888. In Jesus' aforementioned statement about "hell" he goes on to say: "Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is in danger of the council". What point is the world redeemer making here? What can it be other than the first, visible signs of a display of "anger"? "Raca" is a "taunt" or "term of abuse". Such words are the first signs of a display of anger towards one's neighbour. They represent the first basic forms of warfare; they are the first elementary weapons with which one wishes to torment one's neighbour. A being who hurls abusive words is not just "angry", but it is also giving vent to this anger towards its neighbour. As long as the being was angry and did not give vent to it, it was only "in danger of the judgment". It was then only in disharmony with wisdom itself. But when it gives vent to its anger and begins to torment its neighbour using abusive words and other kinds of weapons, it is consequently not only in conflict with wisdom but is also "in danger of the council", which means the terrestrial authority. It is now giving expression to not only dark thoughts but also to dark actions.
      We see that the world redeemer is thereby indirectly pointing out the legitimacy of the terrestrial authority. There has to be such an authority that is able to deal with those beings that, on account of their tendency to get angry and fight, are a danger to their surroundings. If such an authority, with its judicial system, had no legitimacy, no one could be found guilty by it. But this does not mean that this authority is at all times free from fault. It too is of course, like everything else on Earth, under development, but its development is determined by human beings' development. The more human beings develop in a humane direction, the more will their humaneness gradually be mirrored in their form of government and constitutional system, and thus be echoed or reflected in their public authorities or judicial system.
      The world redeemer's words: "Anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is in danger of the council" will therefore in its cosmic analysis be expressed as: "The being that allows itself to give vent to its anger through the use of abusive words or other means of tormenting its neighbour, will be answerable to the state authorities and judicial system, which are links in the Godhead's protection of living beings".