeper than you know.” According to Jesus, such words bring a person into danger of Gehenna—the fire of hell. That is not minor. That is not neutral. It is spiritually lethal.
---
### A. “You have heard it said long ago… But I tell you…”
The repeated refrain reflects exactly how Jesus structures this section of His teaching:
> “You have heard that it was said… But I tell you…” (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28, etc.)
He is contrasting:
The song repeats this contrast to press home: the old covenant dealt mainly with outward acts; the new covenant deals with the inner man.
Jeremiah prophesied this long before:
> “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”
> — Jeremiah 31:33
Jesus is now implementing that covenant. He is writing the commandment against murder on the heart, not merely on stone.
### B. “Anyone who is angry with a brother or sister… will be subject to judgment”
This is judgment not only in human courts but in God’s court.
John confirms this interpretation:
> “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer,
> and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”
> — 1 John 3:15
Notice the parallel:
Jesus equates anger with murder in principle.
John equates hatred with murder in reality.
Anger, when nursed and cherished, matures into hatred. Hatred, in God’s sight, is murder of the heart. It may not be prosecuted on earth, but it is recorded in heaven.
This exposes a major deception among many Christians: “I would never kill anyone, but I will hold on to my bitterness.” God does not accept that separation. The same inner force that produces murder is at work in the bitter soul.
### C. “If you bring your gift to the altar… First go and be reconciled”
The lyrics reflect this:
> “If you bring your gift to the altar
> And there remember your brother or sister has something against you
> Leave your offering right there
> First go and be reconciled…”
The order is non-negotiable:
1. Worship (bringing your gift).
2. Remembrance (you realize someone has something against you).
3. Immediate obedience (leave the gift there).
4. Reconciliation (as far as it depends on you).
5. Return to worship.
Jesus is very specific: “first go… then come.” Many believers reverse this:
This principle runs through the New Testament:
> “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,
> live at peace with everyone.”
> — Romans 12:18
> “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
> — Ephesians 4:3
Unreconciled relationships, where we are unwilling to obey, block our spiritual life. They hinder prayer. They hinder anointing. Jesus linked forgiveness to answered prayer:
> “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them,
> so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
> — Mark 11:25
### D. “Settle matters quickly with the one who accuses you”
The lyrics echo:
> “Settle matters quickly with the one who accuses you”
Here Jesus uses very practical imagery: two people on the road to court. One is your adversary. He says: settle quickly. Do not delay. Why?
Because sin, including anger, is not static. It grows. Paul says:
> “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
> and do not give the devil a foothold.
> — Ephesians 4:26–27
Notice the link:
Unresolved anger →
Time passes (“sun goes down”) →
Door opens →
Devil gets a foothold.
That is why Jesus says “quickly.” Delay in settling matters gives room to Satan. Anger, if not dealt with, becomes:
“Chains of Anger” is not a poetic phrase. It is a spiritual reality. Anger, nursed and cherished, binds the soul.
### E. “Don’t let anger burn inside and poison your heart”
This line agrees with Hebrews:
> “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
> — Hebrews 12:15
Bitterness is a root. Roots are hidden, but they feed and corrupt the whole plant. Bitterness never remains contained. It “defiles many”—families, churches, marriages.
The song calls it “poison.” Scripture agrees:
> “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
> — Romans 3:13
Bitterness in the heart becomes poison in the mouth. Our words become toxic when anger rules.
### F. “Words of contempt cut deeper than you know”
Proverbs says:
> “The tongue has the power of life and death.”
> — Proverbs 18:21
When we say “You fool,” “You idiot,” “You’ll never change,” we are not merely expressing feeling. We are cursing the person’s identity and future. Jesus links such speech with Gehenna, the place where the refuse was burned outside Jerusalem—a picture of hell.
### G. “Guard your thoughts, forgive before the sun goes down…”
“Forgive before the sun goes down” is a direct echo of Ephesians 4:26. The strategy is very clear:
Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a decision to release the person from your claim, because God has released you.
### H. “Let love cover over wrongs, let mercy flow”
This is straight from Peter:
> “Above all, love each other deeply,
> because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
> — 1 Peter 4:8
And from James:
> “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
> — James 2:13
The opposite of anger is not apathy; it is active love and mercy. Where anger exposes and accuses, love covers and restores.
### I. “A gentle answer turns away wrath…”
This line is almost word-for-word from Proverbs:
> “A gentle answer turns away wrath,
> but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
> — Proverbs 15:1
Notice the spiritual law here. Harsh words stir up anger, increase it, keep it alive. Gentle words turn it away, defuse it, bring peace.
When we answer harshness with harshness, we are feeding the fire. When we answer harshness with gentleness, we are cooperating with the Spirit of Christ, who is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29).
### J. “The old law touched the hands, but Jesus searches the heart”
This line captures Jesus’ whole emphasis:
> “These people honor me with their lips,
> but their hearts are far from me.”
> — Matthew 15:8
> “For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance,
> but the LORD looks at the heart.”
> — 1 Samuel 16:7
The old covenant regulated external behavior—ceremonies, sacrifices, punishments. The new covenant targets the inner man—motives, attitudes, thought patterns.
Outward obedience without inward change is not enough. Jesus is not a cosmetic surgeon. He is a heart surgeon.
### K. “He calls us higher—to love like He loves… In Him we find power to break anger’s chain”
Here we come to the good news. Jesus does not merely condemn anger; He provides power to overcome it.
The standard:
> “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,
> if you love one another.”
> — John 13:35
The power:
> “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
> but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
> — 2 Timothy 1:7
> “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
> — Galatians 5:22–23
The same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in the believer (Romans 8:11). That Spirit produces self-control, not uncontrolled rage. He produces love, not hatred; peace, not turmoil.
Anger’s chain is broken not by willpower alone, but by the cross and the Spirit:
### L. “True righteousness goes beyond the rules we keep… It changes the heart where anger used to sleep”
Jesus began this whole section with these words:
> “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,
> you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
> — Matthew 5:20
Pharisaic righteousness was:
Kingdom righteousness is:
True righteousness is not a set of rules but a new heart:
> “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
> I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
> — Ezekiel 36:26
Where anger used to sleep, Christ now dwells. Where resentment lived, the Holy Spirit now rules.
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Theory is not enough. These truths must be worked out in daily life. Here are four practical steps, each with a suggested proclamation.
### 1) Expose and Acknowledge Your Anger
First, we must bring anger into the light. As long as we justify it, excuse it, or deny it, it will rule us.
Proclamation 1:
“Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that anger, resentment, and bitter words are sin. I choose to bring my anger into Your light. I refuse to hide it or excuse it any longer.”
### 2) Obey Jesus’ Command to Reconcile
Second, we must choose obedience over pride. If someone has something against us, and we have sinned against them, we must go.
Sometimes reconciliation may not be fully possible, but obedience on your side is.
Proclamation 2:
“Father, as far as it depends on me, I choose to live at peace with all people. I am willing to humble myself, to apologize where I have been wrong, and to seek reconciliation with those I have offended or who have offended me.”
### 3) Forgive from the Heart
Third, we must forgive—not superficially, but from the heart.
Jesus said:
> “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
> — Matthew 18:35
Forgiveness involves:
Proclamation 3:
“In the name of Jesus, I choose to forgive. I forgive those who have wounded me, spoken against me, or treated me unjustly. I lay down my right to revenge. I release them from my judgment, just as God in Christ has forgiven me.”
### 4) Guard Your Tongue and Thoughts
Fourth, we must actively guard the two main outlets of anger: thoughts and words.
Practice verses like:
> “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
> — Psalm 141:3
Proclamation 4:
“Lord, set a guard over my mouth. I submit my tongue to the Holy Spirit. I choose gentle answers instead of harsh words, blessing instead of cursing, and thoughts of love instead of thoughts of revenge.”
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### Proclamation of Freedom from Anger
Say this aloud, deliberately and thoughtfully:
“I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord.
He is the searcher of my heart and the healer of my soul.
His Word declares that anger and hatred are the roots of murder,
and I agree with His judgment.
I renounce all cherished anger, resentment, and bitterness.
I refuse to give the devil any foothold in my life.
By the blood of Jesus, I am forgiven for every angry word,
every contemptuous thought, and every act of hatred.
I choose to forgive those who have wronged me,
just as God in Christ has forgiven me.
I choose to seek reconciliation where I have caused offense.
I choose gentle answers instead of harsh words,
mercy instead of judgment, love instead of hatred.
The love of God has been poured out in my heart
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to me.
In the name of Jesus, I break every chain of anger.
I receive the peace of Christ to rule in my heart.
I will walk in true righteousness—
not only in outward actions, but in a transformed heart.
Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I bring my heart before You. You see every hidden anger, every wound, every bitter root. I ask You to shine the light of Your Spirit into the deepest places of my soul.
Lord Jesus, thank You that on the cross You carried my sins, including my anger and hatred. I ask for the power of Your blood to cleanse my conscience from dead works and violent thoughts. Holy Spirit, come and fill the places where anger has ruled. Produce in me Your fruit—love, peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control.
Where relationships have been broken by my words or my reactions, give me courage to humble myself and seek peace. Where others will not reconcile, give me grace to release them and to bless, not curse. Guard my tongue, renew my mind, and establish me as a peacemaker.
I ask this in the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus. Amen.”
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