When Praying the Father, You are Not to Be Angry with a Brother.

p. 685 Chapter XI.—When Praying the Father, You are Not to Be Angry with a Brother.

That we may not be as far from the ears of God as we are from His precepts, ⁸⁸²⁶ the memory of His precepts paves for our prayers a way unto heaven; of which precepts the chief is, that we go not up unto God’s altar ⁸⁸²⁷ before we compose whatever of discord or offence we have contracted with our brethren. ⁸⁸²⁸ For what sort of deed is it to approach the peace of God ⁸⁸²⁹ without peace? the remission of debts ⁸⁸³⁰ while you retain them? How will he appease his Father who is angry with his brother, when from the beginning “all anger” is forbidden us? ⁸⁸³¹ For even Joseph, when dismissing his brethren for the purpose of fetching their father, said, “And be not angry in the way.” ⁸⁸³² He warned us, to be sure, at that time (for elsewhere our Discipline is called “the Way” ⁸⁸³³ ), that when, set in “the way” of prayer, we go not unto “the Father” with anger. After that, the Lord, “amplifying the Law,” ⁸⁸³⁴ openly adds the prohibition of anger against a brother to that of murder. ⁸⁸³⁵ Not even by an evil word does He permit it to be vented. ⁸⁸³⁶ Ever if we must be angry, our anger must not be maintained beyond sunset, as the apostle admonishes. ⁸⁸³⁷ But how rash is it either to pass a day without prayer, while you refuse to make satisfaction to your brother; or else, by perseverance in anger, to lose your prayer?

Footnotes

685:8826

Oehler divides these two chapters as above. The generally adopted division unites this sentence to the preceding chapter, and begins the new chapter with, “The memory of His precepts;” and perhaps this is the preferable division.

685:8827

altare. [Heb. xiii. 10.]

685:8828

Matt. 5:22, 23.

685:8829

Perhaps there may be an allusion to Phil. 4:6, 7.

685:8830

See chap. vii. above, and compare Matt. 6:14, 15.

685:8831

“Ab initio” probably refers to the book of Genesis, the initium, or beginning of Scripture, to which he is about to refer. But see likewise Eph. 4:31, Matt. 5:21, 22, Gen. 4:6, 7

685:8832

Gen. xlv. 24: so the LXX.

685:8833

See Acts 9:2, Acts 19:9, 23, in the Greek.

685:8834

See Matt. v. 17.

685:8835

Matt. 5:21, 22.

685:8836

Matt. 5:21, 22, 1 Pet. 3:9, etc.

685:8837

Eph. iv. 26.