Psalm 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (KJV)

We live in a time when it seems every utterance or depiction runs the risk of offending someone. The reason for that seems plain. There is little peace in this world. Society is filled with unrest. Our beliefs seem ripe with confusion. Our morals are challenged. Disorder, chaos, mayhem, and pandemonium appear to be the order of the day. The church is in disarray. All that once seemed bright is being dimmed and disparaged.

This is in stark contrast to the message of Jesus Christ. “Peace I leave you: my peace I give you.” (John 14:27). Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). When it came to commandments, Jesus told us that the greatest is to love God and then to love others. All the law and the Prophets hang on those two commandments. (Matthew 22).

It’s a simple equation: No love equals no peace. Then offence abounds. Chaos, confusion, and all their friends take up residency in the lives of individuals and in the churches, schools, societies, communities, and world where offense reigns.

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (KJV)

According to Strong’s Concordance, “Raca” means empty, worthless, empty-headed, good-for-nothing, or senseless. It was a term of reproach used in the time of Christ. In the TDNT (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament), it is stated that the word was used to express contempt for a man’s head, viewing him as stupid (without sense) – such as “numbskull” or someone who acts presumptuously and thoughtlessly.
I write this not because I am doing a linguistic study of the Bible, but because I’m trying to make a point. Our society, as a whole, seems to be quick to judge. Not only that, so many of us act down right hateful, completely filled with rage and name calling to anyone who does not agree with how that person wants to see the world.
Worse still, is that that behavior sometimes lies squarely on the backs of people who call themselves Christian. That not only seems not Christ-like, it puts someone “in danger of hell fire.” (That is NOT my words).
We cannot say that this is just one particular translations twist on a verse. I looked it up in 26 different Bible translations. They very closely say the same thing.
So… the next time someone cuts me off in traffic, or I don’t like the politics going on, or I’m at odds with the call the referee makes during March Madness, I really need to think twice about what I think… maybe three times by what I say.