The Lord was not content to pass over the hateful evil of anger in heart and word, even if it was not exhibited in violent deed. He proceeds to carry out the revealed mind of God for the kingdom by requiring reconciliation if any had stumbled one’s brother. His disciples are in view, not mankind in general. Sin in disciples is exceeding sinful; good is peremptory (surely not evil) for the kingdom of the heavens.
“If therefore thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing” (Matt. 5:23-2623Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. (Matthew 5:23‑26)).
It is evident that Jewish disciples as yet under the law are those addressed. This is plain in verses 20-21 as well as in those we are now considering. In fact, it is the rule in this Gospel as a whole and in the others. It must be so, till in the death of Christ the middle wall of partition was broken down, and thus the way was opened to reconcile both Jew and Gentile that believed in one body to God, the enmity being slain. The discourse of our Lord anticipates no such unity, nor even the call of the Gentiles, in any one clause. But it is a profound mistake to suppose that this fact takes away the profit of these words from the Christian, though we stand now in a position of grace which could not be then. There is the richest instruction morally for all who honor Him who spake as never man spake. There is a spiritual estimate of unequaled depth for those who know redemption and have the indwelling Spirit, for we are able to enter in far more fully than those who heard His words of divine truth at the time He uttered them.
Thus the Lord enjoins the disciple who was bringing his gift to the altar, if he remembered that his brother had anything against him, to stop short of his devoted purpose as to God Himself, and be reconciled to his brother, before returning to offer his gift. What tenderness of conscience was looked for, brotherly affection, lowliness of mind, readiness to own wrong, and desire to win an offended brother! It was the very reverse of anger, contempt, or hatred, which He had just spoken about. And that reverse was the Jews’ case. For absorbed in bringing their offering to the altar, they were blind to their wrong against Him, their true Messiah, who deigned to be their brother, with far more than brother’s love, born for adversity as they knew not. But they refused to be reconciled and persisted in their offering, however offensive to God. It was presumptuous sin and high-handed self-will under cloak of religion.
W. Kelly