leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering  Matthew 5:24

Be Reconciled – When we find a word in the Greek New Testament that is used only one time, we need to pay close attention.  We need to ask, “Why would the writer choose this word only in this one place?”  Usually the answer will tell us something important about the thought behind the word.  That’s exactly what happens here.  This Greek word is a compound of dia (meaning some kind of motion) and allasso (meaning “to change”).  Diallasso is only found here.  Its synonym, katallasso, is found six times (see Romans 5:10 and 1 Corinthians 7:11, for example).  But there is a difference that is important.  Katallasso is reconciliation through change in the one who is at fault.  In Romans, a man may be reconciled to God after a change occurs in him because he is at fault.  In Corinthians, the wife reconciles after a change in the husband because the husband was at fault.  Not so with diallasso.  Jesus tells us to be reconciled even when we are not at fault.  We are asked to privately seek out the other for the purpose of changing feelings even if we had no guilt in the offense. 

From a human perspective, this seems all wrong.  If I am not at fault, why should I be the one to seek reconciliation?  Our natural thinking says, “Hey, he should ask forgiveness of me.  I didn’t do anything.”   But Jesus is very clear.  My worship depends on clearing the air even when I have no blame.  It is not enough for me to be individually pure.  I must reach out to my community and be reconciled with those who are estranged from me.

Why does Jesus command such backward behavior?  Because it is a reflection of His character.  Jesus did nothing wrong.  He could approach the altar with sinless perfection.  But Jesus did not stay there.  He sought out those who had issues with God in order to reconcile them to the Father.  He walked the talk.  If He could do that, so can I.  If He could lay down His gift and humble Himself by seeking the ones who rejected and hated Him without cause, then why can’t I do the same thing?

Oh, how difficult it is for us to walk away from our piety and open ourselves to those who have something against us when we know that we are innocent.  How we resist when we know we are justified.  But we have forgotten that our status before the altar is the gift of One Who came to us when we were estranged, rebellious and filled with enmity.  He was innocent and He reconciled us.  So, follow Jesus away from the altar, and “be reconciled.”

leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering  Matthew 5:24

Go Your Way – In his commentary on Matthew, Nicoll says, “Reconciliation before sacrifice: morality before religion” and calls this one of the four cardinal principles of worship.  If we are careful in reading this previous verse, we see that the one who is about to offer a gift before the Lord is interrupted by the thought of a brother who holds something against him.  This does not mean that the one at the altar actually committed an offense.  It means that his brother holds a grudge even if it is unjustified.  Jesus says, “Stop!”  It doesn’t matter if I am in the right and my offended brother is wrong.  I must first be reconciled.  Then I can worship in peace.

What would happen in your church this week if we really took this verse seriously?  Remember, it is not about my transgressions.  It is about the other person’s reality.  Someone else holds something against me.   If God reminds you of the other person’s feelings, Jesus says leave the scene of your worship and be reconciled.  Would you see a mass exodus before the offering is taken?  Or are we too “proper” or too socially conscious to follow the leading of the Spirit?

“Go your way.”  Well, not quite.  There is an implication in Greek that we do not see in English.  The verb is hupago.  It does mean, “to go or to go away,” but it implies to do so in secrecy.  It is undercover action.  Go your way, but don’t march out, confronting the other person and demanding agreement.  Go secretly.  Be discreet.  It is morality with feeling for the other’s trauma.  This is a private matter and must be dealt with privately.  You are not there to confront.  You are there because God reminded you of an injured brother or sister and you are there to heal.

So, go your way, with discretion,  Quietly.  Secretly.  And be reconciled. 

The organist is playing softly.  Opening prayers have been given.  The minister stands before the congregation.  And suddenly, out of the blue, you remember that neighbor who thinks you are mean.  You remember that worker who thought you cheated him.  You remember that friend who felt you didn’t’ stick up for her.  It’s time to slip quietly out of the sanctuary.  Be God’s secret agent.  Find that injured person.  Make amends.  Be reconciled.  Then you can worship with an inner peace.