Gospel in Art: You shall not murder

Study of Tree Roots by Johann Christian Reinhart, 1819 © British Museum, London

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 27 February 2026
Matthew 5:20-26

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: 'I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgement." But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, "You fool!" will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.'

Reflection on the Old Master Drawing

In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about virtue, but not virtue on the surface. He asks for something deeper than careful 'rule-keeping', deeper than just external compliance. He looks at the root of things. The Law of Moses had carefully mapped out how people were to live and relate to one another, and it was a precious gift. Yet Jesus does not stop at the level of behaviour. He reaches further, into the hidden places of the heart. He calls for a holiness that is radical! That word comes from the Latin 'radix', meaning "root." Christ desires a virtue rooted not in fear of punishment or social expectation, but in a heart radically transformed by grace.

Jesus goes on to illustrate this with a good example. He takes one of the Ten Commandments, the one which forbids murder. He say that of course murder is wrong, however, what causes someone to murder? Anger. Jesus always wants to go to the root of things, and in this case it is anger which is causing someone to commit extreme violence. He always looks at the deeper underlying causes of things. What lies beneath it? What is the root of how we sometimes feel or behave? Long before a life is taken, something has already gone wrong within the soul. The first act of violence in Scripture, Cain rising up against Abel, began not with a weapon, but with resentment and wounded pride. Resentment was at the root of things.

Our drawing from 1819, by Johann Christian Reinhart illustrates roots of a tree. The roots we see are just the roots on the surface, but of course the real roots lie below, beneath the surface. It is there, unseen and silent, that the tree draws its sap, its strength, its very life. The roots are what sustain the whole. And so it is with us. What is visible in our actions is only the surface; the real story lies beneath: in the hidden roots of our thoughts, desires, and intentions. If those roots are nourished by grace, by prayer, and by the Word of God, then the whole tree of our life will bear good fruit. That is what Jesus means when he calls us to be radical: to have our 'radix', our roots deeply in Him.

LINKS

Christian Art: https://christian.art/
Today's reading: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-5-20-26-2026/