“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:23-26)
BIG IDEA: Reconciliation always takes priority over worship.
- The Effect on Our Worship (5:23-24)
Background/Setting: A familiar scene to Jews. On the Day of Atonement, the worshiper brought an animal sacrifice for his sins (to restore a right relationship with God) to the Temple, specifically the Court of Israel. When he came to the Court of Priests he would stop because only the priests were allowed to enter the altar area. He would then lay his hands on the animal to identify with it and present it to the priest to offer on his behalf.
NOTE: Pharisees and scribes spent much time in synagogues and the Temple (sacrifices, prayers, tithes, religious activities) but did not consider internal sins (hatred, anger, lust) as true sins (See 5:21-22). Jesus corrects their tradition and misinterpretation of the Old Testament.
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (John 4:23)
“Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalms 24:3-4).
INSIGHT: Worship is not mere external ritual but inwardly (“in spirit’) with the proper attitude. It is foolish to think that God will accept our praise, thanksgiving, service, and material offerings if we have unresolved conflict with another person. There cannot be integrity in our worship.
PERSONAL QUESTION: Is there someone with whom you have unresolved conflict? A person who is angry with you? Has the Holy Spirit convicted you of a unrepaired relationship?
NOTE: Even if we hold nothing against the other person, if he is angry with us or hates us, we should do everything in our power to be reconciled to him. “As much as it depends on us,” we should try to close the breac
MUTUAL OBLIGATION: (Matthew 18:15) Offended goes to the offender; (Matthew 5:23-25) Offender goes to the offended. Ideally, the two should meet on the way.
- The Effect On Our Relationship With Others (5:25-26)
NOTE: A common practice of imprisoning a person for an unpaid debt. Roman law provided that a plaintiff could order his adversary to accompany him to the magistrate. If he refused, the plaintiff could drag the defendant to court by force. The two themselves could settle the matter on the way, but not after the court became involved.
Application: If anyone holds a debt of any sort against us, we are to make it good as soon as possible before it is too late. The time for reconciliation, like salvation, is now (“settle the matter quickly”).
Insight: An unwillingness to reconcile will result in judgment from the Divine Judge (“be thrown into prison” and “pay to the last cent”). We can avoid God’s chastening by reconciling quickly.
Conclusion: We must not delay in seeking reconciliation with someone we have offended. A failure to reconcile will disrupt our fellowship with God and invite His discipline.
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