Join us in exploring the textual discrepancy in Matthew 5:22, focusing on the debated phrase ‘without cause.’ This article examines how variations in ancient manuscripts contribute to our understanding of Jesus’ message about anger, offering a nuanced perspective on this critical biblical passage.

Introduction

The verse Matthew 5:22 presents a notable textual variant that significantly impacts the interpretation of Jesus’ teachings on anger. This analysis, adopting the Documentary Method with a preference for Alexandrian manuscripts, aims to discern the most authentic version of this verse.

Manuscript Evidence and Analysis

Textual Variants Overview

1. Westcott-Hort (WH) and Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies (NU) Reading:

   • Greek: πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ (pas ho orgizomenos tō adelphō autou)
   • Translation: “everyone being angry with his brother”
   • Manuscript Support: 𝔓64+67, Codex Sinaiticus (א*), B, Origen, Apollinaris, Augustine, Jerome

2. Variant 1 (Textus Receptus/TR):

   • Greek: πας ο οργιζομενους τω αδελφω αυτου εικη (pas ho orgizomenos tō adelphō autou eikē)
   • Translation: “everyone being angry with his brother without cause”
   • Manuscript Support: א2, D, L, W, Θ, 0233, Family 1, 33, Majority Text, Diatessaron, Old Latin, Old Syriac, Origen, Apollinaris, Jerome

External Evidence

The WH/NU reading, supported by early manuscripts such as 𝔓64+67 and Codex Sinaiticus, lacks the addition of εικη (“without cause”). The presence of this variant in later manuscripts and translations, as observed by Origen, Apollinaris, Jerome, and Augustine, suggests its early introduction into the textual tradition.

Internal Evidence and Contextual Consideration

The addition of εικη in Variant 1 appears to be an attempt to qualify Jesus’ statement, implying that anger is justifiable under certain circumstances. This insertion, however, contradicts the rigorous moral standard set by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. The absence of εικη in the earliest manuscripts, along with the more challenging nature of the unqualified statement, supports the originality of the WH/NU reading.

Bruce M. Metzger’s notation (B) signifies a high degree of certainty for the WH/NU reading. The widespread occurrence of the variant with εικη from the second century onwards likely represents a copyist’s effort to moderate the strictness of Jesus’ teaching rather than an original part of the text.

Conclusion

Considering the documentary evidence and the thematic context of the Sermon on the Mount, the most authentic reading of Matthew 5:22 is “πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ,” “everyone being angry with his brother.” The addition of “εικη” (“without cause”) in later manuscripts represents a scribe’s intervention to soften the directness of Jesus’ words. The original statement, without this qualifier, aligns with the broader ethical teachings of Jesus, emphasizing a higher moral standard without exceptions.

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