Agree Quickly with Your Adversary Matthew 5:25

Matthew shared how Jesus began to preach saying, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, and He called Peter, Andrew, James and John to be His followers. As Jesus' fame spread throughout Galilee, many others were gathered unto Him. Matthew continued by sharing how Jesus taught concerning the “beatitudes” of the “Kingdom of Heaven”, and He said His disciples were the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” and if their “righteousness” did not “exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” they would, “in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus continued with the example, “You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: ... 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, you fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” Jesus then instructed them, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you: Leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”, and in chapter five and verse twenty-five of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “agree with your adversary quickly” where we read:

Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.

The verse reads, “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in the way with him;” Matthew began with the word, “agree” which means “the disciples should wish well, be well disposed and of peaceable spirit” “with your adversary” which means “with the disciples' enemies or opponents in a suit of law” “quickly” or “speedily, readily and without delay”, “while” which means “in the time when” “you are in the way” or “the disciples are on the traveled way, journey, course of conduct, thinking, feeling and deciding” “with him” which refers to “your enemy, opponent or adversary”. Jesus told His disciples to “be well disposed and peaceable” with their “opponents” on the way to law suits.

The verse continues, “lest at any time the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.” Matthew continued with the word, “lest at any time“ or “so, perhaps, whether or not and in no way” “the adversary” which means “the opponent or enemy” “deliver you” or “give the disciples into the hands of, custody, scourging or tormenting” “to the judge” which means “to the one who passes or arrogates to himself judgment on anything”, “and the judge” or “and the one who passes or arrogates to himself judgment on anything” “deliver you” which means “gives the disciples into the hands of, custody, scourging or tormenting” “to the officer” or “to the under or subordinate rower, servant, attendants, retinue or soldiers of a king”, “and you be cast” which means “and the disciple be thrown, scattered and poured” “into prison” or “the place where captives are kept ”. Jesus said the reason the disciples were to “agree with their adversary quickly” was to prevent going to “the judge, officer and prison”.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how important it is to “quickly” negotiate a settlement with an “adversary” at the law. Jesus knew there would be disputes among people, and when they manifest themselves, His disciples were to attempt to bring about a solution to their differences with another person before they are brought before “judges” who have authority to put them in “prison”. The Heavenly Father desires a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when people learn of Jesus' ways, their lives shall align with God's. May all who read these words take heed to Jesus' advice when facing opponents at the law, and may He bless those who follow His words.

Next time Jesus tells His disciples, “you shall by no means come out … till you have paid the uttermost farthing”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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