Like many of you, we covered the Sermon on the Mount in Sunday School this past week. From my reading, it looks like one of those who handled the writing/translating of the Savior’s sermon might have taken a small liberty with one of the teachings – I don’t know who he was, and I certainly don’t blame Matthew, but somebody since then is messing with us.
Specifically:
Matthew 5:22 “But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment;”
Luckily, in the Book of Mormon, Nephi had a better scribe, who didn’t mess with the text:
3 Nephi 12:22 “But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment;”
Looks the same? Look again. Someone added without cause to the New Testament version. So, we shouldn’t get angry without cause? When was the last time you got angry without cause? I always have a cause. Sometimes a really good cause. The way that scripture is written it actually condones getting angry – with a good reason..
Some further digging shows that this same sneaky scribe/translator apparently tried to soften some of the other commandments as well, but these attempts did not make the final edit. (Attempted changes in parenthesis)
Exodus 20:13 “Thou shalt not kill (unless he haseth it coming.)”
Exodus 20:14 “Thou shalt not commit adultery (unless she is hot with an abundance of hotness)”
Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal, (unless thou wantest it with a great want)”
Exodus 20:8 “Remember the sabbath day (unless thou forgettest)”
Matthew 5:28 “From him that would borrow of thee, turn not away, (unless thou art related)”
Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect (yeah, right)”
See what a great blessing it is to have the Book of Mormon to clear things up?
So, next time you have a really good reason to get angry, remember: It doesn’t matter.
Just trying to help, because I’m thoughtful like that.
mintifresh: Then this is for you:
http://middle-agedmormonman.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-didnt-want-to-know-that-4.html
I like your version of the 10 commandments much better cuz sometimes I forget to have a box of brownies handy on Sunday afternoons. That’s an ‘ox in the mire’ if I’ve ever seen one!
Thank you for the ‘adult’ version, I teach the 17 years old from the same manual but I love hearing the more indepth ‘adult version. I believe our ward is off one week, or maybe its just me.