Murder Begins in the Heart

This week, we begin a new series “You Have Heard…”, looking at 6 instances where Jesus uses the phrase: “You have heard it said…but I tell you…”Jesus frequently challenges his audience’s understanding of Scripture when he says this. It doesn’t mean he is contradicting Scripture, it’s that he’s bringing clarity to what the people have misunderstood about it. Secondly, his audience often limited Old Testament commandments to external actions, not inward righteousness. Jesus reveals the true intention of the law - God does not look just on the outside of the man, but at the heart.

In Matthew 5, Jesus uses this phrase “You have heard it said” for the first time, and he begins by addressing the topic of murder. The question becomes, “Can I be considered a good person if I’m not a murderer?”