What is the meaning of raca?

from the old testament

• The word raca is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• The one use of raca in the New Testament is found in Matthew 5:21–22, which reads, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults [raca] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
• Even if one does not understand the word raca, from the context it’s clear that Jesus is talking about a heart-level response to another. He refers to one being angry and calling the other a fool out of that anger. Thus, raca is also connected to one’s anger and is an expression that the first-century audience would understand. His point is that God judges our hearts, not just our actions. So, loving one’s neighbor is more than “not murdering them”; it means actively “loving them” from the heart.
• The exact meaning of the word raca is uncertain because it appears in so few documents. There is a similar-sounding word in Aramaic, which many—though not all—scholars believe is the source of the Greek word raca. That word has the idea of worthlessness or emptiness. Thus, the Greek raca could mean something like “empty-headed” or “worthless person.” Because its meaning is uncertain, translations vary. While some opt to leave it untranslated as “raca” (LSB and KJV), others attempt a translation. ESV (and NRSV) translate it as “insults,” generalizing it because the exact insult is uncertain. Other translations attempt to draw out the emptiness of the Aramaic word, translating it “you good-for-nothing” (NASB) and “empty fellow!” (YLT).
• Note that Jesus used a different word for “fool,” and a “fool” could also be called “empty-headed,” so raca might either add a nuance we have lost, or Jesus might have intentionally used two words with the same general meaning to drive the point home.

implications for today

There are some rare words in Scripture whose meanings are difficult to identify. Raca is one such example. However, no word is defined by its dictionary definition. Rather, words are defined primarily by how they are used in context. Thus, while the exact translation for raca is elusive, we can confidently say that Jesus was referring to a type of insult or accusation that flowed from one’s angry heart. He was warning that sin isn’t only sin when it fully blossoms (in this case, when murdering someone). It starts as a seed in the heart.

It’s a rare thing for us to be righteously angry like Jesus (e.g., Mark 3:5). Rather, our anger can usually be traced to sin. And because of our anger, we often justify other sins. While we may not go directly to murder, we might shun an individual, talk about them behind their backs, speak despairingly to their face, or even mutter curses under our breath. Jesus was saying that the fuming and grumbling is evidence of a rotten, sinful heart bubbling over. Speaking about eating food with unwashed hands, Jesus commented that it isn’t external dirt that makes us unclean but that which flows from the inside of us, from our hearts (Matthew 15:18–20).

However, we don’t stop being sinful by suppressing our anger. We need to remove the anger. That happens as God transforms our thinking (Romans 12:2) and purifies our hearts (James 4:8). This purification occurs as we read His Word, pray, attend church, and serve one another.

Jesus said that the world will know we are His disciples because of our love (John 13:35). Let us cultivate a loving heart, and the anger will fade as we consider others more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3–4).