Now let us look at this same parable in the 5th chapter of St Matthew.
Remember first that it is part of the sermon on the Mount, which is all
about not doctrine, but morality, the law of right and wrong, the law of
justice and mercy. You will see then that our Lord is preaching against
the same sins as in the 12th chapter of St. Luke. Against a hypocritical
religion, joined with a cruel and unjust heart. Those of old time, the
Scribes and Pharisees, said merely, Thou shalt not kill. And as long as
thou dost not kill thy brother, thou mayest hate him in thy heart and
speak evil of him with thy lips. But our Lord says, Not so. Whosoever
is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgment.
Whosoever shall say to him Raca, or worthless fellow, shall speak
insolently, brutally, cruelly, scornfully to him, is in danger of the
council. But whosoever shall say unto him, Thou fool, is in danger of
hell fire. For using that word to the Jews, so says the Talmudic
tradition, Moses and Aaron were shut out of the land of promise, for it
means an infidel, an atheist, a godless man, or rebel against God, as it
is written, "The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.
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